Well, tryouts are done and now, so is the first practice.
(Quick spoiler--when organizing a practice, I've always tried to use the stuff here, but this year--we're also 'forcing' the use of stuff you can learn here or in the 'Growing the Game' blog.)
There's also an anomaly in this--last year for club, it was recommended by physicians that I not coach a team or be active during practices. With a couple new coaches on board--that made it rough to effectively be a technical director! Yikes. But--that's important context.
Last year, the players we had got better by the end of the year--they reached their goals of not getting cut by a school team, being all-area, the usual goals kids have. But a lot of the practices were drill-oriented (yeah, I know...another one of THESE posts...) and a common comment was "I thought it would be more fun". Fair enough.
There's another club in our area--they want to be serious about volleyball. They are going to practice every day, travel every weekend--they told parents kids shouldn't be playing other sports...which really chafes my shorts, by the way--look, I coach college ball, so I'll give my opinion straight--go ahead and play all the sports you want, be in band and madrigals, if you're good, you're good. They talk about drills and the seriousness of it.
So there's an obvious contrast in approach going on.
Last night's training (it's KILLING me to change my use of 'practice' to 'training'...but I'm trying):
HP Dynamic Warmup
3 courts with stations:
1: one with serving/Serve-Receive, going both ways, so we get a lot of reps
2: Quick discussion of what we call our sets, then hitting lines--with an easy swing to the hitter, so they transition and pass before they hit.
3: Review of team defense, then a couple hitters hitting balls at 6 people on defense so they learn by doing.
--Groups rotated every 15 minutes, so no one stood around much or had time to get used to a routine.
We then put two teams on two courts and:
First: Played 6 on 6, working on players initiating play, not the coaches--and making sure that the next ball was entering play as soon as the last was down/out/finished, so we kept a brisk pace going. Players not in were responsible for counting balls--every 5, a person switched in on the fly (like hockey). The intent was to get a bunch of swings and using our set-designations while also playing team-defense.
Last: We played 20 minutes of Speed Ball. This forced players to move around and still call sets--but also gave us serve receive practice using 3 people (our most likely formation)
HP Dynamic Cool-down
And then it was over. And then the players complained--not that it was boring or too easy. They complained because they didn't want to quit! They didn't think two hours could fly by that fast. Before they were out of the gym, one text-messages a friend that she'd missed an awesome evening (her friend was at her hs team's end-of-season banquet) and at least a dozen kids told their parents there "I can't wait for Thursday." And I don't think we would've got that running drills.
* * *
One of the coaches for our high school teams this year is a former LLCC athlete, all-conference, all-Region. Afterwards, she asked "Are you sending a list of drills for Thursday?" I said "Nope," and explained the intent (...something I SHOULD have done before tryouts with her and our other new coach--and I 100% pooched it....I hate screwing up).
We discussed the value of game-like situations and the value over drills, etc--and her response, "Why couldn't you have been that way as my coach five years ago?
It's rough to change your ways. I TOTALLY get that--but as adults involved in teaching--it's our responsibility to get better, to show young people we are working to be the best we can be, so we can help them be the best they can be.
Not sure how to create a practice like this--ask someone. I certainly haven't invented the wheel here. Get to a HP clinic, heck--send an email asking for help to the USAV people...but give it a try. It DOES work.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Game-Like Volleyball Practice Planning
The beauty of volleyball is the people you meet (hey--buy my coaching book...I talk about that a lot!). ...it also means I've been spending more time thinking volleyball than on my business...yeah, like that's any different in 2014 than in 2005.
So I posted a previous entry on an uber-top secret coaching/training forum--it's about the advantages of game-like training over old-fashioned drills. The conclusion was that game-play fares no worse than drills in terms of results--but the surprise conclusion was that since making the switch, my team's games lost to injuries have dropped by SEVERAL HUNDRED PERCENT.
One of the coaches there was a young woman I met while working for USAV's High Performance camps this summer. She asked if I could give an example of a two-hour practice that emphasized/worked only with game-like drills, and I thought--"Hey, what better way to procrastinate on company business and a novel that's got me stuck than blog about volleyball practice! WOOT!"
(NOTE: The 'woot' was mental. I did not say it, nor was there any arm pumping....really)
Since all y'all reading this haven't been in my gym, a big influence on me as a coach was Jim Stone. I don't think in the three years I worked for him that he ever blocked drills or segments to take up a specific amount of time. Ohio State worked on things as long as they were productive--if something wasn't working and wasn't helping, OSU moved on. If something was going great, we kept going, extending the teachable moment.
What that means is--I don't 'time' my practices. I've put some times below as a rough guideline, but don't mimic them for the sake of imitation, for God's sake! I've also put comments in with what I am thinking for each part of the plan.
So I posted a previous entry on an uber-top secret coaching/training forum--it's about the advantages of game-like training over old-fashioned drills. The conclusion was that game-play fares no worse than drills in terms of results--but the surprise conclusion was that since making the switch, my team's games lost to injuries have dropped by SEVERAL HUNDRED PERCENT.
One of the coaches there was a young woman I met while working for USAV's High Performance camps this summer. She asked if I could give an example of a two-hour practice that emphasized/worked only with game-like drills, and I thought--"Hey, what better way to procrastinate on company business and a novel that's got me stuck than blog about volleyball practice! WOOT!"
(NOTE: The 'woot' was mental. I did not say it, nor was there any arm pumping....really)
Since all y'all reading this haven't been in my gym, a big influence on me as a coach was Jim Stone. I don't think in the three years I worked for him that he ever blocked drills or segments to take up a specific amount of time. Ohio State worked on things as long as they were productive--if something wasn't working and wasn't helping, OSU moved on. If something was going great, we kept going, extending the teachable moment.
What that means is--I don't 'time' my practices. I've put some times below as a rough guideline, but don't mimic them for the sake of imitation, for God's sake! I've also put comments in with what I am thinking for each part of the plan.
SAMPLE PRACTICE PLAN
USAV Shoulder Pre-Hab We alternate days for this. I freely admit to 100% stealing this out of the High Performance manual...just as important, our trainer at LLCC says it's great, too.
USAV Dynamic Warmup We rotate through with the three different versions. Combined with the Shoulder-Pre Hab, it gives us six different warm-up combinations.
TIME BUDGETED FOR WARMUPS: 20 minutes (this is done before our gym time starts whenever possible)
50-50-50 Variation on the butterfly drill...ball is thrown from 10ft line (Zn4) to Zn1, passed from there to target (if roster is big enough, setter will set to target, passer and setter move to cover target).
