The Competency of Teaching Ability

Chuck Daly said he was a salesman--and also a teacher. It's true. If you can't teach, you can't lead. A salesman persuades people to a certain course of action, a teacher persuades people to become a certain kind of person. Great teachers inspire and motivate people to become learners with a hunger and thirst for knowledge. Great teachers inspire people to seek wisdom, to grow in character, to find solutions, to pursue knowledge and to stretch their understanding.


What makes a Teacher/Coach special is the ability to transfer knowledge to you. They teach what they know.


The deepest learning doesn't take place in the classroom, but in the laboratory of life.

Taken from, "The Paradox of Power" by Pat Williams

"If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles"--Sun Tzu

Knowing yourself is a key to humility according Dick Bennett. He said that players need to know who they are. Not who they think they are. Not who they want to be. Not who others think they are. But who they really are.

Some players will yield who they are when adversity hits.
Do you accept who you are?

Two Things To Be Great

Coach Meyer spoke to our baseball team at UCF this past fall. One of the things he talked about were the "Two Things To Be Great":

1. Get Past Failure
a. Trevor Hoffman couldn't take the failure of an off night.

2. Get Past Success
a. For every hundred that can handle failure, but one can handle success.
b. Be Hungry--don't mess with people that have a hungry look

Two Great Books To Start Your Day

Daily routines are a key to consistency and success. I try to start my day with these two books. Coach Don Meyer encouraged me to start my day with these two to set your mindset.

Cornell Note Taking Page Example

I spoke this weekend at the STEPUP Assistant Coaches Symposium and as I spoke about Scouting & Owning Your Game Plan I discussed the value of taking notes. I shared my way of taking notes that I got from Coach Don Meyer.

It's called the Cornell system. You divide your notebook page with a line one-third of the way from the left edge. You then take the notes on the available two-thirds. You use the one-third area for action items, questions, ideas, etc.

It works well for review. When reviewing you can easily find what needs to be acted upon.

Lawrence Frank's Building Blocks For Success

Building Blocks For Success

1. How We Play
a. Smart, Hard, Together
b. Protect the Paint First
c. Force Contested 2's Second
d. Gang Rebound
e. Attack Mentality
f. Take Great Shots

2. Core Values
a. Trust & Integrity
b. Accountability
c. Respect
d. Commitment
e. Sacrifice
f. Perseverance

3. Our Culture
a. Strive for Excellence
b. Hardest Working
c. Most Unselfish
d. Winning Attitude
e. Be a Great Teammate

Make It A Great Day vs Have A Great Day

Make It A Great Day vs Have A Great Day

Making each day your masterpiece is one of Coach Wooden’s 7 principles that shaped his life. I’ve read the 7 point creed given to him by his father, hundreds of times. However, not until reading Pat Williams new book, “ Coach Wooden—The 7 Principles That Shaped His Life and Will Change Yours”, did I think about the terms “Make vs Have” a great day.
The quality of my day depends on me. It’s something I initiate. “Have a great day” is a passive statement. But “Make it a great day” means that I am in charge of making my day great.

A few ways Pat Williams suggests how we can take control of our day and turn our day into a masterpiece:

1. Set clear goals, then take measurable steps toward achievement.
2. Put an end to procrastination.
3. Beware of distractions and time wasters.
4. Make a time log
5. Focus on excellence