What Makes a Good Coach?

[kygirl]

Your coach had it all wrong kygirl. Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. And yelling, wow hello, have you ever seen a college coach. I guess the general, and K, and Roy Williams, and all of those guys are not good coaches because they yell at their players. They yell because they are intimate enough with their players that they can reaction from that yell, that is when you have done something as a coach. Not just yelling to be yelling, but yelling to get results.

 

Good points. So what is a perfect practice?

 

Yes, I know it seems that yelling is the only way a coach knows how to communicate these days. I've been to many high school and college games you're correct more coaches yell, get animated, red-faced and come off looking like a goof ball-just one heart beat away from a full-fledged heart attack victim. Case in point- Pat Summit very successful coach, she's definitely a good coach and she is a yeller. Its just not what I like to see in a coach. I realize that some are motivated by being yelled at but I'm not one of them nor have I ever been. I played because I loved the game, I was motivated by working hard in practice, and being a part of a winning team.

 

I did like what you said about not just yelling to be yelling, but yelling to get results. It seems though most of the yelling is just to be yelling. Sometimes not only yelling but it would come close to being brow beat. It saddens me for any player to get a Bobby Knight kind of tearing down. Its hard to watch. I watched a high school kid get torn down this year that played for an opposing team. It was embarassing to watch. My thought was I hope that kid doesn't end up hating the game because I could sure understand why after witnessing the brow beating.

[crimedoc]

Now that is an explanation if I have ever seen one. I bet you were the kind of kid coaches like me just love to coach. Never late, never backtalk, and always work hard, but look for example on your team, how many of those kind were there. The fact is, there just isnt that many of them.

 

What I meant about the perfect practice was this. Any 12 kids can meet for 2 hours a day and practice 365 days a year and not get better. What is going to make them better is if during those times all year long, they strive for perfection, will never likely make it, but the pursuit of it is where greatness comes. That is all I was really getting at.

[ladiesbballcoach]

A good coach knows how to balance the negative criticism with the positive praise. I've always believed that the worst thing to happen to a player is when his/her coach stops correcting him/her. It is then that the player may realize that the coach has lost all hope in him/her.

Did I ever coach you? I have had that exact conversation with many players. If I am not pointing things out to you, you have reached your peak and I don't expect you to get any better. You are at the peak of your ability and I am thrilled that you reached it but I don't have any right to expect anymore of you.

[ladiesbballcoach]

Good points. So what is a perfect practice?

 

Yes, I know it seems that yelling is the only way a coach knows how to communicate these days. I've been to many high school and college games you're correct more coaches yell, get animated, red-faced and come off looking like a goof ball-just one heart beat away from a full-fledged heart attack victim. Case in point- Pat Summit very successful coach, she's definitely a good coach and she is a yeller. Its just not what I like to see in a coach. I realize that some are motivated by being yelled at but I'm not one of them nor have I ever been. I played because I loved the game, I was motivated by working hard in practice, and being a part of a winning team.

 

I did like what you said about not just yelling to be yelling, but yelling to get results. It seems though most of the yelling is just to be yelling. Sometimes not only yelling but it would come close to being brow beat. It saddens me for any player to get a Bobby Knight kind of tearing down. Its hard to watch. I watched a high school kid get torn down this year that played for an opposing team. It was embarassing to watch. My thought was I hope that kid doesn't end up hating the game because I could sure understand why after witnessing the brow beating.

I have heard hogwash before that every player has to be treated the same. Can't do it and you hit upon the reason why?

 

Not every player is motivated the same way.

 

I had the most successful player I ever had who told me in her first year, yell at me. That is what motivates me. That is what I am used to and what I will respond best to. Funny thing is I probably yelled at her once in her career. Reason being I had no reason to yell at her. She worked hard every SECOND in practice and games. Outworked her opponents for 4 years of HS and 4 years of college.

 

The ONLY time I did yell at her was when she didn't have confidence in her self to do something I KNEW she could do. I yelled, either do it or sit on the bench. She went out, did it and had some success with it.

 

Others I yell at them and they were done. One player I had, had been abused verbally by a father. Yell at her and you might as well right her off. One of the biggest mistakes I ever made as a coach. I didn't know about the verbal abuse, got onto her for not giving an effort and never could get her back. She put me right there with her father and I could never get out of that spot. She could have helped our team. My mistake.

 

Some you have to have all the confidence in them because they have none.

 

Some you have to take down a notch or two because they have TOO MUCH confidence in themselves.

 

Players are different. They act different, they have different expectations and they are motivating differently.

 

A good coaches should treat all players fairly but not the same. Not possible.

[scooterbob]

I have heard hogwash before that every player has to be treated the same. Can't do it and you hit upon the reason why?

 

Not every player is motivated the same way.

 

I had the most successful player I ever had who told me in her first year, yell at me. That is what motivates me. That is what I am used to and what I will respond best to. Funny thing is I probably yelled at her once in her career. Reason being I had no reason to yell at her. She worked hard every SECOND in practice and games. Outworked her opponents for 4 years of HS and 4 years of college.

 

The ONLY time I did yell at her was when she didn't have confidence in her self to do something I KNEW she could do. I yelled, either do it or sit on the bench. She went out, did it and had some success with it.

 

Others I yell at them and they were done. One player I had, had been abused verbally by a father. Yell at her and you might as well right her off. One of the biggest mistakes I ever made as a coach. I didn't know about the verbal abuse, got onto her for not giving an effort and never could get her back. She put me right there with her father and I could never get out of that spot. She could have helped our team. My mistake.

 

Some you have to have all the confidence in them because they have none.

 

Some you have to take down a notch or two because they have TOO MUCH confidence in themselves.

 

Players are different. They act different, they have different expectations and they are motivating differently.

 

A good coaches should treat all players fairly but not the same. Not possible.

 

Excellent post. I think ladiesbballcoach clearly illustrates why coaching, particular coaching girls, is much more than Xs and Os.

[Augger]

A great coach....

 

Genuinely cares about their players and their future.

Starts with the young girls and encourages them to work hard.

Coaches to the girls strengths.

:thumb: