Volume 10 Issue 110 ISSN 1526-8373 Special Sample Edition

CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

Coaches Corner Urban Meyer: 21st Century Leadership Leads UF to Title University of Florida head football coach make sure they’re attending classes. This they execute a 3-point stance. The one Urban Meyer previously turned around player needs to re-examine his priorities. with the best stance can move on while the Bowling Green (2001-02) and Utah player with the ugly stance has to sweat (2003-04) which finished undefeated in his Red players are watched, but not through more drills. second year. Now he’s won the national as closely. This player needs some title in only his second season with the supervision. Even fun stuff like locker room tug of Gators. We profile Meyer’s motivational wars have winners and losers. According methods this month. Gold players aren’t checked and don’t to linebacker Brandon Siler: “You don’t have to attend study hall. A gold player really concentrate on how hard you are Urban Meyer’s list of motivational tactics has proven himself unlikely to skip class, working because you just want to beat the may be more intricate than his playbook. fail a test, or get arrested. dude in front of you.” The Florida Gator coach uses countless methods to encourage, energize and entice For a player who isn’t holding up their The drill called ‘Circle of Life’ stages one players to improve every aspect of their end of the bargain, Meyer gets creative player against another in a ring formed lives. He has the ‘Champions Club’, in his punishments. For example, if a by teammates. The players square off in ‘Circle of Life and Mat Drills’, ‘Hell running back doesn’t show up for class, a battle of toughness, with each trying to Lifts’, ‘Rookie Stripes’ and ‘The Pit.’ Meyer might order all the running backs, knock the other to the ground. One player the running backs coach and his whole grabs the other player somewhere near the When Meyer took over, his first goal was family to show up for a compensatory joint of the elbow, then they push as their to familiarize himself with players and study hall on a Friday night. teammates circle around them and yell see if they were “living right.” He hosted like hell rooting them on. The winner is several cookouts and began dropping by “If you feel responsible for letting down celebrated, the loser humbled. players’ apartments and dormitories with your whole position group, your position little or no warning. coach and his family – that’s pretty They have ‘Mat Drills’ with groups strong,” Meyer said. “I’ve had my six of eight where they do wrestling type Assistants put together detailed lists about year old son come with me to a study maneuvers where one player lays down their players. Meyer wanted his coaches hall and then tell the guilty player, ‘You and the other gets on top of him and to know names of girlfriends, friends, want to explain to this six year old boy holds him down. The object is for the one parents, majors, grade point averages, why he’s sitting here on a Friday night.’ underneath to get up and off the mat. They projected graduation dates and important Having to explain to a six year old why have a champion of each group. phone numbers. you missed class can be a much more powerful punishment that running stadium “The Pit’ is much more demanding. “You get so tight with your players that steps.” It’s an area of the practice field where they can’t let you down,” associate head strength coaches supervise drills designed coach Doc Holliday says. “They don’t to encourage players to practice through want to let you down. They’re going to Practices are all about daily competitions. nagging aches and pains. Players there play for you. That’s why we do all we do.” If the defense wins a certain drill by point sometimes carry rocks and sandbags, total (goal line scrimmages for instance), run stadium steps and endure seemingly The hands-on approach allowed Meyer they retire early to the locker room and a endless repetitions of sit-ups and push- to learn a lot about his players early. hot meal. The offense remains on the field ups. He even broke them down into three and stands behind a horizontal line. At academic categories: scarlet, red and gold. the coaches’ command, players have to do Meyer also implemented “hell lifts,” Scarlet players are monitored constantly to sprints. weightlifting sessions that usually begin Inside This Issue late Friday night and last into the wee Every day, every practice, every drill has a hours. * Concentrate with Absolute Focus...... 2 winner and a loser. Winners get rewarded. * Meyer profile continued...... 3 Losers get punished. Meyer knows that ‘Rookie stripes’ are black stripes that * Winning Ways...... 3 it’s human nature to avoid the shame of are put on the helmet of each year’s * Pete Carroll's Important Lesson...... 4 losing. newcomer, who gets it removed when he * Team Dinners Enhance Morale...... 4 * CRIME Goal Set Model/Avoid Cliches...... 5 “becomes a Gator.” * Preparing Seniors for Excellence...... 6 * Peak Performance Bullets...... 6 The way a player lines up turns into a * Frank Lenti Interview...... 7 competition. For example, running backs continued on page 5... * Rick Pitino's Team Building Story...... 8 are each graded by coaches on how well

