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| Individual Differences |
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| by Coach Doug Reese, TTNL Sports Network |
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| One of the biggest mistakes a coach can make is to believe he must treat all of his or her athletes the same... |
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| Coaches are hired to win - not to make everyone happy or give everyone equal time, money, or resources. Every athlete must be given support and encouragement. But to believe that everyone must receive the same treatment is not only realistic, but also destructive. When all athletes are treated and compensated the same, poor or mediocre performance is being rewarded the same as outstanding contributions by the best players.
Great coaches give opportunities, resources, and playing time according to the players' past performance. The greater the performer, the greater the opportunity. When you have an athlete like Michael Jordan, you want to put the ball in his hands as often as possible.
There will be times you aren't sure about an athlete's performance level because you haven't had the time to observe him enough. This is especially true when you have a rookie or new player on your squad. When that happens, give the athlete frequent, but small opportunities, and try to vary the opportunities as much as possible. If you do, you will soon be able to determine their caliber of play, and that will show you how to respond.
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| Copyright © 2000-2004, TTNL Sports Network |
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