A Coach's Diary

Bria had a rough day in her classes. She didn't do as well as she wanted on a couple of her tests and she has been fighting with some of her friends outside of class.

Chelsea didn't get a lot of sleep last night because she was studying late for a science test, and because she overslept, she had to rush out of her house to get to school on time.

Coach was up late too having to help her aging parents take care of some things at home, and she is stressing now because of budget issues.

Every day, players and coaches are coming to practice with many issues on their minds and heart. The best coaches know how to process their own thoughts and feelings, and they know how to help their team members do the same so that everyone can lock-in and be more present at practice.

Community circles is a fancy or educational way of saying, 'circle up,' or, 'huddle-up.' A goal of every coach should be to have an inviting, safe, and joyful locker room and culture. Community circles can have a positive effect on relationships on the team. ivity

Coach Geno Auriemma, the legendary coach at UConn has his own version of community circles. At the start of each practice, they circle up at the start of practice and they touch the person next to you. The idea is to make sure that everyone is connected and that everyone is focused, but it is funny to hear Geno's dislike for the ritual.