Championship Performance

Concentration 13 Ways to Concentrate and Achieve Mental Focus Athletes must learn how to regulate their B) Catch themselves and quickly bring 9) Eliminate the 2 main causes of pre- own pre-game anxiety levels. Here are 13 themselves back to that performance game stress. 1) The athlete’s self-talk tips to manage their pre-game jitters. focus. about the game, competition, magnitude or importance of the event in the standings, crowd size, etc. 2) Focus on 1) Teach pre-game psyching starting the 3) Be careful when you accuse your the uncontrollables. Examples include first day of the season. Mental toughness athletes of not concentrating. Every thinking about past events, winning training should not be a crisis intervention athlete concentrates before performance. and losing before the game even starts, thing. Teach your athletes to focus, block The issue is on what? If your athlete opponents’ skill level, parents, game out distractions, rebound from mistakes chokes or falls apart, then he/she was conditions, etc. and to handle pressure right from the start. concentrating – but on the wrong things. Don’t tell your athletes, “concentrate” unless you follow that by exactly what 10) Have athletes focus pre-game on the 2) Practice how to concentrate properly. you want them to concentrate on. one thing they can control. He can always Concentration is the heart of pre game learn to control his or her reaction to all psyching and peak performance. It is the other uncontrollables listed above. the foundation of mental toughness. 4) Integrate concentration into your daily Concentration is the ability to focus workouts. Get your athletes to regularly in on what is important and block out practice developing an awareness of when 11) Teach the athlete the here and now everything else. they start to drift from a proper focus, rule for peak performance. Athletes will and getting themselves back. Throughout better handle stress and avoid psych-outs practice routinely call their awareness to if they can mentally learn to stay in the This involves 2 mini-skills: A) Recognize this mental skill. “here” and “now” of the performance. when he or she is drifting from a proper Negative past thoughts will bring you focus. down and uncontrollable future thoughts 5) Make athletes aware of the mind/body of the outcome will do the same. The connection. Help your athletes understand athlete only has power, speed and control that the main difference between their in the “here and now”. What time is it best and worst performances has to do when you compete? The “now”. What with their pre-performance self-talk and place is it? The “here”. Championship Performance thoughts. That what they think goes into their bodies and can tighten their muscles and rob them of their coordination, 12) Have athletes control their eyes. 10612 - D Providence Road Suite 262 reflexes and speed. Focus visually only on those things that Charlotte, NC 28277 keep you calm, composed and confident.

If a focus makes you uptight, deliberately Phone: (704) 321-9198 6) Teach the difference from a practice switch to something neutral or calming. FAX: (704) 321-0203 and game mentality. Peak performance is (For many athletes, spending too much about trusting and letting the performance time looking at the audience in the stands [email protected] happen. The athlete is not thinking and is is sure to diminish performance.) www.championshipperform.com on autopilot - utilizing effortless effort. Poor performance is about doubting, over- Championship Performance is thinking, analyzing, evaluating and trying 13) Encourage the use of pre-game published monthly (12 times a year). too hard. rituals. Help the athlete develop a ritual Subscription rate is $99. that is controllable, easy to repeat and compact. The ritual can then help the 7) Before games or meets, remind your athlete both control their eyes and ears The purpose and express goal of athletes that they have paid their dues and Championship Performance and stay in the “here and now” of the is to should just let performance happen. You performance. Rituals also help athletes help coaches attain the highest accomplish this by giving them one or two bind anxiety because they are familiar and levels of success. specific things to focus on for the event. can be done no matter where the athlete By narrowing concentration, the athlete competes. Publisher: John Madison has more of a chance to slip into an auto Editor: John Sikes Jr. pilot mentality. Administrative Asst.: Kate Lord

Regular Contributors: 8) Be alert to the athlete’s “Have To’s”, Dr. Alan Goldberg Competitive Advantage 226 Strong Harvey Dulberg, Ph.D. “Gottas” and “Musts”. This kind of St. Amherst, MA 01002 Ph: 413-549-1085 web: www. Rob Gilbert, Ph.D. self-talk will signal you that the athlete is competivedge.com Alan Goldberg, Ed.D. about to self-destruct into trying too hard. Ken Mannie, Michigan State Univ.

