Great coaches
I've spent the past twelve years assisting and watching a variety of coaches and coaching styles. High school debaters rarely get to be head coach - in only two of those twelve, have I been head coach.
In those years, I've seen two "great" coaches. I've learned from both of them. One was boisterous and bantered with the kids, shouted and fired the team up. But he created confidence in kids by expecting them to pull it out. The team could be down by six runs in the last inning and he would tell the kids "we've got 'em right where we want 'em." More often than not, the kids would produce. They would do anything for that coach. The other great coach was incredibly quiet and composed. He sat on the bench while the kids were in the field and created a sense of calm against all odds. But he would take the same group of kids that barely won half of their games in spring ball and produce a league-winning team in summer ball.
The common trait with both coaches was confidence in the team, displayed in the leaders' actions. Both coaches fully 'expected' effort from players. They wanted the kids to earn a win. I remember the quiet coach visiting my son on the mound after he had walked the bases loaded. I watched as he calmly walked to the mound and expected his hand to reach out for the baseball in an exchange that is all-to-well-known between coach and pitcher in baseball. Instead, his hands remained in his back pockets as he spoke to my rattled 14-year-old. A smile crossed my son's face, the coach walked away and the game continued with minimal damage. Afterward, I asked my son what he said. "How 'bout a #@%!ing strike, was all he said, Dad." Worked for me.
Both brushed off losses, never dwelling on them. They were always certain that the next game would turn out differently. Practice reflected work on the weaknesses.
The common denominator was confidence in game situations. Nothing rattles a team member more than looking to their coach in the middle of a game and seeing uncertainty.
In those years, I've seen two "great" coaches. I've learned from both of them. One was boisterous and bantered with the kids, shouted and fired the team up. But he created confidence in kids by expecting them to pull it out. The team could be down by six runs in the last inning and he would tell the kids "we've got 'em right where we want 'em." More often than not, the kids would produce. They would do anything for that coach. The other great coach was incredibly quiet and composed. He sat on the bench while the kids were in the field and created a sense of calm against all odds. But he would take the same group of kids that barely won half of their games in spring ball and produce a league-winning team in summer ball.
The common trait with both coaches was confidence in the team, displayed in the leaders' actions. Both coaches fully 'expected' effort from players. They wanted the kids to earn a win. I remember the quiet coach visiting my son on the mound after he had walked the bases loaded. I watched as he calmly walked to the mound and expected his hand to reach out for the baseball in an exchange that is all-to-well-known between coach and pitcher in baseball. Instead, his hands remained in his back pockets as he spoke to my rattled 14-year-old. A smile crossed my son's face, the coach walked away and the game continued with minimal damage. Afterward, I asked my son what he said. "How 'bout a #@%!ing strike, was all he said, Dad." Worked for me.
Both brushed off losses, never dwelling on them. They were always certain that the next game would turn out differently. Practice reflected work on the weaknesses.
The common denominator was confidence in game situations. Nothing rattles a team member more than looking to their coach in the middle of a game and seeing uncertainty.
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