This article was written by Mike Neighbors from the University of Arkansas.

Are you as TOUGH as you Want your Athletes to be?

I am personally guilty of almost every example that I am about to point out. At one point and time, I had to learn the hard way. I don’t claim that this is an exhaustive list.

Many coaches throw the word “Toughness” around to athletes as a cliché. It is a buzz word. And in many instances that those coaches were urging their athletes to be more tough, the coach themselves were NOT being very tough.

But we can be TOUGH. We must be TOUGH if we demand it of our athletes.

So with the help of some coaching buddies, we began a list of what makes a coach TOUGH. Not tough to play for. Not tough to deal with. But things that would be consistent with those things we demand of our athletes. This is a work in progress.

TOUGH coaches CONFRONT

It takes energy and effort to confront… a great deal of both in fact. The tough coaches never exhaust themselves of the energy needed to consistently confront and hold people accountable. When someone or something challenges the culture of their program, a tough coach stands up for what they hold true. They do it consistently and they do it tirelessly.

Coaches who have toughness confront any athlete who falls below the standards they have set in their program.

If you exhaust yourself of the energy to confront, then you are “allowing things in your program” rather than “coaching them”.

You must have (or find) the energy every single time something challenges the fabric of your culture. If you don’t, no one else will. If you do, everyone else will.

When confronted with parental concerns, a tough coach listens and explains their view point.

TOUGH coaches are DECISION SAVVY

Tough coaches know that making the hard decision is what separates the good from the great. Head Coaches make hundreds of decisions a week concerning every aspect of their program. They don’t delegate the difficult ones down the chain of command. They make them and then they stand behind them.

Experience has taught them how to make them with the best interest of the team AND the best interest of the athlete all at the same time. More often than not, it’s the coach who struggles the most with these decisions. They feel the weight of deciding something that impacts so many people in so many ways. It can be paralyzing. It can be overwhelming.

Many coaches confide that this responsibility has led to burnout and can ultimately drive you from the profession all together if you don’t develop toughness.

Avoidance of decision making is even worse than making the wrong decision in many instances.

The toughest of the tough actually embrace it. It’s these coaches who make the proper decision more often than not.

TOUGH coaches expect mistakes, but don’t except Excuses

TOUGH coaches know their athletes are going to make mistakes. They know they are going to fail from time to time. They know this because they know they are going to put them in situations to fail. They are going to create scenarios designed to push them beyond their comfort zones.

TOUGH coaches know mistakes lead to improvement. They teach through lessons.

Wayne Gretzky routinely tripped over his own skates because he pushed himself to go harder in drills than his coaches demanded.

While the TOUGH coaches expect these mistakes, they do NOT except excuses for them. They deal with excuses swiftly and severely.

Tough coaches know the difference between a reason and an excuse.

Tough coaches use mistakes to help a person grow.

Tough coaches teach without the person even knowing they are being taught.

TOUGH coaches understand NEXT PLAY Mentality

Do we move on or do we replay every mistake in the next timeout, then at half time, then in post game, then the next day in film room, then the next 10 times it happens?

Do we hold grudges when dealing with discipline issues? If you do, then take NEXT PLAY out of your coaching vocabulary.

Obviously there are aspects of our job and this profession that accumulation of actions must warrant consequences, but if you want athletes to move on to the Next Play, you had better coach this way.

TOUGH coaches actions are aligned with standards

“Do as I say, not as I do” mentality is dead to the iY Generation of athletes today. When presented with a situation that conflicts between what they see you do and what they hear you say, 99.999999% of the time they will believe what they see.

The alignment you have in your program between TALK/ACTIONS will be directly proportional to how your athletes balance their TALK/ACTIONS.

When a coach demands something of a program or someone in it that is out of alignment with a coach’s actions, frustration sets in quickly. That will turn to disengagement and total withdrawal the moment adversity hits.

A TOUGH coach has alignment in this area.

Athletes, fans, and administrators believe what they see more than what they hear. If you want a TOUGHNESS in your program your actions better be worth watching.

TOUGH coaches take no credit for wins and deflect blame in loss

TOUGH coaches don’t need pats on the back after a win. My PaPa Neighbors always said,” If you want someone to clap for you, be a musician or a magician… don’t be a coach.”

