One of our colleagues with Nations of Coaches is Rob Ely at Marshall University in West Virginia (USA). He is serving several teams on that campus and he recently shared one resource he uses in preseason preparations with Marshall Softball. It is a set of questions he uses in one on one meetings with each player (about 30 minutes each) at a local Dunkin Donuts shop.
Also below is another form used by our colleague, John Ryberg with Men's Basketball at the University of Alabama at Huntsville (Chargers). He also uses it in preseason to build relationships for himself, the coaching staff, and the other players.
You can obviously adapt the questions to your team and sport, but the brilliance in this is that it asks questions on multiple levels and gets to the players’ hearts. It equips the character coach and the coaching staff with some great information they won’t normally uncover otherwise. I hope it is of value to you.
Marshall University Softball: Pre-Season Interview 2021
Name: Year:
Home: Major:
Who is your “thunder buddy?” (accountability partner)
Why do you play softball?
Tell me about your family:
Where are you most at peace?
What causes you the most stress?
How do I know when you are stressed?
What can others do to help you with stress?
How can I specifically help you?
What does success look like for you?
Introduction activity: Pick a card that had 4 descriptions on it: Parents, Best Friend, Roommate, High School Coach. If that person was sitting here, how would they introduce you to me?
How do you handle conflict?
Not a specific person, but what causes the most conflict with you?
Complete this statement…”If you really knew me, you would know….”
What is your perfect day?
What is challenge you would like to overcome?
Charger Profile for: _________________________________ Date: ______
Nick Name:_______________________ Date of Birth:_______________
Campus Address:
Home Address:
Cell Phone Number:
College Major: Master’s Degree Study:
Parent or Guardian:
Basketball: Righty Lefty Both
Most developed skill: Skill I want to develop:
How do you feel about the game of basketball?
It is better than frisbee. It is paying for my education. I like it and I am willing. I love it and I am eager. I can’t get enough. Give me the grind. What else is there?
What is your favorite part of being a Charger Basketball Player?
What is your least favorite part of being a Charger Basketball Player?
Best Coach before UAH: Why?
Best teammate ever: Why?
Favorites:
Food: Beverage: Candy:
Music Genre: Musical Artist:
Color: Movie:
Most recent injury: Recurring or nagging injury:
Describe your personality in three adjectives:
How have you been sleeping the last two weeks? Poorly Okay Very Well
How many hours of sleep are you getting on average each night?
What time do you usually: Go to sleep? Get out of bed?
What is your current stress level on a scale of 1 to 10?
Circle your answer? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
How do you feel about academics?
Help! What are academics? I have to go to class. At least there are attractive students in some of my classes. I am willing, I like learning. I am eager, I live to study. I put the Student in student athlete.
Describe your biggest goal/life dream in two sentences:
Briefly describe your spiritual life:
I _________________________ give permission for this information to be shared with the team only. Signature: _____________________________
Friday, October 22, 2021
Friday, October 15, 2021
Zoominar - Take Care of Yourself
Marla Butterworth of FCA and I recently hosted a Zoominar titled, “Take Care of Yourself.” The focus was on how sports chaplains and character coaches can take care of their own mental health while caring for others, especially when our normal ways are disrupted by lockdowns, etc. It was quite good and is now available as video on YouTube or audio only as a podcast. Links to both are just below. Our guests were: Aaron Fuller (Chaplain with extensive research and work in resiliency/self-care) and Ross Georgiou (Global Sports Chaplaincy and Major Sports Events Chaplaincy) help us understand how to better care for ourselves while caring for others.
We pray these resources are valuable to you and all you serve.
YouTube recording - https://youtu.be/_UeoCv7X4PM
Podcast recording - https://serviceinsport.buzzsprout.com/1844792/9362442-take-care-of-yourself-self-care-for-sports-chaplains-and-character-coaches
This outline was contributed by Ross Georgiou. BEST TEAM – You, God, Others
Be generous: Love others and show your acts of kindness. John 15:12
Exercise and get the endorphins flowing. Sweat. (Me and mountain biking)
Show yourself grace – you have a gracious God. 1 John 1:9 … he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins…
Talk and share with others, but maintain confidences.
Time: Reduce time from long term to the here and now. Take each day at a time and celebrate victories.
Engage: Connect with friends, families and support networks including other chaplains, coaches, counsellors, (Luke 10- going out in twos, reporting back).
Ask for Help: From God, from Others (Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you).
Manage your thoughts. Don’t give fuel to negative thoughts. Limit bad news – newspaper, social media. Fill yourself with HIS thoughts – Psalms etc.
