Coaching the exceptional player blends privilege and opportunity. And it happens rarely. What distinguishes the exceptional player from the other hundreds of players we coach?
The list is incomplete.
1. Ambition. Influence expert Dan Pink describes qualities of autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Special players showed exceptional commitment from a young age. Autonomy informs 'self-starters'.
2. Physical gifts. Top players have at least two of three qualities - size, athleticism, and skill. Coaches can help with athleticism and skill, but coaches cannot transform players without inherent gifts.
3. Curiosity. Newell's mandate, "see the game" manifests as being in your notebook and regularly studying video. At higher levels, become your own coach, learning how to 'utilize strengths and to attack weaknesses'.
4. Say, "Yes." Opportunities arise for extra training, extra instruction, extra development. That implies the will to tolerate physical and mental fatigue. "Champions do extra," says James Kerr in Legacy. The exceptional player takes advantage to develop an edge.
5. Mentoring. Selected figures in history leveraged force of will to success, such as Abraham Lincoln. Mostly, "mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence."
6. Coachability. Excellent players thirst for coaching. They translate listening into practice into high performance.
7. Athletic training. Few individuals, such as Bo Jackson, develop the strength, power, and endurance to excel without intense physical training. But the rest need focused development. On sites like Threads.net, readers can direct desired posts using the word, 'algorithm'.
8. Multilevel scoring. The game has evolved. Players need to score and facilitate scoring at all three levels. That requires instruction, tracking results, and competition. Knight's prohibition of 'free shooting' makes sense to reduce the dropoff between practice and live action.
9. Resources. Training, teams, and competition takes time and money. Strong family or external support help.
Lagniappe. Don't matter, too.
Lagniappe 2. Get more direction with exit interviews.
Players: If your coach doesn’t have an ind. meeting with you after the season ends, take the initiative & request one to:
— Jon Beck (@CoachJonBeck) March 4, 2024
Reflect & evaluate past season
Discuss thoughts/concerns/expectations
Understand role
Choose 2-3 things to improve
Make a detailed plan to attack off-season