TEACHING IN THE iY GENERATION

From time to time I will take the opportunity to review and recommend a book to coaches.  I don't do this lightly.  Having said that, there are few books I would recommend more strongly to those coaching and teaching today than "iY Generation: Secrets to Connecting with Today's Teens and Young People in a Digital Age."  The book, written by Tim Elmore, was brought to my attention by Georgia Head Coach, Joni Taylor.

How good was the book? I took 41 typed pages of notes!  I spent a couple of days on the road with Mike Neighbors talking about the book and the challenge of teaching millennials.  I went as far as to invite Mike to speak at our Coaching Academy this fall on the subject.

P.S. - If you haven't already subscribed to Elmore's email blog you are missing out on information that can be extremely beneficial to helping your team!

Listening to Buzz Williams this summer at Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, he made the comment, "Don't be that coach that complains about how difficult it is to coach this generation."  His challenge was for us to adjust...think outside the box in an attempt to be better teachers.

Elmore's book, in my opinion is an absolute must read for anyone coaching and teaching.  He goes into great detail as to how and why today's young people are wired the way they are today.  He then gives thoughts and concepts to help us to bridge the gap and maximize out ability to impact our players and teams.

A couple of quotes that Elmore opens with sums it up completely:

“If you want happiness for a lifetime, help the next generation.”

-Chinese Proverb

“Our children are messages we send to a generation we will never see.”

-Unknown

Again, I took 41 pages of notes -- here's brief section that speaks what we are seeing in the iY Generation:

Observation #1: They Want to Belong Before they Believe

Elmore states that this generation isn't one uses facts before making decisions.  In fact, he says, "hey would rather join and belong to a small affinity group before they embrace the beliefs of that group."

Observation #2: They Want an Experience Before an Explanation

The book uses an analogy from Leonard Sweet in describing today's generation.  Sweet says they are "EPIC" -- Experimental...Participatory...Image-Rich...Connected.  Elmore states that to effectively teach that we must understand that a lecture won't do it anymore.  We must connect to them by capturing their imaginations. Elmore says: "So instead of asking, 'What do I want to say?' We should ask ourselves, 'How can I say it creatively and expe-rientially?.”

Observation #3: They Want a Cause Before They want a Course

Quite simply Elmore says "If you want to seize the attention of students today, plan to give them a reason for why they need to listen to your words."

Observation #4: They Want a Guide on the Side Before They Want a Sage on the Stage

Elmore explains that today's youth aren't really looking for experts..."especially if they are plastic or untouchable."

A strong example he gave? "When students were recently asked about their heroes, for the first in over 20 years they did not list an athlete at the top of the list. Their number one response was Mom or Dad. They hunger for more relationship than for information—even relevant information."

Observation #5: They Want to Play before They Pay

Elmore also delves into the instant gratification syndrome that many millennials have -- the microwave philosophy of now.

From Elmore: "I find many characteristics of Generation iY healthy and fascinating. However one may cause trouble for them later in life. For students today, almost everything comes instantly. They don’t like waiting for anything. 'Pay now, play later' mentality tends to be foreign.  Results have to come quickly, or they may lose interest."

Observation #6: They Want to Use but Not Be Used by Others

Elmore also points out another characteristic of iY Generation: "Millennials love to use any means possible to get what they want—the internet, cell phones, IMs, or purchasing music for their iPods. At the same time, they tend to be very weary of anyone they suspect of trying to use them."

Observation #7: They want a Transformation, Not Merely a Touch

What the millennials see today: "The expectations of students get higher and higher with each decade."

One other statement from Elmore in this section that is critical for us as teachers to understand: "To connect and influence Generation iY, we’ll likely have to adjust to them."

TONY DUNGY ON THE 7 E'S OF MENTORING

"The Mentor Leader" by Tony Dungy is an incredible book that will benefit any coach of any sport on any level. In fact, the book transcends coaching. But in regard to the world of athletics, it is a great book for a head coach looking to mentor assistant coaches and players as well as for assistant coaches looking to mentor players.

