grizpack said:
Here is what we need to help make this program successful again:
A LEADER ON THE FLOOR/TEAM, who will get in his teammates face when necessary!!!
We haven't had one since Criswell, and it shows in the play.
A perfect example of this (as told to me by someone inside of the locker room) - Guess which player stood up and said something to the rest of the team at half of the PSU game, when they were playing like crap?????
Answer: Not one player said a word.
We need a team leader way more than we need a coaching change. I hope McGillis or some of the others that are red-shirting will be that guy. It doesn't have to be the best player on the team, but someone they will respect.
Think back. Every great Grizzly team had a guy who was the floor general leader / ass chewer.
Hope he shows up soon.
I wish I could say that not 1 player saying anything at halftime surprises me, but it does not. I do know if that were my SR game or any game, I would not be able hold back not saying something, even moreso in my SR night game. The likes of Martin and Hasquet not saying anything is a little surprising. I guarantee most every player held something back that should have been said, and bit their tongue.
As a player and coach, I have been part of disappointing games. Rather it be at half time or after the game, I voice my disappointments and concerns. As a coach, I told the team collectively, everyone gets their turn to speak, and everyone will listen until all is said.
Hell I did that in AAU basketball, and even the shyest player spoke and was respected for it. I challenged each player to remember what was said by everyone, and they would be held accountable for not walking the walk after talking the talk. Every damn one of the players was held accountable for rest of that season. In turn I told them to hold me accountable for instructing them properly and if they ever felt they need individual work or had any ideas on how to improve the team, I would listen to them. The only subject off limits was allocating playing time. They were all aware the only influence they had on PT was hustling, playing smart, and make it hard for me to take them off the court.
Like any team, any year we had growing pains and disappointments. I can honestly say after our team pow wow, we never had the same internal problems again. They became a team at that point, and they got PT every game. Granted we were not the most talented team, and had our share of L's. However, I have never been prouder of a group of players ever.
We were a 1st year throw together rag tag AAU team. Due to lack of experience we chose to play in the "B" brackets. The players told me they were not challenged there, so they voted to move to "A". I warned them we would be playing veteran teams with very good players, and they may get their butts handed to them. They did not care, well we won 1 game out of 4 our 1st A tourney. They stuck the course, and throughout 30 or so games, I proudly say we won more than we lost. The same team we lost to by 30 that 1st tournament, we later beat in OT and loss too by less than 10 a few times.
My brother, myself, and few of our coaching friends in baseball and basketball have always insisted on our players respectfully speaking their minds, starting at the little league levels. After any loss we ask every player "what could have you done better, and what could have the team done better to change the outcome? Even if they said something short and irrelevant they were heared. We as coaches learned they gained respect for one another through it. If a team so much younger and inexperienced can find the courage to speak up, then bond, "Why can't a college team?"
I learned this from a JC coach with 20 pus years experience and over .700 winning percentage. As a college aged student, that always stuck with me as being very effective. I tried this at all levels I have coached in baseball and basketball ranging from 7 year olds to 18 year olds. Not that it works for everyone, but has been very effective for myself and handful of fellow coaches that I know that do this.
Additional rules we went by were the following: (1) no name calling
(2) do not place blame on any individual. (3) If blame is to take place it is to be as a team or using yourself as an example. (4) What will you do to correct the issue? (5) Everyone speaks, everyone listens. (6) If your say will be long, keep it short and save the rest for after the game. For the older athletes, if you are pissed, disappointed, etc. Just say "I am pissed!" (7) No fighting (8) If you start getting out of hand, coaches only spoke to interupt.
If a coach lays down the ground rules of open forums, it goes rather well. I only learned that after my 1st unsuccessful attempt at this. :thumb: I do not understand why something similar to this could not be done at the collegiate level, afterall that is the level I learned it at.
