I Played Therefore I Can Coach

One of the great myths perpetuated by fans and the media is that any athlete coming off of a stellar playing career can automatically become a great coach. There is no question that a person's experience as an athlete can be hugely advantageous. However, if this is the main prerequisite, why is it that so many highly successful coaches come from less than stellar playing backgrounds......if they played at all! Only seven of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen coaches played DI basketball. Two of them did not make their HIGH SCHOOL varsity! This trend is also evident in pro sports. Only one coach of a 2009 NFL Playoff team......Ken Wisenhunt of the Arizona Cardinals.....played in the NFL. Bill Belichick, considered by many to be the pre-eminent coach in the league barely started for Wesleyan, a D3 school!

Coaching, particularly at the higher levels is an art that must be developed over many years. Any head coach who expects to build a successful program at the high school, college, or professional levels must possess two crucial qualities.....the ability to teach the game and a big picture mindset.

Most great athletes can share truly inspirational stories about their experiences. They can also show you how it's done. But showing and teaching are two entirely different animals. Teaching the game involves things like sequencing, using key cues, and knowing when to isolate a skill vs working on it in context.....all while trying to push the right buttons to get the most out of each player!

Successful program builders also have a big picture mindset. Everything from talent evaluation to scheduling and dealing with outside factors (parents, the media, other coaches)must emanate from the head coach's philosophy. A mastery of the X's and O's is not enough which is why Mack Brown and Nick Saban are successful and Charley Weis is an assistant again.

Imagine what "America's Team" could accomplish if the owner, captain of the 1964 National Champion Arkansas Razorbacks,hired a coach who played at Wesleyan!