After 50 good passes (target is 5 feet off the net, NOT right on top of the net), thrower backs up to 20 ft from net. At this point, thrower becomes server and serves from 20ft. This is repeated from the end line. The intention of the 50-50-50 is to get passers to move/read the ball coming over and gradually warm up arms. Since all serves must go to Zn1, it also works on serve accuracy)
TIME BUDGETED FOR 50-50-50: 10-15 minutes...depends on the number of people in the drill, or sometimes we go 0-50-50 or reduce the drill length.
SERVE-RECEIVE: (15-30 minutes, depending)
*Serves going both ways, two or three passers, target (or setter+target), rotating every 60 seconds or so...servers are working on serving passing seams or specific zones, passers are reading server, setters are getting reps--and target will switch set of emphasis as well.
*Servers, three passers, non-setter setting+target. More passing practice and setters need to know how to pass, non-setters need to ball-handle.
*Serve, passer/hitter, setter. Serve comes over, whoever passes must also hit the set. (We will also do this where the passer cannot be the hitter)
*Serve, pass/hit/defender, setter. Competition--rotate after 3/5/10 points. Score a point for an ace OR a kill. Kill = hitter hits it and three defenders on other side cannot get two touches total. Hitters now have to think passing AND hitting, but also need to think defense immediately, work on reading a hitter's approach, judging the set, etc
SPEED BALL: (15-20 minutes)
I won't describe this. If you don't know it--think Queen of the Court on steroids...then go find examples of Speed Ball. You get something like 60% more contacts with SB than QotC.
We play games for time OR to certain point totals. Rules change with every game--they are explained once only; I want players to pay attention (yeah, good luck with that).
*Variation 1: Net serves = back to 0.
*Variation 2: No setting allowed, contacts must be forearm OR attacks
*Variation 3: Can not hit with dominant hand
*Variation 4: Aces count 3 points
*Variation 5: Tips to a specific location count extra
HITTING AROUND/OFF BLOCK:
This can also be done with live blockers. With the coach putting it over the net, we get a pass, set, swing, and players covering. You can have a player serve it over, but we do it this way so the focus is on the hit/cover, etc. I want balls put in certain places to start the drill and my players don't have the skill (and we don't have the time for them to get it) to do it. ...and sometimes I don't have enough players tall enough to put up a serious block...
This will take 10-15 minutes--more if it is going well.
ROTATIONS: We will play 6-on-6, working on our six rotations--this will include serve-receive, as well as defense. A coach will toss a ball in, the player immediately free-balls over to the other team...we want aggressively placed freeballs, not just lollipops to the middle where it's easily played.
15-30 minutes daily for most of the season. In the week before play starts, we'll spend more time on this. At the end, we'll spend less.
BASKETBALL (named because the eventual scores look like an NBA game *and* because you score 1-3 points per play): This is a game with two full teams, played in either two 10-minute halves or four 6 (or 8) minute quarters. Ball is entered by coach to Team 1 who freeballs it to Team 2 to play it out. This will happen for the first two quarters. At the half, teams switch sides and Team 2 freeballs to Team 1.
Points are scored differently each day we play... Variations:
*After 6 hitting errors in a quarter, your opponent is in the bonus and receives 2 points for all further hitting errors the rest of the quarter (or half if you wish)
*After 6 hitting errors in a quarter, your opponent is in the bonus and receives 2 points for all further hitting errors the rest of the quarter (or half if you wish)
*3 points for quick set kills / 2 points for tips landing in Zn 1 / 1pt for all others.
*3 points for RS kills / 2 points for tooling the block / 1 pt for all others
*3 points for BR attacks / 2 points for setter dumps / 1 pt for all others, bonus 1 pt each time someone on the other team dives unnecessarily instead of remaining on their feet.
Players get a drink break at the half.
The drill really works on transition and provides a ton of contacts. We play this about 75% of the days. At the proper pace, this drill also serves as great conditioning--players don't get time outs, they don't sub...they are out there the full length of the quarter, so if they are struggling--the other team gets to take advantage of that. It can add quite a bit of 'chaos' and the unexpected--good things in my opinion.
Basketball usually takes 30-40 minutes to play, depending on length of quarters and how long you give for the halftime break.
And that's a two-hour practice.
When it comes to picking teams for Speed Ball or Basketball, I don't pick the teams. I choose two players and they pick their teams. I like seeing who they believe is playing well--or who prefers to pick friends instead of players who will win them games.
Just as important from a coaching standpoint, I try and design practices which limit the 'control' of the coach--I don't hit a ton of balls because I don't get to during games.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Running Drills Primarily vs. Using Game-Situations/Focusing on 'Playing'
As our season winds down, I decided to take a look at our stats for the past three years. A lot of discussion goes on about play-focused vs. drill-focused practices and that if you eliminate drills, you're going to hurt your team. A perfectly controlled experiment isn't really possible--every game is different, every year is different.
With the info below, for various reasons, 2012 was a drill-oriented year where 50% of the practice was dedicated to drills. In 2013, I made the switch to game-oriented practices, reducing the # of drills to at most 5-10% of practice. Our schedule difficulty remained the same. In 2014, I ramped up the schedule toughness, but we eliminated 'drills' completely, focusing everything on game-oriented work, so that everything was engineered to be game-like with players initiating contacts rather than coaches--the works.
So:
2012 2013 2014
With the info below, for various reasons, 2012 was a drill-oriented year where 50% of the practice was dedicated to drills. In 2013, I made the switch to game-oriented practices, reducing the # of drills to at most 5-10% of practice. Our schedule difficulty remained the same. In 2014, I ramped up the schedule toughness, but we eliminated 'drills' completely, focusing everything on game-oriented work, so that everything was engineered to be game-like with players initiating contacts rather than coaches--the works.
So:
2012 2013 2014
Hit Eff % .228 .239 .239
Kills/Set 12 12.5 12.4
Blocks/Set 2.25 1.75 1.75
Aces/Set 1.95 1.75 1.75
Digs/Set 18.5 18.45 17.9
S/R (3pt scale) 2.38 2.20 2.06
2012 note: Our libero was all-American for the second time, best juco libero in the country and went on to NCAA D-1 and awards at that level, too.
Kills/Set 12 12.5 12.4
Blocks/Set 2.25 1.75 1.75
Aces/Set 1.95 1.75 1.75
Digs/Set 18.5 18.45 17.9
S/R (3pt scale) 2.38 2.20 2.06
2012 note: Our libero was all-American for the second time, best juco libero in the country and went on to NCAA D-1 and awards at that level, too.
The difference between 2012 and 2013 is our libero. Weaker passing led to the need for more attempts, thus more kills. The blocking drop was us losing a 6'1 all-American MH.
The other drastic stats change is the Digs and S/R rating between 2013 and 2014--that was a recruiting failure on my part....our libero was fine, but the passing around her was weaker. Just as important, we ramped up the schedule difficulty, making it harder to stop hitters or have our hitters put the ball down.
But ultimately, in terms of the stats--the only real difference is 2012's blocking and S/R ratings, and those were because of the players, not running drills.
"But, wait, all that shows is there is no difference."
And that may be--but if we accept that, why wouldn't we use game-like play, ESPECIALLY with younger kids? Does anyone prefer drills to playing? Absolutely not!
No difference? --doesn't that suggest that drills are NOT more effective? And just as important, game-like play adds in an extra skill/practice time with teammates on a court. I don't know how to quantify volleyball IQ.
I suppose you could argue that this also shows game-like situations aren't 'better' than drills, either. But there's been one other difference in our program as we made the change to a system more in line with the philosophy of the national program--we've had fewer injuries.
Matches lost to injury
2011: 145
2011: 145
2012: 37
2013: 16
2014: 8
2011 is no typo. It includes malingerers though who were not invited back since they preferred to only be healthy on game days. But if we halve that--it's still 72.
So let me go back and check a couple other seasons....:
2010: 57
2010: 57
2009: 98 (includes 41 from a player who missed the entire season)
2008: 36
2007: 97 (including 50 from a player who missed the whole season)
The conditioning regimen remained the same, as did the duration of practice and the number of practices. The match totals varied between 42-50. But even if we add the two seasons of game-like training together, the total time lost to injury is still significantly lower than any other single season's total. Sure it's a small sample size...but it sure is tantalizing to reach a conclusion, isn't it.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
You Can't Save Them All---Hah! (A Commentary on Coaches...)
So...I belong to a couple of groups for volleyball coaches and pay attention to another called Volleytalk. The coaches group is limited to coaches and trainers by invitation only while Volleytalk is for anyone/everyone interested in volleyball--VT is the 'wild west' of volleyball discussion.
So, this blog started percolating about a week ago. In one of those forums, someone started posting about 'Why do I coach? Why do I keep doing this?' ...because there are days, a ton of them actually, where it feels like you're scraping (not even banging) your head against a brick wall. There were good responses, and it helped me some, too. Every year you get to the point that it's a grind for a while--practice, travel, recruiting...dealing with drama, fund-raising, tons of things and you wonder that question....just being honest. If you're reading this, you're nodding anyways.
Well, it reminded me of a conversation I had a dozen years ago with a club director, and in hindsight, I think that's the point I realized I wasn't going to be coaching for that club much longer...
There'd been a few kids that switched clubs--to a club with poor coaching (my opinion) and charging twice as much. Now, I run my own business, so that if I lose a customer, I always do a ton of hand-wringing...what could I have done to keep that business? I feel the same way about coaching club. If you lose a bunch of people--you have to ask why? Are they valid reasons (because sometimes they are)? The response I got from the club director was, "Jim, you can't save them all," and so the club continued in the same direction.
Now the problem is bigger--because the club had some kids who weren't improving as quick as I wanted (and as technical director...I thought that was my duty--they were paying $500/kid...by God, they were paying a ton, so they needed to get better). Some of the kids were laid-back, some had never been taught how to work hard, and some just didn't improve fast--not everyone does...but when I raised the question of their improvement and whether the technical director (me) was doing his job and whether our coaches were teaching the skills--you should know the response I received: "Jim, you can't save them all."
Boy, that steamed me, because I hear that from teachers regularly, too. "Feh, oh well...I don't care about the kid reading a novel in Math...can't reach them all." WHY OH WHY would you get into coaching youth or teaching if you weren't committed to reaching everyone in some fashion?
I don't think there's a kid alive who sits there and says "I don't want to get better. You can't make me."--whether it is school, sports, other activities. Every human enjoys improving--if only I could somehow get good at StarCraft or my vertical jump... Kids WANT to get better, and they want coaches/teachers who care.
This isn't my first year in volleyball. Goodness sakes, it's 24 seasons now. I'm older, maybe wiser, and I know I'm not going to reach everybody--not in a moment, maybe not even over the course of a club or collegiate season. Heck, as a former classroom teacher, there've been times that a student's reached out to me more than five years later to tell me "Hey--holy crap, you were right." Those are the moments you live for as a coach/teacher.
And that's what bothered me in that club director's comment that you can't reach everyone. I know that's true in the short term, but ultimately, as a coach--that's my responsibility, the commitment I made when I chose coaching as an avocation.
Why do you coach? Are you coaching to make a difference? Are you working on leadership and teamwork skills? Or is it, for you, just about the points on the scoreboard--and if that's the case, why not just play?
Anyways, the thing is--that's what really gets a good coach tired, sometimes tired enough to consider not coaching. It takes constant effort to do the little things, the invisible things, necessary to help kids, things they'll never see or know about--heck, they'll fight some of them (so will their parents).
But you can't give up. Children deserve, they need, that effort. That's the payoff--that someday, they'll look back and it will click.
So yeah, that club coach was right--if you aren't going to put in the necessary work, you aren't going to save them all. The thing is...if you put that work in, you can get through to them--every last one of them.
So, this blog started percolating about a week ago. In one of those forums, someone started posting about 'Why do I coach? Why do I keep doing this?' ...because there are days, a ton of them actually, where it feels like you're scraping (not even banging) your head against a brick wall. There were good responses, and it helped me some, too. Every year you get to the point that it's a grind for a while--practice, travel, recruiting...dealing with drama, fund-raising, tons of things and you wonder that question....just being honest. If you're reading this, you're nodding anyways.
Well, it reminded me of a conversation I had a dozen years ago with a club director, and in hindsight, I think that's the point I realized I wasn't going to be coaching for that club much longer...
There'd been a few kids that switched clubs--to a club with poor coaching (my opinion) and charging twice as much. Now, I run my own business, so that if I lose a customer, I always do a ton of hand-wringing...what could I have done to keep that business? I feel the same way about coaching club. If you lose a bunch of people--you have to ask why? Are they valid reasons (because sometimes they are)? The response I got from the club director was, "Jim, you can't save them all," and so the club continued in the same direction.
Now the problem is bigger--because the club had some kids who weren't improving as quick as I wanted (and as technical director...I thought that was my duty--they were paying $500/kid...by God, they were paying a ton, so they needed to get better). Some of the kids were laid-back, some had never been taught how to work hard, and some just didn't improve fast--not everyone does...but when I raised the question of their improvement and whether the technical director (me) was doing his job and whether our coaches were teaching the skills--you should know the response I received: "Jim, you can't save them all."
