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I’m going to be honest. I completely agree with what Brian is doing.
The culture of the team is absolutely set from Day 1. Players and assistant coaches may know what you’re about when you step in, but unless the head coach puts his foot down and says this is how we are going to play then it’s easy for everything to fall apart.
It’s so important for each player to understand it’s about the team and not a bunch of individuals. There’s one philosophy that the coach sets in motion, not 11 different ones.
I thought it was awesome how Brian said he’ll do anything for the players. If the players know that their coach can help them both on and off the field (and actually do), then there is nothing they won’t do for him.
I also think it’s about creating a family. The closer the players are with each other and the head coach, the easier it is to work hard and do anything for the other. I believe this is something that isn’t created, let alone, believed in because it would be easier to buy players than create they culture necessary to win.
The players want to feel like they are a part of something greater than themselves and creating that culture can improve that area. Of course, the other side is that if certain players don’t buy into it, it can bring the team down. It’s up to the coach to pin-point that and get rid of any negativity or anyone with the attitude of “I’m bigger than the team.” If you can’t get rid of the player then it helps letting them know (or putting them in their place) they are just as much of an equal as the rest of the players.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by
Kyle Greeley.
As my old man says “Con ganas!” Loved the line about a professional relationship for 1.5 hours after stepping across the line; the rest of time will do anything for his players. Remember playing at that age and willing to walk through walls for my coach . . .Because I now coach much younger girls that include my daughters, curious to hear others’ experience in fostering sense of team, mission, soul that is age appropriate.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by
Rene Gonzalez.
I’m stealing it all!!!
It’s the message I’ve been trying to get through to the players.
How does everybody feel about getting that message across to your best player? Technically not tactically. (High School Senior)
Dress him down in front of the entire team if he keeps the me first attitude?
Address the issue privately letting him know in no uncertain terms how it’s going to be?
Let him know ahead of time that you might tear him up in front of the team and how you expect him to respond.
Sit him even though it might hurt the final result?
The team has potential to be great if he buys in, the rest of the boys will follow him.
Thoughts?
Kyle, 100%!
Culture, culture, culture. It’s no wonder that so many talk about ‘company culture’ in the business world. It’s so important.
But yeah, a sense of family is what we want to build.One of the challenges, is being able to balance the roles of both authoritarian and best friend.
And yes, a ‘cancerous’ player needs to be dealt with. We’ll always try to be patient and try to work with them, and bring them into the fold. But sometimes, for one reason or another, it doesn’t happen. And then it’s time to make a cut.
The great news is, that once a culture is established … any new player that’s recruited naturally works to adapt (a sort of peer pressure exists).
Con ganas Rene!
No doubt how one communicates to the group depends on age, gender, and level.Just hoping lots of us are trying to lean towards a culture of excellence, especially as the age group and level gets higher.
(then of course there’s establishing a proper culture with the parents of the group) But that’s another video … 🙂Steal! haha
I like it William!
Take all of it, adapt, and make it your own.As for your situation, that’s a tough one. And it’s hard to give advice without knowing everything.
Generally speaking, and from what I gather from your situation, we wouldn’t tear the player down – neither in front of the team, or in private.
What we generally do is try to form a real human relationship (not a master to servant one) with each individual.This is about leadership.
We want our players to follow us, because they want to follow us, not because it’s forced on them.I know, it’s tough. But it is doable. And I think in my opinion, a good place to start is with showing genuine empathy with the player, and building from there. Talk to him how important he is, and how much of a leader you’d like him to become.
If it’s just not working, then yes, it might be time for the bench.
Anyways, that’s what I’ve got for now …
Keep us posted.And it begins…
I think the harsh reality is that only the most amateur/recreational coach would fail to talk about hard work, commitment, family, etc. etc. These are only buzz words without the day in and day out art of leadership. In my opinion, what separates coaches and leaders when it comes to culture is their…
1. Self-awareness of philosophy and standards. Knowing what you believe, why you believe it, and being confident that it’s the right way to build a team.
2. Shaping ability. The art of when and how to confront a behavior that is unacceptable.
2. Energy level. Every time you confront an unacceptable behavior (attention, attitude, effort, etc.), it takes energy, and over the course of a session, season, or career coaches lose the energy necessary to enforce the standards in their culture. Everybody knows when they slip, and it erodes the team in many ways.
