On the recommendation of a friend the book Legacy by James Kerr was among the books I bought myself for Christmas. I finally got around to reading it and discovered it was as “unputdownable” as Bloomberg reviewed it to be. I think one reason I put off reading it was because I am a soccer coach and this is a book about the All Blacks rugby team. Only, it’s not about rugby at all. It’s about culture and leadership. It’s about life.
A personal strength of mine lies in building soccer programs. Not just a team, but the program. And not a rebuild either. I truly enjoy taking a program that maybe has not had on-the-field success and helping them find that elusive success. Another way to frame this is to say I have a knack for taking a program and team to the next level. This invariably entails improving the programs / teams culture by infusing it with positivity and giving it my confidence. THIS is what Legacy is all about.
The book is not in a bullet pointed step by step format on how to do things the right way, but it is in a coherent format that touches on the basics, or the core, concepts, ideas and philosophies that lead to success. The All Blacks are the vehicle used to relate the values that drive success. And, along this journey I discovered I’ve been doing a lot of things right in accordance with the book. There are also things, many things, I have learned through reading this book. These I will be sharing with the programs and teams I work with going forward. Thank you Mr. James Kerr. Much appreciated.
Showing posts with label success. Show all posts
Showing posts with label success. Show all posts
Monday
Friday
Like beauty, Success is in the eye of the beholder.
I started the off season wondering if we could field a team for this fall season. We had 16 players last fall. Eleven graduated and one changed schools. Four returning players and no feeder system put the 2018 season in doubt. One senior, one junior and two sophomores is what we had to build a foundation on. Yikes!
There was a glimmer of hope when we received two transfers into the school district. Both were athletic young men with some experience playing soccer. Alas, both decided against playing for their new school.
In an effort to insure I would have a team to coach this fall, I applied for other coaching positions in the area. My Athletic Director had full knowledge of this. In fact, he was very understanding and even supportive of my doing so. I received two offers to coach elsewhere. In the end I turned both down to stay at Fairlawn and build.
Why?
Good question. The 2017 season was a disaster by my standards. Some members of the senior class drove some younger interested players away to protect their own playing time. I know this because several of those who decided at the last minute not to play told me they didn’t feel welcomed on the team with two of those specifying certain seniors made them feel that way. In all honesty, this is more common than people may want to believe. The frequency at which this occurs does not justify it happening in any program though. In this case, the legacy of the departed senior class having contributed to the death of a program stood as a real possibility.
When official practice began on August 1st our roster stood at 9 players. The decision was made to cancel all non-league contests reducing our schedule to a mere seven games. The idea was to survive the season and maintain good standing in the league. We only need to field 7 players to play a game. I was not sure the league would agree playing undermanned would keep us in good standing, but honoring our league contracts seemed like the bare minimum we could do.
We played that first game with 10 players. We lost big on the scoreboard. We won elsewhere. The courage and spirit the student athletes played with was something to behold. By the second game we had grown the roster to 13 players. None of the new players had any soccer experience worth mentioning. They had want-to though! All played their first match on a day when the temperature soared into the 90’s with humidity close behind. We lost big again. And to be honest, for awhile we lost some of the fearlessness and spirit we had shown in the first match. We regained it after a water break we used as a timeout. I had seen enough by games end to believe the start of something good, potentially very good, indeed was upon us.
The day after the second match was a recovery day. We watched a YouTube video titled Watch this every day.
Afterwards, the players were fired up. Their spirit was again palpable. We have been riding the crest of this new momentum ever since. Tremendous esprit de corps. Great work ethic. And the want-to? Oh my! Needless to day I have really enjoyed coaching these young men and women. I made a conscious effort to bring and give energy to them, but have found it is they who have brought energy to me as well.
Our season came to an end last night as we lost to the #3 team in the state at their place in the OHSAA tournament. We wet 0-7-0 in the regular season and lost our lone tournament game. Never scored a goal. On won / lost record alone this was easily my worst season ever as a coach. But I knew what we were up against this season and measured success differently.
A co-ed team playing boys varsity soccer has a built in disadvantage to begin with. We ended up having 14 players at season's end. Three seniors (2 boys and 1 girl) - one of whom was a legitimate experienced varsity caliber player. The other two are new to high school soccer. One junior (girl) who if she played on a girls team would fair well and never backs down against the boys teams we play. Four sophomores (3 boys and 1 girl). Two of the boys played extensively as freshmen. The other boy and girl were first time soccer players. That 3rd boy really excelled though by combining tremendous work ethic with becoming a student of the game. And five freshmen ( 3 boys and 2 girls). Both girls are very good for freshman girls. Not ready for varsity boys soccer good, but quite good for high school freshman girls. One of the boys is of average ability for a freshman boy - on the smallish side and decent skills. The other two freshman boys were new to soccer.
Our focus was almost exclusively on developing individual skills as practice opened. It had to be. What we did was to quantify and track every skill we could. We also timed and recorded for every conditioning exercise we did. Setting and breaking personal records was a means to show improvement on both an individual and collective basis. We did not focus on the scoreboard. Our focus was on setting and meeting in-game goals and the process of improving as measured by PR's. This allowed us to feel successful and measure improvement throughout the season. We strove to be a better, improved version of ourselves eat the end of every practice and every game.
By not setting unrealistic goals like winning games or even scoring a goal we allowed a spirit to take root, grow and blossom. It was truly a special sight to behold for this old coach. These young men and women competed with everything they had every game they played. They competed to become better versions of themselves and were wildly successful.
The experienced players were exceptional teammates. It would have been so easy for them not to have played soccer this season or to play hero ball in trying to do more than their fair share, but they did not do these things. They mentored the new players and helped coach them up. They strove to play the right way. There was so very little negativity ... amazingly so. I am in awe and wonder of this TEAM of young men and women.
Over decades of coaching I have worked with many a team and thousands of individuals. This group is special. I will forever remember fondly these young men and women of Fairlawn Soccer 2018.
For the first time ever, Fairlawn fielded a middle school soccer team. There were approximately 20 student athletes who participated in that program. Eleven of those were 8th graders eligible to play high school soccer next year. If everyone from this years high school team with eligibility remaining returns for next season this would give us 22 players. Plus, there are two others who have expressed interest in playing next year - both with club experience.
Is it possible to double the number of participants despite not winning a game, despite not scoring a single goal? Apparently so. And that will be the legacy of the 2018 Fairlawn Soccer TEAM.
There was a glimmer of hope when we received two transfers into the school district. Both were athletic young men with some experience playing soccer. Alas, both decided against playing for their new school.
In an effort to insure I would have a team to coach this fall, I applied for other coaching positions in the area. My Athletic Director had full knowledge of this. In fact, he was very understanding and even supportive of my doing so. I received two offers to coach elsewhere. In the end I turned both down to stay at Fairlawn and build.
Why?
Good question. The 2017 season was a disaster by my standards. Some members of the senior class drove some younger interested players away to protect their own playing time. I know this because several of those who decided at the last minute not to play told me they didn’t feel welcomed on the team with two of those specifying certain seniors made them feel that way. In all honesty, this is more common than people may want to believe. The frequency at which this occurs does not justify it happening in any program though. In this case, the legacy of the departed senior class having contributed to the death of a program stood as a real possibility.