Boy, that steamed me, because I hear that from teachers regularly, too. "Feh, oh well...I don't care about the kid reading a novel in Math...can't reach them all." WHY OH WHY would you get into coaching youth or teaching if you weren't committed to reaching everyone in some fashion?
I don't think there's a kid alive who sits there and says "I don't want to get better. You can't make me."--whether it is school, sports, other activities. Every human enjoys improving--if only I could somehow get good at StarCraft or my vertical jump... Kids WANT to get better, and they want coaches/teachers who care.
This isn't my first year in volleyball. Goodness sakes, it's 24 seasons now. I'm older, maybe wiser, and I know I'm not going to reach everybody--not in a moment, maybe not even over the course of a club or collegiate season. Heck, as a former classroom teacher, there've been times that a student's reached out to me more than five years later to tell me "Hey--holy crap, you were right." Those are the moments you live for as a coach/teacher.
And that's what bothered me in that club director's comment that you can't reach everyone. I know that's true in the short term, but ultimately, as a coach--that's my responsibility, the commitment I made when I chose coaching as an avocation.
Why do you coach? Are you coaching to make a difference? Are you working on leadership and teamwork skills? Or is it, for you, just about the points on the scoreboard--and if that's the case, why not just play?
Anyways, the thing is--that's what really gets a good coach tired, sometimes tired enough to consider not coaching. It takes constant effort to do the little things, the invisible things, necessary to help kids, things they'll never see or know about--heck, they'll fight some of them (so will their parents).
But you can't give up. Children deserve, they need, that effort. That's the payoff--that someday, they'll look back and it will click.
So yeah, that club coach was right--if you aren't going to put in the necessary work, you aren't going to save them all. The thing is...if you put that work in, you can get through to them--every last one of them.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
In Honor of our 20th win this year...
So today...we won our 20th game of the year. That's a good achievement given a couple of big things:
1 - We have eight freshmen and only three returners this year.
2 - I jacked up the schedule toughness to heights only Kevin Hambly or Karch Kiraly would appreciate. Really.
And still, twenty wins--only ranked team with more than 12 losses...you KNOW it's a tough schedule when that's the case. But that's not completely the point.
Here for posterity--my years as a head coach (and since I'm procrastinating from working on my next novel anyways...)
2013: 33-8 ...the 'heart attack' season. Missed a month, and that was enough for individualism to replace the team. A lot of complaints about who was getting set, who was doing the setting (an all-American, btw)...cost us a chance at Nationals and likely the Elite Eight.
2012: 33-9 ...The only LLCC team to date to go to Nationals, a lot of credit to the sophomores for stable leadership. It's the season the ceiling fell on Hollie.
2011: 34-13 ...the 'injury season'. We had only four people (of 14) healthy come the post-season. Of course, a couple were faking injuries (really) to get out of practice. Another shot at Nationals lost to selfishness, but this was the year I did my best tactical coaching--we had matches with no healthy OH, a stretch of 10 matches with NO middles, and had a match where our all-American libero had to be a hitter. I would've been happy with 20-22 wins...instead, disappointed falling a couple points short of Nationals.
2010: 34-11 ...another great season, featuring LLCC's first all-American selection. Lost in Gm 5 of the Region championship to go to Nationals on a freeball that hit the net and dropped over, lost 13-15. I think that loss hurts more than any other in my nine years at LLCC. Laura, my current assistant, still can point out (like me) where the ball landed on Lincoln College's court. Dammit.
2009: 34-12 ...Too much tension between sophomores and freshmen, a great hitter lazier than most. I remember this year though as the year Caitlyn worked to balance being a mom, a student, and a volleyball player--a real struggle that she succeeded at (now has her BSN, two babies, and a great husband)
2008: 33-14 ...The year Jesse Blazek helped. The only thing I really remember from this season is that it was the year Lauren Mason hit .300--first hitter to ever do so at LLCC.
2007: 38-14 ...ended with a loss to SWIC in SWIC's last year of greatness. Awesome group of sophomores--my first recruits to LLCC. This was the last year of playing to thirty points. SWIC was better, but I remember the very last point, all six players on the court in pursuit--would've had it, but it hit off a ceiling beam and bounced where would've been better off not pursuing. Every kid left it all on the court. I loved that.
2006: 29-21 ...first year at LLCC, always interesting to make a transition between coaches. I was better prepared than at Allen. The previous LLCC coach left a nice list of evaluations and things to do. That helped, even though I didn't follow many of her recommendations.
2005: 18-22 ...the second year at Allen. I loved the team, and I still am sad I had to leave ACCC, but it was family--and when Julie (my wife) wasn't permitted to apply for a job there in administration because we are married--it meant finding a job back home. We were able in the postseason to take a game from Johnson County though--only team to do that (even if they then stomped us the next three...)
2004: 16-24 ...I took over ACCC two weeks into the season after a coach left without notice, emptying the program computer, leaving NOTHING, not even a list of state volleyball coaches. The worst was his promise to the returning players that they'd go to nationals. I've never been so thankful to have a season over.
2003: 20-12 ...the final year at Satan's School, the decision year, given a choice of playing a 6'2 kid or a 5'5 kid. Played the better kid (6'2) and was fired for it. It's also the year we lost a regional title because the cheerleading coach called a mandatory practice the day of the title game and our best player busted her ankle....but you know how it is, that cheerleading competition six weeks later was vital.
2002: 18-16 ...rough year with only two seniors, after the third was dismissed. It has to be hard to follow two great groups that dominated playing time, and sometimes people aren't meant to be leaders. Odd year..18-16, but we beat Normal U High and won the conference to boot.
2001: 30-6 ...The IHSA sent Mater Dei over to Casey-Westfield past a couple other sectionals/super-sectionals to take out a private school. We scored 10 on them...best a team did in the post-season. I remember this for my 'fight' with Jody at the Michigan summer tournament and her yelling at the basketball team for jacking around while we practiced for the Sectional title game.
2000: 33-4 ...Bobbi F-ing Mattingly officiating. Best team in the history of Satan's School, and I've never coached a team with better work ethic. Ever. Not at ACCC, not at LLCC. The only one I can think that worked harder was MAYBE the 94 Ohio State team.
1999: 24-7 ...the year of the great senior teammates--they understood the juniors were better, ditto the sophomores, but they worked hard, played hard, and contributed. That was great leadership, and it led to a very successful season. Without those seniors, the 00 and 01 seasons never take place.
1998: 18-12 ...dysfunctional JV coach and a couple crappy seniors--actually, amazing we won 18. But philosophically, would the following group of seniors have been as good without going through THIS season? I don't think so. It wasn't a fun season, that's for sure.
1997: 13-16 ...A season with limited senior leadership. It was a group caught following the previous class who had started four years, been the group of 'destiny'. Writing this, reflecting on things, this has happened several times to teams I've coached. Maybe I need to consider that more often after seasons are complete.