Helping Coaches Build Champions -2- Championship Performance

Meyer profile, continued ■ Winning Ways “Joining the team doesn’t make you a tactics is what he calls the Champion’s Gator,” Meyer says. “It’s much harder Club program that he started at Bowling ■ Tom Brady’s Tenacity than that. You have to earn it.” Green. According to Meyer: “John Wooden once said that you treat your New England Patriot quarterback Tom During summer workouts last year, players the way they deserve to be treated. Brady could easily rest on his laurels Meyer even kicked players out of the You don’t treat them all the same way. after winning 3 Super Bowls. Instead, he locker room and told them they couldn’t Our champion’s club is for athletes who leads the team by example. Coach Bill wear orange and blue or anything with go to class, live their life the right way Belichick awards a prime parking spot the Gators logo on it. and contribute to the success of Florida to the player who is the most dedicated football. If you do those three things, you to the team’s off-season conditioning “That was a big deal to us,” player Tate get some nice gear as a reward – t-shirts, program. Brady won that coveted parking Casey said. “It was his way of sending us shorts, and hats - the whole deal. space for the last five years. a message that we were taking everything for granted. This is the University of He has had to work harder than his peers We have a champion’s banquet at the end Florida. It’s privilege to be here and to simply to get a chance at playing time of each quarter of the year. When I started play football here. Some guys might have since his days at Michigan. When he was the club at Bowling Green, I had a small lost sight of that, but he has that instilled a sophomore, he considered transferring budget so I met with the dining staff and into everyone now.” because of a lack of playing time. Head told them I wanted a nice prime rib dinner Coach Lloyd Carr told him: “Go out with fine linen and china and real nice Meyer requires his assistants to know there and do everything you can to tables in the nicest room on campus. We’ll everything about the players they are control what you can control and stop be doing that for 15 to 20 people. For coaching. The coaches literally possess worrying about how many reps you the other 80, I want to order a really poor a written account that has every bit of get or the other quarterbacks and meal. For example, I wanted them to have personal information about the players what skills they have and you don’t. some really bad hot dogs and half cooked they can muster. Concentrate on the things you do well.” hamburgers with stale buns served on paper plates. “I had better not walk into a coach’s What Brady does well is use his meeting with Urban and not know a intelligence and work ethic to master kid’s mom’s name, his girlfriend’s name, During the banquets members of the each week’s game plan. His knowledge the kid’s cell-phone number, his likes, champions club get hugs and high fives of defenses allows him to almost dislikes - everything,” Holliday said. and congratulations for making the club. immediately recognize whatever look is You go sit down and take a seat with your presented and quickly make adjustments. laminated nameplate over there. Players When you know every nugget about a that don’t make it go sit over on the Brady is fanatical about his preparation: kid, you can see the problems coming bleachers and eat their meal and watch the “I don’t want any unknowns or long before they arrive. other guys. For the champions, if their guesswork. When I take the field, I want prime rib isn’t cooked right they can send it to know exactly what we are going to do Whatever chance he gets, Meyer tells his back. We make sure their meal is fantastic. vs every defense we could face. When I players the same message, over and over feel like I’m prepared mentally, I can just and over again: “Keep your mind and The other guys get to think about their poor go out and execute.” body clean.” decisions. Those not in the club end up ■ cleaning up for those who are. The guys Herbstreit on Kicker Woes “Kids want discipline,” Holliday said. who don’t make the club get the idea of “They want people involved in their what they need to do and we usually get ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit was talking lives.” more champions every quarter. about kickers and why they so often cave under the pressure of a big kick to win a Like other schools, the Florida program game. has a team leadership committee that Ultimately, it’s all about investment in the consists of 5 seniors, 4 juniors, 3 team. I’ve been part of football teams that To help them prevent choking, he sophomores, 2 freshmen, and one walk have won in the fourth quarter and those recommended the following: “Make them on. The goal of the group is for the that have lost in the forth quarter. There is do drills with the rest of the team. Don’t players to take ownership of the team. a common denominator – the team that is separate them off in their own little world Players need to feel they have some stake most invested usually wins." where they just practice kicks. When they in the team and some control over what are made to feel like they are an integral happens. part of the team, they are less likely to struggle when the pressure is on to make “You have a tendency to complain less a big kick.” when it’s your decision. When there is a problem, they will come to me with it,” Meyer said.

