January 2021 - 12

IRON SHARPENS IRON
forged in the
CRUCIBLE OF COACHING
By Ken Mannie, columnist
For the past 45 years, I've had the honor of being called
" coach. " It represents more than a title or job description, it
was a way of life that was rewarding in so many ways - and
endearing on a daily basis.
The most influential people in my life were coaches,
going back to my days as a sub-100 pound football player at
St. Peter's Elementary in Steubenville, Ohio. Even though
they were all volunteer coaches, their love and passion for
what they did was always on display. No, they were not
necessarily the best strategists or ultra-technique savvy,
but they put their best foot forward and coached us with
enthusiasm and love.
As a coach, you are responsible for so many different, yet
interwoven variables for each team member, and certainly
the team as a whole. Working through them on a daily basis,
implementing them at the right time, and making needed
changes as you go will prove to be your crucible - one that
is ongoing, and more enjoyable than it may sound.
Let's look at just a couple of examples:
Developing a Culture
Before you attempt to develop a culture, it might be a good
idea to define it. There are enough definitions out there,
but the one that always hit me square in the jaw was simply
this: " Culture is defined by the behavior of those within
that culture. " And this holds true for every single person
involved - from the top down. If the behavior is good - or, at
least acceptable - a decent culture is probably evident. Flip
that other way and, well, you can see that the culture will
probably be flipped, as well. Make no mistake, this culture
thing is a team effort...and it is a daily effort. Having a great
culture is not a sometimes proposition... you don't have a
great culture " sometimes! " Sure, mistakes will be made, but
knowing how - and having the willingness - to right the
ship can mend any wound.
And when mistakes are made, your approach to
correcting them is crucial.
Allow me to make a suggestion here: When an athlete
makes a mistake and violates some aspect of your team
culture, remember that the first words and last words in the
conversation are the ones he/she will most likely remember
the most.
Mine were as follows: I would start with, " I love you like
a son, and that's why we need to have this discussion. It
would end with, " You're better than that, and I know you'll
make a better decision the next time you're faced with
something like this. "
10 JANUARY 2021
Here's an important cue for developing the culture you seek:
Confronting and Demanding Excellence
Sounds a little over-the-top, I know...but in reality, it's
what your team wants. It's not a negative - on the contrary,
it's very much a positive attribute that you need to push
forward. Your players are not interested in mediocrity; the
average is not what they signed up for, is it? Nor did you or
your staff, for that matter. Now, there are right ways and
wrong ways of approaching this axiom.
The goal is confidence building. And confidence will
permeate each team member, and ultimately, the entire
team, when it's worked on methodically from the aspects of
strength/conditioning, skill development, personal/mental
health development, community service awareness and
participation, film study, etc., and developing standards that
everyone involved is expected to uphold.
A clarification on " standards. " They are not goals, per se,
but rather tone setters for how the team conducts its daily
business. Goals - regardless if they are short or long-term
in nature - are somewhere down the road. They are very
important to set, write down, and work towards, but they
in the future. Standards on the other hand are right here,
right now, in front of us every single day. And it's really not a
totally successful day unless we abide by them. Hard work,
best efforts, mental and physical toughness, always learning
something, treating others with respect at all times, being
there for each other in times of need, etc., are all examples of
standards, and there are so many more. Develop standards
for your team. Better yet, work shoulder to shoulder with your
team in developing those standards. They will tend to buy-in
and take ownership of the standards that they have invested
in. And, most importantly, there must be consequences for
not upholding the standards. Within reason, of course, as the
" punishment must fit the crime,' so to speak. After all, is it
truly a standard if it's permissible to violate it? Standard is a
powerful word, and the only way for it to maintain its integrity
is to keep it perched on a high level of respect.
Forged in the crucible of coaching is a journey. Enjoy it ...
embrace it!
I urge you to stay strong, stay in the fight, and to keep
making an impact on young people!
Ken Mannie is the former head strength and conditioning
coach for Michigan State University. He worked at the
position for 25 years, and following his 45-year tenure,
Mannie retired in March 2020.
January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2021