Resources utilized by Aaron or Ross:
Books:
Sports Chaplaincy: Trends, Issues, and Debates, Andrew Parker, (Editor)
Chosen Suffering: Becoming Elite In Life and Leadership by Tom Ryan
Pastor in a Secular Age: Ministry to People who no longer need a God by Andrew Root
Podcasts:
The Daily Stoic with Ryan Holiday
New Time Religious with Andrew Root
Wrestling Changed my Life Podcast
Unlocking Us with Brene Brown
Apps:
Provider Resilience (Defense Health Agency)
ACT Coach (Dept of VA)
Mindfulness Coach (Dept of VA)
Other:
Whoop (www.whoop.com),
Oura Ring (www.ouraring.com)
Article: The Importance of Self Care Planning During Coronavirus (attached)
Friday, October 1, 2021
Pyramid of Success Discussions
You may be aware of Coach John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success (pictured below). It is a graduated set of values Coach Wooden developed and taught across his long and storied career coaching college basketball in the USA. His remarkable success across many years wins his ideas a hearing among coaches, Christian or not. Coach Wooden was a highly committed believer as well, and we can certainly see Biblical values in the Pyramid.
In past seasons I have used the Pyramid and its values as topics for discussion with players, and I am now leading a series of discussions with our college Men’s Basketball coaching staff. Below are a sampling of the questions I ask to facilitate discussion. Each session lasts about twenty minutes and is concluded by my praying with them. This is simple, easy, and effective. I hope it’s of value to you and those you serve.
Head coaching record
College basketball
|
Statistics overview |
||||||||
|
Season |
Team |
Overall |
Conference |
Standing |
Postseason |
|||
|
Indiana
State Sycamores (Indiana
Intercollegiate Conference) (1946–1948) |
||||||||
|
1946–47 |
Indiana
State |
17–8 |
5–2 |
1st |
||||
|
1947–48 |
27–7 |
7–0 |
1st |
|||||
|
Indiana State: |
44–15
(.746) |
12–2
(.857) |
||||||
|
UCLA Bruins[30] (Pacific Coast
Conference) (1948–1959) |
||||||||
|
22–7 |
10–2 |
1st (South) |
||||||
|
24–7 |
10–2 |
1st (South) |
||||||
|
19–10 |
9–4 |
T–1st (South) |
||||||
|
19–12 |
8–4 |
1st (South) |
||||||
|
16–8 |
6–6 |
3rd (South) |
||||||
|
18–7 |
7–5 |
2nd (South) |
||||||
|
21–5 |
11–1 |
1st (South) |
||||||
|
22–6 |
16–0 |
1st |
||||||
|
22–4 |
13–3 |
T–2nd |
||||||
|
16–10 |
10–6 |
3rd |
||||||
|
16–9 |
10–6 |
T–3rd |
||||||
|
UCLA Bruins[30] (Pacific-8 Conference) (1959–1975) |
||||||||
|
14–12 |
7–5 |
2nd |
||||||
|
18–8 |
7–5 |
2nd |
||||||
|
18–11 |
10–2 |
1st |
||||||
|
20–9 |
8–5 |
T–1st |
||||||
|
30–0 |
15–0 |
1st |
||||||
|
28–2 |
14–0 |
1st |
||||||
|
18–8 |
10–4 |
2nd |
||||||
|
30–0 |
14–0 |
1st |
||||||
|
29–1 |
14–0 |
1st |
||||||
|
29–1 |
13–1 |
1st |
||||||
|
28–2 |
12–2 |
1st |
||||||
|
29–1 |
14–0 |
1st |
||||||
|
30–0 |
14–0 |
1st |
||||||
|
30–0 |
14–0 |
1st |
||||||
|
26–4 |
12–2 |
1st |
||||||
|
28–3 |
12–2 |
1st |
||||||
|
UCLA: |
620–147[3] (.808) |
300–67
(.817) |
||||||
|
Total: |
664–162 (.804) |
|
||||||
- With whom have you played or coached who was a great example of this?
- Why would Coach Wooden find this so important?
- What attitudes and behaviors build this characteristic?
- What attitudes and behaviors tear it down?
- How do you coach so as to develop this trait in your players?
- Who among your present players is a good model of this? How and when would we see it?
- How can you build this characteristic into your coaching?
- How do you build this into your relationships with coaching colleagues, support staff, and family?
I hope Coach Wooden’s Pyramid leads you to success with your coaching staff, builds relationships, and opens hearts to our Savior.