6 Things I’ve Learned from Coaches

I love sports. I love the teaching opportunities sports offer and the lessons learned while playing. I love that no two games or matches are the same, and that sometimes you have a good outcome and sometimes you get to learn how to fail. I love the range of experiences that sports offer; the highs, the lows and everything in between. I love that it’s not just the players who benefit from the sport, but the spectators and coaches as well. There are so many things to love about sports.

My love of sports was instilled early, and the lessons I learned as a player growing up have been carried with me into adulthood. I learned how to be a good teammate, how to persevere when things weren’t going my way, the necessary mindset to excel and find a good level of consistency, and I learned how much I enjoy competing. These lessons didn’t all come easily. They were gained from both good and bad experiences, and from some great and some not-so-great coaches.

The lessons learned from the not-so-great coaches were just as valuable as those from the great ones, and because we all love a good list, I’d like to share with you my top three lessons learned from of each.

Lessons from my not-so-great coaches:

1)     What I was taught: Conformity at all costs.

I played on several different teams that won a lot of games. I also played on a couple teams that lost a whole bunch. One of the biggest differences between the two was the level of creativity allowed by each individual player. The most successful teams were coached by individuals who understood the power of each player and allowed them freedom to play. The worst teams were coached by those who made it about themselves.  

What I learned: People are really talented and should be allowed to showcase that talent. 

2)     What I was taught: Zero accountability.

Not from the coach, not from the players, not from the parents. Practices weren’t planned ahead of time, players didn’t work their hardest and excuses were plentiful.  

What I learned: Accountability is crucial for everybody on the team. We win when we hold ourselves, and each other, accountable. 

3)     What I was taught: Details don’t matter.

The teams that struggled the most were often met with a lack of detail and understanding of what needed to happen to be successful. Teams are built on details – understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each player, employing the right strategy to have the best possible outcome and being prepared for what lies ahead. 

What I learned: Details are critical for all of us to perform at our best. 

Lessons from my great coaches: 

1)     Don’t sweat the small stuff.

This one comes from my dad, who coached me at home my entire life. This means that mistakes will happen and we can either focus so much on the mistakes and miss the rest of the experience or we can learn from them, move on and get better. It’s one of my very favorite lessons. 

2)     Look good, play good.

This comes from a youth soccer coach I had for many years. It seemed weird at the time but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve understood it more.  

When we don’t have unnecessary distractions (a uniform that doesn’t fit, a messy desk, Facebook at work), then it allows us to focus much more on the task at hand and finding our way to success. 

3)     Worry about what you can control.

This comes from my high school baseball coach. I played middle infield (2nd/shortstop) and sometimes things happened that I couldn’t control. I’d get myself in the right position, the ball would hit a divot or rock in the dirt and bounce sideways and the batter would get on base.

Stuff happens. There is nothing to be gained by worrying about things you can’t control.

I can’t control how other people act, but I can control my attitude and how I respond. I can control when I get to work and how hard I work while I’m there. I can’t control every outcome but I can control the effort I put into it.

I’ve learned things from every coach I’ve ever worked with. Some taught by good example and patient instruction, others by serving as an example of what not to do.  The lessons I’ve learned continue to guide me in the workplace, with my family and in how I coach my own players today. I hope that by working to instill a love of sports in the players now coach, I’ll be able to impart a few lessons of my own and maybe even inspire a few future good coaches to do the same.