When official practice began on August 1st our roster stood at 9 players. The decision was made to cancel all non-league contests reducing our schedule to a mere seven games. The idea was to survive the season and maintain good standing in the league. We only need to field 7 players to play a game. I was not sure the league would agree playing undermanned would keep us in good standing, but honoring our league contracts seemed like the bare minimum we could do.
We played that first game with 10 players. We lost big on the scoreboard. We won elsewhere. The courage and spirit the student athletes played with was something to behold. By the second game we had grown the roster to 13 players. None of the new players had any soccer experience worth mentioning. They had want-to though! All played their first match on a day when the temperature soared into the 90’s with humidity close behind. We lost big again. And to be honest, for awhile we lost some of the fearlessness and spirit we had shown in the first match. We regained it after a water break we used as a timeout. I had seen enough by games end to believe the start of something good, potentially very good, indeed was upon us.
The day after the second match was a recovery day. We watched a YouTube video titled Watch this every day.
Afterwards, the players were fired up. Their spirit was again palpable. We have been riding the crest of this new momentum ever since. Tremendous esprit de corps. Great work ethic. And the want-to? Oh my! Needless to day I have really enjoyed coaching these young men and women. I made a conscious effort to bring and give energy to them, but have found it is they who have brought energy to me as well.
Our season came to an end last night as we lost to the #3 team in the state at their place in the OHSAA tournament. We wet 0-7-0 in the regular season and lost our lone tournament game. Never scored a goal. On won / lost record alone this was easily my worst season ever as a coach. But I knew what we were up against this season and measured success differently.
A co-ed team playing boys varsity soccer has a built in disadvantage to begin with. We ended up having 14 players at season's end. Three seniors (2 boys and 1 girl) - one of whom was a legitimate experienced varsity caliber player. The other two are new to high school soccer. One junior (girl) who if she played on a girls team would fair well and never backs down against the boys teams we play. Four sophomores (3 boys and 1 girl). Two of the boys played extensively as freshmen. The other boy and girl were first time soccer players. That 3rd boy really excelled though by combining tremendous work ethic with becoming a student of the game. And five freshmen ( 3 boys and 2 girls). Both girls are very good for freshman girls. Not ready for varsity boys soccer good, but quite good for high school freshman girls. One of the boys is of average ability for a freshman boy - on the smallish side and decent skills. The other two freshman boys were new to soccer.
Our focus was almost exclusively on developing individual skills as practice opened. It had to be. What we did was to quantify and track every skill we could. We also timed and recorded for every conditioning exercise we did. Setting and breaking personal records was a means to show improvement on both an individual and collective basis. We did not focus on the scoreboard. Our focus was on setting and meeting in-game goals and the process of improving as measured by PR's. This allowed us to feel successful and measure improvement throughout the season. We strove to be a better, improved version of ourselves eat the end of every practice and every game.
By not setting unrealistic goals like winning games or even scoring a goal we allowed a spirit to take root, grow and blossom. It was truly a special sight to behold for this old coach. These young men and women competed with everything they had every game they played. They competed to become better versions of themselves and were wildly successful.
The experienced players were exceptional teammates. It would have been so easy for them not to have played soccer this season or to play hero ball in trying to do more than their fair share, but they did not do these things. They mentored the new players and helped coach them up. They strove to play the right way. There was so very little negativity ... amazingly so. I am in awe and wonder of this TEAM of young men and women.
Over decades of coaching I have worked with many a team and thousands of individuals. This group is special. I will forever remember fondly these young men and women of Fairlawn Soccer 2018.
For the first time ever, Fairlawn fielded a middle school soccer team. There were approximately 20 student athletes who participated in that program. Eleven of those were 8th graders eligible to play high school soccer next year. If everyone from this years high school team with eligibility remaining returns for next season this would give us 22 players. Plus, there are two others who have expressed interest in playing next year - both with club experience.
Is it possible to double the number of participants despite not winning a game, despite not scoring a single goal? Apparently so. And that will be the legacy of the 2018 Fairlawn Soccer TEAM.
Why do you pay so much money for your kid to play sports?
I am giving credit for this article to Mark Wolpert of Southhampton, PA. A friend shared it on Facebook and I found it to be a wonderful glimpse into what parents should be thinking about youth sports.
Mark Wolpert
Mark Wolpert
One of my friends asked "Why do you pay so much money for your kids to do all their sports”? Well I have a confession to make; I don't pay for my kids to to do sports. Personally, I couldn't care less about what sport they do.
So, if I am not paying for sports what am I paying for?
- I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they want to quit but don't.
- I pay for those days when my kids come home from school and are "too tired" to go to their training but they go anyway.
- I pay for my kids to learn to be disciplined, focused and dedicated.
- I pay for my kids to learn to take care of their body and equipment.
- I pay for my kids to learn to work with others and to be good team mates, gracious in defeat and humble in success.
- I pay for my kids to learn to deal with disappointment, when they don't get that placing or title they'd hoped for, but still they go back week after week giving it their best shot.
- I pay for my kids to learn to make and accomplish goals.
- I pay for my kids to respect, not only themselves, but other athletes, officials and coaches.
- I pay for my kids to learn that it takes hours and hours, years and years of hard work and practice to create a champion and that success does not happen overnight.
- I pay for my kids to be proud of small achievements, and to work towards long term goals.
- I pay for the opportunity my kids have and will have to make life-long friendships, create lifelong memories, to be as proud of their achievements as I am.
- I pay so that my kids can be out on the field or in the gym instead of in front of a screen...
...I could go on but, to be short, I don't pay for sports; I pay for the opportunities that sports provides my kids with to develop attributes that will serve them well throughout their lives and give them the opportunity to bless the lives of others. From what I have seen so far I think it is a great investment!
Monday
Winning isn't always about which team scores more goals.
I am one of the most competitive people you will ever encounter. That said, those who have played for me will attest to my rarely knowing the score during or after a match. As a player, I always knew the score. Not so much as a coach. This is because I am not in competition with the opposing team or the opposing coach. As a coach I compete with myself.
As a player I learned the need to improve each day. With each new sunrise I was driven to be better than the day before. Not blessed with blazing speed of incredible quickness I learned to read the game, to anticipate and to out-think the opponent. These things allowed me to play much faster than my physical speed would allow for.
In coaching I am fond of saying "the game is my test" to determine how well I prepared the team to play. One might consider if my team won, I have passed my test, but this is not always true. I have had teams play poorly and win. Similarly I have had teams play very well and lose. Passing my coaching test, my self-evaluation of how well my team was prepared to play, is the the key to being successful as a coach.
(Hit the jump for the rest of the article)
As a player I learned the need to improve each day. With each new sunrise I was driven to be better than the day before. Not blessed with blazing speed of incredible quickness I learned to read the game, to anticipate and to out-think the opponent. These things allowed me to play much faster than my physical speed would allow for.
