Coaching is leadership that pulls together people with diverse backgrounds, talents, experiences, and interests to achieve common goals. Coaching is instruction that places the responsibility for learning on the learner, and fosters the development of skill through practice and correct repetition, with continuous feedback on individual and collective performance. Coaching is a vehicle that, when used properly, allows us to grow men and women and produce outstanding citizens who contribute to society. Coaching is the catalyst for excellence that we will strive for on the court, in the classroom, and in the community.
Organization
A coach must be many things, but I believe one of the most important is “organized.” A house is not built without a blueprint, or a long trip taken without a map and final destination in mind. With all the tasks and responsibilities that the head coaching position carries, organization is the means to ensure that what must be completed, is completed, in an efficient and timely manner. Organization is the key for daily operations to run smoothly, and vital for the long-term excellence of the program.
Delegation
As the head coach I will take on a greater role outside of basketball, with the university and community. Thus the ability to delegate responsibilities and train the staff to carry out their responsibilities allows the program to be more productive. The other benefits of delegation are that it increases the initiative of the assistant coaches, because it gives them a chance to grow as coaches, gain valuable hands on experience, and feel a sense of ownership in the program. Head coaches who will not delegate create a bottleneck for both productivity and success.
Goals
I believe in setting realistic and attainable goals for academic and athletic achievement. I believe in order to reach any goal you must have a specific and well-defined plan of action, and be committed to that plan. The foundation of our plan will be based on “Excellence.” Excellence will be the measure for all we do on and off the court.
Positive Team Atmosphere
My job is to provide an environment that will create positive self-attributes, team responsibility, an expectation of winning, a positive relationship among parents, players and coaches, and a healthy attitude toward commitment and competition within the program.
Every team is made up of individuals with diverse and unique personalities and backgrounds. I will expect and require players to accept their teammates without reservation, and treat each other with respect. There is a saying “Children shout in the streets what they hear at home.” Because I believe the team takes on the personality of the head coach, it is my job to constantly reinforce “respect and acceptance of all walks of life” and the players will “shout it in the streets.” “Respect” will be the building block that creates a positive team atmosphere.
Academics
Our goal is to provide every scholar-athlete the opportunity to graduate by offering academic and financial support. Therefore, academics will be a paramount consideration, and players will be expected to attend class and compete in the classroom, on the court, and in life. College is a time to develop as a person and discover what goals and objectives a student wants to reach in life.
Assistant Coaches
Loyalty is the bedrock upon which successful programs are built; assistants first and foremost must be loyal to the university, head coach, and players.
Characteristics I am looking for in an assistant:
- Knowledgeable
- Enthusiastic
- Accountable
- Self-Starter
- Hard working
- Positive attitude
- Love of the game
- Committed
These characteristics will allow them to gain the respect of the players, and work well at the university and in the community.
The ability to recruit is vital for any assistant. The ability to evaluate the type of player and person we need in our program, recruit them, get them on campus, and get them signed, will be a main responsibility. Players win games, and championships!
As the head coach I feel it is extremely important to develop a positive chemistry and working relationship among members of the coaching staff. Equally important is to set defined roles and responsibilities, then allow the assistants “to do their jobs” without fear of being second guessed, or embarrassed. I want an open dialogue of communication on all team matters, with the understanding all final decisions will be fully supported by the entire staff.
As a head coach I feel it is important to maintain a balance between basketball and our lives outside of the team. To ensure that the staff has time for family and friends and to make sure, if possible, they are home for important dates, family birthdays, anniversaries, etc. is critically important. The families make a tremendous sacrifice of time spent apart and, whenever I can help keep that balance, I will.
Preparation for Life’s Work
The time spent in college are some of the best times in a person’s life, but it goes by very quickly. In order to help our players with the transition from college student to employment we need to:
- Develop business ties for job opportunities
- Use Alumni as a resource for job opportunities
- Use resources on campus for job opportunities and development of resume
- Provide opportunities for personal development and growth that can be placed on resume.
- Volunteer Work
- Student Government
- Community Service
- University Involvement
- NCAA Involvement
2010-11 Highest National Ranking # 18
2011-12 Highest National Ranking # 8
Recruitment
Recruiting is the lifeline of any program. We are going to recruit players with character, who will sacrifice for the team concept, and know how to win. We are going to recruit players in an honest, positive, and factual manner. We are going to emphasize recruiting local players, I believe they invest more of themselves, and have a greater sense of pride and ownership representing a local university. We are not going to recruit in bulk. We are going to recruit a small number of players, do our homework on them, and make sure we are investing in the right person to represent our program and university.
Unquestionably, I will recruit young scholar-athletes who will represent the University/College in a positive manner. Under no circumstances will our staff compromise the integrity of the program and the university in order to bring in a “blue-chipper.” There is no quick fix to successful recruiting. Consistent recruiting classes filled with high school seniors will build continuity within our program.
Community
There is the saying “It takes an entire village to raise a child.” I want our program to take on an active role in community service and become an integral part of “the Village.” We are going to encourage and promote a culture of team and individual community responsibility through participation and awareness.
