Coaching Philosophy
Having had the opportunity of going to a clinic this spring I have had a chance to reflect on my coaching philosophy. It has been a good opportunity to sit down and think of why I coach.
I have developed my coaching philosophy over time through interactions with my own coaches, those whom I have coached against, and coaches I have associated with. My philosophy consists of two parts: first teaching my players to be good men and second teaching them to be successful.
Teaching players to be good men requires helping them to develop positive character traits: mainly self discipline, gratitude, integrity and caring.
Self-discipline is a trait that each athlete can take with them to help them be successful in whatever they set out to do. Each player is encouraged to develop self discipline by requiring sacrifice and holding them accountable. It can be reinforced in many situations from regular attendance at summer lifting to academics and tardiness in class. They need to be taught to consciously choose to always do their best.
I believe gratitude for blessings and good fortunes increases a person’s desire to serve others, including teammates. I believe players should learn to be grateful for the things they have, and express that gratitude daily. They need to express that gratitude in the way they act and also by letting those people who are involved in their lives know they are thankful for what they do for them.
Teaching them integrity is vital. Young men need to understand that when they say something will get done, it will. It is most evidenced in the way they follow the rules in class and on the field, even when they think no one is watching.
Caring is a fundamental building block of life and is often overlooked by coaches. I feel that if they are taught to care and show they care it will help them develop deeper bonds with their teammates. Caring about others increases their desire to not let others down. I have each team I coach perform an act of service for the community or individual people. I feel in this way they can give back after having blessed with so much.
Developing these character traits not only enhances players’ lives, it also carries over to their performance on the field.
The second part of my philosophy is teaching my players how to measure success, which I believe isn’t measured simply in wins and losses. I certainly want my team to be the one to come out of a match up victorious, but I truly believe that success is something bigger than this. It is the feeling of accomplishment that comes, after you have given all you have, win or lose. If my team can look back and feel good about their effort then they have tasted success.
Teaching players how to achieve this definition of success is accomplished helping them by setting goals and working to achieve them and not by basing accomplishment solely on wins and losses. However, I believe winning is the by-product of requiring and striving for excellence.
As a coach I have the important task of shaping tomorrow’s men. My influence is going to be felt in their lives for years after they leave my presence; my goal is to be a good influence and the components of my personal coaching philosophy have been developed according to that goal.
Having had the opportunity of going to a clinic this spring I have had a chance to reflect on my coaching philosophy. It has been a good opportunity to sit down and think of why I coach.
I have developed my coaching philosophy over time through interactions with my own coaches, those whom I have coached against, and coaches I have associated with. My philosophy consists of two parts: first teaching my players to be good men and second teaching them to be successful.
Teaching players to be good men requires helping them to develop positive character traits: mainly self discipline, gratitude, integrity and caring.
Self-discipline is a trait that each athlete can take with them to help them be successful in whatever they set out to do. Each player is encouraged to develop self discipline by requiring sacrifice and holding them accountable. It can be reinforced in many situations from regular attendance at summer lifting to academics and tardiness in class. They need to be taught to consciously choose to always do their best.
I believe gratitude for blessings and good fortunes increases a person’s desire to serve others, including teammates. I believe players should learn to be grateful for the things they have, and express that gratitude daily. They need to express that gratitude in the way they act and also by letting those people who are involved in their lives know they are thankful for what they do for them.
Teaching them integrity is vital. Young men need to understand that when they say something will get done, it will. It is most evidenced in the way they follow the rules in class and on the field, even when they think no one is watching.
Caring is a fundamental building block of life and is often overlooked by coaches. I feel that if they are taught to care and show they care it will help them develop deeper bonds with their teammates. Caring about others increases their desire to not let others down. I have each team I coach perform an act of service for the community or individual people. I feel in this way they can give back after having blessed with so much.
Developing these character traits not only enhances players’ lives, it also carries over to their performance on the field.
The second part of my philosophy is teaching my players how to measure success, which I believe isn’t measured simply in wins and losses. I certainly want my team to be the one to come out of a match up victorious, but I truly believe that success is something bigger than this. It is the feeling of accomplishment that comes, after you have given all you have, win or lose. If my team can look back and feel good about their effort then they have tasted success.
Teaching players how to achieve this definition of success is accomplished helping them by setting goals and working to achieve them and not by basing accomplishment solely on wins and losses. However, I believe winning is the by-product of requiring and striving for excellence.
As a coach I have the important task of shaping tomorrow’s men. My influence is going to be felt in their lives for years after they leave my presence; my goal is to be a good influence and the components of my personal coaching philosophy have been developed according to that goal.