A Coach and Culture

Expectations Are Trained...patiently and intentionally.

One thing I am becoming more and more aware of is a need to train athletes on expectations and it requires a little more patience and a lot more individual time to educate these concepts. There just isn't a lot in culture right now that fosters the type of player you need to be to help a team succeed.

While we spent time this year talking to coaches about the difference in success and achievement…. This year will be conversations about what we need to do to influence team culture.

If our players aren't leading..... Are we training them how to?

If they aren't the best examples of classroom dedication, teacher respect, self discipline, and champions of the school mission.... who else is going to do those things?

And these aren't taught by lectures, they have to be framed and modeled throughout the program.

I developed a list a few years ago that tried to strike a comparison/contrast as another way of picturing the type of person we are trying to be.

Now, to use the term "Make Me Proud" or "Disappointing" does not work if I am not developing the type of relationship where that even matters.

I think it would be interesting to see if a team's leaders would make up a similar chart about coaches.... what makes them proud of me or what disappoints them. Here are some guesses.

Standing up and fighting for them.... makes them proud

Spending time with them to hang out.... makes them proud

Knowing a lot about them- family, girlfriend, interests.... makes them proud

Not mocking or demeaning them in front of their peers... makes them proud

DEMANDING HIGH EXPECTATIONS.... ALSO MAKES THEM PROUD

And I think each coach always needs to ask a simple question...

What am I demanding in my life that is comparable to what I am demanding in theirs?

I love our coaches, they are truly on the front lines of a culture that is sending all the wrong signals, and they have to daily counter these loud and unproductive narratives.

It can be a frustrating fight… but well worth the effort!