The head coach owns the process - philosophy and preparation, strategy, tactics, and personnel selection and training. Strategy is what you do when there is nothing to do and tactics are what you do when there is something to do. And the input she chooses, she develops as the horse's mouth, not the horse's other end.
She decides what is signal and noise. She allocates limits resources. She defines and delegates. She gives and gets feedback. And she knows that people are the medium, beset with real emotions.
James Clear's 'bulls-eye' from Atomic Habits frames an approach. Bad process doesn't spawn elite outcome. Yet identity also links to opportunity. You can't pull yourselves up by the bootstraps if you have no boots.
Legacy shares. Lincoln's legacy emerged from relentless learning. His friends worried about his suicide-level depression. Their concern was misplaced because of his need to leave a mark on the world, which suicide would prevent.
Coaching children, look for a matrix that portends success - size, athleticism, and skill with intangibles like resilience, toughness, energy, and commitment.
Harvard displays its treasured 'glass flowers' at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The Blaschka father and son team created them over almost fifty years in Germany. Their fragility matches their beauty. Players are our medium, as we seek and train the next Secretariat.
Horse sketch, Leonardo da Vinci
The artistry of coaching builds horses not ponies. Horses win races.
Leaders trust assistants and team members, respecting without accepting every idea. Corporate memory doesn't reside equally throughout a team. In 1989, investigation of a fatal explosion in a gun turret on the battleship USS Iowa initially blamed a sailor. Subsequent investigation argued that improper powder packing caused the tragedy. "The U.S. Navy expressed regret (but did not offer an apology)." Limited training and experience (process) often yield bad results.
Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, by Frank Gehry
Beautiful design is seldom composite but gets input on strengths, weaknesses, and needs. The Wright Brothers built the second wind tunnel in America to help design their aircraft. The first aviation mechanic, Charlie Taylor, helped the Wrights build the wind tunnel and built their aircraft engine.
We need horses not camels.
Summary:
- The head coach owns the process.
- Decide what is signal and noise.
- Bad process doesn't spawn elite outcome.
- Look for a matrix that portends success.
- Players are our medium.
- Corporate memory doesn't reside equally throughout a team.
- Limited training and experience often produces mediocre results.
- Beautiful design is seldom composite.
Lagniappe: BOB, UCONN Triangle Boomerang
Lagniappe 2: An hour to change a life.
"It's not about you." Lessons and insights into player development from @GanonBaker on the latest #thebasketballpodcasthttps://t.co/BWQ0Vu5Ty3 pic.twitter.com/s5FapGsADK— Chris Oliver (@BBallImmersion) March 6, 2020
"Do things that bring you tremendous joy."
"Find ways to grow."
"Great teachers demonstrate."
"Bones over cones."
"Teach kids how to think." (Ask questions)
"It's a workout not a lecture (Chris Oliver)."
"Feedback...always end on a positive."
"Teach how to win at basketball...teach how to win at life."
"There's a difference between coaching and workouts (Chris)."
There is tension between coaching ("negativity") and enjoyment (Chris).
"The truth fears no questions."
"Correction is immediately interpreted...as being negative (Chris)."
"I'm still ignorant and inconsistent."
"If you're going to "F" me, then you better educate me."
"It can't be a transaction without a transformation (Chris)."
"The more you give people for free, the less they value it."
"Don't undervalue what you do."
Train (on the court) where you play. Can't train from top and play from wing.
Celtics 15 shots in a minute workout drill - catch and make, catch and one dribble right make, catch and one dribble left make.
Drill players to specificity of coaching system - pick-n-roll, pick-n-short roll, pick-n-pop
"I'm going to try to change this person's life (in an hour)." "Your way is not the only way."
"You have to be a superstar in your role."
"How are you going to fit into the culture (every practice)?"
"I never see guys working on their game by themselves."
