The Win Forever philosophy is not
just about maximizing the potential of our players. It is about maximizing the potential of
everyone in a program or organization.
All the principles we use with your players apply to our coaches and
other staff members as well. Right down
to the core of your being, be believe that our success depends on ensuring that
everyone is completely engaged, committed, and in a relentless pursuit of a
competitive edge. A big part of my job
is creating an environment where this will happen.
Ultimately, the most critical point
in coaching our coaches is to understand that we don’t want every coach to have
the same style. What we need on our
staff are unique competitors who can each find a way to deliver the same
message with one heartbeat. The coaches
need to internalize the message and then convey it in their own voice. When each person does that, we get a
diversity of styles and approaches that makes the whole team stronger.
Putting together a staff may be the
most important part of any head coach’s job, and I have always enjoyed it. I am often asked what I look for when hiring
coaches. The first thing I look at is a
person’s competitiveness and work ethic.
I also like to hire young and promote from within. There have been exceptions along the way, of
course, but for the most part I would rather get someone who is open-minded and
full of competitive fire, even if it comes at the expense of a certain amount
of experience.
The other critical factor we look
for when hiring new coaches is their willingness and ability to grow. Leadership development is critical in any
organization.
If a leader is clear and consistent
about his philosophy’s core values, it frees everyone up to do their best.
Most coaches think that leadership
comes from the players, but I don’t see it that way. The leadership that I count on most comes
from our coaches.
The only leadership that I can really rely on is hat
which comes from our coaching staff. The
coaches are constantly nurturing our players’ ability to serve as part of the
team’s leadership. But it is the coaches that I hold accountable. You can try to position and promote players
in ways that make them leaders, but I don’t want to rely on them when it comes
to winning or losing. I have chosen to
rely on our staff first and foremost.
From "Win Forever" by Pete Carroll
