A Coach's Diary

Pat Summitt was one of the greatest coaches in sports history, best known for building the University of Tennessee women’s basketball program into a national powerhouse. She was a standards based leader, meaning she clearly defined what “good” looked like and consistently expected, modelled, and reinforced it — every day, in every situation. Coach Summitt had 12, non-negotiable standards she called the “Definite Dozen.” Responsibility – Be accountable for your actions and choices. Hard Work – Nothing substitutes for effort. Discipline – Do what you’re supposed to do, even when it’s hard. Loyalty – Be committed to the team and to one another. Mental Toughness – Stay strong, focused, and resilient under pressure. Team Attitude – Put the team above yourself. Self-Discipline – Control your habits, emotions, and preparation. Desire – Bring passion, hunger, and competitive fire. Conditioning – Be physically and mentally prepared to perform. Fundamentals – Master the basics; never s...

On the first day of practice, every season, a middle school and high school coach that I know asks his athletes to Circle-Up. In the circle, the coach asks every athlete to say their name, who their favorite basketball player is, and why. The coach encourages the players by telling them to value, accept and appreciate everybody's choice, whether they agree with it or not, without judgment. He tells his team, "Our team is a safe space and a judge-free zone. We have to learn how to express ourselves, talk to each other, and how to listen without judgment. We want our teammates to feel safe and free to tell each other how we feel." At the end of the first practice, the coach asks every athlete to say one thing that they are excited about for the season and one thing that they want to get better at.  On day one, the coach has learned something about everyone on the team, and the teammates start to learn something about each other. One question a lot of coaches ask is, "H...

A 9th-grade basketball coach was struggling with team chemistry and the relationships on his team. The athletes had formed cliques, and some felt excluded and bullied on the team. The coach tried running the athletes, talking to the athletes, and even threatened the athletes' spots on the team, but nothing made a difference. A coaching mentor, Coach Josh, was brought in to help. He arranged the athletes in a circle. The coaches were also present. Coach Josh started with a quote from Pat Summitt: "A champion is someone who is willing to be uncomfortable, but teammwork is what makes common people capable of uncommon results." Coach Josh gave every person in the circle a pen and two notecards. He said, "Think about the best teammate that you ever had. What is one or two words to describe that teammate."  Coach Josh gave them a few minutes to think and write, then he said, "I want to get to know a little more about you all. I have in my hand a talking stick. It...