Coaches with toughness recognize the efforts of their athletes and their team in victory. In defeat, they deflect the blame from those same people.

You don’t have to be that coach that takes total blame every game. That grows old fast too and simply isn’t believable. It may also be out of alignment with your program’s culture on truth and honesty. You can be honest and truthful in private…not in public.

TOUGH coaches never allow anyone outside their program to attack someone within it.

The best way to do this at times is actually another sign of TOUGHNESS…give the other team the credit for the victory.

The TOUGHEST coaches learn to balance these situations. They learn to use these situations to their advantage.

When coaches do this, their athletes will do the same.

If you have this ingrained in your team culture, it will be obvious that in public each member has each others’ back. It will allow them to deal with adversity in private and keep team issues within the locker room. We have all seen great teams derailed by team issues that become public.

This is old enough that it is written in the masculine gender. Certainly, it applies to both men and women who coach…

It applies to coaches of all levels and all sports.  I think we can all relate to it in some way.

This was written by Bill Libby as the preface to his book “The Coaches.”

He is called “coach” in most sports. He is called the “manager” in baseball. He is the field leader or the court leader or the ice leader — the man on the bench or on the sidelines who practices his team, decides who will play, and guides them in action. He may have assistants to help him. But he alone is responsible for how his team performs. The coach may be the general manager, too, though most often he has a general manager over him in the front office as well as other executives, owners, and perhaps even stockholders who may try to tell him what to do and to whom he is held accountable. And he is in a way accountable to his players and to the writers and the broadcasters and the fans, too, for they usually have some say as to whether or not he keeps his job.

The coach seldom keeps his job for long. It is a difficult job, and there is no clear way to succeed in it. One cannot copy another who is a winner, for there seems to be some subtle, secret chemistry of personality that enables a person to lead successfully, and no one really knows what it is. Those who have succeeded and those who have failed represent all kinds — young and old, inexperienced and experienced, hard and soft, tough and gentle, good-natured and foul-tempered, proud and profane, articulate and inarticulate, even dedicated and casual. Most are dedicated, some more than others, but dedication alone is not enough. Some are smarter than others, but intelligence is not enough. All want to win, but some want to win more than others, and just wanting is not enough in any event. Even winning is often not enough. Losers almost always get fired, but winners get fired, too.

The better coaches may win more often than the poorer ones, all other things being equal, but all other things never are equal. The coach or manager is at the mercy of the talents and temperaments of his players and the judgments and moods of his bosses. He may have some voice in selecting the players he leads or he may not. He may have as good a chance to get top players as the next coach or manager, or he may not. He is in charge of up to one hundred performers, and he must lead them through up to two hundred contests a season. He is out in the open being judged publicly almost every day or night for six, seven, or eight months a year by those who may or may not be qualified to judge him. And every victory and every defeat is recorded constantly in print or on the air and periodically totaled up.

The coach has no place to hide. He cannot just let the job go for a while or do a bad job and assume no one will notice as most of us can. He cannot satisfy everyone. Seldom can he even satisfy very many. Rarely can he even satisfy himself. If he wins once, he must win the next time, too. In the end, almost certainly, he will be fired.

Usually he can get another job — coaching or managing another team. It is the only profession in which there is no stigma attached to being fired. It is said that coaches are hired to be fired. It is accepted as though it were right. So coaches move from team to team staying as long as they can hang on, winning some, losing some, succeeding sometimes, failing sometimes in a madness laughingly called “musical chairs.” They plot victories, suffer defeats, endure criticism from within and without, and brook rumors that they are on their way in here or out there. They neglect their families, travel endlessly, and live alone in a spotlight surrounded by others.

Theirs may be the worst profession — unreasonably demanding and insecure and lull of unrelenting pressures. Why do they put up with it? Why do they do it? A few retire, but most hang on desperately, almost unreasoningly. Why? Having seen them hired and hailed as geniuses at gaudy party-like press conferences and having seen them fired with pat phrases such as “fool” or “incompetent,” I have wondered about them. Having seen them exultant in victory and depressed by defeat, I have sympathized with them. Having seen some broken by the job and others die from it, I have been moved to write this book. . . .

