A STEP UP SYMPOSIUM: MARSHA SHARP (PART I)

This past weekend, at A Step Up Assistant Coaching Symposium in Dallas, we were fortunate enough to hear from two legends in the game of basketball -- Jody Conradt and Marsha Sharp. Over the next few days I will share some of my notes from both and here are some from Coach Sharp.

I had the unique pleasure of sitting with Coach Sharp at breakfast before she addressed the assistant coaches.  We talked about many subjects but I couldn't help but pose the question, "What do you miss the most?" 

Without hesitation she replied: "Teaching.  I really miss being at practice and working with the players and helping them develop."  It reminded me of Coach John Wooden's classic answer to the same question when he replied, "The smell of the gym."

The great ones love to teach!

Coach Sharp told the assistant coaches that they needed to understand that we are the caretakers of the game.  She asked us "What do you want your legacy to be?"  If you could look ahead to your retirement party or what might be engraved on your tombstone.  This took me back to an exercise that Stephen Covey talks about in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" where you are to hover above your funeral and imagine what others will say about you. 

Coach Sharp went on to state the "legacy is a day to day choice" and that "starts today."  She told us that it was important to understand that the decisions that we make today impacts our future.  She said that too many student-athletes and even some coaches were too caught up in instant gratification.

One of Coach Sharp's more potent points came about from a true story where she was attending a Yankee baseball game in New York when a friend (who had no idea where she was) sent her text asking her how she was enjoying the baseball game.  When Coach Sharp asked "how did you know I was here" her friend said because someone had took a photo of her sitting in the stands and posted it on facebook.

The lesson was to understand that in the day of social media that our actions translate very quickly.

Another powerful statement that she shared with us was that there are "no short cuts to integrity."

She also talked in depth about trust -- that it is are most important possession.  It is extremely important to be trustworthy and to be able to trust others.  She even went as far to say that trust was more important than love.

She recommend the book "Speed of Trust" which is also written by Covey. She explained that she believed that trust was 50% competence and 50% character.  Coach Sharp also said that building trust was a day-to-day business.

When an athletic director or head coach calls her for a recommendation on an assistant coach she say the most important questions is "Can I trust her/him?"

Coach Sharp says that "trust is intentional" -- stating this is important to me -- it is an investment in the relationship.

She said that if you ask players what is the most important thing we have to build and they will almost always answer: "We have to build trust."  As coaches, knowing this to be true, the question we must ask of ourselves is "What do we do on a daily basis to build that trust?"

What's the biggest key in recruiting? Trust!

Trust starts and ends with honest communication.  This will create stronger relationships.