This is Part II of a two part series on WHAT WE DO.
In addition to leadership, teamwork is a major staple of our program. We have been successful thus far this season because of 5 areas – all of which have to do with teamwork:
Unselfishness
We have a very balanced offensive attack with 5 players averaging in double figures (our leading scorer only averages 12 points!). In our four games in Portland we had a different leading scorer each night. We have several players who are talented enough to score 20+ a game if that was their goal… but it isn’t… winning is their goal.
Poise
Collective team poise is about staying in the moment and moving on to the ‘next play.’ Our players handle adversity well and don’t get rattled. They have a quiet confidence on the court (‘silent swagger’). In the semi-finals and championship in Portland we were behind for most of the game. But our team stayed in the moment, took it one play at a time, and prevailed.
Defense
Smothering team defense is our calling card – it is the primary identity of our team this year. Solid defense requires exceptional teamwork.
Pride
Our players, from our senior captain (who has committed to Georgetown) to our 15th man – know their role, accept their role, and take pride in fulfilling their role to the best of their ability. I sit on the end of the bench and can’t tell you how impressed I have been with the positive attitudes our players display. Especially the guys who play very limited minutes. They understand their role is different than the guys that play… which is a maturity you rarely see at the high school level. And the guys that do play limited minutes make the most of the time they do earn. We have a senior guard who played less than 10 minutes in our 1 point win in the semi-finals of the Les Schwab – and he made two plays that literally won the game for us (one of which was taking a charge). He is a defensive menace and took pride in making the most of his time.
Chemistry
Our players genuinely like each other. They hang out off the court and are friends. You can’t put a price tag on the value of chemistry. The reason we have chemistry is because Coach Jones is particular about who he lets in our program. He only allows players of notable character. No jerks and no jackasses. Life is too short to coach ‘bad apples.’
Teamwork requires everyone in the program is on the same page. That is the only way the machine works. Therefore, Coach Jones clearly defines WHAT WE DO – and it is up to the players to do it. If everyone on the team does exactly what he says to the best of their ability, we maximize our potential. It’s when guys have minor mental lapses, and do their own thing, that things break down. Coach Jones does a masterful job at righting the ship when that happens.
And as with any team, you are only going to be as successful as your leader. I am so fortunate to work for a coach who is a supportive as Coach Jones is. He makes our teams’ warm-up and in-season strength workouts a high priority and gives me the creative freedom to do what I do best. He isn’t afraid to delegate for the betterment of the team. Coach Jones epitomizes teamwork and that trickles down to everyone in our program.
Even though I posted these videos over a month ago, they give you a visual of WHAT WE DO to stay strong during the season:
http://TinyUrl.com/DeMathaOnCourtStrength
http://TinyUrl.com/20MinInSeasonStrength
Please let me know if I can ever be of service to you or your program. Email me at Alan@StrongerTeam.com and I will respond as quickly as possible.
Train hard. Train smart.
Alan Stein
www.StrongerTeam.com
www.Twitter.com/AlanStein
www.Facebook.com/StrongerTeam