BLOG POSTING #31, February 16, 2009

EACH PLAYER DESERVES TAILOR-MADE TREATMENT
CATEGORY: TEACHING

Walt Hazzard and Gail Goodrich were the starting guards on UCLA’s first two championship teams: 1964, 1965. Walt was a right-handed tall and strong guard from St. Louis, with a bent toward flashy play, something he was allowed to do in high school but not for Coach Wooden. Gail was a shorter, left-handed and long-armed shooter who played things by Coach Wooden’s book. When asked how he was able to teach these two diverse types, Coach Wooden answered, “To motivate Gail, I patted him on the back. That’s all he needed most of the time. Walt, I had to pat a little lower.” He is quick to say that this was figurative, but the point was well taken.

In Blog Posting, #21, November 27, 2008, I gave Coach Wooden’s definition of fairness, “Giving each player the treatment he earns and deserves.” The treatment a player “earns” depends on things like hard work, enthusiasm, punctuality, attendance, subordination, and participation. The treatment a player “deserves” has to do with who he is and what a coach can do to help him reach his potential. The word, “deserves,” implies each player is entitled to be taught in such a manner that the teacher’s methods are an outworking of the research done on how that child learns best. 

All teachers know, each child is unique and most teachers tailor teaching to the individual, at least to a degree. The question this posting asks is, “Are we doing all we can to learn as much about each player as can be learned?” A more complete analysis of each player, we believe, is fair. Simple observation and one-on-one conversations may only scratch the surface. In fact, it is possible a little information may result in inaccurate conclusions. For example, a player that lacks initiative during drills and play may, at first, seem uncooperative and even recalcitrant. Further research may uncover this is a person that likes to observe first, avoid mistakes and embarrassment, but, once comfortable may become more aggressive, assertive, and competitive.

This is not an easy undertaking, but it is basic to good teaching, if in fact, the definition of teaching is: student learning. Coach Wooden believed he was being paid to teach and, for him that meant, student learning—not just for some, but for all students, whether it be his English class students or his baseball, basketball, tennis, or football students. This conviction caused him to log and organize his findings. He kept detailed notes on each student. At UCLA, he sat in on psychology classes.  When he began to draw possible conclusions about a student, he tested them out in the classroom and on the court. He also went back to notes taken years before, to see if the personality of one of his current players matched that of a previous one. He often found what he was looking for. Previous notes always included methods. Those methods were then tried on the current player.

So where do we get this information? What sources are available that can give us a near-complete analysis of a player, giving a coach the foundation for developing tailor-made teaching techniques and methods? For Coach Wooden, those sources were parents, teachers, and other coaches (current and former). Following are some of the important things to ask each.

PARENTS
Schoolwork: Homework, motivation, interest in going to college
Outside Interests
Rank and dynamics among siblings
Medical issues and medications, hyperactivity, learning disabilities
Involvement in other sports: names of coaches and success
Family: Complete, single parent, guardian, grandparents
Any relatives that were good athletes
Heroes
Makes good choices
Rewards for success

TEACHERS
Grades
Attendance
Favorite subjects
Conscientious in homework, extra credit, passion
Compliant, subordinate, obedient
Participant in class discussions
Leader in projects, or steps back and lets others take lead
What group does he run around with?

OTHER COACHES
Working with others
Teamwork
Improvement
Industriousness, early to practice, stays late
Attendance
Love for the game
Competitiveness
Poise and performance under pressure
Motivation

THINGS TO ASK PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND OTHER COACHES
Motivation
Response to adult criticism
Response to adult praise
Critical of others
Response to the criticism of teammates

RELATED POSTINGS:
Blog Posting #21, November 27, 2008, FAIRNESS
Blog Posting #19, November 14, 2008, THE INVALUABLE 3x5 CARD
BLOG POSTING #28, February 7, 2009, THE POWER OF WORDS
Blog Posting #17, October 29, 2008, WHY ARE YOU IN THIS?