ENGAGE

"Teamwork doesn't tolerate the inconvenience of distance."

-Author Unknown

I believe it is critical for mentor leaders to engage with those they lead. It's impossible to mentor from a distance. Without engagement, you cannot lead effectively. You cannot mentor with empathy. You cannot inspire people to new heights and lift them to a better place in their lives. If you do not engage with those you serve, you will never understand them or know enough about them to be able to have a positive effect in their lives.

EDUCATE

"Good teachers help every student earn an A."

-Wilbur Dungy

Education is an essential building block of mentor leadership. Workers who are new to a task cannot be empowered and elevated until they've been educated in what to to. First things first.

EQUIP

"Our job as a coaching staff is to show you what to do and how to do it. Your job as players is to do it consistently."

-Chuck Noll

Mentor leaders create an environment in which others can be productive and excel. They set the parameters and guidelines for the task, project and continually recast the vision, and then provide the tools and equipment needed for everyone to be successful in their assignment and to ultimately accomplish their mission. In essence, they strive to furnish what is needed for the task -- physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually -- and to accomplish the mission.

ENCOURAGE

"Correction does much, but encouragement does more."

-Goethe

Encouragement is the fuel that powers our efforts to engage, educate, and equip. Nothing does more to lubricate the rough spots than a good dose of encouragement. Mentor leaders care. Mentor leaders lift others up. Mentor leaders encourage.

EMPOWER

"As we look ahead...leaders will be those who empower others."

-Bill Gates

Once the people you lead are ready, it's time to turn them loose. But not before they're ready. As a mentor leader, you have a responsibility to engage, educate, equip, and encourage them first -- and at every appropriate point thereafter, as well. You can't just walk in and empower them. If they're not ready, you're only setting them up to fail.

ENERGIZE

"Without inspiration, the best powers of the mind are dormant. There is a tinder in us which needs to be quickened with sparks."

-Johann Gottfried Von Herder

Great leaders energize and inspire those they lead. Even as they face their own daily struggles and stresses, mentor leaders look for ways to energize and motivate the people around them.

ELEVATE

"Teamwork: Simply state, it is less me and more we."

-Author Unknown

Many leaders struggle with this essential concept. Elevating is difficult. It seems paradoxical to elevate someone who might end up taking your place. But raising up leaders is the truly self-less goal of every mentor leader, the culmination of focusing on others. To elevate your followers means to help them reach their God-given potential, even it means preparing them to replace you. It may also mean that you prepare them to leave your organization for better opportunities elsewhere -- perhaps even with your competitors.

BUZZ WILLIAMS: THOUGHTS AND CONCEPTS

Thanks to Steve Smiley for pass along these notes with me about six years on Coach Buzz Williams

Success is found in your daily agenda

“The general is the only one that loves the killer.”
◄Your Head Coach needs the killers
◄Be a killer!
◄Be a killer every day
◄Be ready to grind and work
◄That must be your mentality if you want to be elite

You will have a lid on your success if you are not willing to sacrifice

What are you doing today?
◄What are you doing tomorrow?
◄Have you learned all the steps on your journey?
◄Or are you just going through the journey and not learning?

What separates you from everyone else?

Question to ask yourself: Can you sign the players on your team now?
◄You better be able to if you want your Head Coach to hire you as an assistant.

Do what you’re supposed to do, every day.

You conversations are your personal advertisers!
◄Don’t ever talk down to someone.

Always (ALWAYS) talk UP to people.
◄Introduce yourself, have confidence, and make an impression.
◄They are going to form an impression of you anyways, so control that impression!

You have 2 things you can change in your life:
1) The books you read
2) The people you meet

Study those books, and build those relationships!

Study both success and study failures!
◄At what point did they fail?
◄Why did they fail?

