Former Augusta State Baseball player. Christ follower, dish washing, laundry folding professional. Former Associate Head Softball Coach at Augusta University.
COACHES: Let this sink in for a minute. Your athletes will feel no loyalty to you or your team (other coaches included) unless you offer them a reason for belonging. Without loyalty, there is no buy-in.
The game is not bigger than life. A smile can hide so much. Mental health is real. The struggles these kids face are real and there must be more done to help them.
Some of you are through and it shows. If you've reached to point where you're too tired to keep learning or you think you've got it all figured out then retire or get out. It's okay. Really. The people you influence need leaders that are willing to put in the time & effort.
Treat people right. Appreciate them, encourage them, support them and make them feel like they matter (because they do). Do this at home, at work, at school, at the store, etc. Do this with people you know and people you don't. Try your best every day to make someone else's day.
COACHES: A great way to model, teach, and emphasize the TEAM is to use "we", "us", and "ours" instead of "me", "my", "mine", and "your" when communicating with the team and staff. The best programs have team members that take ownership in the culture.