A Coach's Diary

Pete Carroll talks about advice he received from former North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano about the interview process. Coach Valvano told me that my goal should be to walk out of the interview with 'no negatives.'  Every comment, phrase, or story must be positive, and I had to be prepared to talk only about things that put me in the best light.  No matter what the topic, it was my job to turn every answer into a response that highlighted my strong points.  Like his point, who controlled the court, or my middle linebacker, who controlled our defense, I had to control the interview.  He taught me that if they asked a question that I couldn't answer, then I shouldn't answer it but instead find a way to turn the question to something I could talk about comfortably, positively, and honestly.  He explained the importance of being disciplined in that setting and avoiding any and all negative thoughts.  If I spoke with positivity and confidence...

The following post is taken from Pete Carroll's book, Win Forever.  Coach Carroll was asked by the NFL to critique a young program that they were conducting, and I observed two different youth football practices one afternoon.  He said that the first practice was well organized and disciplined with appropriate drills setup.  He excepted to see the same at the next practice, but got a little surprise.  The following paragraphs are what he observed at the second practice. We parked out of view of the field where the second practice was taking place, but from the moment I got out of the car, I could hear  it: whistles, kids, and coaches, all sounding somewhat unlike the practice I'd come from.   Here there was something very different - it was the energy .  As i hurried around the corner and saw the levels of activity and emotion  unfolding, I was able to see the energy  and enthusiasm  that I live for as a coach.  Despite the fa...

Always Compete - Win Forever - by Pete Carroll Among all of the great competitors that I have had the good fortune of working with or admiring from afar, Jerry Rice is the greatest individual competitor I have come in close contact with.  Jerry would give everything he had to beat you.  When I say Jerry competed at everything, I mean it. As a great competitor, Jerry understood that by staying in the mind-set of always competing, he could develop the awareness to capture the 'opportunities within opportunities' that other people might miss.  In other words, he was constantly seeking a competitive edge.  It helps to always be searching for that tiny edge in whatever you're doing - even if it's small, silly stuff - because that's how you are going to catch things that someone else might not when it really matters.  It's an extremely power tool. Just as important as that competitive intensity was the fat that you cold see without a doubt that Jerry was ...

John Wooden John Wooden created his own definition of success way back in 1934 as a high school English teacher.  We complain about the entitlement that students and their parents have now like it is a new phenomenon, but Coach Wooden was dealing with it back in the 1930’s and ‘40’s.  He said that his parents just expected their students get an A or a B, and when a student didn’t receive and A or B, the parents placed blame on the teacher instead of the student. He said that he believes that the Lord did not create everybody equal, and that includes size, athleticism, and intelligence, and that he believed that not everybody could earn an A or B and that he didn’t like that way of judging.   "Success is a piece of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable." "My father tried to teach me and my brothers that you should never try to be better than someone else.  ...

The Road Ahead or The Road Behind by George Joseph Moriarty Sometimes I think the Fates must Grin as we denounce and insist The only reason we can’t win Is the Fates themselves that miss Yet there lives on an ancient claim We win or lose within ourselves The shining trophies on our shelves Can never win tomorrow’s game You and I know deeper down There’s always a chance to win the crown But when we fail to give our best We simply haven’t met the test Of giving all, and saving none Until the game is really won Of showing what is meant by grit Of fighting on when others quit Of playing through, not letting up It’s bearing down that wins the cup Of taking it and taking more Until we gain the winning score Of dreaming there’s a goal ahead Of hoping when our dreams are dead Of praying when our hopes have fled Yet losing, not afraid to fall If bravely, we have given all For who can ask more of a man ...

I believe that we must have faith.   I believe that we must truly believe; not just give a word service but believe that things will work out as they should providing we do what we should.   I think our tendency is to hope that things turn out the way that we want them too much of the time, but we don’t do the things that are necessary to make those things a reality. - John Wooden -