Developing a Functional Coaching
Philosophy
Don Burroughs
[email protected]
Popular Thoughts on Philosophy
• When you're in the muck you can only see
muck. If you somehow manage to float above it,
you still see the muck but you see it from a
different perspective. And you see other things
too.
• The point of philosophy is to start with
something so simple as not to seem worth
stating, and to end with something so
paradoxical that no one will believe it.
• Unintelligible answers to insoluble problems.
• There's a difference between a philosophy and
a bumper sticker.
Wrong Reasons for Coaching
• Power
• Trophies
• Fulfill their own agenda
Right Reasons for Coaching
• Molding a group of individuals into a team
• Be part of the game – love of the sport
• Pass on knowledge
• Enjoyment of teaching players to play better and
help them develop
• The thrill and excitement of sport
• Help young players have fun
• Want to share the experience with your kids
• Nothing kills a team’s spirit faster than an apathetic
coach
• Leadership is inspiring people to do their best
Great Coaches Are Teachers
• Teaching them the skills
• Teaching them how to play within the team
concept
• Teaching them how to make good decisions
• Teaching them not to be afraid to fail
• Teaching them character values
• Teaching them to be successful as players and
people
Motivations for Successful Coaches
• Love of coaching
• Love of the game
• Fear of failure
• Need to prove to people they are good at
coaching
• Love of competition
• The challenge itself
• Highs of winning knowing there will be lows of
defeat
Aspects of Coaching Philosophy (1)
• Team needs a clear idea of what they’re expected
to do and how they’re expected to do it
• Goal setting is a major part of motivation,
empowerment and commitment
• Provide knowledge, information, and feedback
through stats
• Verbal communication
• Our team will work harder and play harder than
anyone else
• Believe in a team playing together, playing
unselfishly and having the characteristics of a family
• No individual is more important than the team
Aspects of Coaching Philosophy (2)
• Play smart and make good decisions
• Total focus throughout competition
• Team is totally positive and enthusiastic
• Have fun and play loose
• Play with composure in a crisis situation
• Play with a lot of courage
• Play with confidence
• Play with a good attitude
Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom
• Helps us understand fundamental questions of
what, why and how
• Determines how we view objects and
experiences in our lives
• Determines how we view people and our
relationships with them
• Determines how much value we place on
objects and people
• Philosophical uncertainty leads to inconsistency
in behavior
Why develop a coaching philosophy?
• A well-developed philosophy will help you
make difficult decisions and coach more
successfully
• Think like an accountant…
Purpose of a coaching philosophy
• Starts everyone on the same page
• Shows how you approach the game
• Blueprint of you as a coach
• No surprises for anyone
• Players make an informed decision to play for
you
• Helps you keep winning in perspective
• Guide to coaching decisions
A philosophy consists of…
• Major objectives
• Your beliefs or principles that you achieve your
objectives
Possible concepts in philosophy (1)
• Winning
• Sportsmanship
• Time management
• Academics
• Setting priorities
• Choosing captains
• Good decisions
Possible concepts in philosophy (2)
• Commitment by coaches & players
• Player roles
• Substitutes
• Trust
• Work ethic
• Resisting temptations
• Coachability
Things that test your philosophy (1)
• Parents
• Administrators
• College coaches observing - recruiting
• Job security
• Boosters
• Personal competitiveness of the coach
• Tradition
• Time of season
Things that test your philosophy (2)
• Rivalries
• Team morale
• Problem athletes – player behavior
• Outside distractions
• Media
• Staff
• Family problems
Know your “self”
• Self-awareness
• Self-esteem
• Self-disclosure
Know your “self-awareness”
• When you are at peace with yourself you can
help your athletes be at peace with themselves
• What you teach may well be less important than
what you demonstrate through your character
and philosophy
• Your athletes are much more likely to become
what you are rather than what you want them to
be
Know your “self-esteem”
• The inner conviction about your competency
and worth as a human being
• Not achieved by defeating others, but by living
up to your own realistic standards
Know your “self-disclosure”
• Must be relevant to your relationship and
appropriate to the situation
• If you don’t self-disclose with your players, they
won’t with you
What is a “successful” coach? (1)
• Wins
• Relates to athletes
• Motivates their players
• Can recruit successfully (good players)
• Has good support financially
• Strong work ethic
• Has right equipment & facility
• Good knowledge of the sport
What is a “successful” coach? (2)
• Good staff
• Stays educated
• Graduates players at a high rate
• Their players love the game when they finish
their eligibility
• Enjoy a lifetime friendship with former players
• Respected by players & peers
• Mentors others in the field
Don Shula
“[Coaching philosophy] set[s] the context and
boundaries within which our players and coaches
can operate. They keep me honest and heading
in the right direction.”
•Keep winning and losing in perspective
•Lead by example
•Go for respect over popularity
•Value character as well as ability
•Work hard, but enjoy what you do
Tony DiCicco
“Catch Them Being Good”
• Know your limitations and
use them as strengths
• Play hard, play to win, have
fun
• Less is more
• The relay paradigm
• Vulnerable, humble
leadership
Tony DiCicco (cont.)
• Validate their feelings
• The challenge coefficient
• Imprint vs. Perfect
• One size doesn’t fit all
• Be prepared to take a penalty
Tony DiCicco (cont.)
• Validate their feelings
• The challenge coefficient
• Imprint vs. Perfect
• One size doesn’t fit all
• Be prepared to take a penalty
Pat Summitt
“The Definite Dozen”
• Respect yourself and others
• Take full responsibility
• Develop and demonstrate
loyalty
• Learn to be a great
communicator
• Discipline yourself so no one
else has to
• Make hard work your
passion
Pat Summitt (cont.)
• Don’t just work hard, work smart
• Put the team before yourself
• Make winning an attitude
• Be a competitor
• Change is a must
• Handle success like you handle failure
Coach Krzyzewski
• Preseason, Regular Season, Post Season, All
Season
• Teaching
• Commitment
• Family
• Excellence
• Motivation
Rick Pitino
• Build self-esteem
• Set demanding goals
• Always be positive
• Establish good habits
• Master the art of
communication
Rick Pitino
• Learn from role models
• Thrive on pressure
• Be ferociously persistent
• Learn from adversity
• Survive success
Anson Dorrance
“Players get better everyday from the competitive
cauldron. We keep score on everything we do in
practice.”
Coaching Philosophy
Hopefully it is based on…
•What’s best for the kids
•What may improve their chances of success