November/December 2020 - 28

40 UNDER 40 pe rspe ctive s
40 UNDER 40
PERSPECTIVE
People over Performance
By Nick Mascioli, Second Baptist School (TX), Director of Athletic Performance
I have been fortunate enough to
be in the field of athletics for the
past seven years. It has created an
avenue for me to pursue a full-time
career, perform meaningful work,
and help impact student-athletes
regularly. I can honestly say that I
wake up every morning in disbelief
that I get to do this for a living.
There is no other job I would rather have. I will also be the
first one to tell you that I have made many mistakes as a
coach along the way, and I plan on making a multitude more
as the years go on. Failures have made me the coach that I
am today, and if you don't embrace the reality of failure, you
will ultimately become stagnant as a coach.
Early in my days of coaching (and I still am in these early
days), I wanted to learn everything I could about the science
of strength and conditioning. Biomechanics, Krebs Cycle,
Henneman Size Principle, Action Potentials - you name
it - I wanted to memorize it all. And that's a good thing,
right? I mean, physical preparation coaches should know
the ins and outs of performance. Science drives our field
and should be a 100 percent guide or programming for our
athletes. But as I continued my conquest of becoming a
great strength coach, I realized there was a huge piece of
the puzzle that I wasn't paying attention to - building the
total person, in addition to building the total athlete.
A lot of it stemmed from me seeing disparity with
certain athletes I was working with, even when I thought
I was giving them programs with good methodology and
precision, with the right sets, the right load, the right
intensity, the proper accessory exercises. But for some of
them, I would see great improvement and translation to
their sport, while others just didn't get better. There was
an easy answer: the athletes that were the most consistent,
disciplined, and attention to detail got better, while the less
disciplined didn't see the same success.
I am going to say something that some people might not
understand: Creating Better People as a Coach is More
Important than Creating Better Athletes.
This does not mean as a coach you shouldn't try to
become an expert in your field. That is not what I am saying
at all. One of my mentors always would say that if you
look a year down the road and your programming hasn't
28 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
changed, you're doing something wrong. We should always,
as coaches, strive to get better. But as I look at the setting
that I am in now, where I am responsible for more than a
couple hundred athletes that come through my weight-room
on a weekly our student-athletes, my programs don't work if
I am not addressing standards and expectations of life. We
constantly battle with decisions to let things slide or enforce
a standard. Always remember that creating a standard for
your program protects your athletes. It might cause friction
and discomfort, but when done with love, it leads them to
ultimate success, not just athletically, but in life.
What is your standard? Are you making your athletes
meet it every day? What are your non-negotiables? Are
you being clear with your message and do your athletes
understand the why behind it?
Despite high standards and expectations, do your athletes
know you love them?
I would encourage you to wrestle with these questions
every day because I do. And every time I think about them,
it inspires me to become a better coach, re-evaluate my
methods, and execute a better plan.
Nick Mascioli was Coach & Athletic Director's 40 Under
40 honoree for the month of August.
November/December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November/December 2020
