THOUGHTS ON BEING A TEAMMATE

Everybody judges players differently. I judge a player by what he does for his team and not what he does for himself. The name of the game is self-sacrifice.”

—Billy Martin, New York Yankees























Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

—Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers











I don’t get a big charge out of being the leading scorer. The object of competing is winning. I just try to do what has to be done for us to win. That might be anything at any time—defense, rebounding, passing. I get satisfaction out of being a team player.”

—Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Los Angeles Lakers

Team Attitude

TEAM ATTITUDE

This makes for unity among the parts; that the parts have the same care for each other that they do for themselves. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are honored.

John Wooden On Choices You Make

"The choices you make in life make you."

Tony Dungy--Being Uncommon

Tony Dungy on "Being Uncommon"

"Some players are UNCOMMON because of their God-given natural abilities, like being blessed with the height of Yao Ming or the vertical jump of Michael Jordan. Others have to work to become UNCOMMON.

Steve Kerr of the Chicago Bulls shot five hundred free throws to make himself UNCOMMON. The truth is most people have a better chance to be UNCOMMON by effort than by natural gifts. Anyone could give that effort in his or her chosen endeavor, but the typical person doesn't, by choosing to do only enough to get by."

Championship Teams

CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS

If you are going to be a championship team, you have to be a championship team in every drill and every situation.

Great players crave instruction on their weaknesses.

Thoughts On The TEAM

Thoughts & Observations:
THE TEAM

1. Don’t take people who look for “what’s in it for me?”
2. Don’t let your teammates down.
3. Your actions affect others.
4. You’re having a bad game but the team is playing well. Going into the locker room after a win and seeing a long face. Be big enough and strong enough and committed to the team to get outside yourself. We win and lose as a team.
5. No person is more important than the team.
6. Positive body language and team first.
7. Must believe in each other.
8. Do you want equal minutes or do you want us to play who’s playing the best?
9. We have 5 people to get us off to a great start, but we have 12 people who can make us a championship program.
10. As a senior, it’s time to give.
11. You get your feelings hurt when you focus on yourself.
12. Trust the staff and respect the program.
13. Teamwork isn’t natural.
14. Compete for the team and the university.
15. Together we are a powerful group.
16. In a team game it only takes one person to mess up the flow.
17. Get outside yourself.
18. Teamwork has to be tended to daily.
19. Why would you choose to be part of a team and not give a great effort? If you are going to play a team sport you can never not give effort because you cheat yourself and your team.
20. If enough people on the team care, you’ll find a way to be successful. Not because of talent but attitude. People with the right attitude won’t be discouraged when adversity comes.
21. The team becomes better when someone steps forward instead of saying not me.
22. You want the team to be INCLUSIVE, not exclusive.
23. Both feet—head—heart committed to the team and program.
24. Loyalty to those who depend on you.
25. Players must understand roles and accept them to take on concept of team attitude.
26. Can’t take substitution pattern personally.
27. We need each other badly.
28. Your reach the highest levels with the closest teams.
29. Often need incentives to keep them together.
30. If it is you or the program, that decision was made a long time ago.
31. You can build strength—quality and unity through teamwork.
32. You represent more than yourself.
33. We want completely unselfish players: What would the team be like if everyone had my attitude?
34. We want to spend time with unselfish people.
35. If you are totally committed to a team’s interests you will be so good and it will be so much fun.
36. Be there for each other.

20 Thoughts & Observations From Non-Conference Play

Non-Conference Thoughts And Observations

I have put together some random thoughts and observations of our team and teams we have watched during the season in the non-conference. One of the things I enjoy about scouting and game preparation are the opportunities to learn. Not only do you learn about the opponent but all the teams that they play. We are constantly trying to improve our team by adapting things that we see. Listed below are 20 things I've thought about:

1. It's very hard to coach selfishness and immaturity.
2. Point guards that can control the tempo of a game are incredibly valuable.
3. The ability to penetrate and defend penetration.
4. Deep outlets put a lot of pressure on a defense.
5. Running along the side of the ball is not a stoping the ball in transition.
6. Players do not ealize the worth of starts, stops and turns.
7. Playing hard is a skill to develop.
8. Before teaching our players to lead others, we must first teach them to lead themselves.
9. Things that you can control, motivate you.
10. Develop the ability to maintain your stance for 30 seconds.
11. Finishing a 3/2, 2/1
12. Parents, Press, Peers
13. Communication--is part of skill development
14. Teach them how to watch tape
15. The art of simply hitting open shots
16. The ability to catch and shoot
17. Defining a shooter's range.
18. The value of ball reversal.
19. Teaching angles on offense and defense.
20. Cutting hard is a skill.