1996: 26-5 ...First year as a coach. It was a great season, though I would've handled a ton of things differently now...of course that's 18 years of experience under my belt to learn from. I got a few things right, but messed up far more--even if no one would ever realize that accept another coach.
1 - We have eight freshmen and only three returners this year.
2 - I jacked up the schedule toughness to heights only Kevin Hambly or Karch Kiraly would appreciate. Really.
And still, twenty wins--only ranked team with more than 12 losses...you KNOW it's a tough schedule when that's the case. But that's not completely the point.
Here for posterity--my years as a head coach (and since I'm procrastinating from working on my next novel anyways...)
2013: 33-8 ...the 'heart attack' season. Missed a month, and that was enough for individualism to replace the team. A lot of complaints about who was getting set, who was doing the setting (an all-American, btw)...cost us a chance at Nationals and likely the Elite Eight.
2012: 33-9 ...The only LLCC team to date to go to Nationals, a lot of credit to the sophomores for stable leadership. It's the season the ceiling fell on Hollie.
2011: 34-13 ...the 'injury season'. We had only four people (of 14) healthy come the post-season. Of course, a couple were faking injuries (really) to get out of practice. Another shot at Nationals lost to selfishness, but this was the year I did my best tactical coaching--we had matches with no healthy OH, a stretch of 10 matches with NO middles, and had a match where our all-American libero had to be a hitter. I would've been happy with 20-22 wins...instead, disappointed falling a couple points short of Nationals.
2010: 34-11 ...another great season, featuring LLCC's first all-American selection. Lost in Gm 5 of the Region championship to go to Nationals on a freeball that hit the net and dropped over, lost 13-15. I think that loss hurts more than any other in my nine years at LLCC. Laura, my current assistant, still can point out (like me) where the ball landed on Lincoln College's court. Dammit.
2009: 34-12 ...Too much tension between sophomores and freshmen, a great hitter lazier than most. I remember this year though as the year Caitlyn worked to balance being a mom, a student, and a volleyball player--a real struggle that she succeeded at (now has her BSN, two babies, and a great husband)
2008: 33-14 ...The year Jesse Blazek helped. The only thing I really remember from this season is that it was the year Lauren Mason hit .300--first hitter to ever do so at LLCC.
2007: 38-14 ...ended with a loss to SWIC in SWIC's last year of greatness. Awesome group of sophomores--my first recruits to LLCC. This was the last year of playing to thirty points. SWIC was better, but I remember the very last point, all six players on the court in pursuit--would've had it, but it hit off a ceiling beam and bounced where would've been better off not pursuing. Every kid left it all on the court. I loved that.
2006: 29-21 ...first year at LLCC, always interesting to make a transition between coaches. I was better prepared than at Allen. The previous LLCC coach left a nice list of evaluations and things to do. That helped, even though I didn't follow many of her recommendations.
2005: 18-22 ...the second year at Allen. I loved the team, and I still am sad I had to leave ACCC, but it was family--and when Julie (my wife) wasn't permitted to apply for a job there in administration because we are married--it meant finding a job back home. We were able in the postseason to take a game from Johnson County though--only team to do that (even if they then stomped us the next three...)
2004: 16-24 ...I took over ACCC two weeks into the season after a coach left without notice, emptying the program computer, leaving NOTHING, not even a list of state volleyball coaches. The worst was his promise to the returning players that they'd go to nationals. I've never been so thankful to have a season over.
2003: 20-12 ...the final year at Satan's School, the decision year, given a choice of playing a 6'2 kid or a 5'5 kid. Played the better kid (6'2) and was fired for it. It's also the year we lost a regional title because the cheerleading coach called a mandatory practice the day of the title game and our best player busted her ankle....but you know how it is, that cheerleading competition six weeks later was vital.
2002: 18-16 ...rough year with only two seniors, after the third was dismissed. It has to be hard to follow two great groups that dominated playing time, and sometimes people aren't meant to be leaders. Odd year..18-16, but we beat Normal U High and won the conference to boot.
2001: 30-6 ...The IHSA sent Mater Dei over to Casey-Westfield past a couple other sectionals/super-sectionals to take out a private school. We scored 10 on them...best a team did in the post-season. I remember this for my 'fight' with Jody at the Michigan summer tournament and her yelling at the basketball team for jacking around while we practiced for the Sectional title game.
2000: 33-4 ...Bobbi F-ing Mattingly officiating. Best team in the history of Satan's School, and I've never coached a team with better work ethic. Ever. Not at ACCC, not at LLCC. The only one I can think that worked harder was MAYBE the 94 Ohio State team.
1999: 24-7 ...the year of the great senior teammates--they understood the juniors were better, ditto the sophomores, but they worked hard, played hard, and contributed. That was great leadership, and it led to a very successful season. Without those seniors, the 00 and 01 seasons never take place.
1998: 18-12 ...dysfunctional JV coach and a couple crappy seniors--actually, amazing we won 18. But philosophically, would the following group of seniors have been as good without going through THIS season? I don't think so. It wasn't a fun season, that's for sure.
1997: 13-16 ...A season with limited senior leadership. It was a group caught following the previous class who had started four years, been the group of 'destiny'. Writing this, reflecting on things, this has happened several times to teams I've coached. Maybe I need to consider that more often after seasons are complete.
1996: 26-5 ...First year as a coach. It was a great season, though I would've handled a ton of things differently now...of course that's 18 years of experience under my belt to learn from. I got a few things right, but messed up far more--even if no one would ever realize that accept another coach.
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Hey--read any of these? (and some random thoughts on writing...)
Okay...so it's self-promoting...I get that. But have you read any of these?
Have you passed these on to friends or others who like reading, I mean--it doesn't hurt you, right?
Until the Goodnight Smile --Ever wonder what life is like as a teacher? This is pretty much a 'day in the life' of one. I was prompted to start writing by a former student, Dallas Schumacher, and one of the lessons I remembered from grad school was--write what you know about. So I did. The funny thing is that once I started, I realized the influence for how I structured the book: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, a story of the Russian gulag (prison) system. Funny, because there were days school feels like a prison (to students AND teachers). Is it intentional that the secondary education system in the US grinds kids down and wears them out? If not, why do we persist?
The Five Days of Osan --This is an e-book (so self-published...which means if you check it out...I'll actually make money). I wrote it because I realized how little fiction has been written about 'The Forgotten War'. So, I started doing some research--of the wars of the past 200 years, it was one I knew the least about--and found that the US was criminally incompetent in its initial actions, sending Task Force Smith in without any preparation to face the Communists. TF Smith gets smeared, and I thought that would make the basis for a good story. So 'The Five Days of Osan' is a modern retelling of the classic tale of the Spartans at Thermopylae.
The Last Post -- This is a nice review: "If you like THE KEEP by F. Paul Wilson, weird war stories, or really, horror novels in general, you will thoroughly enjoy THE LAST POST by Jim Dietz. It's clear Dietz has done his research -- every detail rings true -- and that makes this darkly brilliant historical novel of the macabre even more entertaining." It starts off making you think, 'Yeah, yeah, Saving Private Ryan'...and then 'Yeah, yeah, Dirty Dozen, I get it'...and then it goes off the tracks. I wrote most of it while Julie was watching Agatha Christie, including 'Ten Little Indians' and that may have affected how this goes. The funny thing is, Dallas Schumacher--who caused the first book--actually wanted me to be writing this one. His comment (way back in '01) was "Hey, I bet you would write an awesome Lovecraft-type story. Do it, Dietz." Here it is.
The Human Side of Coaching -- I'm still frustrated as a coach/writer/teacher. If you go looking for coaching books--regardless of sport, you're going to find books that guarantee success through 'magic drills' and formations and stuff. Often they are written by coaches out of touch with their sport at other levels. THSoC was written because a college volleyball coach talked about how wonderful his system was with short players--6', 6'1....completely missing that the coaches in his audience considered 6' giant and that short kids in hs are 5'2, 5'3. So I wrote this--it doesn't have drills; it's about the relationships formed between people while coaching, it's about how you can take education strategies and apply them to coaching and sports. It's about how to help kids balance multiple sports. Everyone who has read it has loved it--I just wish more coaches would read it.
Road to Kandahar (no link yet...coming soon!) --The whole legacy of the US in Afghanistan is going to be confusion. Afghanistan has been the Graveyard of Empires for more than 3,000 years, so why would the US fare any differently. Kandahar is the story of an intelligence officer called back to duty to investigate the seeming assassination attempt on the President by an American army officer gone rogue and what happens when that officer is found. Is the officer crazy? Is he brilliant? Is he both? And does he have a plan for bringing peace to Afghanistan and the tribal territories of Pakistan that can work? If it sounds like it was inspired by Conrad's "Heart of Darkness", you'd be correct.
So help a brother out--check these out...pass them on to someone who would be interested!
Have you passed these on to friends or others who like reading, I mean--it doesn't hurt you, right?
Until the Goodnight Smile --Ever wonder what life is like as a teacher? This is pretty much a 'day in the life' of one. I was prompted to start writing by a former student, Dallas Schumacher, and one of the lessons I remembered from grad school was--write what you know about. So I did. The funny thing is that once I started, I realized the influence for how I structured the book: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, a story of the Russian gulag (prison) system. Funny, because there were days school feels like a prison (to students AND teachers). Is it intentional that the secondary education system in the US grinds kids down and wears them out? If not, why do we persist?
The Five Days of Osan --This is an e-book (so self-published...which means if you check it out...I'll actually make money). I wrote it because I realized how little fiction has been written about 'The Forgotten War'. So, I started doing some research--of the wars of the past 200 years, it was one I knew the least about--and found that the US was criminally incompetent in its initial actions, sending Task Force Smith in without any preparation to face the Communists. TF Smith gets smeared, and I thought that would make the basis for a good story. So 'The Five Days of Osan' is a modern retelling of the classic tale of the Spartans at Thermopylae.
The Last Post -- This is a nice review: "If you like THE KEEP by F. Paul Wilson, weird war stories, or really, horror novels in general, you will thoroughly enjoy THE LAST POST by Jim Dietz. It's clear Dietz has done his research -- every detail rings true -- and that makes this darkly brilliant historical novel of the macabre even more entertaining." It starts off making you think, 'Yeah, yeah, Saving Private Ryan'...and then 'Yeah, yeah, Dirty Dozen, I get it'...and then it goes off the tracks. I wrote most of it while Julie was watching Agatha Christie, including 'Ten Little Indians' and that may have affected how this goes. The funny thing is, Dallas Schumacher--who caused the first book--actually wanted me to be writing this one. His comment (way back in '01) was "Hey, I bet you would write an awesome Lovecraft-type story. Do it, Dietz." Here it is.
The Human Side of Coaching -- I'm still frustrated as a coach/writer/teacher. If you go looking for coaching books--regardless of sport, you're going to find books that guarantee success through 'magic drills' and formations and stuff. Often they are written by coaches out of touch with their sport at other levels. THSoC was written because a college volleyball coach talked about how wonderful his system was with short players--6', 6'1....completely missing that the coaches in his audience considered 6' giant and that short kids in hs are 5'2, 5'3. So I wrote this--it doesn't have drills; it's about the relationships formed between people while coaching, it's about how you can take education strategies and apply them to coaching and sports. It's about how to help kids balance multiple sports. Everyone who has read it has loved it--I just wish more coaches would read it.
Road to Kandahar (no link yet...coming soon!) --The whole legacy of the US in Afghanistan is going to be confusion. Afghanistan has been the Graveyard of Empires for more than 3,000 years, so why would the US fare any differently. Kandahar is the story of an intelligence officer called back to duty to investigate the seeming assassination attempt on the President by an American army officer gone rogue and what happens when that officer is found. Is the officer crazy? Is he brilliant? Is he both? And does he have a plan for bringing peace to Afghanistan and the tribal territories of Pakistan that can work? If it sounds like it was inspired by Conrad's "Heart of Darkness", you'd be correct.
So help a brother out--check these out...pass them on to someone who would be interested!
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Coaching lessons...
I came across this because of John Kessel at USA Volleyball. It isn't his--he took it from Australia's Rugby League Coaching Manual, going back to 1993 (because of that...some of the suggestions will seem quaint, given modern technology). This does not lessen ANY of its value.
I'd add that I think that's one of the important things that is often missed with coaching--how much you can learn from other sports and how they approach teaching, teamwork, and competition.
1. Plan
2. Develop communication skills and never stop trying to improve them.
3. Learn to effectively utilize the Internet and email.
4. Never stop learning. Learning is life.
5. Be open minded. Never say never.
6. What you may lack in knowledge, make up for with enthusiasm, desire and passion
7. Be a role model for your athletes
8. Accept constructive criticism as a positive. Learn from mistakes, take steps to improve from the experience and move on.
9. Allocate time every day for personal health and fitness.
10. Keep a detailed diary and record work actually done by athletes not just what was planned to be done.
11. Embrace effective change.
12. Use sport science wisely. The art of coaching drives the science of performance.
13. Seek out information - don't wait for the "secret to success" to fall into your lap.
14. Coach with your heart but don't forget the basics. Secure adequate training facilities, keep good records, observe O.H. and S. principles, maintain a commitment to safety and equity. Having the ‘nuts and bolts' organised allows you to focus on what you do best - working with athletes.
