Find a way...

At the end of every season, UCLA coach John Wooden would sit down with his coaches, pore over his statistics for the season, talk with his players and come up with this question: "What do I need to get better at?"

It might have been in bound plays, it might have been isolation sets or maybe just how he interacted with players in certain situations. In the era before the cell phone and internet, Wooden would write letters, make calls, drive to camps to watch other coaches and discuss the things Wooden thought they were better at then him. He would take these ideas and changes, put them into his upcoming season and then do it all again the next summer, win or lose. 

For most of us, our seasons are over. 

What do you need to get better at? 

Can you sit down objectively and make a list of the things you did well and the things you did not? If you DO make that list, show it to your assistant or head coaches for their honest feedback. Show it to your club director, mentor or coaching friends. Show it to your players as they are the ones that will have the best feedback for you.

It can be scary to be examined like this. Your defensive hackles will rise up, your excuses will pour out of you- we are, after all, human. But what can you do to make this exercise work? If you struggle with taking criticism or compliments, do it through text or e mail. If you can handle it in person, it is much more pure and free of interpretation. But find the way to get the information and feedback and then act upon it.

There are thousands of coaching books- most of them on tape as well. There are more podcasts now than books in the New York Public Library- many volleyball pods. But also, coaching pods, sports psych pods, motor learning pods, etc.

If you don't have coaching friends, make some. Talk to some higher level coaches and ask for advice. Ask to take them to lunch or coffee and pick their brain. Find a team you liked and admired from last season that did the things well that you didn't and talk to that coach. 

Find a way.

Like many coaches, some sharks must keep swimming and moving forward or they will drown and die. Coach, either start your journey or continue it, but being a life long learner is paramount to coaching success. 

As always, our most important coaching tool is the mirror. Look inside- what can you get better at?