|
Phil Jackson on Tex Winter and Coaches as Teachers
Tomorrow, PCA National Spokesperson Phil Jackson will present his mentor, Tex Winter, for induction at this year's Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony.
For an excerpt from Phil's appearance in PCA's online courses, click the video screen above, and you will learn Phil's thoughts on Winter (originator of the Triangle Offense that helped Phil's teams to 11 NBA titles) and the notion of coaches as teachers.
|
|
Ask PCA: How to Develop Team Chemistry
Thanks for your answers to our most recent "Ask PCA" question about how coaches should handle hard fouls. To review that question and PCA's answer, you can continue scrolling through this item, but for now, consider this week's question:
How to Develop Team Chemistry
"Can you provide some specific tips and tactics for developing chemistry among teammates on the youth football team I'll be coaching this fall? Any applicable advice drawn from other sports might be helpful, too."
-- Coach Mike, Chicago
Comment on this topic on the "Ask PCA" blog.
Following is the previous "Ask PCA" question and PCA response:
How to Handle a Hard Foul
"Recently, my son's U-12 indoor soccer team played a girls' team, which the girls dominated. My son (cleanly playing the ball) inadvertently committed a hard foul against the boards on one of the more aggressive girls. She stayed down for a few minutes, but was OK and continued playing. Hearing some anger from the other team's parents, my son's coach removed him from the game for the remainder of the period. I wish the coach instead would have talked to my son during the downtime, telling him to play hard but not so aggressively, and left him in the game. Whose approach is preferable? And, should I tell the coach what approach will get the best out of my son?"
PCA Response by Al Adamsen, PCA Trainer, San Francisco
 This is an intricate situation with many variables: the physical play up to that point, the tone of the game, your son's disposition during the game, etc. Your first step should be to discuss the matter with your son. Taking an "ask-rather-than-tell" approach would be ideal: "How did you feel about that game?"
If your son seems upset with how the coach handled the situation, then you can encourage your son to talk with the coach about it. Taking the initiative to have this conversation with the coach is a valuable life lesson opportunity for your son, and by jumping in too quickly, you would deprive him of this lesson.
If your son's conversation with his coach still leaves you feeling concerned, you can ask the coach for a private, one-on-one meeting or phone call. When contacting the coach, I suggest being inquisitive and doing what you can to not put the coach on the defensive. Seek to understand the coach's thinking before sharing your thoughts and ideas.
Based on your account, I happen to agree that your son, and both teams, would have been better served if -- during the downtime -- the coaches had the players shake hands, wish each other well, and continue playing. Unless there is real danger of escalation, it is important that coaches handle such situations with a teachable moment in mind.
(PCA Trainer Al Adamsen has been involved in youth sports in various forms for nearly 20 years. He's coached youth soccer, basketball, as well as college football. He's a father of two who's helping his kids evolve their relationships with sports. Professionally, Al is a long-standing management consultant with extensive international experience. He specializes in Talent Management and Leadership Development, whose disciplines relate closely to league, team, and individual player development. Al is a graduate of the University of California Davis and holds a bachelor's degree in Economics and a Master's degree in Organizational Development.)
Read all the Ask PCA blog comments on this question.
Ask PCA your youth sports coaching and sports parenting questions, at AskPCA@positivecoach.org.
|
|
InSideOut Coaching by PCA National Advisory Board Member Joe Ehrmann
 If you have never seen a presentation by former NFL Pro Bowl player and PCA National Advisory Board member Joe Ehrmann, you owe it to yourself to do so. If you can't make that happen, then read his new book, InSideOut Coaching: How Sports Can Transform Lives.
Equal parts autobiography, motivational manifesto, and instructional guide for coaches, InSideOut Coaching explains why and how Joe developed his coaching philosophy and how other coaches can incorporate it into their programs.
Joe's mission is "to help boys and girls become men and women of empathy and integrity who will lead, be responsible, and change the world for good." Bringing that mission to life in his book, he draws on stories from his past experience and from history to provide vivid examples of what makes a good coach, what makes a bad one, and what kind of difference each type can make in a person's life.
PCA Founder and Executive Director Jim Thompson said, "Whenever I've heard Joe speak I scramble like mad to take notes because there is just so much wisdom in what he is saying. It is terrific to now have his compelling book I can go back to again and again. Every coach and parent, really everyone who cares about youth development in this country should read this book."
|
|
Responsible Coaching Tip: Approaching Overzealous Parents
It is a coach's responsibility to address overzealous parents of an athlete before it becomes too big a problem for the athlete, coach or team. Click the screen above for advice on the topic from Bruce Burnett, wrestling coach at the U.S. Naval Academy, as part of the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports Program Powered by Positive Coaching Alliance.
|
|
Support PCA and Have Your Donations Matched
|
|
|
|
