Saturday, September 9, 2023

Surviving As a Coach

Among age, arthritis, and career demands, I'm out of coaching but in on survival. "There's nothing cheaper than free advice." 

Here's the Leadership Moment template. 

What went well? 

As Brad Stevens says, "coaches get more than we give." Coaching helps us know and understand the community. I'm grateful to have become friends with many families and players. 

It's personal over professional. Keeping a 'success scoreboard' of craft is a fool's errand. Measuring basketball and life success for players means seeing through their prism not mine.

I learned a deeper knowledge and understanding of people and of the game. Experience translates across domains.

I never took a stipend. I sponsored kids into tournaments and my wife and I held breakup dinners for the group, money well invested.

Many of these young women have gone on to exceptional careers and become leaders. That meant they made a lot of great choices and once in awhile embrace a worthy lesson. 

What went less well?

Under the best of circumstances, work-life balance stresses every coach. Invest the time to find your best balance. 

Coordination between the middle school program and the high school program was never great. Ego is the enemy...on both sides. 

Participation in offseason programs is necessarily voluntary. If winning is a top priority, then you need a viable offseason program. Viable includes content, continuity, and participation. When most players stopped coming, most lost out on development. As Taylor Swift would say, "Baby, just say, "yes."  

What could go better in a next life?

If I were heading a high school program, I'd set higher collaboration goals and expectations between the middle school and high school programs. Simplify and clarify. 

I coached my daughters at the beginning of the coaching journey. They turned out okay (top 30 players in the state), but I was even more limited as a coach twenty plus years ago. 

What are the enduring lessons? 

Be positive. Nobody makes a positive life from a negative attitude. 

Always keep learning. 

Always make it about the players. The players are the product. Build a program not a statue.

You can't eliminate politics. That's human nature.

Lagniappe. Set high standards. 

Lagniappe 2. Some assembly required. 

Lagniappe 3. Fake 'em to make 'em. 

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