General Traits of Most Successful Coaches


  • They have an excellent understanding of tactics but they have the ability to synthesize complex ideas into simple concepts easily understood by their players.

  • They possess outstanding communication skills which are used both to express clearly team and individual player objectives and roles but also the sense to listen to players with respect but not necessarily letting rudder the ship.

  • They have the ability to get everyone on the same page and realizing that the sum of all the individual parts are greater than any individual part alone.

  • They use words cautiously and judiciously when communicating within team members and with all the people who interact and serve the team from outside the immediate team family.

  • They have a steely will, unfettered determination to everything possible to prepare the team to win, and fortitude under duress when the team isn't going well.

  • They can remain in control of their emotions under pressure and have the ability to make quick strong decisions based on previous experience, the team's capabilities, and confidence in their players in given situations. 

  • They have an excellent grasp of teaching both team and individual fundamentals   knowing how to build skills and provide simple but effective feedback which gives players confidence in their coaching abilities.  

  • They come to practice and games organizationally well prepared including scouting reports, practicing skills which are relevant to the teams most  critical needs or upcoming opponents and ready to implement and execute team concept in all game situations.    

  • They have the ability to see external influences that can pull energy and focus from the teams performance and assign capable people to deal with these influences to reduce their affect if not handling it themselves.    

  • They take care of their bodies and mind by getting enough rest, get help when and where needed, and interact with their staff to get the accumulation of the best experiential resources and ideas, so that they bring their best performance to work each day and for every game.

  • They are excellent at evaluating players capabilities and being objective about putting them into positions where they can use their strength yet limit the exposure of individual weaknesses to produce optimal team performance.  

  • They are concerned about their players as people and their lives both on and off the court but not to the point where this concern works negatively toward overall team performance.  They do however recognize when a persons individual welfare must take a higher priority than team especially when it comes to family or health matters because of their lasting affect on a players ability to perform.     










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