Re: Am I missing the point?

Yas_sensei wrote:

I coach a high school varsity program in Colorado. My school is known
for an overall indifferent attitude which permeates the athletic,
academic, and artistic programs here. This is my second season as head
coach at this school, where the team has gone no better than 6-13 for
at least five years.

I'm a very competitive person. I look at everything as a challenge. I
get the impression that my players don't see life the same way. Here's
an example: I gave them the opportunity to suggest a slogan for the
back of our t-shirts that I'm ordering. They wanted the shirts to read
"Play like Rock Stars," a suggestion that I chose to reject, simply
because "play like rock stars" says *nothing* about what it takes to
be competitive. My players said they think that rock stars go fast
24/7, forgetting that the 24/7 has absolutely no focus and no goal.

So, I'm wondering, am I missing the point or are they? How do you
fight an attitude that is this pevasive?

Maybe they're tired of playing for a coach who solicits their input and then trashes their ideas because they don't meet YOUR expectations?

I don't know anything about the dynamics of your team situation but I do know that unless they came up with something obscene or pejorative, you should go with what THEY want, not what you want. They are the ones who need to "take ownership" of the slogan, not you.

Remember, ultimately it's for the kids, not for you. No matter how competitive you might be.

'Sides, playing like a rock star is not a bad idea. Rock stars practice extensively, devote considerable effort to their performance, and ultimately excel at what they do. Your players could have come up with considerably worse.

Cheers,

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Am I missing the point?
    ... and coach to think about. ... get the impression that my players don't see life the same way. ... "Play like Rock Stars," a suggestion that I chose to reject, simply ...
    (rec.sport.volleyball)
  • Re: Am I missing the point?
    ... for an overall indifferent attitude which permeates the athletic, ... get the impression that my players don't see life the same way. ... I gave them the opportunity to suggest a slogan for the ... "Play like Rock Stars," a suggestion that I chose to reject, simply ...
    (rec.sport.volleyball)