As coaches, we are faced with the everyday task of development. I have always tried my best to to look at it on the whole not just the technical/ tactical and physical. Changing the way players think is a major part of development.
I think today’s athlete has lost a little focus when it comes to being responsible for their successes and failures. Where it comes from remains to be seen, but I do have my theories on that. I think it starts with the coach and extends to parents supporting the coach. When coaches create goals, too many times it revolves around wins and loses and not what is best in their minds for development. When I first started out, I certainly cared about that and still do. Don’t get me wrong I dislike losing as much as anyone you have ever met. With that being said winning has become second to the performance of my team.
It is critical that every player, person, teacher, parent, etc... can find the problems in victory, because nothing is ever perfect. It is such a dangerous thing to win a lot without self evaluation. We must consider our role in the success, consider the competition etc. Like the runner Steve Prefontaine was, I am forever troubled by thought that on a given day we can win with little or no effort and on others we cant be any better and all we have to show is a loss.
That brings me to where the bar should be set for our players. After all, almost every successful coach genuinely loves his/her players and we care more about their futures more then anyone will ever know or care to know. I have always believed that we should raise the standard high enough so it remains with in reach but slightly out of grasp. Success should never be achieved easily because that is not the way the world works let alone sport. If players/ young people achieve success to easily then they never learn to appreciate the pay off of hard work, determination and consistent character amongst other things. On most days, we get what we deserved or earned. On the rare day when we should have won, we need to buckle down, not feel sorry and work harder so we can win the next time. This mentality is not easy to comprehend but anyone that is to have success has to try hard to incorporate this into daily life. That includes young athletes.
It has always been and will continue to be a tough love environement within my teams. It is a trust that takes time. Seeing my players succeed in the game and in life will always motivate me. However, on the way to seeing them on top of the world I will not be afraid to let them fail first.