 

You can read more from this book by clicking the cover above and to the left and then arriving at Amazon.com then click on the cover where it says “Look Inside.”

One of my favorite coaches to study for my own improvement and the improvement of our program is Kevin Eastman. In addition to speaking to coaches, he is also a sought after speaker in the business world. This post contains some bullet point notes that I have taken from him over the past several years.

As you think about ways to improve your program, I hope that you can apply at least a few of these to improving both your coaching staff and your athletes.

Success lies in the simplicity. Confusion lies in the sophistication.
Encourages athletes to have big eyes, big ears, and a small mouth.
Asks as many purposeful questions anytime he has an opportunity to learn from anyone. “I already know what I know. I don’t know enough. I need to know what you know.”

Be on a mission every day to seek and find new information that will make you a better coach and leader. Then take the time to think deeply about how you can immediately apply your new knowledge to your job.

Be so prepared as a coach that you have the answers before your athletes ask.

7 things he makes the tine to do daily

1) Read for 2 hours on his sport and leadership
2) Spend time in sustained thought focused on improving
3) Plan/Organize how to apply those thoughts
4) Work out
5) Do his job
6) Daily family time
7) Get adequate sleep

Become a learn it all, not a know it all
Be a great question asker
Become a meticulous note taker and organize them to help you be better
Working hard should be a given for everyone in the program. It is the price of admission
To get ahead, do the unrequired work that makes a difference.

No job is too big, no job is too small.
Figure out what you don’t know, then figure out a way to learn it and apply it to improve your team

Make a total commitment to un-distracted thinking time every day.

Seek wisdom from those who came before you.

Wants his athletes to develop an “improvement” stamina, a development discipline that can stand the test of the greatness grind every day…

Mad, Sad, Hard–get over all of those!

The best organizations don’t just see teamwork as an internal necessity; they understand customers/vendors/fans, etc are vital teammates too!

We have all heard “seeing is believing”: so much application to leadership. To get your team to believe they have to see that you believe!

Letting your people know not only that you value them but also letting them know what you value in them gives everyone more confidence/enthusiasm!

A team is a variety of talents, attitudes, and commitments. The leader has to be able to reach them all and get the best out of them!

Best way to get your job done well: 1) Define your job. 2) Do your job. 3) Finish your job. 4) Evaluate your job. Lastly: make adjustments & repeat!

Leadership question. Do you raise the level of your team or maintain it? Constantly evaluate & improve!

Reminder to us all: the circles we travel in have tremendous bearing on how we think; how we view things; and how we make choices. Be careful! We become like the 5 people that we spend the most time with.

Think about changing your mindset by changing your words. For me “problems” have become “challenges” & “competitions” to see if I can solve them!

Two groups you must pay 100% attention to: 1) the group of people (your circle) you travel in; 2) the group of thoughts you allow into your mind!

“Getting there” requires you first to “get in”. Get in the fight. Get in the hours. Get in the work. Get in the study. Get in the mindset!

What you put on paper is most powerful when you put it in front of you on a daily basis. Seeing it makes it become a part of you every day.

What matters most must be taken care of the most. This certainly goes for family but should also apply to it life & career. Self audit this!

Leadership comes with just as many difficult situations as it does with fulfilling moments. You must sign up for both!

This article was written by Coach Mike Dunlap. I hope that you can find a couple of nuggets to give some thought to that will help you improve as a coach.

The richness of coaching rests within the seemingly insurmountable frustration of watching as a player finds his or her way. The teachable moments are those that are frequently fraught with poor decisions. Yet that is exactly when an individual needs their coach. Those moments are priceless and a turning point for the athlete. Wonder not why you do what you do and KNOW that you make a difference!!!