Walk around like you have a black eye every day!
◄Be humble

The game is pure inside the lines!
◄When the ball goes up, you can’t hide.
◄You better be ready, because the game is coming.

God blesses the intent of our heart.
Be a servant to the staff.

GREAT TEACHING CONCEPTS FROM KEVIN EASTMAN

You can’t be tired and you can’t be bored. It’s not easy getting better. It takes work and discipline. We have a choice of pain of discipline or pain of regret.

Workout discipline:
•Maximum intensity on every repetition.

•Machine like mechanics

•Focus on every repetition - we’re going to take one shot 500 times.

Philosophy:

•Becoming a good shooter is lots of reps.

•Becoming a great shooter is lots of reps at game speed from game spots at a game angle.

Theory of two:
•It takes two minutes to show any skill.

•It takes two weeks doing it every single day to get comfortable with the skill.

•It takes two months working on a skill everyday to get good enough to execute in a game.

Shooting form:
•Be ready on the catch.

•Ten toes to the rim (if you have ten toes to the rim you will be square to the basket).

•Only change his form if the shot doesn’t go in. Make him the best worst form shooter.

•Two second rule: As soon as it’s 1 cm into our players fingers I’m counting one two. Players don’t have a great understanding of game speed when working out.

•The better the shooter you are, the better your shot fake needs to be. Definition of a shot fake is a real shot that you don’t shoot.

Free-throws:

•Shoot free-throws until you miss, and count how many in a row.

•Players tend to fall forward rather than backward.

Give your players statistical feedback:

•When you chart your players’ shots give them percentages for free-throws, lay-ups, jump shots and three-point shots.

•Break it down so they know what to work on.

•Players can be receptive to stats.

Make time to practice shooting:
•You will be surprised how little your guys shoot during practice when you exclude shooting drills.

•We recorded how many shots our players took in a 2.5 hour practice:

•Paul Pierce – 16.

•Ricky Davis – 13.

•Al Jefferson – 7.

•During an hour pickup we shoot on average 12.8 shots per player.

•Average number of shots taken in a game is 16 per player.

My goal right now is to get everything you can teach in the game down to three bullet points. It makes it easier for players to take in:

For shooting:

•Perfect feet.

•Ready for catch.

•Perfect follow through.

Coaches must maintain their intensity everyday:

•A coach can never get bored.

•The intensity that a coach brings to the floor helps the player have a more intense workout.

•Coaches have body language too. Be careful of your body language, and how it could be interpreted by your players.

Three things skill development can do for you:
•It can create a career.

•It can improve a career.

•It can revitalize a career.

4TH AND GOAL EVERY DAY

I've enjoyed reading 4th And Goal Every Day by Phil Savage.  Savage isn't just a writer -- he is a former NFL assistant coach and general manager who has worked with some of the games best coaches.  Add to that his current position as radio color analyst for Alabama football and you have a very unique set of eyes on the Crimson Tide football program and the championship philosophy of Nick Saban.  Savage chose the title 4th And Goal Every Day because he felt it summed up the mindset in the Bama program -- a constant sense of urgency.

For me, I was especially drawn to the sections of the book that dealt with recruiting and player and team development.  Not surprisingly they go hand-in-hand:

Alabama does not care so much "what" a high school player is doing on the field.  It cares more about "how" a player is doing it.  There is a big difference.  What he is doing might look dominant against high school players, but how he is doing it -- athleticism, instinct, explosiveness -- might show his further potential.

Nick Saban would rather take a guy with "tools" in his body that have not yet bloomed over a high school player who is "an effort guy" making twenty-five tackles through willpower.  Saban thinks he can coach the player with tools so that his pure ability will allow him to far surpass the results of the overachiever with limited skills.

As for player development, it should surprise no one that a big key of Bama's success is the structure of their practice:

Recruiting is significant, but what they do best at Alabama is player development.  Talk to any NFL scout and he will tell you that the Alabama practice field resembles a pro camp more than any other college program in the country.  The drills and techniques being taught in Tuscaloosa are the same ones used during the week by NFL players who slip on the pads for the Sunday games.  The Crimson Tide soaks its players in film work, fundamentals, repetition, and patience.

