COACHES: You might have bad parents, bad players, or bad administrators but it is still your responsibility to continually improve as a coach, be a positive leader, and find ways to make everyone in your program better. Set the standard. Be the standard. Model the standard.
— Jamy Bechler (@CoachBechler) November 19, 2023
Few parents directly told me they disagreed with my coaching or how I coached their children. It always came back indirectly. Maybe that's because they knew I volunteered, paid for a preseason tournament or two, and hosted a catered breakup dinner at the end of season.
The philosopher Epictetus had a saying something like, "If they knew me better they'd have far worse criticism."
Whatever those numerous flaws, I kept working to improve - reading, studying, watching video, coaching clinics, and more.
We all need a "personal improvement program," because only one guy was perfect and we all know how that turned out for Him.
Specific ideas:
1. Read. I'm slowly working my way through Red Team, an incredibly dense book by Micah Zenko.
2. Journal. Write something in a notebook, 'commonplace book', in the Notes app on your phone.
3. See the world around you. See, don't just look.
4. Take a course. Whether it's in your vocation, about coaching, or MasterClass. I'm taking "The Great Courses" online course on Economics by Professor Timothy Taylor. Coaches are economists as we apply a science of distribution of scarce resources.
5. Study a coach in depth... Pete Newell, Dean Smith, John Wooden, Geno Auriemma, Pat Summitt, Pete Carill, whomever.
6. Make friends with the dead. Feel the pain of Lincoln or the wonder of Da Vinci.
The vast majority of experience I had with players, parents, and families was positive. Perhaps the negatives keep us grounded. Regardless, improvement is our responsibility. "You own your paycheck."
Lagniappe. What are your one-liners?
What are your favorite coaching phrases?
— Greg Berge (@gb1121) November 21, 2023
Here are 20 positive coaching phrases that coaches can use.
1. "Iron sharpens Iron."
2. "Are you a fountain or a drain?"
3. "Trust the process."
4. "Be a champion by choice."
5. "Eliminate easy. Handle hard."
6. “Find an excuse or find…
