John Wooden is behind so many of the concepts that keep coaches going and keep us up at night working to Be Like Coach.
Prepare and be decisive.
Tag: language
Rule #8
You really notice when you don’t have one on the mound. Or, when your opponent does.
The plays made matter. The plays that she might make next matter more. Attacking a team’s confidence before the inning starts is a real weapon.
It’s more than PFPs.
Rule #7
I used to say that there was no book. Now, I believe there is but it’s not what we thought. One can’t read it over and over and memorize each chapter.
When coaches talk about “the book,” as in doing things by the book, or the book saying where the ball should go on a play, they mean that there’s an answer. There is a right way in every situation.
Nope. No answer that applies in all cases. Many things happen in patterns but there is no set of moves on the field that are true or “right” in all cases.
The game will incorporate the talent, luck, karma, skill, desire and momentum in the arena and help decide the outcome in the end regardless of what was written in the introduction.
Make no assumptions. Love and play hard.
Rule #6
Catch the ball.
Make the play.
Practice the coverages, the priorities, the angles, the who-has-the-best-option situations.
Tabout it before and after, but not when the ball is on its way.
Simple. Not easy.
Rule #5
Results, not reasons. Again.
This is not a results > process statement, it’s simply to say that when things go your way, when you get a result you were hoping or working hard for…the pain of the process is dulled by the joy of the outcome.
At least for a little while.
Rule #4
The one you see all the way, square up and crush. The crowd oohs and ahhs…and you don’t even leave the box.
Sure, you watch it. Here’s to no one getting hurt or breaking a car window.
You feel good because it felt solid, but it likely wasn’t a strike anyway…
There’s no shame, but it’s not as good as it feels.
Results, not reasons.
Rule #3
Most complexities are compiled of sets of simple things.
Simple. Not easy.
If your team knows where and who gets the ball, all your bases and covered and has an understanding of the need for backing up the current priorities, things will go well.
The doing is important, and the planning and understanding is critical, too.
A team that’s confident in their ball, base, backup plan–one that has run the drills over and over until the play is sharp and the communication is on point–is the one that will be able to deal with derailments with aplomb.
Being ready when things go wrong is a key to having them go right.
Rule #2
Play “the right way” each and every time?
The ends justify the means?
Unless everyone knows exactly what the right way is we won’t achieve that, and no-holds-barred, win at all costs isn’t ok either.
Like most things on a spectrum, reasonable performance and appropriate behavior is somewhere in the middle.
When it’s clear that it’s cheating, however, the answer is obvious.
Even if the people don’t know you’re skirting the rules–official or unofficial–the game will know (Rule #98).
True prosperity comes with honest success.
How Much Connection Is Enough?
In these unusual times the world is talking a lot about connection. How do we replace in-person connection with virtual or other forms of connection?
Is there a limit, or an ideal amount of communication or connection on a team?
Is it bad that I’m tired of Zoom?
This got me thinking about the types of connection on teams in “regular” circumstances. Should every team member have a tight connection with every other team member? Is this a reasonable goal on any sized team? Here are two models of connection; both have TEAM in the middle.
#1 has solid connections between each and every team member. These connections pass thru the team each time.
#2 shows each team member having a solid connection to the team. Is this enough?
Boiling It Down
Good coaching, is two things, IMO:
Curiosity
and
Clarification
Find out what’s required for success (define that, too) and what drives people (especially yourself).
Then boil down all of the things that your team will need to achieve the standards you decide upon, be clear about what’s expected along the way, and get going.
Start with a notebook and an open heart.
Coaching Made Easier 