10 Steps to Improve Your Coaching

The evolution of a master teacher takes years of skill development. The outstanding coach is an exceptional teacher. We believe that there are fundamental steps that should be considered when teaching your team:

1) Know the five laws of learning
• Explain what you want
• Demonstrate for the learner
• Player demonstrates
• Correct demonstration
• Repetition is lord and master

2) Know how players learn
• Visual
• Auditory
• Kinetic
• Writing/Drawing
• Player as coach
• Cooperative versus competitive technique
• Whole, part, whole versus part whole method
• Feedback system – negative versus positive

3) Teaching techniques
• Universal teaching technique (i.e. find the problem and fix it)
• Praise, prompt, and leave (i.e. find positive, correction, and next step, leave)
• Relay teach – the cooperative method
• Create your own language (e.g. anachronisms)
• Use your voice as a tool
• Speak in word pictures, analogies, and metaphors
• Overload to get conditioned response (i.e. consistently give the student the advantage when they are demonstrating as early success breeds confidence)
• Progression – teach in sequence and then reverse it (i.e. inductive & deductive)

4) Use the four steps of shaping
• Set the stage
• Modeling
• Prompt
• Forms of feedback (i.e. ask questions, make observations, reinforce the correct response)

5) Talk less, do more
• We need to reduce out verbal instruction

6) Recognize the power of observation, listening, and gathering information
• Behavior patterns
• Myers/ Briggs psychological exam, self-aggression evaluation, and the “I am sheet”

7) Role declaration is paramount to a coaches’ success

8) Know your audience, circumstance, and be ready to adapt or change course

9) Competition means time, score, and personal records (e.g. individual/group)

10) Apologize
• We will make mistakes. We humanize ourselves when we go public and our players will accept us more readily.

We are teachers. We are trying to create an environment of learning. Hence, mistakes must be encouraged as a form of discovery. Certainly, we want to correct the problem and move on in a timely fashion. The more teaching skills we have at our disposal – the better. If we are comfortable with our style, the player will adjust quickly. Effective communication is the instructor’s greatest tool. Learning is a step-by-step process. We keep it simple, as we know that the player responds best to precise instruction.

We believe that the coach should work off a blueprint of conceptual teaching. This means teaching cognitive ideas through a specific process (i.e. drills that are directly linked to the whole). Our drills may change from one season to the next, yet the ingredients of competition and effort level are never compromised.

The what, where, how, when, and why are always foremost in our minds when explaining our philosophy. The “when” and “why” are the most important to us. We want thinking players who can react quickly under pressure. Hence, we create that environment in our practices with consequences for actions.

We teach winning. We are not interested in just playing. The enjoyment for the player comes from learning, interaction with others, and measurable improvement. We teach that perfection comes from an all-out effort.

The standards for winning must be defined. The coach should have measurements both offensively and defensively that represent a system. When pressure is applied confusion will reign unless there is structure. Moreover, that is when communication breaks down. We cannot have this. We see the first signs of a successful culture when the players start saying and teaching “Our Way” when times are tough. We like that.

In conclusion, we can only do one thing at a time. Simplicity is our guide. We constantly evaluate our system under the most severe circumstances. Teaching techniques define our system.

University of Washington Head Women’s Coach Mike Neighbors was a long-time and very productive D1 assistant coach after being a successful high school coach.

He has seen from many vantage points what it takes for an assistant to contribute to a program. Scroll below to read some of his thoughts:

This is the second part of the article. If you missed the first part, here is the Link: Trust, Talent, Time Part 1

TRUST, TALENT, TIME Part 2

Talent (Continued)

HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF EVERY ASPECT OF PROGRAM… while you want to be Head Coach of your main areas of responsibility it is also crucial to have a grasp of all aspects of the program. You don’t have to have the depth of knowledge in these areas, but is important to know they exist and are valuable to the head coach. This can be done without stepping on toes of those in charge of those areas. The best of best do this.

WANT IT RIGHT NO MATTER WHO HAS THE IDEA… Being an assistant coach is very competitive even within staffs at times. But the very best staffs embrace this idea. You can’t worry about who had the idea or who gets the credit. If you do worry about that, you will either drive yourself crazy on your current staff or burn yourself out of the game completely.

GROW THE GAME… the very best assistants find time to mentor younger, less experienced staff members. Although it is certainly not a must, the very best do. The most confident do. As with the above paragraph, some assistants are afraid to help others grow because they worry it will reflect poorly on them. That should never be the case for a good assistant. They should be confident enough to share their experiences. Has this back fired on people? Sure, but in the long run it is best to be out of those situations anyway.

