Support your 'troops'. It works across species.
Jane Goodall discussed chimp parenting in her MasterClass. The theme was both parental and community support. Help youngsters feel safe and cared for. Coaching changes behaviors in four areas - technical, tactical, physical and psychological. Our words help mold the psychological reserves of players.
- Greet players by name each practice.
- Sandwich criticism within praise.
- Praise should outnumber criticism by at least 3:1.
- Be precise... 'that's good AND' differs from 'that's good BUT'
- Constructive praise and constructive criticism count.
- Praise the praiseworthy. What we say and how we say it matters.
- "Catch people in the act of doing good." - Pat Riley
- When harsher criticism is in order, do so privately with another adult present.
Fifty years later, I remember a coach telling me I was going to start because "you earned it."
Dean Smith prioritized praise of reserves contributing to victories. He believed the stars found plenty of credit.
Coach Wooden's advice works for players, too, "As a leader, you will receive large amounts of praise or criticism and you should not be unduly affected by either."
Lagniappe. Praise isn't blind. “If I went back to my 20-year-old self, what I would tell my 20-year-old self is, ‘You don’t know anything.’ Because everyone, when they’re young, they think they know what’s going on in the world, and you don’t.” – Jocko Willink (Navy SEAL, author of Extreme Ownership)
Lagniappe 2. Shooting drill. I have to think on this more.