In coaching I am fond of saying "the game is my test" to determine how well I prepared the team to play. One might consider if my team won, I have passed my test, but this is not always true. I have had teams play poorly and win. Similarly I have had teams play very well and lose. Passing my coaching test, my self-evaluation of how well my team was prepared to play, is the the key to being successful as a coach.
(Hit the jump for the rest of the article)
Thursday
Standards and Success
If you do not hold teammates ACCOUNTABLE
to the team's STANDARDS
you not only hurt their chances for success,
you hurt YOUR chances for SUCCESS.
It's part of coaching
We often speak of athletes learning life lessons through their participation in team sports. Coaches learn life lessons through heir participation in team sports as well. One of the most important lessons sports has taught me is the necessity to develop, establish and maintain healthy working relationships.
I put a lot of time and effort into developing working relationships with everyone remotely connected to the program. My athletic director and his administrative assistant. The boosters organization. Surely our players and coaches. The parents as well.
Now, with parents I tend to keep them at arms length as it concerns team selection, positions, playing time and the like. On the other hand, I desire and need parental support for a healthy program. I rely on parents for everything from fundraising to furnishing team meals.
Players get suspended or cut from the team and coaches lose their jobs often due to poor relationships and ineffective communication. Communication is a shared responsibility. That is, it takes a minimum of two to hold a conversation unless one is talking to one's self. LOL. This is another lesson I have learned - if people choose not to respond to your efforts to include them in your program, repeating those efforts ad nauseum is simply a waste of time.
I have a three strike rule. If I ask you three times for your input or help and you choose not to respond, I move on. This happens mostly with parents of student athletes in my current position. A sad commentary on our society in general. Please do not misunderstand, I do indeed enjoy tremendous support from many parents. The vast majority jump in and help in whatever way is needed and I am genuinely appreciative for their involvement. It is a small minority that decide not to respond, not to work on establishing, developing and maintaining a working relationship in teh best interests of their child.
Being a responsible decision maker is also something sports teach us. Not every decision we make is cut and dried. I often seek input from every source imaginable when faced with a tough decision. I also give difficult decisions a lot of prayerful consideration. In the end, as a head coach it's still my decision. I live with both the rewards and consequences of those decisions. I firmly believe it important everyone involved with the program knows I take making these decisions very seriously and own up to them regardless of how they turn out. It's a matter of trust and respect.
Trust is the glue of life, the single most essential ingredient in effective communication. If I do not own my decisions, why should anyone trust me? Trust is the foundational principle that holds all relationships together. Disagreements are a part of life, its how we handle disagreements that matter more than the disagreement itself. Adversity is a part of life and athletics. It is a given, individuals and the team will encounter adversity at times. The adversity is not as important as how the adversity is handled. Being able to trust those you face adversity with is critical to success in overcoming the obstacle. Successfully overcoming adversity or an obstacle with others is how respect is earned ... and given. Without respectful working relationships not only is trust absent but the prospects of success are greatly diminished.
We ARE all in this together, correct?
I put a lot of time and effort into developing working relationships with everyone remotely connected to the program. My athletic director and his administrative assistant. The boosters organization. Surely our players and coaches. The parents as well.
Now, with parents I tend to keep them at arms length as it concerns team selection, positions, playing time and the like. On the other hand, I desire and need parental support for a healthy program. I rely on parents for everything from fundraising to furnishing team meals.
Players get suspended or cut from the team and coaches lose their jobs often due to poor relationships and ineffective communication. Communication is a shared responsibility. That is, it takes a minimum of two to hold a conversation unless one is talking to one's self. LOL. This is another lesson I have learned - if people choose not to respond to your efforts to include them in your program, repeating those efforts ad nauseum is simply a waste of time.
I have a three strike rule. If I ask you three times for your input or help and you choose not to respond, I move on. This happens mostly with parents of student athletes in my current position. A sad commentary on our society in general. Please do not misunderstand, I do indeed enjoy tremendous support from many parents. The vast majority jump in and help in whatever way is needed and I am genuinely appreciative for their involvement. It is a small minority that decide not to respond, not to work on establishing, developing and maintaining a working relationship in teh best interests of their child.
Being a responsible decision maker is also something sports teach us. Not every decision we make is cut and dried. I often seek input from every source imaginable when faced with a tough decision. I also give difficult decisions a lot of prayerful consideration. In the end, as a head coach it's still my decision. I live with both the rewards and consequences of those decisions. I firmly believe it important everyone involved with the program knows I take making these decisions very seriously and own up to them regardless of how they turn out. It's a matter of trust and respect.
Trust is the glue of life, the single most essential ingredient in effective communication. If I do not own my decisions, why should anyone trust me? Trust is the foundational principle that holds all relationships together. Disagreements are a part of life, its how we handle disagreements that matter more than the disagreement itself. Adversity is a part of life and athletics. It is a given, individuals and the team will encounter adversity at times. The adversity is not as important as how the adversity is handled. Being able to trust those you face adversity with is critical to success in overcoming the obstacle. Successfully overcoming adversity or an obstacle with others is how respect is earned ... and given. Without respectful working relationships not only is trust absent but the prospects of success are greatly diminished.
We ARE all in this together, correct?
Monday
Attitude. Commitment. Culture. What of it?
I suppose I should have included "Patience" in the title as well.
As I enter my third year (second as head coach) in the Lima Senior soccer program I find myself fixated on Attitude, Commitment and Culture as the areas key to the Spartans rising to another level. I am fond of saying "culture can win or lose you games" and am of the belief this was proven true this past season . Our culture did, in fact, both win and lose us games during the 2016 season. On the surface, that might seem like an odd statement, but just as technical skill and tactical understanding impact the game so too does a teams culture. Sometimes skill and tactics are enough to win games. Sometimes it is one teams culture that separates it from the opponent.
I want to be clear that the culture was not excessively poor when I took over the program. If we used Jannsen's Commitment Continuum to rate the culture of the program I took over last season we would find it in the compliant range.
That is, the team and individual players largely tried to do what was asked of them. They did enough to get by. Where they were lacking is in the areas of accountability and responsibility to one another, the team and the program as a whole. One year later we have made progress, but are still probably in the compliant range as a team.
As I ask myself why our progress has not been swifter or more dramatic I keep coming back to the three words in the title of this article - Attitude, Commitment and Culture. I think sometimes we use these words interchangeably and that does each a disservice. They are related and interconnected yet different and unique each in its own way.
Attitude alone is not a guarantee of a win or a loss. I have seen teams with great attitudes lose games to teams with lesser attitudes. And there are certainly teams with poor attitudes that manage to overcome them and win games. Still, there can be no doubting the importance good attitudes. This set me to thinking about what attitude can provide ... or deprive a team of.
Attitude is not static - that is, it must be nurtured to grow in a positive direction and if this is not diligently attended to one's attitude will surely regress.
Attitude is not a substitute for technical, tactical or physical competence.
Neither can attitude alone be substituted for experience.
In short, attitude cannot change facts, but attitude can change how we deal with facts.
