Coaching is an art form. It is a skill. I have been coached by the best (and the worst).
It is even hard to list all the different "types" of coaches that there are in so many different sports.
For Example:
Teaching Coaches - John Wooden (664 wins 162 losses) College Basketball Coach (UCLA) - A good quote from John - "A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment".
Screaming Coaches - Bobby Knight (NCAA Basketball) - (902 wins 371 losses) A quote from Bobby Knight - "I told him to take a picture of his testicles so he'd have something to remember them by if he ever took another shot like the last one."
The reason for this is simple. Athletes, respond differently to different coaching styles...some athletes like (and need) to be nurtured....others like discipline and thrive on the screaming of a tough coach. Everyone is different.
The other major difference for coaches to deal with ....is the level of coaching.
- House league vs Rep.
- New (young) athletes (under 7 years old) vs Older experienced kids (13-17 years old)
- Amateur vs Pro Athletes
- female vs male
Challenges that coaches face.
- Professional Sports - imagine dealing with a prima donna overpaid athlete.....not easy - you try to coach Kobe Bryant, or Lebron James...a lot of these guys are uncoachable. Coaches are there to baby sit...and do interviews
- amateur sports - dealing with "interfering" parents. For you parents out there...don't get your back up....most parents are amazing and so helpful to the programs their kids are in...(some parents however - not so much)
- executives that interfere with their coach. - My advice to the execs - hire a coach that you feel fits your needs....and then please, allow him/her to coach.
- Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma - the players like him - he is knowledgeable and a good leader. And they win hockey games.
- Bud Grant - Minnesota Vikings - I just flat out liked him.
I have been a head coach of kids teams.
I was a player coach once in Major Lacrosse. Gigantic mistake. Cannot be done...either the coach fails (which was me) or the player fails (which was also me) - or even worse....both fails....and that = a really bad night.
I was assistant coach for the 1992 Mann Cup Brampton Excelsiors.....but with players like Veltman, Tavares, and Cordingly....not so sure it was coaching (or watching).
I coached U-15 Girls Field Lacrosse - Won a Gold Medal (it was awesome) (but they text too much)
I coached U-19 Girls Field Lacrosse (helped I should say) - Had a Blast. (they text too much too)
So, although my coaching career was not a "storied" one - I do have some experience and some insights.
One thing I know for sure. The type of coaching I prefer, is behind the scenes. One on one with players, telling them about the great play they just made, or helping them understand a different thing to try. I like to work on their skills, but also, and more importantly their attitude.
As coaches, we need to remember a very important thing. Most people play a sport simply for the love of the game. We play because we love it. The most disturbing thing I have ever heard, is that someone quit playing their sport, because they didn' like the coach. That is wrong.
Yes, you need to be tough, you need to be competitive, winning is exciting, it teaches us character....but then again, so does losing. At the end of the day, at the end of the season, do your players still love the game? - I hope so. If they do not, something went wrong.
Summer is coming - the crack of the bats....the soccer pitches are filling up, football, lacrosse...millions of athletes.....and a lot of fantastic coaches.
If you are a coach........make sure your athletes love to play, and the winning will follow.
Here is a great clip, with some great coaches......click on the link and watch the video labelled
"Movie Quotes"
http://www.passitonsports.ca/attitude.html
Good assessment Mike.
ReplyDeleteYou and I came through the same minor lacrosse and some junior coaches, some great and some, well, not so great. I especially remember Charlie Close our Junior "C" coach. He had our team improve all year long, I think he recognized his own strengths and limitations. Charlie never left a stone unturned and allowed other coaches and trainers to contribute without his interference. (Remember Rick Wesoloski, or as Bob McMahon called him "Ed Allen").
In the end we won the Ontario Championship and had a lot of fun along the way. Never once did I see Charlie berate a player in public, he taught, corrected in private and praised in public.
All of our team mates felt like they contributed to our successes, I can't think of any player who I think felt like they played a lesser role than the next guy.I try to adopt some of my coaching in minor sports using Charlies style....I think it works.
Cheers,
John Steip