One of Meyer’s most unique motivational www.championshipperform.com -3- Championship Performance

Team Building Team Dinners Enhance Camaraderie Before the start of every season you large roster. This allows more one to 3) Another variation is to eat out at a will be bringing in new players that one interaction with the athletes. It restaurant with athletes from different will have to blend in with the veterans is important to spend time discussing classes (all the sophomores, juniors, already there. A great way to kick topics other than the team or sport. etc) or different sub-groups within the things off in the summer before the team. For example, all the lines that season starts is by hosting a team Variations: Here are some added play together from a hockey team or dinner. The goal of the dinner is to twists to this team building event: 1) all the linemen on a football team, or encourage teamwork, communication Have the team cook the meal instead midfielders on a soccer team etc. and trust. of having it catered or your spouse prepare it. You may want to divide Wrap up: You can find out how All you need is enough to feed the the team into sub-units and have each effective this activity is by simply entire team and a backyard or park big unit responsible for a portion of the asking the athletes for informal enough to house everyone. meal. feedback. You may also want to probe deeper in a more formal end of Game plan: Plan at least one dinner 2) Require the sub-units to work the year evaluation. during the off-season where the team together on every aspect of preparing Excerpted from the Book 101 Team Building can get to know you as a person their portion of the meal. This could Activities by Greg Dale, Ph.D. and Scott Conant. outside your role as coach. You can include buying the ingredients at To order a copy call: 919-401-9640 or visit: www. excellenceinperformance.com have one dinner for the entire team the grocery, preparing the food, and and possibly more where you break traveling together to the dinner. into smaller sub-groups if you have a

Coaching Style Pete Carroll's Most Important Lesson Pete Carroll says he learned one of with it. I just had to learn. out) and when not to? his most important lessons about coaching college football in his first “It’s more fun probably to talk up That’s the whole point. It’s the season, in his first big rivalry game. these kinds of old historic ‘this same philosophy that goes through and that’s.’ But it doesn’t serve the everything that we do in football. Hard to imagine now, but the preparation of the athletes and the When are you going to decide that a Southern California Trojans were coaches. You don’t need that.” play is more important than another reeling back in 2001 — 2-4 and play? When do I need to go full headed to South Bend, Ind., to That lesson helped Carroll build speed? When do I need to try my face Notre Dame and try for some the winningest era in USC football best? So you get out of that mentality. redemption. history. You don’t allow for that kind of thinking in any phase. Carroll built up the game all week to Big games. Special games. Time his players. This game is special, he to pump up the troops for a special We’re real hard about any indications said. This is the time for your best effort? of that being displayed by our guys. effort. Turned out to be the time for That’s why we practice so fast and so the Trojans to fall flat on their faces, “We don’t need extra incentives,” he hard every single day, every day of losing 27-16. says. “If you understand that every the year for six years.” game is a championship game and “Classic mistake,” Carroll says of you’re going to give everything you his approach to that game. “I knew possibly can in the preparation and I screwed it up. I knew I blew it. I participation of that game, then when could tell during the week, but I went would you ever decide when to (go all

❝ I would rather be around a bunch of guys with less talent who are willing to come together as a team than guys who consider themselves 'stars' and are not willing to sacrifice. ❞ Michael Jordan

-4- Championship Performance Championship Performance Motivation Team Dinners Enhance Camaraderie Motivation During Rough Times When your team is facing uncertainty old routines and roles. Hold them 5) Back up words with action. If

or in the middle of a losing streak, accountable for their assigned tasks someone flouts the rules or refuses you may need to tighten discipline and keep their feet to the fire when it to get on board, you may need to to keep the team on track. Here are 5 comes to timetables and deadlines. make an example of him or her. If strategies to consider: you demote one non-performer to 3) Send a clear message. When you’re the bench, you’ll probably fire up a 1) Set high standards. Then defend re-organizing the team, members bunch of others who suddenly see an them valiantly. Aim for excellence need consistency and definite limits. opportunity to shine. because quality and overall Don’t be vague or offer wishy-washy performance can slip in times of explanations. change. 4) Tell team members how you’ll keep 2) Insist on organization. Don’t allow score. Let them know how you will team members to drift into their hold them accountable.