If you love football, this is an outstanding book with Savage going into the details of teaching, coaching, evaluating and giving great stories to support those areas.  But it's also a great book for coaches who want an inside look at one of the best. 

TIM ELMORE'S iY GENERATION

During one of the stops along the way during the July recruiting period, Joni Taylor told me of Tim Elmore and his work in communicating and leading millennials also know as the Y Generation.  She told me of his book series titled "Habitudes."  She had so much passion in her voice I went back to the hotel that night and researched it.  Joni is someone I greatly admire and respect so when she says "you gotta check it out," I did.

I went to Elmore's website and purchased a series a books titled the "Coaching Millennial Athletes Bundle" which included the book "Generation iY."  Elmore refers the Y Generation as "iY Generation" because of their nature of their information gathering and communication through things such as their iPhones and iPads.

The book was amazing and is an absolute must read for those looking to maximize their ability to communicate and teach today's student athletes.  I took 30 pages of notes from the book. 

Elmore goes in great detail to explain how this generation has evolved and then explains the positive and negative ramifications.  Better yet, he gives some concrete guidelines to assist us as coaches. 

For example, how important are our words and messages that we deliver to our team?  As Elmore explains:

"We need to remember that every time we stand in front of our own kids or a group of students, they are silently asking: Why should I listen to you? What do you have to offer me that’s different than the other options in my life?"

Understanding this requires thought and preparation when communication.

The most profound statement from Elmore and one that so many of us have a difficult time swallowing is:

"To connect and influence Generation iY, we’ll likely have to adjust to them."

Another concept that Elmore delves into is the one of the helicopter parent:

"Too many parents invest too much energy in protecting their children, and forget that their number-one job is to prepare their children for life without them. Parenting is ultimate leadership. A parent is the ultimate mentor in the life of their child."

And while this is true, we also see instances of the same philosophy and culture within athletic teams.  Sometimes we as coaches are swift to judge parents without looking that we are guilty of the same sins.

What we must understand is regardless of the facts, that we have inherited a different and unique generation to coach, the responsibility still relies on us to help steer them in the right direction.  I often speak at clinics and one of the things that I talk about is "don't be that coach that talks about how difficult it is to coach this generation."  In all honesty, all coaches could make this statement -- including the ones that coached us.  Be the answer.  Or as Elmore states:

"If we’re serious about transforming the world, we have to be serious about investing in this next generation.  What we do today as adults will no doubt determine who they will become as adults."

As I said, I took 30 pages of notes from this book.  I fully believe I am going to be a better coach for having read it and that's a powerful thing to say about a book.  In closing, here are a few more thoughts from Elmore on teaching:

•Teaching must supply not only information, but inspiration for students.

•Teaching must do more than measure a kid’s memory; it must motivate a kid’s imagination.

•Teaching must cover not just the facts of history but the feelings that history produced.

•Teaching should not just be about increasing intelligence, but also about increasing innovation.

•Teaching cannot only be about what to think, but how to think.

COACH K ON THE USE OF EMOTION TO COACH AND TEACH

Here are a few excerpts of an article written by Barry Jacobs for the New-Observer who does a good job of speaking to wide range of emotions a coach goes through and they can actually be used to mold a team.  He pinpoints Coach Mike Krzyzewski on his thoughts.  The article is well written and can be in its entirety here.

These are a few of my take aways:

Anger can be as much a part of a coach’s repertoire as the ability to reconfigure an offense to exploit the capabilities of different collections of players. But Mike Krzyzewski is the rare coach who explicitly cites the volatile emotion as a preferred tool in leading his teams. The attribute is part of a mix that’s fueled a Hall of Fame career, helped his Duke program maintain its heading in choppy waters while players come and go in waves, and, to be honest, earned him a reputation for snarling on the sidelines.

