A Coach's Diary

Michael Jordan said that he came into the NBA with no expectations. While he was the 3rd player drafted in the NBA, nobody expected him to become as great as he did. He said that the only pressure he felt was to prove that he deserved to play on that level. Jordan said that proving himself was an easy, step-by-step process. It was about playing hard every day in practice, competing against his teammates, especially the best ones, until he earned a starting role. He said that after his first year, the expectations came, but by that time, he already had the positive habits that he needed and he had built a solid foundation for his game. He understood that the expectations and attention he was getting were because of the work that he had put in up to that point. If you want success, you have to put in the work. You have to have the right habits and foundation. You have to be willing to learn and compete, every day. Your effort has to match your goals. Approach every practice with the inte...

Effort is everything. In sports and in life. One of the best pieces of advice that I have ever received was from an old coach and principal. He said, "Don't ever be too afraid to go after a job. If you get it, you will figure it out." I think the same things apply in sports. Don't ever be too afraid to play, to get in the action, or to try something. Make or miss, you will figure it out, but you can only figure it out if you are in the game. Just work, take a chance, and learn from your experiences. One thing that I try to push for, especially with my younger kids, is to just get involved in the game. Get a touch. Get in the middle of the action. Don't stand around the outside of the pile; get in the middle of it. Learn how to get in, to fight, and to make a play. Once we get in there and start making mistakes, then we can learn and grow and get better. Athletes have to learn how to embrace the messiness while you are learning. I...

Some games are tougher than others. Some of us like playing in the heat. Some of us like playing in the cold. Some of us like playing in the morning. Some of us like playing at night. The conditions don't matter. We have a job to do. Our coaches and our teammates depend on it. We have to get mentally and physically prepared to be at our best for ourselves and for our teammates. Just give it your best. Every time. All of the time.