Goal Setting The C.R.I.M.E. Goal Setting Model on without reservation? Of course, within the over-all big goal helps Use the word “CRIME” as an every team wants to finish first in their challenge athletes to push themselves acronym to help you and your squad division. For that to happen, what along the way. more effectively set both individual specifically must happen first to make and team goals. that a reality? Example: Let’s say an athlete wants to increase his bench press 50 pounds. • Clear. Can the whole team • Measurable. Does the goal include This won’t happen in a week. But if understand the goal? built in mechanisms to measure he says, “I want to add 10 pounds to your progress? You must be able to my bench press every two or three • Reasonable. Make sure your goal gauge whether you are near, far, or weeks. They can see exactly where is challenging, but within the realm somewhere in between. they are over a 16 week expiration of possibility of being accomplished time period.” within a reasonable time frame. • Expiration dated. Both personal and team goals must come to a close • Important. Does your goal describe at some point. By setting sub goals an outcome your team can all agree Avoid Coaching Cliches by Getting Creative A common complaint athletes make simply because he is not listening. For example, if you continually tell of coaches’ behavior is predictability. an athlete to “give 100% in practice”, Here are some typical examples of Recommendation: Examine your soon 100% has no true meaning athletes’ complaints: “I know the pep language. A simple technique is to because of its overuse. Try telling talks by heart.” or “When I come off write down an often said statement athletes to give 50% effort for the the field, I know what the coach is to athletes. Now, write down five first 10 minutes of practice. After 10 going to say.” or “The coach always different ways you can communicate minutes, stop play and ask them to go says the same old thing.” this same statement or make the all out for the remainder of practice. same point. One way to get an In the athlete’s mind, this will draw a Being creative when coaching, giving athlete’s attention is to use a paradox clear distinction between 100% and advise or encouraging athletes is not statement. Requesting an athlete to something less. The athlete will be easy. If the same words or phrases perform just the opposite of a desired more likely to give a greater effort are used too often, they lose impact. outcome often results in improved after the 50% time, having made a If an athlete can predict what a coach performance. distinction and giving meaning back ❞ is going to say, chances are he will to 100%. Michael Jordan not benefit as much from the advice

-4- -5- Championship Performance Game Preparation Preparing Seniors for Excellence ■ Peak Performance Bullets Having been through your program so all of us have to work extra hard to ■ Film Review Practice Questions longer than the rest of the team, your make a year that we can look back on seniors should be thoroughly familiar fondly with pride for years to come. Whether you are questioning a player in practice or in the film room, here are some with the intricacies of your system, key general questions you can ask to make style of play, and expectations of Next, I tell them: “You are a great sure your players are understanding what behavior on and off the field. bunch of kids and the team and the you want from them. school owes you a lot. I wish we Naturally, you want this group to could have you on the team for 4 These types of questions will lead them provide leadership to their younger, more years, but we can't. So you need to build on their strengths, and develop less experienced teammates. You to understand one thing: my job is to areas of weakness as they explore various want them to set an example in both do what is best for the team. Team options to improve their performance: attitude and behavior. needs are always more important than * “What do you need to do to make that the needs of any one individual. happen?” If you are coming into a new coaching situation, you may have to deal with This means two things for you. First, * “How could you capitalize on that?” players who are loyal to their former the team needs your leadership in coach and may face resentment terms of spirit, dedication, and hustle. *”What did you have the hardest time from the upperclassmen who are not Whether you are in the game or on the with?” pleased with the coaching change. sidelines, the younger players will be This resentment can undermine watching how you behave. Because * “If you could do it over again, what everything you try to do with the you are seniors and have been through would you do differently?” team and can cause dissention. What the ropes before, I expect more from * “What did you do that worked well?” often happens is that some players you than them in regards to positive will form cliques of those loyal to the attitude and enthusiasm. * “What will you do if x or y play doesn’t former coach while others who like work?” you will rally together in support. Second, I won’t start or give you playing time just because you are a * “What will happen if you continue to do Whether you have been at your senior. If you were a starter at the end what you are doing?” program a while or just hired, there of last season, the job is still yours, is one speech that my players never but you have to prove that you are * “What other options could you pursue?” heard but once, since they will only better than the younger players to ■ be seniors one time. It’s what I call keep that job. It’s nothing personal, Subtle Changes for Big Results my cozy “fire-side” chat that takes but I have to think of what is best for The words we say and how we address place sometime after the end of their the team. You must out-perform (him each other can have a powerful impact. junior year and start of their senior or her) or I will have no choice but to season. go with the younger player. Check out the difference in this sentence: “Guys, we’ve got a problem with I begin by telling them how much The seniors don’t always like what turnovers that we really need to work on.” I (or the school or team if I am a I’ve just told them, but they can’t “Guys, one of our biggest challenges is to new hire) appreciate their hard work argue with the logic involved. find ways to cut down on our turnovers.” over the past few years. I express my belief that we are going to have Substituting ‘challenge’ for ‘problem’ a great year - working and playing can make a big difference in how your Excerpted from the book “Coaching and Control” together with the seniors leading the by William Warren, Ed.D. Prentice Hall Books. communication is perceived by the team. way. We can’t have the kind of year Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632. that all of us want unless they – the This book can be purchased online at amazon.com Motivating leaders use the word challenge senior class – show the younger often because it implies that you believe players how real athletes go about the team can overcome setbacks and reach their goals. improving themselves and the team. I know they can do it because I know they want this year to be special.

