Discipline is crucial for all success
“Discipline isn’t always joyful,
but what life is joyful without discipline?”
Discipline.
That mere word conjures up plenty of negative images — screaming, running suicides, sitting the bench, suspensions.
You know what, coaches and parents? It’s our fault that it’s become such a dirty word.
We’ve been confused. And I think we may be confusing a new generation of young athletes.
But that can all change today.
Discipline is good. Discipline is profitable. Show me any great athlete — any successful person, for that matter — and I’ll show you a disciplined soul.
Show me a guy on the street corner hanging out. Show me a guy who blames his lack of success on his coach or his teachers. Show me a player with tons of God-given ability who never “made it” and I can tell you in a word what he’s lacking.
Discipline.
FOR PLAYERS
So, if discipline really isn’t a bad word, then what does it really mean?
Ironically, the most reviled/loved coach in American basketball history — a coach who arguably never learned to discipline himself — delivered what I consider to be the truest definition of the word. And I think you’ll agree with Bob Knight as well: “Discipline is doing what has to be done, doing it as well as you can do it, doing it when it has to be done, and doing it that way all the time.”
That’s it. That’s discipline. So, what does that look like for a player?
It means getting your proper rest the night before a game.
It means eating properly and staying hydrated throughout the season.
It means tackling your homework instead of scrolling through Instagram or Twitter.
It means pulling the ball back out and setting up the offense if you’re in the midst of a 1 on 4 “fastbreak.”
It means looking for your man and boxing out instead of just jumping up for a rebound.
It means staying in your area of the zone and not trying to play two positions.
It means always focusing on the next play — no matter what just happened.
And it could mean the difference between a starting spot and a seat on the bench.
FOR COACHES
It means creating a practice plan with goals for your next session. Never hit the floor or the field without a plan in place.
It means staying true to that plan as much as possible. If you’re kids aren’t getting a concept after 20 minutes, chances are an additional 15 minutes won’t help either. Move on.
It means you or an assistant coach observes and jots down things to work on during your next practice while you are competing in a game. When it comes to creating your next practice, there’s nothing better than observing your players and learning what they need to improve.
It means teaching. Your official title is “Coach,” but you are a teacher. Your classroom is the field or the court. Encourage. Lead. Inspire. Teach.
It means staying in control. I know ESPN loves to show Nick Saban slamming his head phones to the ground, Knight tossing a chair and Tom Izzo going nose-to-nose with one of his players as he screams in his face. But is that really “coaching?” Or just a lack of self-control?
Sure, their records are impeccable, but is there is a chance these coaches could have done some great teaching in prior practices that we’ll never see? Teaching that was done thoroughly and thoughtfully, where players were challenged to come up with solutions?
We tend to equate Saban slamming his headphones with a 14-0 record and a national title. But is that really the truth? My guess is that it was simply a momentary loss of control — hours after much of his teaching had been completed at practice.
Whether good or bad, most young coaches learn their craft in a couple of ways — from coaches they’ve had and from watching college and pro coaches on TV.
If you really want to watch Saban or Krzyzewski or Dabo Swinney coach, ask to attend a practice or purchase a DVD. You’ll get a much more complete picture.
FOR PARENTS
It means showing some restraint. Our children have enough to think about during a game, so they don’t need to hear us screaming on the sideline. Cheering and encouraging? Now that’s a different story.
It means allowing cool-down time. On the drive home from a game, give your kid some time to decompress before going over missed shots, broken tackles and any other situations. I know you can’t stop thinking about the game, but ask yourself this question: Are you dwelling on your own frustration and embarrassment? Or is it legitimate concern for your athlete?
It means supporting your child’s coach. Unless the coach is lazy or abusive, there are few reasons to question her. Especially at the high school level. Coaches aren’t stupid. They want to keep their jobs, so they are going to play the best players and put them in the best positions to win games. Just like you would do.
It means comparing your child’s skills with ... your child’s skills. Please don’t compare your kid’s ability with the neighbor boy’s. You are setting yourself up for lots of heartache and rebellion in the future. Every player has been given different gifts to use. Your job is to make sure your kid is always hustling, always being a leader and always being a good teammate. The rest will take care of itself.
Turn it around for a moment. What if your child were always comparing you to Jimmy’s parents? Fair?
The human body and performance are not cookie-cutter. Every child is an athlete. Every child can become a better athlete. But not every athlete is alike.
That said, there is something that sets apart the best from the rest. And if you guessed “discipline,” you’re well on your way to success.
See you at the top.