7 Comments

  1. cboggess2

    Skyler,

    This paper really tied hand in hand with my topic on team building. Having bad teammates and bad coaching can lead to team building interventions. By addressing the bad teammates and bad coaching, this can help reestablish a winning season. I also agree with recruiting a better class. You have to have the correct players that are willing to be unselfish and play together as a team to be successful. Also, I really enjoyed reading your paragraph, “taking a long look in the mirror.” As a coach I want to make sure that I am doing everything right when it comes to how I’m coaching, treating my players, and preparation. I have to be willing to self critique and help take the necessary steps to make myself a better coach.

  2. cbriseno4

    Some of the difficulties for a losing season that you stated were bad teammates and a bad coach; one who public harasses and humiliates athletes, and with rare praise or positive feedback. As a coach you don’t want to keep replaying mistakes because it chips away at their confidence. I really liked your strategies of having the coach fix themselves first, the recruitment process, hiring a sport psychologist and fixing the mindset of teamwork. I thought these were effective strategies. I appreciated this paper because it incorporated ideas that I could use as a coach one day. Being truthful to the players you are trying to recruit is essential. Finding players with a good work ethic will not only be good for the court but in the classroom as well. One thing I really liked was the idea of hiring a sports psychologist. As a former collegiate athlete there are many struggles that I dealt with and it took a toll on my body mentally, physically and spiritually. Athletes are human beings just like everyone else but are expected to work like robots. So, I think hiring a sports psychologist is an excellent idea. Lastly, implementing how important teamwork is to a team is essential. This should be implemented as early as possible so that anything and everything that you have a team do is with a teamwork mentality. Great read!

  3. gperezesquivel

    Sky,

    I admire your paper because it gives us a perspective on both the players and coaching ends on how to have a winning season. Being a graduate assistant and working with multiple teams throughout my adulthood has made me wonder how I would lead my team to a winning season. This paper definitely gives me some reassurance of what I thought to be the right way of building a winning team is right.

  4. ksalinas9

    Skyler,

    I enjoyed reading your paper because it mentioned strategies to help build growth for the coaches as well as the student athletes, which in return will benefit the program as a whole. I agree that turning around the season starts with the coach and taking a good hard look in the mirror and reflecting on what strategies he or she used in the previous season. I also found it very important and liked that you addressed how a coach must not have an ego barrier. I can see how the job of a head coach is very stressful and can sometimes get overwhelming, but he or she is not alone and open communication between the coaching staff, player, and parents is KEY to having a successful season.

  5. ephillips8

    Great ideas, I liked how you talked about the team and how having bad teammates can really negatively affect a team, In my time as an athlete I have dealt with several experiences like that. Also with coaching, they definitely have tremendous impact on athletes, and a good coach usually brings out the best in an athlete, making them want to work hard every day in practice, and put in the extra work in order to be successful on the field or court, which will lead to more wins. The recruiting process is important in building a successful team, the recruiting process can be difficult because you need to find athletes who are not only talented, but are strong in the areas that you need for that specific year. For example you cant go out and recruit the best first baseman in San Antonio when you have 3 first basemen on the bench and you really needed an outfielder, or whatever the case is. it is important to be strategic in choosing an athlete based on talent, based on need, and also based on whether or not they are a good fit for your team.

  6. ataramona

    Skyler,
    I think that this paper is pertinent for all persons involved in athletics, such as the coach, players, managers, and parents. I really liked Patrick Cohn’s thoughts on replaying mistakes; as a coach, I tell my players that they need to acknowledge the mistake, learn from it, and fix it when given another opportunity. Dwelling on mistakes only creates a snowball of mistakes to continue until the athlete is not able to mentally engage with the game. The best coaches want their players to grow in a holistic manner rather than only in the sport. Recruiting is another huge aspect of collegiate athletics as well as at the professional level. We, as coaches, need to make sure that not only is the student-athlete’s skillset going to help the team to be successful, but their personality will thrive in the school/team environment. Your PLC Action Plan is a great stepping stone to revamp a team from a losing season. Speaking from experience, more than half of the battle is adjusting the team’s mentality and confidence, the other portion is preparing the team by providing the players with tools to be successful.

  7. jcastaneda2

    Having a toxic person in a group or team setting will never end well. By identifying that a person is being harmful to the group, you have found where to begin solving the issue. I liked how you mentioned that the coach is where the program begins and takes the responsibility for his or her team. Hopefully by implementing a team mindset, the team can have a successful season!

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