Tension exists between doing what someone wants and the right thing. It's 'easy' not to buy alcohol or cigarettes for minors. Basketball ethical dilemmas arise, too. Be empowered.
Borrow from the original 12 Step Program?
The following are the original twelve steps as published by Alcoholics Anonymous:
- We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Mike Allen explained how he couldn't help a coach of nine year-olds who wanted zone press installations. If we don't believe in the process, we shouldn't participate.
"Please, Sir, may I have some more" playing time? Everyone wants more minutes, more role. Understandable. And under the gun of 'user fees', there's a financial imperative. "I paid for this?" The battle between playing time and winning gets played out every day. Articulate a clear philosophy.
"Pssst. I've got some Princeton offense diagrams for you." Should we teach what we know or move the goal posts? There is always another offense or defense over the horizon. The grass is not always greener on the other side.
In 1985 UCONN sought a new coach. The AD told the players, "we'll get you the best woman coach we can find." The players pushed back arguing for the best coach available. UCONN found a young coach, Luigi "Geno" Auriemma. Do you find the best coach, the best schoolteacher coach, the best woman coach, the best young coach?
Take care of the kids. Have a walkaway position. Years ago I volunteer coached and school hours changed. Practice time was to be chopped from four to two hours a week, not enough to teach or develop. I went to 'the authorities' and said that was insufficient. They ultimately found a way to get three hours a week. But if they had insisted on two, I would have walked.
"Technique beats tactics." - Gregg Popovich There's nearly irresistible temptation to add more to win today at the expense of player development that helps forever. We've all done it. "Feed a man a fish" stuff.
Who eats first? Does the skilled and promising young player eat the minutes and role of the older player? One coach explained, "this is not a union job." And new coaches may feel pressure to appease older players and their families who play the "I paid my dues" card.
Find balance. Success can be an all-consuming mistress. Find balance between work, play, and family. High school basketball coaches aren't getting rich while staying late with teams and missing meals with family.
Character is job one. - Etorre Messina Coaches and programs rationalize keeping talented problem players on their teams. According to a Bill Belichick confidant, Aaron Hernandez was his "best football player." Hernandez was also a killer. Do you keep the talented low character on your team? Does a university discipline players who constantly go over the line?
How do we fight the demons? First, be aware of them. Second, be willing to write them out and think about them. Third, know the politics. It's easier to be right with a barrel of ink than in a pond of piranha.
Lagniappe. It's always worthwhile to watch Kevin Eastman teach.
Lagniappe 2. Look the past for answers today.