Talent is ever changing and ongoing. Just like with our players, we want to constantly be striving to improve on our weak areas while continually growing stronger in areas we already excel. The very moment that a good assistant becomes content and feel like they’ll know it all; somewhere, someone else is surpassing their efforts.

Who could have predicted in 2000 that the ability to build a FACEBOOK or MYSPACE page would be a valuable asset? Who could have predicted that we could build Apps on our phone to help organize our daily routines?

Stay on the cutting edge of technology. Maintain contact with a core group of peers who you can readily share ideas and thoughts with. Read the latest books on leadership, management, and psychology. These are all ways to ensure you are not left behind or stuck with a dead idea.

TIME

Once a head coach believes they can TRUST you and you have proven to have the necessary TALENT to accomplish the duties assigned, they want to be sure you have the TIME do make it happen effectively. You have to present a clear picture to your head coach that you have your life balanced in all aspects so you can meet the time demands that are often placed upon an assistant coach. You can be a single person with a fish or a married person with six children and do this equally as well… and every situation in between those two extremes.

Each presents unique challenges, but the head coach must know you can manage the TIME aspect of this profession.
We have all seen unsupportive partners cost people jobs. We have seen single assistants with time consuming hobbies lose their jobs as a result. We have seen coaches young and old unable to find TIME to do the job.

There is no ideal profile. But one thing the best assistants have is TIME.

It just seems like they have more than the 24 hours everyone else does.

So, how do you go about proving you have created a lifestyle for yourself (and/or family) to your head coach?

WORK SMARTER… We are all afforded 24 hours in day, 168 hours a week, 8750 hours a year. It’s what we do in those hours that separate us. You must find ways to maximize the hours you have to perform your duties while still maintaining your life away from the team. Lean too far one way on your job suffers. Lean too far the other and you risk burnout or losing your life outside the game. The very, very best have this balance. It’s easy to spot the assistants who don’t have this. They are workaholics and when they are on the job they don’t even appear to be having fun!! As is true with all other areas of basketball, you must determine what works for you, have a plan of attack, and the discipline to execute it. Again, gather the best organizational ideas and make them your own.

GET THINGS DONE IN A TIMELY FASHION… when assigned a task, get it done. Don’t stress over perfection because it never will be perfect. Do it to the best of your ability and let your head coach know you are ready for the next task. This gives your head coach confidence that you can function independently and do not require constant follow up or monitoring. We have assigned tasks to people who ask so many questions and for so much input that in the end, we feel like we did the project and could have saved the time just doing it ourself. When your head coach sees that you can complete tasks in a timely manner they sense you have balance.

TAKE THINGS OFF THE DESK OF THE HEAD COACH… You can accomplish this a couple of ways. The best way is take them a completed task that wasn’t even assigned. For example, I am a nut for stats. I used to memorize the backs of baseball cards and have my uncles quiz me on batting averages and RBI’s. As a result, I am fascinated by stats and trends. A couple of years ago, I began tracking our line-up efficiencies… the points scored minus the points allowed for each line up we used in a game. Over the course of a single game it didn’t yield much usable information. But after five games and then ten games, I saw specific trends that helped us better manage our substitution patterns and in turn win extra games because we played our most efficient line-ups accordingly. The second way, is simply to ask your head coach if there is something on their desk or during their day that they simply hate to do. It might be paperwork or it might be their radio show. But by asking and showing desire to help, you might find yourself voting on the Top 25 or sitting in on a post game interview.

BE OVERPREPARED… Maintain a list of ideas beside your computer for when you head coach seeks input on any aspect of the program. Think ahead of the game and “outside the box”. Being over prepared will demonstrate that not only do you have time to complete your assigned duties but you also have time to perform more. If you consistently offer no new input, it appears that you are bogged down in the things you are assigned. This is not possible unless your main duties are covered but this is a sure way to show you are ready and capable of more. At the very least, it builds your head coach’s confidence that you are capable.

HAVE A “TO DON’T” LIST… must of us make a TO DO list to help organize our day. A good piece of advice I also implemented was a TO DON’T list. For example, it might say, DO NOT open my email until I have been at my desk and written three personal notes to recruits. DO NOT open Facebook until I have returned all the day’s emails. DO NOT return any phone calls an hour before practice. DO NOT leave for the day until I have communicated with three current players and checked on them for the day.

