Encouraging High Achievement
It was the end of the school term and my son Tom had less than three months
left before he would finish his six years at high school. During this time he
had developed a passion for basketball and may I say as a proud and some what
biased father, he is energetic, skilful and plays a key role in the three
different teams that he plays for each week.
Sadly, due to my work commitments over the last twelve months, I had only been
able to attend a few of his games, however, I was determined to get to his last
game for the school term which co-incidentally would see him play in two back to
back finals; one for his school and the other with a team he and his mates had
formed, so that as he put it, 'he could get some extra game time and improve his
basketball skills.'
I arrived just as Tom's first final was about to start and joined a small crowd
comprising the team's school friends and a few parents, to watch what would end
up being a nail biting finish to his first final.
Tom's team came out in the first 10 minutes with a burst of goals which saw them
leading by just over 20 points at the end of the first half. At this level of
the game teams play two 20 minute halves and I could see that the coach was well
pleased with their efforts, so much so, that he hadn't called a time out in the
first half and had made only a few substitutions.
The second half took on a totally different complexion as the opposing team
quickly played themselves back into the game. They were on a role and three
pointers came thick and fast as Tom's team dropped their intensity and started
to miss an increasing number of shots and rebounds. Their lead was cut back to
only a couple of points with less than two minutes to go. It was at that point
that the coach called his first time out.
As I sat some three metres from where the team and coach were gathered together,
the surrounding noise of the spectators became muted as I was drawn into what
was happening, as the coach spoke to them. He had the team standing a half
circle and squatting down was looking up at them giving some very calm and clear
instructions on what they needed to do in the last couple of minutes. As he
stood up to allow the team to return to the court, I saw him give some further
words of encouragement to all them coupled with a pat on the back for those
going onto to the court and also to those who would sit on the bench for the
last couple of minutes.
As I watched this and what unfolded over the next 2 minutes, it struck me as to
just what the coach had done in that critical time out. You could see that he
knew that the team was fighting to save the game and that he needed to re-focus
them and lift them up. By squatting down he placed himself in a position where
he was talking up to them, rather than down or at them and as the players went
back onto the court his words of encouragement and that pat on the back, served
to lift their energy and spirits.
Well Tom's team went on to win the final by 5 points and it was a great game to
watch, particularly as the team had started so strongly, then lost it's way
until the very last few minutes of the game, when they lifted to win. The win
was due in the main to the on court efforts of all the players, however, much of
the credit must go to their coach who in that last time out had by his actions
literally placed them on a pedestal, restored their confidence and lifted them
up.
When the players and coach had finished congratulating each other and
celebrating their win, I went over to the coach to thank him for the work he had
done with the team throughout the year, which had lead to a finals win. I
commented on what I had seen him do in that last time out and he seemed
surprised, however, acknowledged that by squatting down he felt less inclined to
give them a blast about what they were doing wrong, but rather focus on what
they needed to do to win the game.
As I drove away on that evening I thought about his comments and a couple of
parallels came to mind about what can happen to us all in our everyday life.
Firstly, we may think that what we say has the most influence and impact on
people, when in actual fact it is just as much or perhaps even more about our
actions and how we make people feel.
Secondly, we should always focus our attention on talking about what needs to be
done in a positive and enthusing way, rather than dwell on the negative aspects
of what we didn't do right. One of my favourite quotes is about the half filled
glass of water - 'is it half full or is it half empty.' Like the teams coach,
the answer to this quote all depends on how you look at things and act.
On that night I was privileged to watch, hear and see a young coach who focussed
on being half full and then some, and who clearly possesses those all important
soft skills that we may talk about as being important, but so rarely put into
practise in our every day life.
As a postscript to the evening, Tom's second appearance in a final did not see
the same result as the first final, perhaps if the team had a coach this may
have been different, but then again I would rather not dwell on the loss and
remember the great win.
May there be may more positive experiences for Tom and his mates, in their life
beyond school.
Inspired by Ben Rowse - a young man with natural coaching skills and a feel for
what is important in encouraging people to achieve more.
Written by Keith Ready
Keith Ready lives and in Sydney, Australia and is affectionately known as Mr
Inspiration. He is publisher of InspirEmail which provides inspirational
messages to refresh the spirit and boost the emotional bank account.
You can visit his website at www.agiftofinspiration.com.au and he can be
contacted via e-mail at
info@agiftofinspiration.com.au
Keith Ready © July 2007