by Coach Czes (as appeared in TimeOut Magazine's 2011 Convention Issue http://bit.ly/ht3zdz)
(Re-posted by popular demand on August 15, 2011)
This year’s Final Four marks the 10-year anniversary of an epiphany in my coaching journey. I was attending the NABC Convention at the Final Four as a young college assistant eager to make my mark. I had been in coaching for all of about 5 years, so naturally I knew EVERYTHING I needed to know about the profession! Between clinics I stopped in a TV lounge and watched an interview with Coach John Wooden in which he said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” Those words struck a chord in my brain and resonated throughout my body. Here was a man, who I was certain had forgotten more about basketball and coaching than I knew, talking about how he continued to learn and develop as a coach.
At the very next clinic I sat behind a man with a binder full of notes that looked like it was about to bust at the seams. He was feverishly writing throughout the entire clinic, hanging on every word uttered by the speaker. As I walked out of the clinic, I glanced back to see that it was Coach Don Meyer still sitting there finishing up his note taking. I was floored. I had just witnessed two of the greatest legends in our profession in action, and they were concerned with learning more about the game!
I am eternally grateful to have had this experience so early in my career, but it is never too late to get started! Here are five great ways to work on developing yourself as a coach no matter how experienced you are:
