WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2022, COACHING - PART II

 APRIL 6, 2022 WHAT MAKES FOR A GREAT BASKETBALL COACH - PART II

This week as the NCAA Division I basketball championships end, I’m looking at coaching.  Coach K from Duke is retiring but took his team to the final four again, and Coach Auriemma from UConn made it to the final four again.  

Teams win with superior players - but teams also win from coaches that motivate.  

I coached high school basketball for three years and wasn’t a good coach - maybe an ‘average’ coach.  I taught high school for seven years and was a so-so teacher, and I taught college for 38 years - and grew to be a great teacher.  (Teaching is coaching but without a ball!!!).  [Aside I say I grew to be a <great> teacher. That is wrong.  With God’s help, with practice, with prayer, with reflection, with trying, with student feedback and criticism, I got better.]

Jim Collins wrote “Good to Great” and (in my opinion) says “Great” is within our grasp, but we need to make the effort to be great!!!.

So, continuing the discussion - what makes for a great basketball coach?

(some of this comes from Top 10 Qualities Of a Successful Basketball Coach (stacknj.com)

1. SELF-AWARENESS

A good coach is self-aware. They understand themselves, their way of performing, their own playing styles, and how it is perceived by others, and these are the most significant things if someone wants to be an effective and valuable coach. Self-awareness is literally a huge topic, and there is a lot more to talk about this. 

Okay, transferring this to my classroom.  I was (generally) self-aware.  I (generally) knew when to kid and when to be serious.  (We learn by our mistakes - and I made a lot of mistakes).  Ron, I knew and kidded about your awesome son (and I’m very proud of him).  My class roster had freshmen pictures and his picture was probably among the worst freshman pictures ever.  (Plus I knew him from the pep band).  So, I put his picture up in class once - that was a mistake - don’t make fun of students!!!) 

My “playing style” was to wander, to change pitch and intensity.  I should have pitied the kids in the front row as I got “up close” in making a point in my lesson.  

But, part of self-awareness is knowing when a coach can push the comfort zone and when to let it stand!!

2. BRINGS WELL DEFINED AND SPECIFIC ISSUES TO THE ATTENTION

If someone does not bring specific and well-targeted issues into consideration or attention, he/she can not be a good coach. It portrays a bad image of the coach and shows that there is a lack of leadership skills in them.

We talked of the shotgun and the rifle approach.  There were times (especially after the first test) when I intentionally used the shotgun approach.  Playacting: I was so disappointed in your scores on the test - no smiles, no kidding today.  I was being general in challenging the class to do better.  It was hard not to smile as I knew I was pushing their buttons to work harder!!

3. KNOWS THE WEAKNESSES AND THE STRENGTHS OF THEIR EMPLOYEES OF THE PLAYERS

A good and successful coach knows everything about their players. All of their strengths and weaknesses. The way they perform and what changes are important to improve their weaknesses are all things that a coach must know. Moreover, a good coach knows how to utilize the strengths of a particular player to attain the productivity and results that are needed.

I never picked on the kids who were struggling.  I might pick on the best and brightest students.  In COBOL early on, I had given a test with a sample program.  One student missed an obvious error - and even now laughs when I say “INDENTIFICATION DIVISION” (instead of IDENTIFICATION DIVISION).  We get a laugh at a student who has been very successful at Citibank!!!  I knew he was a top-notch student and he would smack his head and say “I knew better”.  

Motivation on the basketball court. motivation in the classroom, and motivation on the job involve knowing the person’s strengths and finding ways to encourage and help them.  

4. MAKES CLEAR THE EXPECTATIONS AT THE START OF THE SESSION OF COACHING

A good coach would always make things clear at the start and therefore a player or an employee have clear expectations from their coach. They know exactly what they will get at the end of the coaching session. 

This is a current response.  I’m playing granny basketball.  (I’ll admit I call it my aerobic exercise class and I should be more serious about playing.  I’ll also admit that I’m sometimes shocked that at age 74 I’m still playing a sport competitively and I should be more diligent!!)

We changed coaches three months ago.  The new coach starts our practice with her four expectations and then reminds us before our games.  Her four points are:

1. Good sportsmanship
2. Play good basketball
3. Teamwork
4. Have fun

(I think it helps us to know where we are going and what our coach expects of us!!!)

5. LISTEN TO OTHERS AND UNDERSTAND THEIR POINT OF VIEW

A good coach is always there for their players and will always listen to what they want to say. He/she will understand the needs of the players and will help them deal with them in the best way possible. This also implies that a good coach does not criticize or blame the players, rather they listen to them and understand what they want to say.

There is a deep relationship between coaches and players - and between teachers and students. (Or there can be).  I have generally been reluctant to criticize a player - and never in public.  In private I can ask those probing questions “Okay, Susie, what’s going on in your life.  Your brain was a million miles away today.”  It might be that Mom (or Dad) is fighting cancer, or that a close friend died, or that something had gotten under their skin.  Listen, listen, listen!!!  As many have pointed out, we have TWO ears and only ONE mouth.  We should use our ears twice as much as our mouths!!!  Listen!!!! 

*****

We’ll finish this tomorrow!!!

LOVE WINS!!!

Karen

April 6, 2022