Good Coaches Vanishing - Part 2

I am so sad for the young athletes today! I continue to experience very poor leadership on the courts and fields of our youth sport leagues.

Even though I only played high school baseball and soccer I would love to coach a team in any sport. I am convinced one thousand percent that 80-90% of the game is heart, the rest is ability. If a coach would just tap into the power of the heart, he or she would be amazing. Dare I even say, another John Wooden!

Here is a real life example of a coach destroying his players hearts.

Post victory at a high school regional championship game, the local newspaper interviewed the winning coach. Bare in mind, this coach is known for his temper, crushing words to players, and general ignorance of the game of basketball.

Here are the words I want to focus on from the interview:


“We played perfect basketball through three quarters, I mean perfect. We played well defensively, and the biggest key was keeping them off the boards, we didn’t give up too many offensive rebounds,” coach said. “But, they were desperate. They started pressing and trapping, and we weren’t getting any fouls, which turned it into a bunch of athletes against non-athletes, basically.”

NON-ATHLETES?????

This is exactly what you say when you want your team, who is about to play the #1 team in the state, to enter the game already defeated.

Here is my big question for the schools Athletic Director - What is your selection process for coaches? To leadership in general, do you realize that your managers are the most powerful people in your organizations? Stop putting poor coaches over great players and bad managers over great people!

The "John Wooden's" of the Coaching World are Vanishing!

John Wooden was a master relationship builder. Just take a look at his "Pyramid for Success."

"Competitive Greatness" is at the top but the top must be support by a strong base. Look at the base qualities. It is all about character. Show me a coach doing this today (and there are some) and I will show you a very competitive team.

Where Have All the Good Coaches Gone?

After years of sports with my two sons I have come to the conclusion that 95% of all coaches are very poor at "coaching" people.

First, I am surprised how many coaches don't know the basics of the game they are playing. An example would be basketball. It is critical that your team make a high percentage of free-throws. Why? Every close game is decided by free-throws.

Second, I am blown away by how many coaches have no clue how to treat their young and impressionable players.

Yelling in their faces "you wimp", "that's why you sit the bench" or "sit down and shut up" accomplish only one thing. It closes their heart and breeds disloyalty.

This is such a hot topic in my life right now I plan to continue this thought in the next few posts.