Four P's of Successful Coaching - Positivity
Four P's of Successful Coaching - Positivity
One of my favorite coaches from high school was our football coach Scott Farley. He had a way to motivate you in the most subtle way possible. He had a pre-game speech my Junior year that included the quote "Tough Times Never Last, Tough People Do" - Robert H. Schuller. I always look back and think about this quote when I am coaching and try to incorporate it with my team and everyday life (I would have ran through a brick wall for Coach after that speech). At times, its going to be difficult to move forward. Sometimes, you will want to quit and take the easy route. Those who persevere will be "Champions". In my view, a champion doesn't always have to equate to successful athletics. You can be a champion at your job, at school, or as a parent. There are many different aspects of life, in which, tough times can be conquered.
This is my biggest struggle coaching basketball. It can be very tough to maintain a positive attitude during tough times. I can think of countless times when I feel the negativity coursing through my veins. When the team is turning the ball over, they are slow in transition defense, being selfish, not pushing themselves or their teammates to get better, not... well, I think you get my point here. It is incredibly easy to find yourself being negative. A negative attitude by the coach reflects poorly on the attitudes of their players. As a freshmen coach, I have to remind myself that these are 13-14 year old kids that are still learning how to play the game and compete. As I continue to grow as a coach I recognize the need for a positive coaching attitude. I cannot preach "Love Your Teammates" if I only condemn my teammates actions. Positive reinforcement will go a long way in developing a successful team culture.
“I always mean what I say, but I don’t always say what I’m thinking” – Dean Smith
There are so many different factors that can add pressure to players. The crowd going crazy, the opposing team, family members, and the coaching staff all add a level of pressure to a player. Players, themselves, are the biggest culprit of added pressure. After a missed shot or a turnover it is very easy for self-doubt and negative thoughts to run through their mind. At Leslie High School, we constantly preach the "Next Play" attitude. When a shot is missed, we have to move on quickly so that is does not affect our next defensive possession. Shots will be missed, turnovers will be made, we as a coaching staff strive to teach the Next Play mentality to promote positive self thought. The mentality we strive for is: I lost the ball or missed a shot, I am going to make a defense stop to give us an additional possession. If we can create the culture of mentally tough players and promote positive self thought we will accomplish more as a program. Bobby Knight once said “Mental is to the physical as four is to one”. We have to be 4 times as mentally tough as we are physically. If we can play within ourselves and keep negativity from creeping into our atmosphere, we can compete at a much higher level.
“The key is to maintain an evenness. Try to play one possession at a time, regardless of what happened on the last possession” – Brad Stevens
In time you become increasingly aware of negativity in your athletes. It is not always as easy to see when so much of your attention is turned to what is occurring on the court. It is very easy for a teenager to become disappointed with their level of play and playing time and use that disappointment to tear down their teammates. This level of negativity can only stand to rip a team apart instead of bring them together. This season we have a young man, Trevor Huttenlocker, who I constantly use as an example for my team. Regardless of his level of play at that moment.. he is your biggest supporter on our bench. There have been countless times we must pull Trevor back towards the bench as his excitement takes him practically on the floor. From my personal experience, when you make a great, or even routine, play and your teammates are on their feet going crazy for you, there is nothing better or more inspiring. It is really refreshing to see that type of teammate in the age of selfishness that sports can be. I aspire to teach my kids (again, I have no kids... yet!) to be that teammate. When the going gets tough... Pick up your teammates. When everything is going the right way... be your teammates loudest supporter.
Positivity can play a huge role in an athletes love for the game. If they are constantly being belittled and only told things they have done wrong, it can negatively affect their passion and drive for the game. I attempt to convey positivity in games and practices to my team, I will also be the first to admit that it doesn't always happen. However, I try to utilize constructive criticism, to present a learning opportunity, instead of strictly criticizing. I have noticed how difficult it is for our athletes to understand the difference between criticism and constructive criticism. It does no favors to any athlete to continuously allow mistakes to happen just for the sake of positivity. You have to be able to build up your players mentally while strengthening their abilities physically. No matter the physical abilities, a mentally weak player can hinder your teams performance.
