Tell The Truth

Truth and relationships. Those two things will help players grow and develop the most. Players need to know the truth about who they are and who they can be. If they aren’t good enough to start, to shoot more, or to earn more playing time, they need to know the truth about that. They need to know why they aren’t getting as many opportunities as someone else. They also need to know what they can do better to get more chances.

Be real with them. If you have a player that is not going to play this year, be willing to be real and honest with them. They have to know where they stand. One of the hardest questions to answer is when a player comes up and they are not good enough, and they ask, “What can I do to play more?” The truthful answer is, “You’re just not good enough.”

Most people won’t say that, but we have to be real with them. We have to be able to tell them how important it is to maximize your potential by working as hard as you can, but the reality is, if there are people that are only giving 50% - 75%, they still might contribute more to winning than someone else’s 100%.

Here is a good, truthful response: “Here are the things that you can work on and improve on to steal some minutes … ”

The relationship is them knowing that you care. The relationship is what keeps them coming back. The relationship is them knowing that you are willing to tell them the truth, and you are going to do your part in helping them get better.