For All The Coaches

Last week I wrote a short piece on Lou Holtz and received a good deal of positive responses from many coaches. One of the best parts of doing what I do is that I get to interact with so many coaches at all levels. I am always amazed at their passion and love for the game and helping young players. I too have been lucky to be an assistant coach with a team at the U18 level this year. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have come to understand what makes this passion come out in people. So I put this together for anyone out there coaching at any level. Enjoy! 

Coach

The word derives from the horse drawn carriages that were developed in the 15th century. The vehicles were originally used to transport royalty but in time they also carried mail, goods and common passengers. A 'Coach' remains something or someone that carries a valued person from where they are to where the want to be.......

So if you had a 'Coach', you knew you would have something (or someone) that would help you end up at your destination.

In other cultures and languages, coaches are known by many other names and titles.
In Japan, a 'Sensei' is 'one who has gone down a path.' In martial arts it is the designation for 'Master'.

In Sand script, a 'Guru' is 'one with great knowledge and wisdom.' Gu means darkness and ru means light. A Guru takes someone from darkness into the light.

In Tibet, a 'Lama' is 'one with spirituality and authority to teach.' In Tibetan Buddhism, a Dalai Lama is the highest ranking teacher.

In Italy, a 'Maestro' is a 'master teacher of music'. It is short for Maestro Dicapella meaning 'master of the chapel'.

In France, a 'Tutor' is a 'private teacher'. The term dates back to the 14th century and refers to 'one who serves as a watchman'.

In England, a 'Guide' is 'one who knows and shows the way'. It denotes the ability to see and point out the better course.

In Greece, a 'Mentor' is a 'wise and trusted adviser'.

All of these words describe the same role and define what a coach is. 'One who goes before and shows the way'. No matter how you describe them, coaches make a difference in people's lives. They help them grow. They improve their potential and they increase their productivity. Coaches are essential to help people affect positive change. Players would never maximize their potential without coaching. They may be good, maybe even better than everyone else, but without outside input, they will never be as good as they could be. Everyone performs better when someone else is watching, evaluating and providing positive feedback. Self-evaluation is important but the evaluation from someone else is essential.

There was a great piece on 60 minutes a while ago featuring Jim Whittaker, the first American to climb Mount Everest. It is pretty revealing to hear his answer when asked what his greatest accomplishment was. His answer was this:

"I have helped more people get to the top of Mount Everest than any other person. Taking people to the top who could never get there without my assistance is my greatest accomplishment."

Guides have died attempting to help other people climb Everest.....and he was asked, "Would they have died if they were not taking others with them to the top?"

"No," he answered, "but the purpose of the guide is to take people to the top." 

Then the interviewer asked, "Why do mountain climbers risk their lives to climb mountains?" 

He responded, "It is obvious that you have never been to the top of the mountain......." 

That about sums it up......

Thanks to everyone helping young players climb their mountain.

Of course I have to include a little coaching gold nugget from the great coach Jimmy Dugan. :)

Lou's Rules

At practice the other day I mentioned legendary college football coach Lou Holtz to one of our players. I was shocked when the young player wasn't really sure who he was. I then remembered how old I was.....
So I told him I would find something from Coach Holtz for him and share it. 
This is for him and anyone else who needs a little lift from Coach Holtz. This excerpt and rules are from one of his books. 
Hope you share them with your young players. Enjoy!

       'Right about now,you may be asking who does this Holtz guy think he is? What qualifies him to tell me what I need to do to win everyday? Well, I’m with you. There’s nothing extraordinary about me. However,I have done a few things that I am proud of: I have been married to the same woman for thirty eight years.... all four of our children are college grads and,yes,they still speak to us. For two years running, an industry poll has selected me the best motivational speaker in the country. My tape, Do Right!, is the top selling motivational video of all time. I have appeared as a guest speaker before nearly every company listed in the Fortune 500. Four different presidents have invited me to the Oval Office. Though I've retired from football, I still work as a TV analyst for CBS Sports. And,as of this writing, I am one of the top fifteen winningest coaches in college football history.

