Skip to main content

Loss of Focus

 I experienced my first coach failure, not that I haven't failed in the past as a coach but my first recognizable fail in that I should have succeeded but failed because I didn't know what was going wrong at the time. 

I come back to the unconscious incompetence, and how the team has achieved the move from UC to conscious incompetence. And as individual players, some have tried to move into a form of competence, this level of competence has created a false sense of confidence in skills necessary to "score."

As a team the move from UC to CI was fascinating and launched them into a realm of actually having fun, now the competitive individual ego is getting in the way of the desires of the team. As with my experience on the sidelines, not at the coach, a power player tries to take over and the rest of the team just watches as the one-man wrecking show battles it out. When I saw that happen, I too was struck by the effort, the grit of the individual and didn't want to stop the "momentum" little did I realize that momentum was such a negative on the rest of the team it would end up being unrecoverable for that game.

When all season, we have been working as a team, this was my UC, I had no idea what we were working on, I know that my goal is to create better individuals, and when I say that I don't even mean soccer, I mean work on proper mindset that equates to better effort. That I know and knew from the beginning, how to get there, the team had to show me, and then they gave me the gift of failure and my recognition, that a proper mindset starts with discipline, and last week the team showed no discipline, talking over each other, talking over the coaches, not doing what they were said, and both coaches chalked it up to I guess its just Wednesday. We were wrong, we as coaches need to re-address why we were there, get them in the right mindset before we did anything else. True the team was on fire the week earlier, and that "grittyness" carried on through practice, that was the beginning of my failure. I needed to recognize the team was playing and not working. There was even the comment made when asked why they were there, "because my dad paid for this" OUCH! I'm a volunteer babysitter. That sucks. I licked my wounds and instead of taking charge, I gave up. I let them just run around and play what they wanted to play as long as it had to do with soccer. 

Today I address my failures, accept my lashings, and get things back on track.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Psychology of Money: A Personal Insight

Recently, I had an experience that reshaped my understanding of the psychology of money. I took over a property management job where part of my payment came in physical cash, money previously directed to someone else for this task.  Most tenants paid digitally or by check, but one unit always paid in cash. Having that "management" fee/ maintenance fee tangible, in my hand, ignited a unique perspective. It wasn’t about the amount, but the form in which it arrived.  Sure, I could take a full-time job earning in excess of $10K a month. However, that wouldn’t necessarily change my life as it would only take more of my time, the one resource I can't regenerate.  Surprisingly, the extra $1K in cash monthly had a more significant impact, not because it was a windfall, but because it made me more mindful of my earnings. The physicality of cash and the process of earning it manually introduced a sense of value and respect for my work that was somewhat abstract before.  This p...
Post a Comment
Read more

Elk Hunt - Shakespearean style

In Meeker's vale, where mountains touch the skies, An alfalfa field before us calmly lies. Two hundred fifty elk, a sight to glean, To move unseen a task, nigh unforeseen. Our guide named Hugh, and Father by my side, We hunker down, in quiet we abide. At last I spot him—five by five, the bull, Amidst his kin, the scene is nearly full. A hundred thirty-eight yards separates, My steady aim on destiny debates. For three long minutes, in my sight he stays, But cow elk guard him, blocking aim and gaze. I dare adjust—alert, they bark and flee, My chance arrives, as if by fate's decree. The cows disperse, the bull steps forth alone, My rifle speaks; its aim and end are known. Down falls the bull, as twilight fades from view, Amidst the field and mountains' varied hue. A tale to pass, from elder unto youth, Of patience, skill, and undying truth.
Post a Comment
Read more

Off-Ball Coaching: The Unsung Hero of Teamwork in Sports and Business

Introduction We all admire the quarterback who throws the winning touchdown or the CEO who nails the game-changing deal. But what about the unsung heroes—the players or associates who operate "off-ball," setting the stage for that crucial moment of glory? In both sports and corporate settings, off-ball coaching is an essential but often overlooked aspect of success. It's not just about the person with the ball (or in charge); it's about the invisible machinery of teamwork, communication, and leadership that makes the winning play possible. The Crucial Role of Off-Ball Communication in Sports Soccer: Anticipating and Planning In soccer, it's not just about the player who has the ball; it's also about the other ten players who are continuously positioning themselves, making runs, or calling out marks. They're planning two, three, or four steps ahead to ensure smooth execution. - **Takeaway**: Just as in business, anticipation and planning can streamline acti...
Post a Comment
Read more