For example, attitude can make the difference in how we deal with one another - our relationships with each other.
Attitude can also make a difference in how we deal with adversity and challenges.
One positive attitude can be a beacon shining bright that draws others to it. A team with a collective good attitude can become something greater than the sum of its parts. And that is what I am seeking to create at Lima Senior.
So, what are the obstacles slowing our progress?
Change.
More is being asked of individual players and the team alike. Everyone is being asked to step out of established comfort zones and embrace growth. This can be an intimidating task, especially if one's attitude is not positively energized.
Fear of change leads to indecisiveness, inaction, drains positive energy and generally inhibits potential from being reached. Fear also magnifies adversity, challenges and problems when affecting change. In the absence of a positive attitude discouragement can gain a foothold.
Energy is contagious whether it be of a positive or negative nature. So, how change is approached is of vital importance. Positive energy will allow for smoother transition than negative energy will. Those who are reluctant to change may have to be eliminated from the program in order to foster an overall positive energy. I faced and dealt with this problem last fall. There were a few stragglers with poor attitudes who refused to buy-in to the changes being made. They were energy drains to our positive attitudes. They have been removed from the program. More may yet decide to leave as they find their energy, their attitude to be in conflict with the growing majority.
The 85% rule.
The 85% rule refers to having 85% of your team members being either Compliant, Committed of Compelled on Jannsen's Commitment Continuum. This would represent 85% of your team having "good" attitudes. What I have done is to make a list of every player on our roster. Not as easy of a task as one might think in our situation. I had 57 student / athletes express interest in playing. Of those, we had 46 who actually participated at least one day. We lost several to academic ineligibility. Others were dismissed from the team due to disciplinary problems. Still others self-selected and just stopped showing up. We finished the season with 33 players. These 33 are the players I have on my list. Beside each of their names I have written their commitment level in my eyes. I have also asked each player how they would rate themselves. There are differences of opinions - some subtle and others quite dramatic.
Resistant: Complainers. They complain about coaching, teammates, program rules. They are generally selfish and against team goals and in favor of their own goals.
Reluctant: Skeptics. They are hesitant, wait and seers. Go through the motions but without much, if any conviction. Have not totally bought-in.
Existent: They are present but not completely engaged. They give little of themselves and expect little from others or the team as a whole.
Compliant: These student / athletes do what is asked of them, but give no extra effort. Generally not self-motivated. Not disruptive, but not fully engaged. They neither provide energy nor drain energy.
Committed: Self-motivated. They will do what is expected of them and then some. Take initiative to improve self and team.
Compelled: The Standard Bearers. No matter the adversity or challenge they are 100% engaged. They prepare, train and compete at the highest level. They are driven to achieve team goals and achieve team success.
In general, the 85% rule states a successful team needs 85% of its members in the Compliant, Committed and Compelled ranges in order to be successful. Obviously all of those falling in the Compliant range would not be satisfactory. There must be some in the Committed range and at least a few in the Compelled range. A balance among these three ranges is necessary with the more towards the top of the range the better. But I would submit there is value to each of the ranges being represented. Can you imagine the disconnect between 11 players in the Compelled range and a couple in the Compliant or lower ranges with no one representing the in between?
Culture.
Some combination of Attitude and Commitment define the culture of the program, team and its individual players. Where program rules meet team goals success if found. So it is moving forward we will continue to work on our attitudes and foster commitment in search of a winning team culture. That is a key consideration to take from this writing - attitude and commitment, culture, must be worked on. All coaches work on technique and tactics, physical conditioning. We must also give conscious effort to the psychological aspects of the game We must train attitude, commitment and culture until these things become second nature in the same manner as technical ability, tactical understanding and physical conditioning. This is our platform for success,
As I enter my third year (second as head coach) in the Lima Senior soccer program I find myself fixated on Attitude, Commitment and Culture as the areas key to the Spartans rising to another level. I am fond of saying "culture can win or lose you games" and am of the belief this was proven true this past season . Our culture did, in fact, both win and lose us games during the 2016 season. On the surface, that might seem like an odd statement, but just as technical skill and tactical understanding impact the game so too does a teams culture. Sometimes skill and tactics are enough to win games. Sometimes it is one teams culture that separates it from the opponent.
I want to be clear that the culture was not excessively poor when I took over the program. If we used Jannsen's Commitment Continuum to rate the culture of the program I took over last season we would find it in the compliant range.
That is, the team and individual players largely tried to do what was asked of them. They did enough to get by. Where they were lacking is in the areas of accountability and responsibility to one another, the team and the program as a whole. One year later we have made progress, but are still probably in the compliant range as a team.
As I ask myself why our progress has not been swifter or more dramatic I keep coming back to the three words in the title of this article - Attitude, Commitment and Culture. I think sometimes we use these words interchangeably and that does each a disservice. They are related and interconnected yet different and unique each in its own way.
Attitude alone is not a guarantee of a win or a loss. I have seen teams with great attitudes lose games to teams with lesser attitudes. And there are certainly teams with poor attitudes that manage to overcome them and win games. Still, there can be no doubting the importance good attitudes. This set me to thinking about what attitude can provide ... or deprive a team of.
Attitude is not static - that is, it must be nurtured to grow in a positive direction and if this is not diligently attended to one's attitude will surely regress.
Attitude is not a substitute for technical, tactical or physical competence.
Neither can attitude alone be substituted for experience.
In short, attitude cannot change facts, but attitude can change how we deal with facts.
For example, attitude can make the difference in how we deal with one another - our relationships with each other.
Attitude can also make a difference in how we deal with adversity and challenges.
One positive attitude can be a beacon shining bright that draws others to it. A team with a collective good attitude can become something greater than the sum of its parts. And that is what I am seeking to create at Lima Senior.
So, what are the obstacles slowing our progress?
Change.
More is being asked of individual players and the team alike. Everyone is being asked to step out of established comfort zones and embrace growth. This can be an intimidating task, especially if one's attitude is not positively energized.
Fear of change leads to indecisiveness, inaction, drains positive energy and generally inhibits potential from being reached. Fear also magnifies adversity, challenges and problems when affecting change. In the absence of a positive attitude discouragement can gain a foothold.
Energy is contagious whether it be of a positive or negative nature. So, how change is approached is of vital importance. Positive energy will allow for smoother transition than negative energy will. Those who are reluctant to change may have to be eliminated from the program in order to foster an overall positive energy. I faced and dealt with this problem last fall. There were a few stragglers with poor attitudes who refused to buy-in to the changes being made. They were energy drains to our positive attitudes. They have been removed from the program. More may yet decide to leave as they find their energy, their attitude to be in conflict with the growing majority.
The 85% rule.
The 85% rule refers to having 85% of your team members being either Compliant, Committed of Compelled on Jannsen's Commitment Continuum. This would represent 85% of your team having "good" attitudes. What I have done is to make a list of every player on our roster. Not as easy of a task as one might think in our situation. I had 57 student / athletes express interest in playing. Of those, we had 46 who actually participated at least one day. We lost several to academic ineligibility. Others were dismissed from the team due to disciplinary problems. Still others self-selected and just stopped showing up. We finished the season with 33 players. These 33 are the players I have on my list. Beside each of their names I have written their commitment level in my eyes. I have also asked each player how they would rate themselves. There are differences of opinions - some subtle and others quite dramatic.
