Huskerdu
With Purpose and Urgency
- Sep 4, 2011
- 130
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I am a HC of a 12U competitive team and on those days when you are the nail (some days you are the hammer) the girls know they are flat, or when indifference or laziness has infected the team, and they need to see the coach passionate and that you are going to live up to the expectations that you set for the team. If you are indifferent, if you respond in kind, you will lose respect and even to an extent authority...parents are watching and will judge your response as well.
So...last year after a horrific tournament display, I pulled my team to the shade after the game, everyone on one knee and "no one on your butt"...I gave them a stern (but not angry) speech that astounded me (maybe it was an epiphanical moment) I did alot of pointing into the ground to make my points...and it encouraged my assistant coach to almost go run through a fence...
Girls, we were awful all day. You know that, I know that. We are going to change things right now. This is all about making up your mind that every time you step out of your car and start pulling your bag to the field that you are going to do so with a purpose. A purpose that we are not going to allow those things we fight against to represent us, laziness, not caring (they didn't know what indifference meant), giving up, and not giving 100% dedication to our team. We are NOT going to step out on this field and start warming up and throwing and running if we do not have a purpose. We are not here to just fill a space. Every single thing I do on this field is with a purpose, sometimes I make mistakes, sometimes I make the wrong decisions, sometimes I don't execute, but let me tell you this, it is with purpose and with that purpose comes a sense of urgency. From this day on, all of us, every single girl will come to practice, and when it comes time to put on that (team name) uniform, it will be with a sense of purpose, or you might as well put your pajamas back on. We are not at recess, we are not sitting around waiting for the bell to ring... and it will be no accident when this team moves forward and becomes successful...it will be because we have a sense of purpose and an urgency to get better!
I never had to give this speech again, and I knew I hit it when I had kids calling out, "Come on ladies, we're not at recess here!"
It wasn't me, it was Lombardi that day...
So...last year after a horrific tournament display, I pulled my team to the shade after the game, everyone on one knee and "no one on your butt"...I gave them a stern (but not angry) speech that astounded me (maybe it was an epiphanical moment) I did alot of pointing into the ground to make my points...and it encouraged my assistant coach to almost go run through a fence...
Girls, we were awful all day. You know that, I know that. We are going to change things right now. This is all about making up your mind that every time you step out of your car and start pulling your bag to the field that you are going to do so with a purpose. A purpose that we are not going to allow those things we fight against to represent us, laziness, not caring (they didn't know what indifference meant), giving up, and not giving 100% dedication to our team. We are NOT going to step out on this field and start warming up and throwing and running if we do not have a purpose. We are not here to just fill a space. Every single thing I do on this field is with a purpose, sometimes I make mistakes, sometimes I make the wrong decisions, sometimes I don't execute, but let me tell you this, it is with purpose and with that purpose comes a sense of urgency. From this day on, all of us, every single girl will come to practice, and when it comes time to put on that (team name) uniform, it will be with a sense of purpose, or you might as well put your pajamas back on. We are not at recess, we are not sitting around waiting for the bell to ring... and it will be no accident when this team moves forward and becomes successful...it will be because we have a sense of purpose and an urgency to get better!
I never had to give this speech again, and I knew I hit it when I had kids calling out, "Come on ladies, we're not at recess here!"
It wasn't me, it was Lombardi that day...
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