I haven't given this out to the players in awhile, but will do so again this year. I stole some of these from Pat Summitt's Defnite Dozen from her book, Reach the Summitt. Coach Summitt is the all time winningest coach in college basketball, mens or womens.
I believe that these 10 things will help you to be successful in life as well as on the basketball court.
1. Respect: You must respect yourself which believe it or not, some players/people do not do. Whether it be that you are consistently making bad decisions in life or on the court, it can be because of a lack of self-respect. Respect others also. Most people in life have dealt with enough garbage and deserve some semblance of respect. On the basketball court, respect your opponent. We say often, respect everyone, fear no one.
2. Take responsibility: In my opinion, one of the worst things about our society today, and it seeps onto the court, is a lack of taking responsibility for yourself. It is always someone elses fault, or some unforeseen mystical force kept you from doing what needed to be done. It is better to say "my bad" and move on. But also take responsibility for others. If you are in a class, don't let your teammates or friends act in a way that is detrimental to the class, take responsibility for the group.
3. Develop and Demontrate Loyalty: Don't let the winds of popularity decide who is your friend. And on the court, all of your teammates are working and having the same high expectations thrust on them as is being expected of you....be a loyal teammate. Integrity above all else.
4. Discipline yourself and others will not have to: Do what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it and you will have very few problems on the court or in life.
5. Establish good habits: Get up early, be on time, word hard, work smart. Eat right, hang out with positive people, and get up and do it again each and every day. It is much easier to say than to do.
6. Put the team before yourself: In the summer, I understand that the self/family will sometimes come before the team, but if you play sports or work a job somewhere, often the team will come before you. You may have to give up some things that you enjoy doing during a season for the good of the team, we do it all the time as coaches.
7. Compete: Be persistent every day, all the time; never give up every day, all the time; and in all things, make the other team earn its victory. Do not just give up, go through the motions and lose. Scratch, claw, and fight!!!
8. Communicate: Probably one of the most important items on this list for a team and in any relationship is communication. Talk, if you are confused, ask questions until everything is perfectly clear. This will keep problems from occurring. If you get burned, get it in writing the next time, an email will suffice.
9. Accept change: Most people like how things are going if it is being semi-successful or comfortable for them. Accept change, accept losing playing time, or a starting position if it can help the team. Sometimes others do not display loyalty, and you must accept it because you will eventually get some type of reward. It may not be immediate, but it may be something that you have learned that will help you in dealing with another aspect of your life.
10. Handle success and failure the same: I believe that if you win, celebrate, have fun then move on to the next competition. If you fail, it is okay to be down, but never give up. Competitors do not see failure as the end all, but as a way to learn something or the beginning of something else. In the end, handle both, though, the same....with class. Win and shake hands and do not rub it in, and when you lose muster up your strength, shake hands, congratulate the victor and head to the locker room but do it with class.
I believe that these 10 things will help you to be successful in life as well as on the basketball court.
1. Respect: You must respect yourself which believe it or not, some players/people do not do. Whether it be that you are consistently making bad decisions in life or on the court, it can be because of a lack of self-respect. Respect others also. Most people in life have dealt with enough garbage and deserve some semblance of respect. On the basketball court, respect your opponent. We say often, respect everyone, fear no one.
2. Take responsibility: In my opinion, one of the worst things about our society today, and it seeps onto the court, is a lack of taking responsibility for yourself. It is always someone elses fault, or some unforeseen mystical force kept you from doing what needed to be done. It is better to say "my bad" and move on. But also take responsibility for others. If you are in a class, don't let your teammates or friends act in a way that is detrimental to the class, take responsibility for the group.
3. Develop and Demontrate Loyalty: Don't let the winds of popularity decide who is your friend. And on the court, all of your teammates are working and having the same high expectations thrust on them as is being expected of you....be a loyal teammate. Integrity above all else.
4. Discipline yourself and others will not have to: Do what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it and you will have very few problems on the court or in life.
5. Establish good habits: Get up early, be on time, word hard, work smart. Eat right, hang out with positive people, and get up and do it again each and every day. It is much easier to say than to do.
6. Put the team before yourself: In the summer, I understand that the self/family will sometimes come before the team, but if you play sports or work a job somewhere, often the team will come before you. You may have to give up some things that you enjoy doing during a season for the good of the team, we do it all the time as coaches.
7. Compete: Be persistent every day, all the time; never give up every day, all the time; and in all things, make the other team earn its victory. Do not just give up, go through the motions and lose. Scratch, claw, and fight!!!
8. Communicate: Probably one of the most important items on this list for a team and in any relationship is communication. Talk, if you are confused, ask questions until everything is perfectly clear. This will keep problems from occurring. If you get burned, get it in writing the next time, an email will suffice.
9. Accept change: Most people like how things are going if it is being semi-successful or comfortable for them. Accept change, accept losing playing time, or a starting position if it can help the team. Sometimes others do not display loyalty, and you must accept it because you will eventually get some type of reward. It may not be immediate, but it may be something that you have learned that will help you in dealing with another aspect of your life.
10. Handle success and failure the same: I believe that if you win, celebrate, have fun then move on to the next competition. If you fail, it is okay to be down, but never give up. Competitors do not see failure as the end all, but as a way to learn something or the beginning of something else. In the end, handle both, though, the same....with class. Win and shake hands and do not rub it in, and when you lose muster up your strength, shake hands, congratulate the victor and head to the locker room but do it with class.
