My Guiding Coaching Values

-Gryphon Antares Phoenix

                In volleyball and basketball, and in all sports, team is first above all else. Coaches and players must always approach each day with the mindset of “being part of a team”. Cohesiveness and chemistry are integral parts of a team being successful. Teammates should always help each other to reach their potential and beyond it. Teams should never judge any individuals; and should only evaluate the whole group and what the whole group does as one unit. Everyone on a team should know their role, and that the role they play is vital to the team’s success. In a team environment it is highly important that each player value each team member for who they are and what they do for the team.

Skills, and what you practice on, are an important factor in the success of a team. It should be taught that playing time is earned by working hard every day. Defense is just as important as offense, and coaches and players should do their best to balance how much emphasis is put on each aspect of the game. In basketball, free throws should not be overlooked, and strong foul shooting should be expected of teams. In basketball, teams need to set super-solid screens, and reach for every single rebound. Making good passes is something that every program must do in order to do well. Volleyball-wise, setting and how the fingertips are used are extremely important. Controlling where the volleyball is going is vital to a program’s success, via continual practice and refinement of passing, setting, setter-dumps, dinks, and tips. Strong-blocking form is crucial to the defense of a volleyball team. Most of all, strong teamwork, communicating, and covering are what I believe to be the most important skills a team can develop.

Coaching-wise, things should be approached as sports being a privilege and not a right. Coaches need to motivate others by leading by example and setting the tone. Great coaches are the ones that believe in the personnel they have, and the ones that never give up on a team. For coaches, organization is the key to success. Thoughtful, detail-oriented, and well put-together practice plans pay off quite well when steady improvement begins to show. A reasonable thing that coaches should expect of players is: that the players understand the concepts being taught, and ask questions to clarify if they don’t understand something right away. Learning by listening and communicating continually, is a highly effective method that all coaches should use with every team they coach. Coaches need to also have zero tolerance for negative conduct, as negative conduct can slow down or hinder a team’s ability to do well. Coaches that can work through the troubling times and see a good quality product through are valuable.

Having good sportsmanship is crucial to the building of a team’s character and who they are as a group. Teaching men and women to always exhibit good sportsmanship is highly important to the reputation of a program and its personnel. Putting across the idea that “winning is just as hard as losing” can imprint the notion that effort should always be applauded and appreciated, whether you win or lose. I love the sense of worth I feel when it comes to the ‘thanks’ for a doing a great job and for the hard work. Coaching gives me a sense of purpose and a feeling that I am making a difference in this world.

I believe in when it comes to volleyball, basketball, and sports:
1) Team Environment/Helping Others
2) Good Sportsmanship
3) Positive Reinforcement
4) Facilitating Steady Improvement
5) Life Coaching (i.e. on-time and respecting others)
6) Communication/Listening
7) Giving Full Effort
8) Thorough Practice and Game Preparation
9) Cohesiveness and Chemistry
10) Belief in your personnel and who you work for

-Gryphon Antares Phoenix