5 Points for Success in Sports

1. FUN. The idea that sports should be fun does not minimize all the other thoughts people have about sports. Probably the number one principle to success of any kind comes down to how much joy and fun the person is experiencing. It is impossible to do your best performance if you are not having fun. Having fun does not mean people are not held accountable. It is the opposite. When people are held accountable they know where they stand and can anticipate that they will be treated fairly. When people are clear about the rules and where they stand, they can let their guard down and have fun.
2. GRIT. The convergence of resilience and hard work coming together to produce a no-quit, I-can-do-it mindset and attitude. What most coaches forget is that for an athlete to spend hours, missing out on family and friend activities, the athlete is resilient. The determination to keep pushing, daily, weekly, and yearly demonstrates a fortitude that when met with hard work, success is inevitable.
3. POSITIVITY. This does not just mean people are walking around whistling dixie. It means that there is Zero Drama. This point means that the players, parents, and coaches are operating from a place where drama of any kind will not be tolerated. If it shows it needs to be addressed immediately to the point that it is removed.
4. GREAT CAPTAIN LEADERSHIP. This is one of the most important points. Team leaders or Captains are an extension of the coaches. They must exemplify all the characteristics that the coaches have to create the culture that they want. Team leaders do this by example on the field or court and they reinforce this with their words and actions. They need to know when to pick up a teammate and when to call them out. The respect they have to call another teammate out is earned with time not just because they have the title of a leader or captain.
5. GOOD COACHING. Transformational coaching is the core of great coaching. Having a clear purpose statement with actions that are born out of the four questions:
   1. Why do I coach?
   2. Why do I coach the way that I coach?
   3. How does it feel to my athletes to be coached by me?
   4. What is my definition of success outside of the score?
      This along with an emphasis on spiritual integration is the key to transformational coaching.