Blog Post #70, August 5, 2009

Team Spirit: The Third Key to Your Team Never Beating Itself

Coach Wooden said, he believes there are three keys to his basketball coaching success: Condition, Skill, and Team Spirit. Previously, we have concluded his statement makes sense because more games are lost rather than won, and a team that is conditioned, skilled, and team oriented, will rarely beat itself. In blog posts #68 and #69, I introduced the first two keys to your team never beating itself: Condition and Skill. Now, I will give you the third and final key: Team Spirit, or perhaps a better term, “Team Play.”

The Definition of Team Play
“Team Play happens when all members of the group bought in to doing what is necessary for the team to realize its ultimate offensive and defensive goals: Obtaining the highest percentage shot possible and forcing the opponent into the lowest percentage shot possible.”

I’m going to assume every coach, no matter what age, understands what perfection in team play is, because you have all witnessed it. Remember the UCLA Bruins under John Wooden or Boston Celtics with Bill Russell and company. If you are too young, consider the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan. If you are still too young, remember the current Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. In every case, it is nearly impossible to determine where the score is coming from and the defense is a unified effort with all players moving in unison as if on the same page.

You, the coach, may have a very clear idea of what team spirit is, but I can assure you, none of your players will be on the same page. It is important you assume that. For that reason, correct anything short of perfection, even (no, especially) if the team scored. I say “especially” because it is in those situations you will be sending your most powerful message. And it will be the player that scored who will be the most surprised when you tell him, although he had a good shot, he could have passed the ball to another player that had an even higher percentage situation.  

Dos and Don't of Teaching Teamwork
Players, especially at the high school level, operate best when things are clearly spelled out for them so everything is either black or white. Here are two “Dos” and two “Don’ts” that are black and white.

1. Do Write Down, and Distribute, the Team’s Offensive and Defensive Goals. When you do, you will set the stage for justifiable correction.
a. “In all offensive situations, we work together to obtain the highest percentage shot available, no matter which player has that situation.”
b. “In all defensive situations, we work together to force the other team to take a pressured perimeter shot and to get the first defensive rebound.”
2. Do Reward Screeners, Passers, Rebounders, Defensive Helpers and Communicators. This will send a strong message that it takes all five players to make an offensive or defensive play. It will cause players to be eager to sacrifice self-glory for the benefit of the goal.
3. Don’t Ever be Satisfied. Perfection is something your team will never reach. Don’t directly tell your players that but imply it by never being completely satisfied. This attitude is transferred to the team and will result in its members making a sustained collective effort to continually strive toward perfection. Over time, you will see your team play to its own standard rather than to the level of the competition.
4. Don’t allow excuses. Correct individuals but don’t allow any individual to give an excuse no matter how valid it may be.  It will undermine everything you are attempting to do.

Conclusion to “A Journey to the Heart of the Pyramid of Success”
After accepting the head coaching job at UCLA in 1948, John Wooden knew he didn’t have the talent to compete well in the Pac 8. He also knew, the sportswriters predicted his team would come in last. It is reported, when he addressed his team in the first team meeting, he told them, “I have never come in last in anything and I’m not going to start now.” What he did to make sure he was right was, get his team in better condition than any other team they faced, get them skilled at high speed, and play only those players than were eager to sacrifice self-glory for the benefit of the group. It worked. UCLA won the conference that year. Why? Because UCLA was in every game and put themselves in position to win. They won a few and lost a few but they never beat themselves.