Resistant: Complainers. They complain about coaching, teammates, program rules. They are generally selfish and against team goals and in favor of their own goals.
Reluctant: Skeptics. They are hesitant, wait and seers. Go through the motions but without much, if any conviction. Have not totally bought-in.
Existent: They are present but not completely engaged. They give little of themselves and expect little from others or the team as a whole.
Compliant: These student / athletes do what is asked of them, but give no extra effort. Generally not self-motivated. Not disruptive, but not fully engaged. They neither provide energy nor drain energy.
Committed: Self-motivated. They will do what is expected of them and then some. Take initiative to improve self and team.
Compelled: The Standard Bearers. No matter the adversity or challenge they are 100% engaged. They prepare, train and compete at the highest level. They are driven to achieve team goals and achieve team success.
In general, the 85% rule states a successful team needs 85% of its members in the Compliant, Committed and Compelled ranges in order to be successful. Obviously all of those falling in the Compliant range would not be satisfactory. There must be some in the Committed range and at least a few in the Compelled range. A balance among these three ranges is necessary with the more towards the top of the range the better. But I would submit there is value to each of the ranges being represented. Can you imagine the disconnect between 11 players in the Compelled range and a couple in the Compliant or lower ranges with no one representing the in between?
Culture.
Some combination of Attitude and Commitment define the culture of the program, team and its individual players. Where program rules meet team goals success if found. So it is moving forward we will continue to work on our attitudes and foster commitment in search of a winning team culture. That is a key consideration to take from this writing - attitude and commitment, culture, must be worked on. All coaches work on technique and tactics, physical conditioning. We must also give conscious effort to the psychological aspects of the game We must train attitude, commitment and culture until these things become second nature in the same manner as technical ability, tactical understanding and physical conditioning. This is our platform for success,
Tuesday
Overcoming Adversity on the Path to Success
This article will continue my evaluation of the most recent high school soccer season. We had a good year, one of the best in the program's recent history going 10-4-3 overall. On the face of it, that's not too shabby. Closer inspection reveals the three ties and one of the losses all resulted from allowing goals with under 3:00 minutes left on the game clock. In fact, one occurred when a goal was allowed with just :03 remaining in the match. Allowing late goals in these matches produced a strikingly negative impact on our record. Even more disturbing is the fact we completely and totally failed to compete in two of our losses, How can a team with 10 wins lose games by scores of 0 - 8 and 0 - 9?
MENTAL TOUGHNESS
More accurately a lack of mental toughness was behind those two lopsided losses and allowing late goals that robbed us of favorable results. This is what has been constantly on my mind these past few weeks. How do I help the student athletes develop better mental toughness? I will explore this in today's writing.
I know where we stand and I have a clear vision for where we need to go. The journey between the two points is the off-season's undertaking. I'm going to identify specific areas where our team is lacking and attempt to set a course that will develop or enhance each of these areas.
For me, mental toughness begins with COMMITMENT. The more committed one is, the more difficult it is to relinquish one's goals. In other words, the more invested one is in a process the more difficult it becomes to give up on the process until achieving what you set out to do. This process calls for a clear vision of what the desired result of a process is and a well defined plan to achieve the desired result.
I recognized the lack of commitment early on with this group. It manifested itself in a variety of ways some of which I will identify today beginning with off-season opportunities that were missed by most of the team.
Sunday afternoon open gym futsal. We had a small core group who attended all or nearly all of these sessions. Sunday afternoon was chosen so as not to interfere with other extracurricular school activities. These were completely voluntary workouts and therefore an excellent indicator of an individuals commitment to the 2016 season. The day and time of the weekly event were consistent and well established in advance so as to allow student athletes to plan ahead to attend. Those who made an investment in a 2 hour weekly opportunity to improve would prove to be committed to the team. That group was much smaller than I anticipated with a few would-be key members of the team not showing to any of the opportunities afforded to them. I was alarmed by this and my concern would prove to be well founded.
As winter weather began to break and spring advanced upon us we began small group training. Again, Sunday afternoons were the day and time of choice so as not to conflict with other extracurricular activities. I also offered alternate times as participation lagged making myself available at their discretion instead of mine. Attendance at these voluntary workouts was so poor we eventually abandoned the process entirely. This near total failure raised a huge red flag about the commitment level of the individuals who would comprise our team that next fall.
Recognizing a lack of commitment to the team was of concern, I set about establishing a visual commitment metric to encourage and promote greater participation and deeper commitment. This came in the form of a "money jar." I went to a local discount store and purchased a one gallon plastic jug with a lid. Each time we gathered as a team each individual player was to deposit one penny into the jug. As the jug filled with pennies it would provide a visible measure of our commitment to the TEAM and one another. The proceeds would go to a needy family or be donated to a local charity. This project began well and initial momentum carried us through 10 days to two weeks before participation dropped off significantly and eventually stopped altogether.
I want to be clear, we never did have 100% participation in this endeavor. From the start some made the conscious decision to not participate. Others wanted to participate on a limited basis preferring to donate a lump sum to cover a week, month or the entire season. Obviously, these individuals completely and totally missed the point of publicly renewing their commitment to the TEAM on a daily basis. By the end of the second week even the captain in charge of the money jug had fallen off course as he quit bringing it out of his car and into the presence of the TEAM so people could add a penny each day.
Towards the end of the season, after the two devastating losses mentioned earlier, I made a point of the missing money jar. I drove home the concept about lack of commitment to the team - more precisely to the underclassmen on the team for the seniors had already squandered their opportunity, and therefore their season The money jar made a brief reappearance although few if any actually contributed. First another senior took the money jar with a proclamation that he would bring it to every team function. He failed to bring it to the very next team activity, I kid you not. Next another senior took charge of the money jar and to his credit he did bring it to every team function the rest of the season and even to his exit interview. One player, allow me to repeat that, one player brought a penny to their end of season interview to be placed in the money jar,
So, obviously our commitment to TEAM and one another must be strengthened before we can even begin tackling mental toughness. We must change how we think about TEAM before we can change our approach to preparedness and eventually change how we confront adversity and define who we are.
RATIONAL THINKING
I have questioned myself concerning the level of commitment I am asking for from the members of our team. Am I asking for too much? I do not believe so as past experiences have proven to me what it takes to be a successful program. Obviously a significant number of players believe other wise and that difference of thinking is where the challenge lies.
The question I will put forth to each individual team member concerning their commitment level is this; how will continuing to approach soccer and the soccer team as you have in the past help you to feel good about yourself, your performance and to achieve our stated goals? Were you satisfied with the season just completed? If not, what changes are you willing to make so as to achieve more success? Of course, in asking this question I will run the risk of individuals acknowledging they were quite satisfied with the season just completed. That is a risk that must be taken if only so the answer more precisely defines the challenge being faced. For a program that had not won 10 games in one season in many years, it is quite possible the players rational thinking is that what they did in preparing for last season is good enough. It wasn't, but focusimg on 10 wins over six poor results could cloud their thinking.