“One player’s selfish attitude can poison a locker room and make it hard, if not impossible, to establish team work” – Dean Smith
Are you promoting positivity at home, work, and play???
This is my biggest struggle coaching basketball. It can be very tough to maintain a positive attitude during tough times. I can think of countless times when I feel the negativity coursing through my veins. When the team is turning the ball over, they are slow in transition defense, being selfish, not pushing themselves or their teammates to get better, not... well, I think you get my point here. It is incredibly easy to find yourself being negative. A negative attitude by the coach reflects poorly on the attitudes of their players. As a freshmen coach, I have to remind myself that these are 13-14 year old kids that are still learning how to play the game and compete. As I continue to grow as a coach I recognize the need for a positive coaching attitude. I cannot preach "Love Your Teammates" if I only condemn my teammates actions. Positive reinforcement will go a long way in developing a successful team culture.
“I always mean what I say, but I don’t always say what I’m thinking” – Dean Smith
There are so many different factors that can add pressure to players. The crowd going crazy, the opposing team, family members, and the coaching staff all add a level of pressure to a player. Players, themselves, are the biggest culprit of added pressure. After a missed shot or a turnover it is very easy for self-doubt and negative thoughts to run through their mind. At Leslie High School, we constantly preach the "Next Play" attitude. When a shot is missed, we have to move on quickly so that is does not affect our next defensive possession. Shots will be missed, turnovers will be made, we as a coaching staff strive to teach the Next Play mentality to promote positive self thought. The mentality we strive for is: I lost the ball or missed a shot, I am going to make a defense stop to give us an additional possession. If we can create the culture of mentally tough players and promote positive self thought we will accomplish more as a program. Bobby Knight once said “Mental is to the physical as four is to one”. We have to be 4 times as mentally tough as we are physically. If we can play within ourselves and keep negativity from creeping into our atmosphere, we can compete at a much higher level.
“The key is to maintain an evenness. Try to play one possession at a time, regardless of what happened on the last possession” – Brad Stevens
In time you become increasingly aware of negativity in your athletes. It is not always as easy to see when so much of your attention is turned to what is occurring on the court. It is very easy for a teenager to become disappointed with their level of play and playing time and use that disappointment to tear down their teammates. This level of negativity can only stand to rip a team apart instead of bring them together. This season we have a young man, Trevor Huttenlocker, who I constantly use as an example for my team. Regardless of his level of play at that moment.. he is your biggest supporter on our bench. There have been countless times we must pull Trevor back towards the bench as his excitement takes him practically on the floor. From my personal experience, when you make a great, or even routine, play and your teammates are on their feet going crazy for you, there is nothing better or more inspiring. It is really refreshing to see that type of teammate in the age of selfishness that sports can be. I aspire to teach my kids (again, I have no kids... yet!) to be that teammate. When the going gets tough... Pick up your teammates. When everything is going the right way... be your teammates loudest supporter.
Positivity can play a huge role in an athletes love for the game. If they are constantly being belittled and only told things they have done wrong, it can negatively affect their passion and drive for the game. I attempt to convey positivity in games and practices to my team, I will also be the first to admit that it doesn't always happen. However, I try to utilize constructive criticism, to present a learning opportunity, instead of strictly criticizing. I have noticed how difficult it is for our athletes to understand the difference between criticism and constructive criticism. It does no favors to any athlete to continuously allow mistakes to happen just for the sake of positivity. You have to be able to build up your players mentally while strengthening their abilities physically. No matter the physical abilities, a mentally weak player can hinder your teams performance.
“One player’s selfish attitude can poison a locker room and make it hard, if not impossible, to establish team work” – Dean Smith
Are you promoting positivity at home, work, and play???
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