So much for the advertisements for myself. I’m uncomfortable giving you my resume......Look, with the help of many people, I've been able to accomplish some notable things. If I could do them, so can you because I am no more gifted than anyone who ever drew a breath.... I graduated in the lower half of my high school class....I've had a pronounced lisp since childhood…...I’m 5’10”, 150 pounds, wear thick glasses…...My family was poor….No one from either side of my family never attended college…..

But given my background I know I have been blessed….and much of what I’ve accomplished came out of a strategy I devised long ago…..The plan is composed of ten steps….This is the plan.

1. The Power of Attitude. The attitude you choose to assume toward life and everything it brings you will determine whether you realize your aspirations. What you are capable of achieving is determined by your talent and ability. What you attempt to do is determined by your motivation. How well you do something is determined by your attitude.

2. Tackle Adversity. You are going to be knocked down. I have been on top and I have been at the bottom. To achieve success, you are going to have to solve problems. If you react positively to them, you’ll be stronger and better than ever. You can assume that your competitors have problems too. If you react to setbacks more quickly and positively, you gain a distinct advantage. I've never encountered a person who achieved anything that didn't require overcoming obstacles. Expect them.

3. Have a sense of purpose.Understand what you are trying to do. Stay completely focused on your original and primary purpose. Do not be side tracked. If you own a business, help customers get what they want. If you want a promotion, give your employers what they want, somebody will who delivers a first-rate performance every day.

4. Make Sacrifice Your Ally. You can’t be successful without making sacrifices. Most losing organizations are overpopulated with people who constantly complain about life’s difficulties. The will drain your enthusiasm and energy. Take pride in making sacrifices and having self-discipline.

5. Adapt or Die. Things are always changing, so embrace the fact that your life and career are always in transition. Yes, you will achieve your goals, but don’t fall into the mistake of thinking you don’t have to do anything further. Even when you become number one, you will still need to stay focused on the fundamentals.

6. Chase Your Dreams. All great accomplishments start with a dream. Dreams fuel your enthusiasm and vision. They give you a burning desire to get up in the morning and achieve.

7. Nurture Your Self-Image. A positive self-image grows out of having strong character. To be trustworthy, committed to excellence, and show care for others are the underpinnings of a successful person.

8. Foster Trust. All relationships are based on trust. I can’t begin to tell you how many people I have seen ruin tremendous opportunities because they didn’t have the discipline and decency to do what’s right. Continually ask yourself, “Is this the right thing to do?” Do what you feel is right regardless of peer pressure or personal desires; success and confidence will not be far behind.

9. Commit to Excellence. Do everything to the best of your ability. Everybody wants to be associated with people who set and maintain high standards. When you lower standards, you only invite mediocrity.

10. Handle With Care. Treat others as you would like to be treated-with concern and care.

So that’s the plan. It has been the blueprint for my success and I am sure that if you follow it, you will achieve all the things you have set out to do…..Now let’s suit up. And let’s murmur a prayer for any opponents that dare get in our way. They are going to need all the help they can get…….”  

                      

Not Big, But Who Cares? (from Dman Summit Club)

I thought I would put together a couple of examples of Dmen who are not considered huge by any means but are huge contributors to their team. 
The team I help coach has dmen who aren't over-sized so hopefully this helps them visualize. These are two of the most valuable dmen in the greatest league in the world.
Here we go.

Erik Karlsson-6'00" 175lbs.
Kris Letang- 6'00" 195lbs.

Obviously these guys are great players because of how well they skate. But watch these examples and pay attention to the way they: 
-compete
-play hard
-jump up in the play but always recover quickly
-are strong on the puck
-make fast, committed plays
-shoot the puck quickly and have short incredible releases
-get pucks thru to net
-don't over-handle the puck. Move it quickly and then jump into the play
-are willing to battle bigger players