Recently Arizona fired their head coach Mike Stoops, a big reason behind this is, of course, the fact that the Wildcats had opened the season with a 1 and 5 record. But when you look a layer deeper you see the systemic issues with the way Stoops and other coaches of his ilk handle their programs and specifically the way they handle themselves on the sideline.
The role of a head coach is often similar to that of a chief executive. They rarely do much real hands on coaching, but when they do it is generally excellent because they have reached the highest point in their profession. They are basically the overseer, making sure that their assistants are doing their jobs and holding players accountable.
Now, there are the exceptions to this rule because some coaches consider themselves tactical geniuses and call either the defensive or offensive plays. However, even when they take on that role, it is in addition to the chief executive role and like an executive, in order to be an effective head coach, you better be an effective manager of people.
Managing people is no easy task; it requires a generally level head, with the ability to adapt based on the person. However it also requires a basically consistent personality or style. Head football coaches like Mike Stoops, Brian Kelley of Notre Dame, and Bo Pelini of Nebraska certainly have a consistent style, but is it a truly effective one?
These three have been the poster children for expletive filled tirades aimed at their players and assistant coaches over the past few years ever since they have risen to be the head men for some of the more prominent programs in college football. And while these tirades may be accepted as a part of the game, especially at levels below the NFL, they are a poor substitute for doing the job coaches should be doing, especially when they happen with frequency.
A head football coach is using the great power he is granted at its best when his players take on his personality. There are the fiery Rex Ryan types who drop the f-bomb like its their job, there are the business-like Jim Tressel coaches who truly resemble the CEO of a company in their dealings with players, and there are the coaches lose their heads on a regular basis.
In the real world, the first two types are often beloved and respected for different reasons. The Rex Ryan type is because he keeps it real with his players and the Tressel type because they are so respectable that you can’t help but respect them. Both operate off of the respect they attain from their players and their programs are often molded in that image.
In the real world men like Mike Stoops and Brian Kelley that just lose their shit and scream and yell may reach the heights of their profession, but their regime is based solely on fear and not respect. And while fear can be somewhat of an effective motivator, the somewhat is the key. People don’t respect angry crazy people. They are often afraid of them or they just at some point start to tune it out and the coach is no longer at all effective.
When I see Brian Kelley screaming at his players, completely red in the face and utterly out of control, I shake my head because when the player walks away, they are completely deflated. That’s not motivating, that’s going on a power trip and using your power ineffectively.
This isn’t to say coaches should never yell at their players. They should. But it should, as Former President Bill Clinton would say of abortions, be “safe, rare, and legal.” They should only yell at the players they know can handle it, only use it when there’s literally nothing to teach or the player has repeatedly made the same mistake, and of course yelling at players shouldn’t be outlawed, it should just be used more effectively by these tyrant coaches.
Winning, obviously, drives coaches at the college level, but they should also be about teaching their players how to lead the rest of their lives well. They have an insane amount of influence over their players because of the way they monopolize their time.
Influence is what drives everything in life. Whenever you start to lose your influence, you know it’s time for a change. And when players start to tune you out or you simply have shot their confidence, it’s time to adjust the way you exert that influence. Just ask Mike Stoops; I’ve heard he’s got a lot of time on his hands lately.
No comments:
Post a Comment