Email Campaign Archive

Those Extra-Frustrating Athletes

By Mike Tully

If you've been coaching for any length of time,
you've run into this kind of athlete: They show
glimpses of ability, but just enough to leave you
unsatisfied. It is frustrating. 

As a coach dealing with this athlete, you must
know the answer to two questions. The first is a
no-brainer. The other is trickier. 

1. Is the ability really there? This truly is a
no-brainer. A coach told me long ago that if you
see it, even for an instant, then it is there. 

2. Is the athlete motivated enough to become more
consistent? This is the tricky one. A coach can
only do so much to motivate athletes. The rest
must come from within. During my coaching tenure,
I have spent far too much time cajoling and
prodding athletes who really didn't care that
much. And every second I spent on that
non-motivated athlete was a second I could have
given to someone who was desperate to learn. It's
vital that you do not make this same mistake.
Practice time is way too valuable to waste on
projects. 

To see what I mean, let's look a little closer at
what you want to happen in your gym. You are
hoping to develop athletes into skilled players so
that they can become part of an effective team. 

-Skilled players. In order to become truly
skilled, a player must really want to do exactly
that. The athlete must be willing to listen and to
learn. The athlete must then go through the trial
and error process that will make them a great
server, setter, etc. The player must be willing to
risk. This is not easy work, and unless the
athlete really cares, then it will never happen. 

-Part of an effective team. Even if the athlete
has enough skills to be out on the court, then a
lack of caring will hurt the team. I'm embarrassed
over the times when I sent players out there,
waiting for them to do great things, completely
unaware of the devastating effect they were having
on the other five players. 

So if you are hoping to develop athletes into
skilled players so they can be part of an
effective team, then this "occasional brilliance"
athlete needs a careful look from you. 

Here are some things to watch for:

1. Is the athlete respectful? In Tennessee
Basketball Coach Pat Summit's "Definite Dozen" for
continued success, she puts "respect yourself and
others" at the top of the list. Does the athlete
respect teammates, the gym, the coach? 

2. Is the athlete coachable? Is there eye contact?
Is there an effort to follow directions? 

3. Is the athlete positive? Comments like "I
can't" often mean "I won't." A negative athlete
will never help your team.   To summarize, all of
us come into contact with athletes who frustrate
you with occasional examples of brilliance. If
they are not respectful, coachable and positive,
then they will not develop. Be careful with the
amount of time you invest in them. Remember, there
are other players who need your attention, too. 

-Mike Tully is a member of the "Yes, I Can!"
coaching staff. You can hear him now on his "Pep
Talk" hotline at (973) 773-2151.