“I’ve been blessed over the years to have passion, anger and adrenaline,” a pleased Krzyzewski enumerated after the Blue Devils defeated Pittsburgh. “All three of those things kind of kick in; I’ll see how I handle it now after this.”

Adrenaline and passion are easy traits to understand in a competitor who’s won more games (1,071) than any man in major-college history. Anger, however, is more difficult to see as a constant. Not in Krzyzewski’s firmament. “If you’re a competitor, I think you have to be angry at times,” Krzyzewski noted last week during a break from his duties as head man at the K Academy, his five-day, Duke-based basketball fantasy camp for adult men. For him, those angry times may be episodic, but they are also routine.

He concedes there’s a “fine line” between passionate and angry, and that anger may not be exactly the word he wants. But it’s the word he uses, the word that fits.

“I think anger is emotion,” the former U.S. Military Academy cadet and army artillery captain says in an otherwise quiet coaches’ meeting room at Cameron Indoor Stadium. “If anger is used to destroy bad things, anger is huge. We’ve won wars with anger.”

“I can get angry at selfishness, stupidity, like if it’s repeated stupidity,” he says, perhaps attested by the gray finally tinging the edges of his black hair. “Just something that goes below your standards, whether it be how the locker room looks or how we dress.”

BELICHICK'S NEXT IMPORTANT GOAL

The following comes from an article written by Ryan Hannable for www.weei.com and speaks strongly to how much Patriots' head coach Bill Belichick believes in process oriented thinking:

Belichick, who has won five Super Bowls and is considered one of the greatest coaches of all-time, was asked what are some other things he would like to accomplish?

“I'd like to go out and have a good practice today,” he said. “That would be at the top of the list right now.”

What’s after that?

“We'll correct it and get ready for tomorrow,” he added.

Although it’s just minicamp, Belichick was already in midseason form with his response by not wanting to reflect on anything, and showing how focused he is on the task at hand, which is minicamp.

BEING PART OF A TEAM

About 7 or 8 years ago, while coaching at LSU, I received a great opportunity to leave and join an organization outside of coaching that would allow me to work camps, speak at clinics and do individual training.  The offer was incredibly gracious -- enough for me to deeply consider it.  As it would happened, Coach Don Meyer was staying at my home a few days after I received the offer and as I did in those days, I asked him for his advice.  And I'll never forget what he said.

He told me I would enjoy many parts of the new job -- especially the teaching.  He told me he thought I'd be good at it.  But then he said, "Bob, just make sure you never forget, there's nothing like having a team...being part of a team...growing a team. When you don't have a team there will be a hole in your soul that you won't be able to fill."

I was thinking about the advice that Coach Meyer gave me when I read an article last week where someone asked Alabama football coach Nick Saban if he was at the point where he considered retirement.

He responded he had not and then said:

"I've said this before: I've been a part of a team since I was nine years old. It scares me to death to figure what it's going to be like when I'm not a part of a team.”

So for those of us that rise this morning as part of a team, let's be thankful.

TIM JANKOVICH CLINIC NOTES

We need to be in the business of being great for kids.

Are you creating a culture you’d want your child to be in?

Yelling and screaming are overrated. Must be a tool and not out of frustration. Don’t act like a coach. Be a coach.

Have gave tons of thought to exactly what you want to stand for.

Treat our players as if they are out family.

Question: “Would I do that to my own child?”

Coaches: Do more biting than barking.

You don’t want your team counting down the days until the season is over.

Coach Jankovich: “The games comes down to how good are my shots compared to yours and can I get more.”

More about who than what.

How do I beat the best 3 teams in my league.

Good action = how are we going to guard that? If I have to ask that question about an action it’s a good one.

Spends time thinking about where the game is going to be 10 years from now.

BUZZ WILLIAMS TABC CLINIC NOTES (Part III)

How do you move up the path?

