COACH K AND THE WORD "TOGETHER"

Coach K once asked our team to do a simple thing.  He asked us to attach the word "together" to every sentence we used.  We were not just going to play hard; we were going to play hard together.  We were not just going to defend; we were going to defend together.  We were not just going to win; we were going to win together.  Adding "together" to everything we did and said provided emphasis that we were a part of something bigger than ourselves.  And it made us tougher.  Really, it was a way to condition us to understand and accept that we were a part of something bigger than ourselves.

From "Toughness" by Jay Bilas