This is where RESPONSIBILITY and ACCOUNTABILITY come into play. Part of being mentally tough stems from taking responsibility for our approach to the TEAM and the game of soccer. Are we accountable for our thoughts, words, deeds and the rewards or consequences that stem from them? We will encounter adversity. That is a fact. To survive adversity we need to focus on things within our control. Elimination of adversity is not a possibility. We will face adversity, so the key becomes how we handle adversity. Nothing and no one can bother, distract or upset us without our granting them the ability or permission to do so. This is, in part, the reasoning behind my mantra of Next Play! Whatever the adversity we encounter we must focus on our RESPONSE to it.
We might blame officiating or bemoan poor performance by teammates or coaches, but the ultimate responsibility will always remain the domain of each individual player or coach and by extension the collective of the TEAM. The referee misses a call or makes a poor decision - do we respond by arguing with the referee or by staying involved in the game and moving on to the next play!? When a teammate makes a mistake that adversely impacts the game do we chastise him continuing a chain of negativity or do we "pick him up" and help him to refocus on the things still under his control?
Dealing with adversity often involves ADAPTABILITY which is in and of itself about our response to the adversity encountered. Adversity, by nature, removes us from an established comfort zone. We have certain expectations for how things will play out and when they don't go exactly as planned we need to be adaptable. This is true in soccer and in life. Change is uncomfortable as it removes us from an established comfort zone, but we must accept some level of discomfort and pain in order to learn, adapt and advance. If we fight change we will soon be left behind which is exactly what happened in each of our poor results last season.
RESILIENT people do not see themselves as victims of adversity or change. They do not complain "why me" and lament their "bad luck". Resilient people recognize bad events as a normal, if unwanted, part of life then adjust or adapt to the new reality of the situation. Dynamic individuals and teams are relentless in their adaptability, creativity and ingenuity to not just survive adversity, but to adapt and overcome adversity in continued pursuit of their vision.
An individual or team vision is defined by goals set. What does the individual and or TEAM seek to accomplish. Again, I had encountered adversity in coaching last seasons team when the seniors set their goals both during the summer and once again when goals were revisited just before the regular season began. Almost all conceded losses to the "big three" of our conference and established a goal of winning the remaining 13 regular season games and at least one post season tournament game. We were defeated in 3 matches weeks before we actually played those matches. We had no chance to be resilient in losing to these teams for we never allowed ourselves the opportunity to engage and overcome the expected adversity.
Having goals and being resilient in overcoming adversity, difficulties and setbacks in pursuit of said goals means we will persevere while tolerating short-term frustration, discomfort and pain for long-term success. Persistence and Resiliency are key; many people decide to simply give up and seek an easier route to a lesser goal or result. Due to a lack of commitment, most people lack the ability to be adaptable to setbacks that force an adjustment to the process they have defined to achieve the goals established for themselves and their TEAM. In short, CONFIDENCE is missing.
The words confidence and belief are inseparable; you can't have one without the other. Our confidence will endure certain ebb and flow according to different circumstances or events (adversity) we encounter. Mental toughness or our resiliency depends on our ability to remain steadfastly focused on the goals we seek to achieve. These goals are not always tangible as in the number of wins we seek to accumulate in a season or the winning of a championship. In fact, the most important goal to focus on is a simple one - to improve every time we step on the field. This will allow our confidence to continue to grow and expand.
I have often spoke and written of comfort zones. I firmly believe the game (and life) begin at the end of your comfort zone. In speaking with a fellow coach recently I remarked that some our athletes seem afraid of success. Individual athletes and or their collective teams come to the brink of real success only to fail to achieve said success. When faced with the prospect of persevering to actually overcome adversity and claim success / achieve their goals they crack under pressure and retreat to a previous comfort zone. Their established comfort zone becomes a comfort trap.
I have given this deep consideration and believe a failure to accurately assess the threat to our comfort zone inhibits the ability to establish new comfort zones. If we look upon the challenges adversity presents as unrealistically dangerous or threatening to the establishment of a new comfort zone we choose to remain where we are. In a sense, it is amazing what we can become comfortable with when we choose a course of unchanged action.
IF WE AVOID FAILURE, THEN WE ALSO AVOID SUCCESS.
I have described this avoidance as a fear of success. Each degree of success brings with it new challenges. If we think of each degree of success as a newly established comfort zone we can begin to sense the amount of work involved in being committed to success. Our Rational Thinking in pursuit of success (or living life to its fullest) must focus on taking calculated risks designed to purposefully move us up the comfort zone ladder. We will likely fail before we succeed. Through our adaptability, our ability to adapt to and over come circumstance and events, new confidence is found. Being resilient is about being accountable and responsible in facing failure, learning from our failures and moving forward from our failures. We must shrug off the shackles of self-imposed limits and our restricted views of reality to open our minds to ever greater possibilities and ever greater success. This is what being mentally tough is all about.
Sunday
Yelling Parents
I saw this on Facebook recently. Overt the years I have tried to make this point in numerous ways to numerous people with varying degrees of success. This is short and sweet while driving the point home with precision and power.
Saturday
The Anatomy of Success
A young soccer coach trying to make sense of a disappointing season sought a blueprint for success What is it that successful teams have? What is the "it" factor that separates the mediocre from the very good? The result of our discussion is more of a checklist than it is a blueprint, but I think we got it pretty much right. I am also sure we have not reinvented the wheel. Nonetheless, it was a good mental exercise for us and in the end a productive one.
1) Leadership
It all begins with energetic disciplined positive leadership. There needs to be driven determination with a humble attitude. And vision. The leadership needs a vision for what the team should look like on and off the pitch.
2) Truth and Trust
There must exist an honest assessment of where the program is before plans can be made to take it where the leadership vision believes it can ascend to. There also must be honesty in the relationships between all members of the team. Without truth there will never be full trust and the team will never play to its full potential.
3) Buy-in
Get the right people on board, then figure out the rest of the logistics. There needs to be a collective effort to address the smallest details of the process. This goes beyond simple accepting or filling of roles. It necessitates embracing roles and a willingness to fulfill them to the greatest extent possible. You have to get the right people before you can get the rest right. Coach, assistant coaches, players - all facing in the same direction with the same destination in mind. 100% investment. 100% commitment, These are the ideals. The closer you come to achieving these the greater your chances for success.
4) Accentuate Strengths
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes the focus on weakness outweighs the focus on strengths. Identify strengths and place people in positions and situations where they have a reasonable expectation for success based on those strengths. Can we match passion with strengths? Is their a willingness to sacrifice for the good of the team?
5) A Culture of Dedicated Discipline
There are no shortcuts on the journey to success. When we look at the consequences of not doing the little things we realize there are no little things. Cutting corners in practice will show up in your play in matches. A dedicated commitment to each and every detail of the process is a must. Accountability to one another and to the shared vision for the team.