BE CONSISTENT… in other words, don’t be MOODY. Don’t be high as kite one day and down in the depths the next. Sure you are going to have good days and bad ones. But you can’t be a rollercoaster of emotion. This gives off the signal that you are not balanced. A consistent demeanor displays that you can handle the crisis mode days that often arise in this profession. It displays that no matter what happens, you have a response in mind and a plan to execute it.

GATHER INFORMATION… have a wealth of information readily available. Many times it won’t be used or asked for by your head coach. But having it in the times that they do makes a big impression. This is something that comes from observation. Have stats ready to back up a statement about offensive or defensive production. Have film clips ready to show if you want to implement a new inbounds series. Have access to more if more is needed. Don’t present an idea without evidence to support.

OVER PREPARE THE HEAD COACH… If they are going on a road trip, program the various directions into their GPS as well as hand them a file with printed off directions and confirmation codes. If they are married or have a partner, send a copy to them as well. They will appreciate this (might want to ask early on in your career as they might NOT want them to have it… haha) If they are off to do an interview on an opponent they have yet to watch film, hand them a very preliminary scouting report so they can speak intelligently about them. One of the best techniques I have used, is placing a card on the head coaches chair or computer after they leave for the day with something we have the following day. This is there in case they beat me into the office and start their day.

FIRST ONE IN OR LAST ONE TO LEAVE… I see too many inexperienced coaches worry about being the first one in AND the last one to leave. While I think that is certainly admirable, I don’t feel it reflects directly toward their ability to manage time. Sure it shows dedication, but I have learned the very best head coaches want assistants who work until they are done. Very rarely if ever do I now set a time on what time I am going in the office or what time I am planning on leaving on days without set meetings or events. I have for the last ten seasons followed this one however… If one day the head coach beats me to the office, I stay until they leave that afternoon. If I beat the head coach to the office that day, then I work until I am done and check in with them to see if there is anything else they need for me for the day.

ANSWER YOUR PHONE… or reply to a text/email. Technology allows us to stay linked more closely than ever. That can sometimes be a challenge. But never be that assistant who ignores a call or delays a return call to your head coach. I see it happen every single year on the road recruiting and I just shake my head. What kind of relationship do you have that you don’t take their calls??? Are there going to be times you wish you hadn’t, surely. But by answering it when it rings or replying quickly, again you are showing that you have enough balance in your life to effectively function away from your desk. This also builds TRUST that we spoke of initially.

CHECK IN WHEN YOU ARE AWAY… Take a vacation. Get away from the gym. Do something totally non job related. But before you leave, make sure your head coach knows where you are and when you will be returning. While you are gone, check in with them just to see what’s up. Upon return, hit the office and get back on task. Taking the time away will insure your head coach that you DO HAVE A LIFE. It will display to them that you can balance your life and are not nearing burn-out. This will reassure them that you are handling the responsibilities they have give you and may be ready for more.

Jacob Lew. Bruce Reed. Ronald Klain. David Addinton.

Any of those names ring a bell? Yeah, not to me either. Those are the last four White House Chiefs of Staff. They are the real live Leo McGarry’s. These are the people who are closer to the President than even the secret service. These are the people who are behind the scenes making sure the most powerful man on the face of the earth is on time, prepared, and looking Presidential.

If you are reading this piece there is a chance you have chosen to be an Assistant Coach. A profession that much like the White House Chief of Staff goes unnoticed unless you screw something up. It’s a career that is often under paid and over worked. It’s a career that has about the same life expectancy of an NFL running back. Yet you still choose it.

So to survive in it, you better be one of the best.

Hope this piece helps you in your efforts. Again, I don’t claim it should be the only resource you consult. Gather all the good ideas then make them into your own. Read a couple of new books. Google articles on the Internet. Speak to other assistant coaches. Observe good and bad. Take your own notes.

Then go to your local Best Buy or used DVD store and watch season 1 of the West Wing. If you can’t see yourself as a Leo McGarry or C.J. Crane or Josh Lyman or Donna Moss or Toby Ziegler, then you might want to rethink your career choice. If you can, then get to work being the best Assistant Coach you can be.