It has been said that athletics is a great developer and teacher of character. There is a great deal of truth in that statement, but it also is a great revealer of character. I’m sure there are numerous examples that come to mind when you think of high profile
What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player –
John Wooden
athletes, in the professional, collegiate and the high school ranks with regard to this both positively and negatively.
With that being said, what is it that would seem to be the most important lesson for a coach to give any athlete an opportunity to walk away with from his particular program at the end of the season? I believe that it is
Direction.
There are multiple “pieces of the puzzle” that come to mind. There are multiple topics for discussion with this type of list that would make it a wonderful topic of discussion without even touching a number of key components.
As a coach, it is always a breath of fresh air for me to take a look at the team as we start at the beginning. The first day of pre-season is always a great time to see where players are after they have had time off from the season before, as well as seeing the new players arriving with anticipation in their eyes. Even at this point of the journey, I’m mindful of the final resting place where we want our season to end. What shape will it take for us on our journey to the end of the season, what areas of disappointment, hopeful exuberance, individual player and team growth, as well as growth for me at key points of the season!
In this particular case, I believe that each season, the coach needs to hand each athlete individually, the team corporately and the program ultimately…direction. This is the lesson that needs to be given! This could also be looked at as PLAN, but for me I believe the word direction best describes this process.
Direction is defined as “a course along which someone or something moves.” A second definition is “the management or guidance of someone or something.” Both of these describe very well not only the athletes and team, but also the coach. As well, the word itself denotes action, as it implies movement. Let’s be honest about this, simply because something is in motion does not mean it is a quality motion. There are certainly times when the direction of a team needs a complete overhaul, but typically it needs to tweaked to start a season and sometimes in mid-stride. This means the coach is responsible for pointing the players, team and the entire program (especially related to multiple levels in a high school setting) in the right direction to accomplish what is best in all these areas. Ultimately, it is the coach who needs to guide the course where the players and team are moving.
This “direction” takes on numerous shapes. Rather than list all that come to mind, let’s list some key features that will ALL play into the one lesson of direction the players should leave with when they depart the program.
First, it is a planned direction prior to athletes coming in contact with coaches on the first day of pre-season.
As a staff, coaches should have absolutely had some specific conversations about returning players, their new/adjusted role for this season and who should be the leadership of the team. As well, there should be some clear dialogue after the first day about newcomers to the program.
Second, START with a specific plan on day one of pre-season.
Not just for the day, but for the pre-season and finally the whole season. It takes multiple forms here, as well, but we can limit it to conditioning and “regaining” our basic sport-specific motor skills from last season during the pre-season to developing team chemistry worthy of becoming champions.
Third, there needs to be a vision communicated to the players individually and corporately for the season…
once you know your personnel. What can be accomplished in the short term and what steps are being taken to reach the final season outcome are areas to address with the coaching staff, as well, while the season is in process.
Fourth, there must be a plan for those who improve during the season,
whether expected or surprisingly. How do you continue to develop them for their future and the team and programs’ future? The players who are making improvement need to be “clued in” that their improvement is being noticed by the staff.
Fifth, there must be a plan in place for the moment the season ends. 
There is so much effort and energy that goes into directing full season for the players, team and program. The greatest difficulty is when it ends so abruptly at the final game…have a plan in place of how you want to console, congratulate and continue on from that point forward. It can be a short and sweet process right then, but can be expanded at the season-end awards banquet.
Finally, the players ultimately and the team/program, as well, MUST come out of your program as better people and players than when they entered the program. This should be a true statement whether they are with you for only a season or for a multi-year career. Good character is clearly an outcome that we desire in all our athletes when they leave, not just a demonstration of it on the field and the court.
All of these “pieces of the puzzle” fit into the direction of the team. The big key is in how all of this is communicated to the players. Primarily it is done as a group at the start of the season and then demonstrated verbally and by the actions of the coach on a daily basis individually. What it means is that the players, team, program and the coaching staff are all aligned toward accomplishing one goal as an entire unit with a singular purpose as they all move in the same direction.
Matthew McLachlan
Matt McLachlan is entering his 29th season as a soccer coach with history as a collegiate head coach in multiple sports, & from the USSF holds a D License working toward his C License in 2016 with the STMA United Soccer Club in Minnesota where he holds the position of Technical Director for the U13+ teams for both boys and girls.
As a high school head coach, Matt has had the good fortune of wining a boys state championship in Michigan in 1996, as well as a number of conference championships in Minnesota while coaching in Andover en route to 200 wins as a high school coach.
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