1. Create a vision

2. Give ownership of that vision way everyday

3. Keep them connected to the vision (hardest thing)

    They have to believe that the vision is what’s best for them.

4. They will have ownership

    If I couldn’t see what works would I be able to hear it at your practice?

What is your language specific to your program?

We are over the top with our terminology being consistent

Coach Williams ask recruits to explain their practice/game to get an idea of their basketball IQ

Only BCS coach without an agent

Has 10 staff members that report directly to him.

Coach Williams is big into researching “I need to score right now plays.”

Reads newspapers of every team on their schedule and certain college football programs where I know the coach.

“Don’t be the coach that says ‘It’s hard to coach this generation of players.’”

Adaption to how you teach...like of maturation not to adapt.

“Teams in the post season that succeed are engaged.”

Must measure to have consequences.

Don’t burn your emotional tank on things that aren’t measured.

Not into destination with relation to our path.

“How do you keep your team engaged?”

Chart: Stop-Scores

When ball is penetrated to baseline something should happen.

   Drift

   Fill (Crack)

   One More (Pro)

   Seal/Space (I Cut)

Coaching is figuring out your why.

Not enough truth tellers.

BUZZ WILLIAMS TABC CLINIC NOTES (Part II)

Smartest people don’t have the best answers, they have the best questions.”

“Recruiting” most overused work in college athletics. Coach Williams never asks a recruit “who’s recruiting you?”

“We don’t recruit.”

“Culture = Habits”

When taking the Virginia Tech job he told the team: “I’m not getting rid of anyone. I will coach all of you harder than you’ve ever been coached.”

“You don’t have to tell someone what your culture is — your habits will.”

Culture has nothing to do with talent.

Figure out the right habits.

“Recruiting” is a sales word...we like “Life Decision.”

 Virginia Tech takes the entire staff recruiting even though it may cost them days. Home visit = entire staff. Game = entire staff.

You can only manage what you measure. Not enough to say “play hard” — how can you measure that — find a way.

In individual workouts Virginia Tech measures everything. In some instances you must achieve a certain measurement before moving to the next level.

Boot Camp

Virginia Tech doesn’t teach play until November.

Doesn’t want plays for how we play but for his team to understand how to play.

Quote shirts

Doesn’t do business cards — does quote cards.

Primary philosophy: “Get better”

Created “Get better” bands for team

Always looking for things under $1.50 to give away

3 Worst Things for a Player to Say: “I got this.”

3 Worst Things for a Coach to Say: “I know this.”

Stay away from the feeling, “I know this.”

Coaching mailout every 6 weeks.

Must get app for articles - “Pocket”

What are you doing on a daily basis for your brand?

“The people you think of the most are the ones that are invested in you.”

Coach Williams’ mission: Tell the Truth

   Help as Many People As I Can

   If you ask anyone, would they say you your mission is?

Not as much about playing hard as about loving each other.

Beware of “imposters on your path” — like winning and losing. Be process oriented.

Has manager in charge of pulling clips from the newspaper on his opponents.

COACH WOODEN'S MOST IMPORTANT LESSON

Last night I finished reading "Coach Wooden and Me: Our 50-Year Friendship On and Off the Court."  It was written by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and gave incredible insight to Coach Wooden that I have not read or heard.  As an assistant at LSU under Dale Brown, we were blessed to have access to Coach Wooden and his wisdom.  He would occasionally visit us in Baton Rouge and annually Coach Brown would fly to Englewood to visit with Coach and pick his brain.  It also meant that I was given the opportunity to spend a day with Coach -- something I will never forget.

Kareem talks about his relationship with Coach Wooden and the lessons he learned.  There are some incredibly deep and personal stories about their relationship making this one of my favorite books about Coach.  If you are a Coach Wooden fan -- and as Coach Don Meyer would say, "We should all study Wooden" -- then this a must read.