15. Believe in your athletes - they believe in you.
16. Steal ideas from other sports (& improve on them)
17. Strive to make yourself redundant - develop independent athletes
18. Listen with your eyes and watch with your ears.
19. Attitude + application + ability = achievement
20. Coach the person not the athlete. Coach the person not the performance
21. Develop a network and support structure. Be a resource manager
22. Best, better, brilliant - there's always room for improvement
23. What you believe will happen will happen. What the mind can conceive it will achieve.
24. Persistence pays - never give up
25. Learn basic business skills. Understand the basics of insurance. Be familiar with legal liability. Understand the basics of taxation and the GST. Make coaching your business.
26. Give an ounce of information and a ton of practice
27. Communicate - clearly, concisely, calmly, constructively, consistently and cleverly.
28. Seek out a critical friend - they are your greatest asset.
29. Help develop your sport not just your current athletes.
30. Mix with successful people - success breeds success
31. Delegate, delegate, delegate - give athletes, assistants, parents and officials responsibility for aspects of your (their) program.
32. Enthusiasm, encouragement, energy = excellence
33. Look for things to improve in yourself.
34. Have fun - life is short. It takes 20 years to become an overnight success. Successful coaches have a combination of experience, skill,
education and practice, developed ways and means of getting the best out of themselves and their athletes.
35. It's easy to coach athletes when they are performing well. Do you have the ability to help athletes deal with the tough times.
36. Focus on the long term even when trying to achieve in the short term.
37. Contribute to the development of other coaches. You may learn from teaching and students are often the best teachers of all.
38. Listen to your athletes.
39. Develop peripheral vision - in your mind.
40. Present information at coaching courses and workshops. Be willing to share.
41. Treat athletes like customers - coaching is the ultimate in client service.
42. Read journals from alternative industries and seek out principles that you can apply to sporting situations
43. Be flexible in your methods.
44. Embrace the principle, ‘For the love of it, not the money in it!'
45. Athletes develop confidence through competence. Nothing develops confidence like a thorough preparation.
46. Constantly challenge yourself and your athletes
47. Create a safe, stimulating, interesting training environment where athletes enjoy coming to train.
48. In preparing athletes: leave nothing to chance, nothing untested, don't rely on luck, make your own!
49. Subscribe to Sports Coach!!!
50. Do your homework. Know the strengths and weaknesses of your athletes, yourself, your opposition. Know the standards - what are the
world records, national records, state records, regional records, club records - what are your goals?
51. Look to help athletes achieve their best - no matter what that level is. Not all athletes want to be the world champion.
52. Be innovative. Be creative. Dare to be different.
53. Try not to overcoach. You don't need to talk all the time.
54. Never lose confidence in yourself. You can do it!
55. Encourage your athlete to have ownership of the program.
56. Maintain good appearance - look like a professional.
57. Technology is your ally not your enemy. Use it wisely.
58. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Mental toughness is still a key component of competition.
59. Adopt the D.R.A.M.A. approach, 'Do, Record, Analyse, Modify, Act.'
60. Confront problems calmly by talking directly with the athlete - don't rely on rumour, relayed messages or other second hand methods of
communication. If a message CAN BE misinterpreted it ALREADY HAS BEEN.
61. Empathise don't sympathise.
62. Keep the reasons you coach at the forefront of your mind and your goals close to your heart.
63. Desire - keep the dream alive - every day. Motivation is a lifestyle not a one-off event.
64. What makes a great coach? - Great athletes!
65. Be firm and fair.
66. Build your program around the five Es: EQUITY - ENJOYMENT - EXCELLENCE - EMPATHY and EMPOWERMENT.
67. Share a joke - not sarcasm - just a funny joke when appropriate.
68. Field questions and throw back answers. Challenge athletes to discover the answers for themselves and to learn lessons.
69. Observe, ponder, respond - be an observer of human behaviour.
70. Share experiences willingly.
71. Establish open and effective communication with all stakeholders - parents, athletes, administrators, officials and important others.
72. When in doubt, pause and check it out. Don't be afraid to say ‘I don't know.'
73. Employ actions that minimise risk. The primary responsibility of all coaches is the SAFETY of their athletes.
74. Encourage your athlete recovering from injury involve them in the program in some capacity.
75. Be aware of and carry out your legal responsibilities.
76. Efficient coaches take responsibility for their own effectiveness.
77. Self reflection is your constant companion: be your own best critic but strive to be objective rather than self destructive.
78. Recognise the contribution of others - players, parents, officials, assistants - everyone enjoys being appreciated.
79. Recognise, publicise and reward. Praise in public - criticise in private.
80. Lead front the front and support from the rear.
81. The coach is the creator of positive experiences.
82. Proper prior planning prevents pitifully poor performance.
83. Praise and positive reinforcement are tools for the coach.
84. Think about what you say before you say it. Then watch for reactions to your words before saying anything else.
85. Body language replaces many words: it's not what you say but how you say it.
86. A nod is as good as a wink.
87. Coaching is a two way process: The athlete feels but can't see - the coach sees but can't feel.
88. Get to know something personal about your athletes. They are people who have chosen to play sport: not just sportspeople.
89. Holistically challenge your athlete - mental skills can be developed just like physical skills.
90. Athletes listen when the coach listens to them.
91. Know when to say NO.
92. Demonstrate, explain, demonstrate again, practice and give constructive feedback.
93. Concentrate on the performance not the outcome.
94. Process goals (how to achieve) should predominate over outcome goals (what to achieve).
95. Facilitate motivation by allowing athletes to fulfil their goals in some way at every session.
96. Coach your athletes to distinguish between attainable and unobtainable but to never stop dreaming of what's possible.
97. Buy a video and refine your filming and reviewing skills.
98. Sports officials give your athletes the best opportunity to achieve the best result - work alongside them
99. To coach well you'll need to know the CURRENT interpretation of your sports rules and regulations.
100. Coaches have a great opportunity to easily expand their social circle - you'll never be lonely.
101. Last year's programs produce last year's results. Resist the temptation to coach by routine or habit.
I'd add that I think that's one of the important things that is often missed with coaching--how much you can learn from other sports and how they approach teaching, teamwork, and competition.
1. Plan
2. Develop communication skills and never stop trying to improve them.
3. Learn to effectively utilize the Internet and email.
4. Never stop learning. Learning is life.
5. Be open minded. Never say never.
6. What you may lack in knowledge, make up for with enthusiasm, desire and passion
7. Be a role model for your athletes
8. Accept constructive criticism as a positive. Learn from mistakes, take steps to improve from the experience and move on.
