A Coach's Diary

You can make your dreams come true by doing three things: Have a goal, make a plan, stick to the plan. Nick Saban is one of the best college football coaches of all time. I heard him speak once, and he said the key to success and winning championships come down to those three things: goals, plans, and discipline. He said you first have to have a vision or a goal: What do you want to do? Write it down on paper or in your phone. Second, you have to create a plan: What are 3-5 things you need to do to make this happen? Write those down on paper or in your phone. He said the third part is the hardest: Do you have the discipline to stick to the plan? Coach Saban said discipline is where most people fail. Most people won’t take the time to write down their goals or they won’t take the time to think out and write out a plan. Even if they do that, most people will quit on their plan because of a lack of discipline: “ It’s too hard,” “I’m too tired,” and “I don’t feel like it ,” ar...

As a coach, you’re not just developing basketball players—you’re shaping young women for life. Teaching your athletes how to set meaningful goals is one of the most valuable tools you can give them. Goals drive focus, build work ethic, and keep motivation strong—even when the lights aren’t bright and the gym is quiet. Introduce your team to SMART goals: Specific: Clear and detailed (e.g., “improve left-hand layups”). Measurable: They should track their progress (e.g., “make 50 left-hand layups daily”). Achievable: Challenging but within reach. Relevant: Aligned with their personal growth and team role. Time-bound: Tied to a deadline for urgency. Create time in your season for players to write down goals and reflect on them. Ask them to set process goals (what they’ll do daily) and performance goals (what they’re working toward). Then, check in with them regularly. Goal setting isn’t a one-time activity—it’s a habit. As their coach, your belief and guidance will fuel their follow-t...

Your daughter has big dreams on the court—and off of it. One of the best ways you can support her journey is by helping her understand the power of goal setting. Goals give athletes direction, motivation, and purpose. They help young players stay focused in a world full of distractions. As a parent, your role isn’t to set the goals for her, but to create the space for her to dream big, plan thoughtfully, and follow through. Encourage her to create SMART goals: Specific: “Improve shooting percentage” becomes “Make 200 shots daily from five spots.” Measurable: Progress she can track helps build confidence. Achievable: Push her without overwhelming her. Relevant: Goals should be tied to her passions and aspirations—not someone else’s. Time-bound: A deadline builds urgency and discipline. You can support her by asking thoughtful questions: “What’s one skill you want to grow this month?” “What’s your plan to reach it?” “How can I help hold you accountable?” Celebrate effort and consist...

In basketball and in life, if you don’t know where you’re going, it’s easy to get lost. That’s why goals matter. Goals are targets you set for yourself—something to work toward. They give you direction, focus, and motivation. A goal can be as big as earning a D1 scholarship or as simple as improving your left hand. The key is to know why it matters to you and how you’re going to get there. When setting goals, start with something called a SMART goal. That means your goal should be: Specific: Be clear. Don’t just say “get better.” Say “make 100 free throws every day.” Measurable: Make sure you can track your progress. “I will make 100/125 free throws (80%) Achievable: Challenge yourself, but be realistic. (What is a challenging percentage that you can reach; 100% out of 100 free throws isn’t realistic.) Relevant: Pick goals that matter to you and your journey. (Making free throws matters because it will help you score more and help us win more.) Time-bound: Set a deadline. It c...

The story of Michael Jordan not making the varsity team when he was a sophomore is a well-known story in the sports world. Jordan said that the team was already stacked, but he felt like he was good enough to contribute. He had to play JV all season, and even after averaging 26 or 27 points a game, Coach Pop Herring still didn't move him up to the varsity when the JV season ended like he had done for other JV players in the past. Instead of transferring or quitting, MJ just kept pushing and working. He was allowed to travel to the varsity games, but he had to either pay for a ticket or carry the jerseys to get in the games. COACH HERRING WAS THE FIRST ONE TO SEE IN ME  WHAT I SAW IN MYSELF. Over the course of the season, MJ would work out with his coach every morning at 6:30. They would work on shooting, ball-handling, and play 1 on 1 for an hour before school. MJ's coach made a big poster with all of the drills listed, and they would go through them every day. He said that mos...

"Two big reasons I work with students to set internal goals is that I want to cultivate in them an “internal locus of control.” I want them to believe that success is within their reach, and that personal, internal goals are more satisfying than external ones. When they do, they also experience more peace of mind. So, as you mentor your students, let me suggest the following: 1 - Have your students write down their goals for this year. 2 - Help them evaluate whether their goa ls are more external or internal. 3 - Coach them to re-write any external goals, converting them into internal ones. Not only will these goals be more rewarding, but they might just help those students decrease their anxiety. I’d call that a double-win. Jean Twenge’s theory suggests that increases in anxiety and depression we see today are connected to the shift from “intrinsic” to “extrinsic” goals in students. Intrinsic goals are ones that deal with one’s own development as a person, such as bec...