More Playing the Game
My experience has shown that generally great athletes do not make great coaches. They often lack insights into the little things, the nuances, the average athlete must do to excel. What I have seen is they tend to coach the way they think they played the game. I think that the athlete who had to scrape and struggle and find out what they had to do to succeed carries that into their coaching. They find a way; they tend to be more empathetic to the athlete who is not as gifted. The fate of teams is often determined, not by the superstar but by the supporting cast. Remember the world is run by C students.
posted by Vern Gambetta @ 4/20/2007 04:55:00 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Vern,
Take a look at Michael Jordan! Then there is always Larry Bird, Danny Ainge, etc..
There are many examples both ways but I have to agree the ones that got by on sheer athletic talent alone do not make good coaches or announcers.
MJ coached?
You only told me one lie, you said there will be another Larry Bird. There will never ever be another Larry Bird. -Magic
Birds Coaching stats
98: 58-24 Runner up
99: 33-17 Runner up
00: 56-26 Conference champions
Larry had to work very hard, played very smart and enjoy playing cribbage.
so I don't sound like just a reporter. I think Larry Bird is a great example
How would Larry Bird be trained today and why? With all that instinctive ability, drive and raw passion. Would a sb chest press, oly. lift, or bridge be on the menu?
I think Larry said something along the lines of; Your going to pay me how much to play basketball. Today it's more like "that's it"!
As a player you know your position, not necessarily the ins and outs of the whole team. You must know the game completely to be a great coach.
Massage Chair Relief
Vern
Interesting to look at some exceptions to that general rule.
Two that stand out here in Australia are Rick Charlesworth and Leigh Matthews.
You've mentioned Rick Charlesworth before - regarded as the world's best hockey (field) player for nearly 10 years before coaching the Austalian women's hockey team: Champion's Trophy in 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999; World Cup in 1994, 1998; Olympic Gold 1996, 2000
Leigh Matthews was voted "Player of the Century" in Austalian Rules Football before coaching Collingwood to a Premiership in 1990 and the Brisbane Lions to 3 consecutive premierships in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
Great players and great coaches.
You'll probably meet Leigh Matthews when you're in Brisbane for the "Evolution of the Athlete" Conference?
Rob
You do not have to be at the professional level to be an effective sport coach or conditioning coach.
You do not have to play the game at the professional level to be an effective sport coach or conditioning coach.
BUT...
You do need to learn the sport/game mechanism.
You do need to understand mechanism of the sport/game.
TC
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