1. Don’t Waste Words and Be Clear: One of the best coaches I have ever learned from has an amazing ability to condense his thoughts into a few simple words. It is easy to remember and condition into the athletes. Daniel Coyle puts this thought into science in his book "The Talent Code". Coyle describes how Tom Brady's quarterback coach uses simple, to-the-point terminology that allows for immediate corrections by the athlete. By carefully choosing each word you allow for a deeper connotation. "Think finish, not foul." "Sprint up, not out" "Occupy your defender", etc.
2. Make a Schedule: Whether you start your day by working out, having your coffee or reading the newspaper, establishing routines are what makes us human. As coaches, we tend to get wrapped up in our wins and losses. Hemingway did a great job of writing a little bit everyday however, he also did a good job of getting away everyday. Whether it is fishing, hunting or boxing he gave himself an outlet from his daily writing. Google provides their engineers with "Innovation" days where they can take off from work and stimulate their mind in other areas. By allowing yourself time to get away, you give yourself a chance to grow and make connections with other things besides basketball.
3. Quit While You’re Ahead: Hemingway would make a point to write only a little bit every day. Just like you can ramble when you are writing, you can do the same thing when you are interacting with players. Sometimes saying nothing says everything. As we have learned from Pat Summitt, sometimes you can say everything with a stare. Driving the same point home can get old quick. When someone else says it better than you, there is no need to repeat it.
4. Keep Your Mouth Shut: Thinking before you speak is a hard skill to master but it is one that is invaluable. Somehow as you get more authority in coaching you feel like you should have an answer for every situation. Sometimes it is better to just remain silent.
5. Don’t Give Up: You won't always do everything the right way. You are going to make mistakes. Don't allow obstacles to get in the way of your success. See every obstacle as a learning opportunity and grow from that. Every situation whether good or bad is a learning opportunity, but it is how you respond to that situation that matters most.
6. Work Standing Up: During season you work long hours. You have to be willing to get away from being hunched over a desk and go workout. Whether you do it in the morning, lunch break or after practice you have to find a way to release stress or you will drive yourself crazy. Hemingway would work standing up due to an injury sustained in WWI. He felt that he wrote better when he was fighting off fatigue. Instead of drinking that sixth cup of coffee, hit the treadmill.
7. Lastly, Hemingway said, “Never mistake motion for action”: Thus, the essence of our offense. What a great way to describe a motion offense. I'll leave it at that.