It is, after all, their last time around,

Helping Coaches Build Champions -6- Championship Performance

Coaches Corner 2 Interview with 11 Time Illinois Football State Title Winner Frank Lenti This month we interviewed Mt. Carmel want - which is to be a success as people, that kid, we’ll end up losing him. Since (IL) high school football coach Frank students, and athletes. he has a tough home situation, we’ll be Lenti. In his 20 years as head coach, the flexible and have him watch tape with team has played for 11 state titles and won Could you describe some motivational the defense at another time. It’s now up 9. They were named the Illinois team of approaches you have used with individual to you to make it to the lunch time film the decade in the 1990s. athletes or the entire team that weren’t session. There is always give and take in successful. these situations. Discuss how you motivate your team. The one thing we have done wrong over What is your general approach to team I think first of motivating the individual, the years was to get the kids too high discipline? Do you believe in a strict then the team. We try to appeal to their for a certain game. We don’t want them adherence to rules? Do high school individual pride. ‘What do you want to be so excited that they lose track of their athletes need more rules than a college remembered for?’ There is no sense being fundamentals and assignments. When the athlete? Our philosophy in this area is re- part of our program unless you are going emotional high wears off after the first few ally simple. The heart and soul of the rule to contribute in some way. This doesn’t moments of the game, they sometimes I got from Coach Lou Holtz. We tell them mean being a starter or a star, but that you get into a fog. At times, we got the guys to ‘do what’s right.’ We break that down get something back from your investment. too emotionally invested in one particular into doing what’s right as a person, as a We tell kids, “when you spend a dollar, game. The remedy for this is to eliminate student and as an athlete. That’s the order you don’t get much back. Invest a dollar any “red letter” or one certain “game of of importance for us. and you’ll see some return on that invest- the year.” We want our kids thinking that ment.” We want the kids to invest their the most important game of the year is Example: Let’s say one of the players is time in their education and athletic career. the next one - regardless of the opponent. hanging out at the mall with a Mount Car- This way they are assured of getting This falls in line with another principle we mel lettermans jacket on and he acts like a something back from their efforts. try to teach: ‘consistency is more impor- nit wit. Guess what? Eventually we’re go- tance than greatness.’ ing to find out about that. I’d much rather We have a program called the 4 E’s. In get a call that says a player held the door everything they do while in our program It’s no good for the team if a guy is great open for some nice little old lady rather we stress the following: Great Effort. for a quarter and then falls asleep at the than finding out he tried to run her over. Great Execution. Great Endurance. switch for the rest of the game. I’d rather Great Enthusiasm. These principles see a kid play good and consistent all I tell our kids that they are leaders of the apply to school, social and athletic situa- game long. This way we know we can school. They help set the tempo each year tions. count on him. by their actions. I don’t want to have a teacher come into my office and tell me Giving great effort and endurance speaks Do you work with kids from broken fami- that “one of your players was misbehav- for themselves. Execution means doing lies? Is there any advice you can give to ing”. They won’t say Johnny so and so the fundamentals well, whether it be in coaches who are in a similar situation? was misbehaving, they’ll say one of the football or in school. football players was misbehaving. The number one issue here is building Regarding enthusiasm, we have a slogan trust. It’s a two way street. Later on, Do you want them to see that the conse- painted on the locker room wall: “Fun some of these kids will come back and quences will be forced upon then? Right. is doing something well.” School is fun say that we were like the father they never Someone else is going to choose the when you are getting A’s and B’s, yet it’s had. When they need a male figure to consequences for them. For example, if a real pain when you get D’s and F’s. It’s talk to, we as coaches have to be avail- you choose to be late for school or you fun if a kid does well in practice. We are able. You might have to invest a little choose not to behave in class, you’re go- always talking to kids about raising their more time in these type of kids. Whether ing to end up with a detention. You don’t standards. it’s a one to one in the coaches office, in get to choose when to serve that detention. the classroom, or on the field before or It may make you miss something very Another saying we tell kids is: “If it is to after practice. You have to find out some important. We also talk about forcing the be, it’s up to me.” We want the kids to personal information about what is going kids to measure up. Every decision you take responsibility for their success. The on in their lives. make is going to affect you, your family, key motivating factor for the kids comes and your teammates either positively or from Zig Ziglar: “You can get anything Example: Two days a week we like negatively. If you make the decision to be in this world you want if you are willing to bring in our offensive kids early to a goof in class and you get a detention, to help enough other people get what they watch film before school. We had a two that doesn’t just affect you. It now affects want.” year starter who could not come in early everyone in practice because you can’t be because he had to take his younger brother there to do your fair share and you can’t The reason we have been so success- to school because his grandmother left for be there to get better. ful at Mt. Carmel is that our coaching work already and there were no mom and staff has helped the guys get what they dad around. If I make things difficult for www.championshipperform.com -7- Championship Performance

