With so many current and former coaches, both on the bench and in the stands, perusing the forums, I can't think of a better place to ask.

 

As the Head Coach of a Varsity team, regardless of sport, what is your primary objective? Winning games? Titles? Building a dynasty? Putting kids in college? Some other intangible lesson?

 

I'm sure the correct answer is some combination all the things I mentioned, along with many I failed to mention, but try to pinpoint your answer as much as possible.

 

*This is not the place to air your grievances with your child's coach*

A legacy of doing things the right way (sportsmanship, hard work, basketball intelligence, academic excellence, discipline). Wins will follow if those things in the parentheses exist.

Building a program/legacy. I do wish that people would acknowledge that winning games is the most important thing.

*This is not the place to air your grievances with your child's coach*

 

Do hope you start a thread for people to air grievances...the posts would be awesome!. :jump:

Personally, I think that answer lies in part with the School you coach at. Some School sadly feel it's all about wins, while other small Schools it may simply be about academics, discipline, sportsmanship and small goals. Many small School coaches know their chance of attaining "regional status" or State appearances is very slim

Build young men, a program, and win.

 

They wouldn't keep score if wins wasn't important.

 

You build young men by making them follow rules and having discipline. Something that is severely lacking in high school basketball in the eastern part of the state.

 

You win and build a program by doing the same thing.

Edited January 18, 20179 yr by CBDV

Interesting topic. I wish I could say building character and affecting the lives of young people. But what gets a coach fired first, losing or not building character among the student athletes?

Some coaches run the same boeing offense and put the kids down to where they lose their confidence and eventually quit the team. They should be coaching the kids up and making them a better person.

Interesting topic. I wish I could say building character and affecting the lives of young people. But what gets a coach fired first, losing or not building character among the student athletes?

 

 

I've not seen to many fired recently for losing, a few, but not many.

 

Most people with any knowledge of basketball can see a good coach, no matter wins and losses.

Building a program/legacy. I do wish that people would acknowledge that winning games is the most important thing.

 

Because of the extra practices that come with deep post season runs? Because it validates the hard work and time kids are dedicating? Because it keeps parents off one's back (usually)? Because it makes one a winning coach?

Do hope you start a thread for people to air grievances...the posts would be awesome!. :jump:

 

Just click through final score threads. The posts are awesome.

Preparing them for life after high school and beyond. Many "life lessons" can be taught through athletics......teamwork, hard work, facing adversity, accountability, etc...

 

Wins/titles are nice, and can come about through the things mentioned above, but IMO, perparing them for the "real world" is a bigger victory to me.

Anyone can get on here and say the politically correct thing. Let's be honest...the main factor is winning.

Preparing them for life after high school and beyond. Many "life lessons" can be taught through athletics......teamwork, hard work, facing adversity, accountability, etc...

 

Wins/titles are nice, and can come about through the things mentioned above, but IMO, perparing them for the "real world" is a bigger victory to me.

 

In my experience over the last nine years as a varsity head coach, doing these things and winning go hand in hand. To borrow a line from Roddy Piper, the X's and O's aren't "rocket surgery". The part that takes some work is capturing your team as a whole and the individuals that comprise your team.

Winning is important but lets not lose sight of the fact that we are representing high schools. The vast majority of the kids we coach will not go on to college to play and next to none of the ones that do will play professionally. As coaches we have an opportunity to teach lessons that will stick with them well past their playing days, and in doing so, will be able to teach them to win.

Because of the extra practices that come with deep post season runs? Because it validates the hard work and time kids are dedicating? Because it keeps parents off one's back (usually)? Because it makes one a winning coach?

 

Nah. Because if a coach isn't winning then the parents will want him fired. People will say all of the things they want in a coach and then will say that winning and losing doesn't matter but it matters a ton.