coaching philosophy 

“What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player.” - John Wooden

The core of my coaching philosophy has nothing to do with winning and everything to do with compassion. I firmly believe that winning is a byproduct of good coaching and good coaching is a byproduct of leading with compassion. I wholeheartedly support a people first, athletes second mentality. Above all else, I hope my athletes leave my program with increased self-esteem, confidence, and interpersonal skills. 

John Wooden literally wrote the book (or, rather, the pyramid) on how to find success. This was something he developed in the hopes of becoming a better teacher. Wooden’s definition of success is “peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable” (TED Talk, John Wooden). This was also something he utilized as a coach. He considered every practice session to be an opportunity for daily improvement. Wooden never talked to his players about winning, instead, he viewed winning as a byproduct of good practice. He cared about who his athletes were as people first, athletes second.

I wholeheartedly agree with Coach Wooden’s philosophy on success and winning. I will care about my students as people first and students (or athletes) second. I want my athletes to find a role in which they can find success. I want to help increase their self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-confidence. I care more about how they treat the other players on the court, and the manner in which they conducted themselves, rather than how well they executed a skill or play.