6) Innovativeness
How individual and collective strengths are utilized. Break the mold to gain the most from each player, each unit on the pitch. Create a system unique to the present team. Freedom to explore the game on both individual and collective levels emphasizing strengths, passion, and the pursuit of wins.
7) Freedom
Each individual brings something to the collective. There must be room within the disciplined effort to allow for individual initiative and expression of freedom. We play for one another and that includes assuming different roles and responsibilities in the run of play. The expectation is for positional responsibilities more so than who mans the position. Each small initiative taken by a player impacts every other player and leads to further initiatives being taken. Only when a role or positional responsibility goes unfulfilled is there real danger to the overall process. Encourage freedom while emphasizing with freedom comes responsibility. The more freedom, the more responsibility.
1) Leadership
It all begins with energetic disciplined positive leadership. There needs to be driven determination with a humble attitude. And vision. The leadership needs a vision for what the team should look like on and off the pitch.
2) Truth and Trust
There must exist an honest assessment of where the program is before plans can be made to take it where the leadership vision believes it can ascend to. There also must be honesty in the relationships between all members of the team. Without truth there will never be full trust and the team will never play to its full potential.
3) Buy-in
Get the right people on board, then figure out the rest of the logistics. There needs to be a collective effort to address the smallest details of the process. This goes beyond simple accepting or filling of roles. It necessitates embracing roles and a willingness to fulfill them to the greatest extent possible. You have to get the right people before you can get the rest right. Coach, assistant coaches, players - all facing in the same direction with the same destination in mind. 100% investment. 100% commitment, These are the ideals. The closer you come to achieving these the greater your chances for success.
4) Accentuate Strengths
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes the focus on weakness outweighs the focus on strengths. Identify strengths and place people in positions and situations where they have a reasonable expectation for success based on those strengths. Can we match passion with strengths? Is their a willingness to sacrifice for the good of the team?
5) A Culture of Dedicated Discipline
There are no shortcuts on the journey to success. When we look at the consequences of not doing the little things we realize there are no little things. Cutting corners in practice will show up in your play in matches. A dedicated commitment to each and every detail of the process is a must. Accountability to one another and to the shared vision for the team.
6) Innovativeness
How individual and collective strengths are utilized. Break the mold to gain the most from each player, each unit on the pitch. Create a system unique to the present team. Freedom to explore the game on both individual and collective levels emphasizing strengths, passion, and the pursuit of wins.
7) Freedom
Each individual brings something to the collective. There must be room within the disciplined effort to allow for individual initiative and expression of freedom. We play for one another and that includes assuming different roles and responsibilities in the run of play. The expectation is for positional responsibilities more so than who mans the position. Each small initiative taken by a player impacts every other player and leads to further initiatives being taken. Only when a role or positional responsibility goes unfulfilled is there real danger to the overall process. Encourage freedom while emphasizing with freedom comes responsibility. The more freedom, the more responsibility.
Wednesday
Broken Trust
Much has been written about the importance of establishing trust in the team environment. Perhaps all the sayings and slogans are cautionary in nature. Surely there are tales of betrayed trust that have taught the value of true trust. I have seen very little on re-establishing trust in the world of team sports once it has been broken. Coaches are fired, players are benched, cut or traded - seldom do we hear or read of succssful instances of trust being rebuilt. Broken trust destroys relationships. In the world of team sports the desire and time to re-establish a relationship doesn't seem to exist. Seasons are simply too short and emotions run too high.
As a coach I work extremely hard to build working relationships with the players on our team. I also work hard on establishng working relationships between players. The same is true for coach / player relationships with referees and even opponents. If trust is the foundation in all these relationships, then truth is the cornerstone.
In the world of team sports, truth is all about effective communication. When communication breaks down truth, and therefore trust, are put at risk.
How does one go about repairing broken trust in the team environment?
My mind is drawn to training where the introduction of pressure is gradual to allow players time to establish comfort and confidence in the aspect of the game being worked on. This is a luxury the fleeting time of a season does not allow for in addressing broken trust. It is a high pressure situation with immediate importance.
Think of the instances in your life when you have either had to ask for forgiveness or have been asked to forgive. Forgiving is not an instantaneous endeavor. It takes time, a concerted effort and a desire to heal the relationship. If we are frank with one another we will admit it can be easier to move on even if that means throwing away the potential of a season in doing so. This a sad truth of team sports.
There is no template for how to go about quickly repairing a broken trust. This is especially true when the time constraints of a sports season are considered. I believe an earnest effort must be made to do so. An effort based in good faith and belief that success is not only possible, but necessary for the team to succeed to its fullest potential. I have seen success when both parties put aside differences for the good of the team. I am unsure if these are rare instances or if the success stories are overshadowed by the pain of lost opportunities in the failures to be truthful with one another and re-establish trust. I do know the best course of action is to not betray a trust in the first place. Be truthful, even if the truth is painful. Just deal honestly with one another - a key to success in life.
As a coach I work extremely hard to build working relationships with the players on our team. I also work hard on establishng working relationships between players. The same is true for coach / player relationships with referees and even opponents. If trust is the foundation in all these relationships, then truth is the cornerstone.
In the world of team sports, truth is all about effective communication. When communication breaks down truth, and therefore trust, are put at risk.
How does one go about repairing broken trust in the team environment?
My mind is drawn to training where the introduction of pressure is gradual to allow players time to establish comfort and confidence in the aspect of the game being worked on. This is a luxury the fleeting time of a season does not allow for in addressing broken trust. It is a high pressure situation with immediate importance.
Think of the instances in your life when you have either had to ask for forgiveness or have been asked to forgive. Forgiving is not an instantaneous endeavor. It takes time, a concerted effort and a desire to heal the relationship. If we are frank with one another we will admit it can be easier to move on even if that means throwing away the potential of a season in doing so. This a sad truth of team sports.
There is no template for how to go about quickly repairing a broken trust. This is especially true when the time constraints of a sports season are considered. I believe an earnest effort must be made to do so. An effort based in good faith and belief that success is not only possible, but necessary for the team to succeed to its fullest potential. I have seen success when both parties put aside differences for the good of the team. I am unsure if these are rare instances or if the success stories are overshadowed by the pain of lost opportunities in the failures to be truthful with one another and re-establish trust. I do know the best course of action is to not betray a trust in the first place. Be truthful, even if the truth is painful. Just deal honestly with one another - a key to success in life.
Monday
Hard Work and TEAM Slogans.
There are a lot of motivational sayings that advocate working hard. There are also a few that advocate working smart. The best of both worlds is, of course, a strong combination of the two.
Given a choice I will take the player who works intelligently over the player who gives great effort more often than not. It's an issue of TEAM with me.
Breaking down film for a friend this morning I watched a team who had two young men who gave great physical effort. I know for a fact both won team awards - one as team MVP and the other as team MOP - because their coach told me so. I would not have selected either one for an award. In fact, both would have found it difficult to get on the field for me.
Given a choice I will take the player who works intelligently over the player who gives great effort more often than not. It's an issue of TEAM with me.
