I have learned over the years that there is much more to coaching than the actual game of basketball. The time i spend on the court teaching the game of basketball pales in comparison to the time i spend dealing with non-basketball related issues. I have come to learn that while these things aren't nearly as fun as being on the court, and usually pretty stressful, it is by far the most important aspect of the job. That's what this blog will be about. The daily opportunities a coach has to impact the lives around them. I hope you and enjoy and I look forward to any insights you may have!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Hi everyone. My name is coach D and over the next couple of weeks i would like to provide you with a sneak peak into high school basketball. I have been coaching for the last six years and although that might not seem long to some, I feel like I have seen it all! UCLA's legendary coach John Wooden use to say "basketball is not about X's and O's, it's about Tommys and Joes". For most of my career I thought that quote meant that it doesn't matter what type of offense or defense your team uses, it only matters how good your players are. The talent, industriousness, and mental makeup of your guys will dictate your ultimate success. Is this really what Coach Wooden was trying to convey? Maybe I was way off. Maybe he had a whole different meaning all together.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Can't wait to hear about it! I've never coached a team before, this is only my third year teaching, but I plan to in the future!
ReplyDeleteI am really excited to be "assigned" to follow you. My boyfriend is currently in his first year of coaching at a new school and is having all kinds of difficulities with parents and players as he's trying to start a winning program.
ReplyDeleteVery much looking forward to this blog Mike - Coach Wooden was an inspiration to many, as it appears he had quite the influence on you as well. thanks for the invite.
ReplyDeleteI am following your blog because I am also a coach and I understand the requirements on and off the court or field. There are so many ways in which we can influence our student-athletes. When I first started coaching in high school, I felt that sometimes the issues on the outside and dealing with the parents took away from the fun of it all. However, I have noticed recently that there will always be issues with players and parents, comes with the territory as they say. When times get tough, it is important for me to remember why I coach. I am passionate about the sport and the opportunity to impact the lives of the kids in the short time I have them. I have noticed that my athletes are always paying attention, even when I think they arent. So I am beginning to realize that my influence extends from the court or field. I can teach and coach through my actions when handling issues with parents or other players. Coaching is not always easy, but is always worth it. Coach Wooden and Coach "K" at duke are two of my favorites. I am looking forward to more of your post.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Kelli, I am also a coach. I've coached both boys and girls and actually prefer to coach the girls, as crazy as that may sound. Have you coached boys and girls? Looking forward to reading more about your "adventures" as a coach and see how they relate to what I've been through in my coaching career.
ReplyDeleteJames,
ReplyDeleteWhy do you prefer girls to boys? Most coaches who have done both have told me that girls was very difficult for them. I think that girls coach are typically better than boy coaches. Much of boy's basketball is created off the dribble (hence the dribble drive offense) while girls usually execute offense properly and seemed to play the game as it was originally intended. I often wonder if i could coach girls basketball.