Developing a Functional Coaching Philosophy

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Developing a Functional Coaching Philosophy

• Don Burroughs
• donnyb_at_nktelco.net

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Popular Thoughts on Philosophy

• When you're in the muck you can only see muck. If
  you somehow manage to float above it, you still
  see the muck but you see it from a different
  perspective. And you see other things too.
• The point of philosophy is to start with
  something so simple as not to seem worth stating,
  and to end with something so paradoxical that no
  one will believe it.
• Unintelligible answers to insoluble problems.
• There's a difference between a philosophy and a
  bumper sticker.

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Wrong Reasons for Coaching

• Power
• Trophies
• Fulfill their own agenda

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Right Reasons for Coaching

• Molding a group of individuals into a team
• Be part of the game love of the sport
• Pass on knowledge
• Enjoyment of teaching players to play better and
  help them develop
• The thrill and excitement of sport
• Help young players have fun
• Want to share the experience with your kids
• Nothing kills a teams spirit faster than an
  apathetic coach
• Leadership is inspiring people to do their best

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Great Coaches Are Teachers

• Teaching them the skills
• Teaching them how to play within the team concept
• Teaching them how to make good decisions
• Teaching them not to be afraid to fail
• Teaching them character values
• Teaching them to be successful as players and
  people

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Motivations for Successful Coaches

• Love of coaching
• Love of the game
• Fear of failure
• Need to prove to people they are good at coaching
• Love of competition
• The challenge itself
• Highs of winning knowing there will be lows of
  defeat

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Aspects of Coaching Philosophy (1)

• Team needs a clear idea of what theyre expected
  to do and how theyre expected to do it
• Goal setting is a major part of motivation,
  empowerment and commitment
• Provide knowledge, information, and feedback
  through stats
• Verbal communication
• Our team will work harder and play harder than
  anyone else
• Believe in a team playing together, playing
  unselfishly and having the characteristics of a
  family
• No individual is more important than the team

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Aspects of Coaching Philosophy (2)

• Play smart and make good decisions
• Total focus throughout competition
• Team is totally positive and enthusiastic
• Have fun and play loose
• Play with composure in a crisis situation
• Play with a lot of courage
• Play with confidence
• Play with a good attitude

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Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom

• Helps us understand fundamental questions of
  what, why and how
• Determines how we view objects and experiences in
  our lives
• Determines how we view people and our
  relationships with them
• Determines how much value we place on objects and
  people
• Philosophical uncertainty leads to inconsistency
  in behavior

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Why develop a coaching philosophy?

• A well-developed philosophy will help you make
  difficult decisions and coach more successfully
• Think like an accountant

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Purpose of a coaching philosophy

• Starts everyone on the same page
• Shows how you approach the game
• Blueprint of you as a coach
• No surprises for anyone
• Players make an informed decision to play for you
• Helps you keep winning in perspective
• Guide to coaching decisions

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A philosophy consists of

• Major objectives
• Your beliefs or principles that you achieve your
  objectives

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Possible concepts in philosophy (1)

• Winning
• Sportsmanship
• Time management
• Academics
• Setting priorities
• Choosing captains
• Good decisions

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Possible concepts in philosophy (2)

• Commitment by coaches players
• Player roles
• Substitutes
• Trust
• Work ethic
• Resisting temptations
• Coachability

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Things that test your philosophy (1)

• Parents
• Administrators
• College coaches observing - recruiting
• Job security
• Boosters
• Personal competitiveness of the coach
• Tradition
• Time of season

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Things that test your philosophy (2)

• Rivalries
• Team morale
• Problem athletes player behavior
• Outside distractions
• Media
• Staff
• Family problems

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Know your self

• Self-awareness
• Self-esteem
• Self-disclosure

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Know your self-awareness

• When you are at peace with yourself you can help
  your athletes be at peace with themselves
• What you teach may well be less important than
  what you demonstrate through your character and
  philosophy
• Your athletes are much more likely to become what
  you are rather than what you want them to be

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Know your self-esteem

• The inner conviction about your competency and
  worth as a human being
• Not achieved by defeating others, but by living
  up to your own realistic standards

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Know your self-disclosure

• Must be relevant to your relationship and
  appropriate to the situation
• If you dont self-disclose with your players,
  they wont with you

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What is a successful coach? (1)

• Wins
• Relates to athletes
• Motivates their players
• Can recruit successfully (good players)
• Has good support financially
• Strong work ethic
• Has right equipment facility
• Good knowledge of the sport

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What is a successful coach? (2)

• Good staff
• Stays educated
• Graduates players at a high rate
• Their players love the game when they finish
  their eligibility
• Enjoy a lifetime friendship with former players
• Respected by players peers
• Mentors others in the field

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Don Shula

• Coaching philosophy sets the context and
  boundaries within which our players and coaches
  can operate. They keep me honest and heading in
  the right direction.
• Keep winning and losing in perspective
• Lead by example
• Go for respect over popularity
• Value character as well as ability
• Work hard, but enjoy what you do

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Tony DiCiccoCatch Them Being Good

• Know your limitations and use them as strengths
• Play hard, play to win, have fun
• Less is more
• The relay paradigm
• Vulnerable, humble leadership

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Tony DiCicco (cont.)

• Validate their feelings
• The challenge coefficient
• Imprint vs. Perfect
• One size doesnt fit all
• Be prepared to take a penalty

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Tony DiCicco (cont.)

• Validate their feelings
• The challenge coefficient
• Imprint vs. Perfect
• One size doesnt fit all
• Be prepared to take a penalty

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Pat SummittThe Definite Dozen

• Respect yourself and others
• Take full responsibility
• Develop and demonstrate loyalty
• Learn to be a great communicator
• Discipline yourself so no one else has to
• Make hard work your passion

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Pat Summitt (cont.)

• Dont just work hard, work smart
• Put the team before yourself
• Make winning an attitude
• Be a competitor
• Change is a must
• Handle success like you handle failure

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Coach Krzyzewski

• Preseason, Regular Season, Post Season, All
  Season
• Teaching
• Commitment
• Family
• Excellence
• Motivation

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Rick Pitino

• Build self-esteem
• Set demanding goals
• Always be positive
• Establish good habits
• Master the art ofcommunication

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Rick Pitino

• Learn from role models
• Thrive on pressure
• Be ferociously persistent
• Learn from adversity
• Survive success

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Anson Dorrance

• Players get better everyday from the competitive
  cauldron. We keep score on everything we do in
  practice.

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Coaching Philosophy

• Hopefully it is based on
• Whats best for the kids
• What may improve their chances of success