In my experience I’ve also found that adults in general tend to underestimate how perceptive children of all ages can be. Kids pick up on who is honest, who is acting and communicating in authentic ways, and who truly respects and values them for who they are and their role in the group. In fact I think many times they do this better than adults.
Brian said all the right things here, but I think much more valuable to judging his ability to build a certain type of culture is the opportunity to watch his players play. Clearly he has walked the walk with his other teams, and the smart money is on similar success with this group.
Hope the kids appreciate what they’ve got.
with desire! Ganas. One of my most favorite words from Jamie Escalante of Stand and Deliver.
Fantastic start with the team that should leave no doubts. I wonder if that could be replicated, anytime with any team at any time, to make a “fresh” start? I suspect so and wonder how many of you will do so? Yesterday is forgotten and starting now, we are excellent in all we do. Great in any occupation, not just futbol.
I was particularly impressed with, not only the permission for the team to levy criticism (from one player to another), but the directive NOT to counterpunch!! Take it as constructive: “wake up, this is unacceptable” (to paraphrase) AND because of the player’s work ethic on the team, he has cred to issue the criticism. I wish this was more true off the field for my parent life …
This is the most important part of building a team. It’s funny, a coach I work with is a massive Atleti fan and told me that in Cholo’s (In Spanish) autobiography the night before the game he would go into to the room of each player and tell them their role tomorrow and something to make them feel confident\motivated. It sounds simple enough, but what is the message he is trying to send to his players? 1. I care about you. 2. I want you to succeed and this is what I think is your best chance at doing it. 3. I’m here for you, not just as a player but as a person.
Final result? A season full of players who would sacrifice absolutely anything to succeed. Also, despite Arda speaking little to zero Spanish he absolutely loves Cholo and has stated it many times in public.
Mourinho once said the hardest part about being a manager was bringing together a group of people from totally different cultures and have them committed to the same goal.
Watching Brian’s youngest team over the last couple of years I have always found this to be the fundacion.
The players are in it together, they hunt like savages to win the ball back and have a team first, individual second mentality.Setting the culture and the environment you expect starts in training . Every single minute of training! I was just talking about this with 1 of the other coaches in our club that we need relay this to our teams on DAY 1!!
One thing that stood out was Brian looking at every person in the eyes and demanding the same in return. I have my 5 year old rec team show me their attention by looking at my eyes. It is such a huge component of focus and communication when attempting to establish the culture. We had the Academy Director of Club Brugge in Belgium do a symposium for our club and the 1st thing he had on his slides was the motto/culture of their program. “We want strong, hungry, determined assassins on the field!”
I saw a video on youtube a year or so ago where a grassroots club from somewhere, I think it might have been Denmark, arrived in Barcelona to spend a weekend receiving training from Barca coaches. They didn’t speak Spanish or Catalan and the coaches didn’t speak their language so everyone was trying to communicate in English. There was one drill where the main coaching points were essentially pass to the back foot and check back to the ball, or as the Barca coach described it ” lie to the defender”. After a couple of minutes of misplaced passes and lazy running the coach stopped the drill and told them in no uncertain terms, ” If you do as I tell you to do and you make a mistake no problems that is why we practice but if you do what you want to do then we have problems, do as I tell you to do ! ” Just because these kid had paid their way out for a fun soccer trip was not going to stop the coaches from demanding effort, intensity and focus, the gold standard. I as a coach learned a lot from that video and I am finding that what I am getting most out of this coaching program is not the drills or the game footage. It is listening to Brian. His speech to the U 18’s ,his half time talk to the U 14’s and even how he spoke to the kids in Seattle. Always asking for accountability ,reminding the kids to stay focused. Allowing for mistakes but not allowing a drop in intensity. The team that I have just finished coaching was always inconsistent with poor training habits. I used to think it was their fault, I now realize that it was mine.
This was a a huge thing I saw in the U14 full match that was posted earlier! The U14’s were so focused and into it the game and Brian and the style and how they were doing and I LOVED THAT. A team focused and committed to the cause is essential. Everyone needs to be on the same page. I think that within setting this culture includes a coaches responsibility to be forward and honest with their players. Stated above: where you are the coach and best friend.
We see these examples with players of Jose Mourinho and Co who their ex-players say they would kill or die for their manager. That’s the culture, total commitment from coach to players.
I thought that video was brilliant and it couldn’t of been said better. Team culture needs to be defined, expectations need to be set/understood, and players need to know that you are human. I love the “professional relationship for hour and half at practice” and that you’ll be there for them anytime before or after. Great stuff
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This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by
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