Breaking down film for a friend this morning I watched a team who had two young men who gave great physical effort. I know for a fact both won team awards - one as team MVP and the other as team MOP - because their coach told me so. I would not have selected either one for an award. In fact, both would have found it difficult to get on the field for me.
Friday
Great Question about Great Players
I awoke this morning to an email asking me about my favorite and least favorite players I have ever coached. The questioner was not asking for names as these would mean little to him. Rather he was inquiring about characteristics or traits that made players stand out.
Two players immediately came to mind; Terry and Steve. Both of these players were gifted athletes and looked upon as the best on their respective teams. Terry's teams had great success while Steve's teams were successful. There is a difference and it was found in what set the two players apart from one another.
It's easy to lead when all is going well.
It's easy to be out in front when the skies are clear.
It's easy to be first in line when there are no obstacles to overcome.
When Terry arrived at the field the atmosphere changed. It became charged with energy and expectations. You knew Terry was bringing his "A" game and quite honestly, no one wanted to let Terry down. His energy, enthusiasm and determination to succeed were unmatched.
As Terry went, so went the team.
Terry's teams were ultra successful in large part because Terry would have it no other way. He was confident in his ability and that somehow made those around him confident in their own (supporting?) abilities. He brought out the best in those around him because he always gave his best. There was never a moment too big for Terry.
Steve was similarly the undisputed leader of his team. It can also be said that as Steve went, so too did his team go. The difference was Steve often shrunk in the big moments. I wouldn't say he froze up or shied away from big moments, but Steve also did not elevate his game. Steve was not capable of putting a team on his back and elevating everyone's game around him. So when Steve did not rise to the occasion, neither did his teams.
Interestingly enough, Terry was a quiet guy. He didn't talk much at all. He didn't have to. A true leader by example. Steve on the other hand was a talker, kind of a rah rah guy. As I reminisce about these two this morning I find myself considering this. Terry said little and so had little to back up or prove. Steve talked a good game but faltered in the big moments. Steve talked the talk but failed to walk the walk when it was most important to do so. With each big moment success that Terry delivered, confidence, energy and enthusiasm soared throughout the team. With each big moment failure to deliver on Steve's part, confidence, energy and enthusiasm were drained from the team.
In the end, Terry is one of my favorite, if not my favorite player, I have coached. I'm not sure it is fair to say Steve is my least favorite player. It has more to do with disappointment with Steve. It's always about what might have been with Steve whereas with Terry it's always about the challenges met and obstacles overcome.
Two players immediately came to mind; Terry and Steve. Both of these players were gifted athletes and looked upon as the best on their respective teams. Terry's teams had great success while Steve's teams were successful. There is a difference and it was found in what set the two players apart from one another.
It's easy to lead when all is going well.
It's easy to be out in front when the skies are clear.
It's easy to be first in line when there are no obstacles to overcome.
When Terry arrived at the field the atmosphere changed. It became charged with energy and expectations. You knew Terry was bringing his "A" game and quite honestly, no one wanted to let Terry down. His energy, enthusiasm and determination to succeed were unmatched.
As Terry went, so went the team.
Terry's teams were ultra successful in large part because Terry would have it no other way. He was confident in his ability and that somehow made those around him confident in their own (supporting?) abilities. He brought out the best in those around him because he always gave his best. There was never a moment too big for Terry.
Steve was similarly the undisputed leader of his team. It can also be said that as Steve went, so too did his team go. The difference was Steve often shrunk in the big moments. I wouldn't say he froze up or shied away from big moments, but Steve also did not elevate his game. Steve was not capable of putting a team on his back and elevating everyone's game around him. So when Steve did not rise to the occasion, neither did his teams.
Interestingly enough, Terry was a quiet guy. He didn't talk much at all. He didn't have to. A true leader by example. Steve on the other hand was a talker, kind of a rah rah guy. As I reminisce about these two this morning I find myself considering this. Terry said little and so had little to back up or prove. Steve talked a good game but faltered in the big moments. Steve talked the talk but failed to walk the walk when it was most important to do so. With each big moment success that Terry delivered, confidence, energy and enthusiasm soared throughout the team. With each big moment failure to deliver on Steve's part, confidence, energy and enthusiasm were drained from the team.
In the end, Terry is one of my favorite, if not my favorite player, I have coached. I'm not sure it is fair to say Steve is my least favorite player. It has more to do with disappointment with Steve. It's always about what might have been with Steve whereas with Terry it's always about the challenges met and obstacles overcome.
Monday
Friday
Overcome.
Obstacles are not there to prevent you from reaching your goals
Obstacles are there to allow you to demonstrate
how much those goals mean to you.
Wednesday
Friday
Sunday
Commitment
I found this while cleaning up / organizing some files. I'm not 100% sure who to credit this to but believe it is from Jeff Janssen, so I'm going with that.
At what level do you practice?
At what level do you play?
At what level would your coach place you at?
Or if you are a caoch, where do you believe your players would place your level of commitment at?
At what level do you believe your teammates would place you at?
RESISTANT - athlete resists the direction of the program and actively works against it, disagrees with team rules and standards and openly opposes them, stubborn and uncoachable
RELUCTANT - athlete questions the direction of the program, skeptical, hesitant and holds back full effort
EXISTENT - athlete floats, seems like they have checked out, there in body but not in mind and spirit, apathetic, contributes little more than their physical presence
COMPLIANT - athlete obediently does what is asked but not much more, does just enough to get by, motivated when directed by others but not very self-motivated
COMMITTED - athlete is highly bought into the program and willingly does extra, understands the vision of the program and supports it, self-motivated, heart is into it
COMPELLED - athlete is fully bought into the program, on a mission to do something special, undeterred by obstacles, consistently holds self AND teammates accountable to a high standard
OBSESSED - athlete goes overboard and is consumed with success, overtrains, fails to connect with teammates, tends to be more concerned with individual success than team success
Every day you get to CHOOSE your commitment level.
Choose to be at least COMMITTED if not COMPELLED today!
Yeah, so, Jeff Janssen it is.
At what level do you practice?
At what level do you play?
At what level would your coach place you at?
Or if you are a caoch, where do you believe your players would place your level of commitment at?
At what level do you believe your teammates would place you at?
RESISTANT - athlete resists the direction of the program and actively works against it, disagrees with team rules and standards and openly opposes them, stubborn and uncoachable
RELUCTANT - athlete questions the direction of the program, skeptical, hesitant and holds back full effort
EXISTENT - athlete floats, seems like they have checked out, there in body but not in mind and spirit, apathetic, contributes little more than their physical presence
COMPLIANT - athlete obediently does what is asked but not much more, does just enough to get by, motivated when directed by others but not very self-motivated
COMMITTED - athlete is highly bought into the program and willingly does extra, understands the vision of the program and supports it, self-motivated, heart is into it
COMPELLED - athlete is fully bought into the program, on a mission to do something special, undeterred by obstacles, consistently holds self AND teammates accountable to a high standard
OBSESSED - athlete goes overboard and is consumed with success, overtrains, fails to connect with teammates, tends to be more concerned with individual success than team success
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