9. Allocate time every day for personal health and fitness.
10. Keep a detailed diary and record work actually done by athletes not just what was planned to be done.
11. Embrace effective change.
12. Use sport science wisely. The art of coaching drives the science of performance.
13. Seek out information - don't wait for the "secret to success" to fall into your lap.
14. Coach with your heart but don't forget the basics. Secure adequate training facilities, keep good records, observe O.H. and S. principles, maintain a commitment to safety and equity. Having the ‘nuts and bolts' organised allows you to focus on what you do best - working with athletes.
15. Believe in your athletes - they believe in you.
16. Steal ideas from other sports (& improve on them)
17. Strive to make yourself redundant - develop independent athletes
18. Listen with your eyes and watch with your ears.
19. Attitude + application + ability = achievement
20. Coach the person not the athlete. Coach the person not the performance
21. Develop a network and support structure. Be a resource manager
22. Best, better, brilliant - there's always room for improvement
23. What you believe will happen will happen. What the mind can conceive it will achieve.
24. Persistence pays - never give up
25. Learn basic business skills. Understand the basics of insurance. Be familiar with legal liability. Understand the basics of taxation and the GST. Make coaching your business.
26. Give an ounce of information and a ton of practice
27. Communicate - clearly, concisely, calmly, constructively, consistently and cleverly.
28. Seek out a critical friend - they are your greatest asset.
29. Help develop your sport not just your current athletes.
30. Mix with successful people - success breeds success
31. Delegate, delegate, delegate - give athletes, assistants, parents and officials responsibility for aspects of your (their) program.
32. Enthusiasm, encouragement, energy = excellence
33. Look for things to improve in yourself.
34. Have fun - life is short. It takes 20 years to become an overnight success. Successful coaches have a combination of experience, skill,
education and practice, developed ways and means of getting the best out of themselves and their athletes.
35. It's easy to coach athletes when they are performing well. Do you have the ability to help athletes deal with the tough times.
36. Focus on the long term even when trying to achieve in the short term.
37. Contribute to the development of other coaches. You may learn from teaching and students are often the best teachers of all.
38. Listen to your athletes.
39. Develop peripheral vision - in your mind.
40. Present information at coaching courses and workshops. Be willing to share.
41. Treat athletes like customers - coaching is the ultimate in client service.
42. Read journals from alternative industries and seek out principles that you can apply to sporting situations
43. Be flexible in your methods.
44. Embrace the principle, ‘For the love of it, not the money in it!'
45. Athletes develop confidence through competence. Nothing develops confidence like a thorough preparation.
46. Constantly challenge yourself and your athletes
47. Create a safe, stimulating, interesting training environment where athletes enjoy coming to train.
48. In preparing athletes: leave nothing to chance, nothing untested, don't rely on luck, make your own!
49. Subscribe to Sports Coach!!!
50. Do your homework. Know the strengths and weaknesses of your athletes, yourself, your opposition. Know the standards - what are the
world records, national records, state records, regional records, club records - what are your goals?
51. Look to help athletes achieve their best - no matter what that level is. Not all athletes want to be the world champion.
52. Be innovative. Be creative. Dare to be different.
53. Try not to overcoach. You don't need to talk all the time.
54. Never lose confidence in yourself. You can do it!
55. Encourage your athlete to have ownership of the program.
56. Maintain good appearance - look like a professional.
57. Technology is your ally not your enemy. Use it wisely.
58. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Mental toughness is still a key component of competition.
59. Adopt the D.R.A.M.A. approach, 'Do, Record, Analyse, Modify, Act.'
60. Confront problems calmly by talking directly with the athlete - don't rely on rumour, relayed messages or other second hand methods of
communication. If a message CAN BE misinterpreted it ALREADY HAS BEEN.
61. Empathise don't sympathise.
62. Keep the reasons you coach at the forefront of your mind and your goals close to your heart.
63. Desire - keep the dream alive - every day. Motivation is a lifestyle not a one-off event.
64. What makes a great coach? - Great athletes!
65. Be firm and fair.
66. Build your program around the five Es: EQUITY - ENJOYMENT - EXCELLENCE - EMPATHY and EMPOWERMENT.
67. Share a joke - not sarcasm - just a funny joke when appropriate.
68. Field questions and throw back answers. Challenge athletes to discover the answers for themselves and to learn lessons.
69. Observe, ponder, respond - be an observer of human behaviour.
70. Share experiences willingly.
71. Establish open and effective communication with all stakeholders - parents, athletes, administrators, officials and important others.
72. When in doubt, pause and check it out. Don't be afraid to say ‘I don't know.'
73. Employ actions that minimise risk. The primary responsibility of all coaches is the SAFETY of their athletes.
74. Encourage your athlete recovering from injury involve them in the program in some capacity.
75. Be aware of and carry out your legal responsibilities.
76. Efficient coaches take responsibility for their own effectiveness.
77. Self reflection is your constant companion: be your own best critic but strive to be objective rather than self destructive.
78. Recognise the contribution of others - players, parents, officials, assistants - everyone enjoys being appreciated.
79. Recognise, publicise and reward. Praise in public - criticise in private.
80. Lead front the front and support from the rear.
81. The coach is the creator of positive experiences.
82. Proper prior planning prevents pitifully poor performance.
83. Praise and positive reinforcement are tools for the coach.
84. Think about what you say before you say it. Then watch for reactions to your words before saying anything else.
85. Body language replaces many words: it's not what you say but how you say it.
86. A nod is as good as a wink.
87. Coaching is a two way process: The athlete feels but can't see - the coach sees but can't feel.
88. Get to know something personal about your athletes. They are people who have chosen to play sport: not just sportspeople.
89. Holistically challenge your athlete - mental skills can be developed just like physical skills.
90. Athletes listen when the coach listens to them.
91. Know when to say NO.
92. Demonstrate, explain, demonstrate again, practice and give constructive feedback.
93. Concentrate on the performance not the outcome.
94. Process goals (how to achieve) should predominate over outcome goals (what to achieve).
95. Facilitate motivation by allowing athletes to fulfil their goals in some way at every session.
96. Coach your athletes to distinguish between attainable and unobtainable but to never stop dreaming of what's possible.
97. Buy a video and refine your filming and reviewing skills.
98. Sports officials give your athletes the best opportunity to achieve the best result - work alongside them
99. To coach well you'll need to know the CURRENT interpretation of your sports rules and regulations.
100. Coaches have a great opportunity to easily expand their social circle - you'll never be lonely.
101. Last year's programs produce last year's results. Resist the temptation to coach by routine or habit.
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