It is that time of year for sports – March Madness with its brackets and the road to the “Final Four”. Just think of all the games, the teams, the excitement and bracket busters!
With that in mind it brings me to a thought for coaches – what do your brackets look like on the road to the “Final Four” when it comes to coaching and developing your players?
Let’s first breakdown the brackets so we can better understand what we are looking for and give us a solid framework to build our coaching on.
1. WORK – The Body is the technical part of the game. It is being competitive. It comes down to developing the skill. Does your coaching produce “Skillful Players”? This is the area in which coaches are the most comfortable in and their main focus lies. It is tangible. You can see it. It is here we Play Hard.
2. CONNECT – The Social is the teamwork part of the game. It is being connected. It comes down to being dependable. Does your coaching produce and reward “Dependable Players”? Here is where the chemistry comes in. The “We” not “me”. Individuals may play the game, but it is teams that win championships. It is here we Play Together.
3. THINK – The Mind is the tactical part of the game. It is being competent. It comes down to helping our players focus. Do you produce “Focused Players”? Here lies the attitude, understanding, decisions. As a coach do we know the game and can we teach the game. Big difference. It is here we Play Smart.
4. BELIEVE – The Spirit is where transformation takes place. It is the character piece. It is Heart. It is where commitment is demonstrated. Sport doesn’t develop character, a coach does. Here is the “Inside Stuff”, the “intangibles” that make the difference. Because CHARACTER MATTERS. It is here we Play True.
These 4 Building Blocks are foundational to developing the Complete Player and can give you a healthy balance and perspective in your coaching. By developing these you will not only improve performance, but the person.
Get your Brackets set up, emphasis them, stress them, share them, expect them and see the change in your players lives on the Road to the Final Four.
Teach them something bigger than the Game!
Wade Salem
For more info on Becoming a Character Matters Team go to www.coachcharacter.com or call 814-450-6450