Below is a short excerpt that talks about the process-oriented teaching of Coach Wooden: 

Coach Wooden's most important lesson was that we should never focus on the outcome but on the activity itself.  "Don't think about winning the game," he'd say.  "Just do everything possible to prepare.  As long as you know you have done everything possible and you have given your best self on the court, that is your reward.  The scoreboard is meaningless."  This philosophy, which became the basis for his time as an English teacher and coach, was inspired by an anonymously written poem he read in college:

Before God's footstool to confess
A poor soul knelt and bowed his head
"I failed," he wailed, The Master said,
"Thou did thy best, that is success."

A GREAT COMMUNICATION QUESTION VIA CHUCK DAILY

We often thank of communication as what we say. Sometimes the art of coaching and teaching is learning when not to say anything.  I loved this piece from the book "The Difference You Make" by Pat Williams.  Williams talks about Chuck Daly sharing what he had learned as an assistant to Vic Bubas years earlier at Duke.

"Vic taught me to bite my tongue.  He said, 'You have to know when to talk to players and when to keep your peace.'  Vic taught me to always ask myself: 'Will this player benefit from what I say?  Or will he just become less coachable?'  Sometimes I would literally jam my knuckles in my mouth or look someplace else -- anything to keep from saying what I was thinking."

PAT SUMMITT PRACTICE THOUGHTS

The following come from some of my notes of listening to Pat Summitt speak at Don Meyer's 1998 Coaching Academy:

Love practice -- love to teach
Whole - Part - Whole Method
Practice Plan -- prepare and compete
Offense or Defense first? Whichever you want to emphasize
Not what we teach but what we emphasize
Prefer not to be predictable
Drills should be breakdown of your offense and defense
Explain purpose
Name drills
What a Coach rewards is key
Shoot free throws when you are tired
Keep stats in practice
     Record all shots
     Record all post feeds
     Record contested and uncontested shots
     Record box outs
Practice at game tempo
Practice game situations
Use officials, clocks, scores when possible

TEACHING PLAYERS TO FIGURE IT OUT FOR THEMSELVES

It's been a while back, but I posted briefly about a concept that I hold dear to my coaching philosophy -- the ability to teach your players to figure things out on their own.

There are three things that I think coaches should stress, teach and demand on a daily basis regardless of what their philosophy is in regard to X & Os, discipline and team building.  I believe you should be teaching players to Talk, to be Tough, and to Think.  Figuring things out is a major component to thinking.

One of the most underrated things that the best coaches teach, in any sport on any level, is that of educating their players how to think on their own.  Few were better than Coach Newell.

“I wanted players with initiative, guys who could control a difficult situation on their own.  People may not realize that years ago, you couldn’t bring a player over to the sideline to talk to him.  Players had to stand out in the middle of the court during your timeout.  They changed that rule during my second year in coaching (1947) and I was madder than hell.  I felt my team could always interpret what I was teaching; we didn’t need all these damn meetings.  I didn’t want my players depending on me.  I figured I’d teach ‘em during the week, and when the game comes along, it’s up to them.  That’s one reason I didn’t like to call timeouts.  I didn’t want the players thinking that every time they got in a little jam, I’d bail them out.  I wanted to make them figure it out.”

-Pete Newell

Not surprisingly an article on Geno Auriemma written by Paul Doyle of the Hartford Currant points the same feature out in the UConn coach: 

It goes back to the practices. Yes, Auriemma and Dailey recruit mentally tough players. But Auriemma challenges them every day. He'll run "break the press" drills with six practice players facing his players and tell them to figure it out.

"He just tests your will, he tests your mind and your heart, every day in practice," Lobo said. "So you are prepared in moments to be able to make those shots because you've been in mentally challenging situations before."

LaChina Robinson noted: "When you talk to Sue [Bird] and Swin [Cash] and those guys, obviously they played on great teams, but they talk about how he would put them in situations where it was almost impossible to succeed. Every day in practice. So he made it impossible so that in the games it would be easy."