Team Building II Rick Pitino's Team Building Story Louisville basketball coach Rick The room was silent as I erased an- ‘OK, Harold, how many brothers does Pitino tells this story about building a other quarter of the blackboard. Then Steve Wright have?’ winning team: I asked the trainer how many players had been in the gym every day since Starks slowly shook his head. “When I became the coach of the season ended to work on their Providence College, I was inheriting games. ‘What does Billy Donovan’s father do a program that had been languish- for a living?’ ing near the bottom of the Big East ‘No one, Coach,’ the trainer said. Conference. Harold now looked like a deer stuck ‘So it’s obvious you don’t work hard in headlights. In one of my first meetings with the either,’ I said, erasing another quarter team, I listed four categories on the of the blackboard. ‘So you really don’t know anything blackboard: Basketball, school, work about each other, do you?’ I asked. ethic, and family. The four suppos- Then I started raising my voice. ‘Let’s edly most important parts of my new see,’ I said. ‘You aren’t successful No one spoke. players’ lives. ‘How many of you in basketball; you aren’t successful want to be professional basketball in school; and you don’t work hard. I made each player stand up and talk players someday?’ I asked. What’s left?’ I paused for emphasis. about himself and his family. Then something wonderful happened. Virtually every hand in the room went ‘Well, hopefully, you’re a close team,’ What had been 12 individuals sud- up in the air. I finally said. denly had the makings of a cohesive unit. Twenty-two months later that ‘Well, since you had a losing season ‘Hopefully, you care about each other.’ collection of individuals—now a last year and no one in this room av- team—would be in the Final Four. eraged at least 10 points a game, it’s ‘Oh, we do, Coach,’ said a player The message I tried to obvious you are not a success in the named Harold Starks. communicate had started the players basketball part of your lives.’ I then on the road to becoming a cohesive erased one quarter of the blackboard. ‘We’re a close team.’ group of people whose change in at- ‘And since I’ve seen your grade-point titude about themselves had made all averages, it’s also obvious you aren’t I pretended to think for a minute. the difference.” successful in school either.’

Coaching and Communication

Selling an Unpopular Idea to Your Team You have just decided to change the 2) Choose the best time and place 4) Trade minor concessions for major practice schedule and now every- to announce the news. If your team support. You may be able to secure one must be here at 6 am instead of tends to get angry or frustrated as support if you’re willing to make mi- 7:30 am. You can bet more than a a group, don’t present the informa- nor adjustments to your overall plan. few team members aren’t thrilled tion to them all at once. A series of with this new arrangement. How can one to one meetings will allow you For example, instead of saying “start- you make this “medicine” go down to address individual concerns while ing next week, practice will begin at a little smoother and actually gain defusing emotional group responses. 6 a.m.,” adjust your timetable to give support for an unpopular idea? Here Bonus: This will also allow you to be the team members some time to digest are some suggestions: 1) Choose a prepared for group objections that the news. surrogate: Part of the resistance may may surface down the road. be a direct response to you or the way P.S. Find your biggest team leader you present the information. If that’s 3) Begin on a positive note. Praise and sell the unpopular idea to him or the case, you may be better off get- the group on something they do well, her first, so they can sell the idea to ting an assistant to be the first “bearer before going in to why you are mak- everyone else. of bad news”. ing changes.

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