SUREFIRE WAYS TO WIN

How do you win? It's the question that drives me. I've read books, gone to clinics and interviewed coaches to find ways to win. The more research I do the more I keep coming back to the same answer, "There are no secrets!"
You win because you are:

1. Disciplined
2. Talented in Leadership
3. Mentally Tough
4. Physically Prepared

There's no shortcuts. No special program. No magic pill. Just hard work and grit and committment.

At the beginning of every season Bobby Bowden would always tell his coaches, "If all things are equal, the team with the best talent and best leadership will win."

I used to always think that meant that if you trained leaders and had talent you would win but I was wrong. I had it exactly backwards. Bobby Bowden was telling his coaches to cover the basic keys to success so their good leaders and talented kids could do their jobs and win.

So what are the keys to success? I listed them above. Discipline, Talent in leadership, Mental toughness, and Physical preparation.

Discipline
I think discipline comes from a committment to excellence. You don't get sidetracked. You don't get distracted. You have a job to do and you do it regardless of what else happens. I believe you can teach discipline.

Talent in Leadership
In the end the kids have to play on the field and the leaders on the field are the ones that run the team. There's no mistaking a good leader. He takes the responsibility for those around him. He is passionate about accomplishing the task at hand. He motivates through possitive feedback and a sense of unity. He's committed. I believe you can teach leadership.

Mental Toughness
Mental toughness comes from sacrifice. It is the inability to give up because of a sense of confidence, ownership and committment.
Confidence comes because you know what to do and have done it well and you know you can do it again.
Ownership comes because you've put in the time to demand the respect of your opponent. You are a part of what is happening around you.
Committment comes as you are tested over and over and successfully keep your priorities in line. Every time an athlete works so hard that they have to ask themselves if it's worth it, they get a chance to develop toughness by answering "Yes!"

Physical Preparation
I believe physical preparation is the avenue to all the other keys to success. Not only can you train the body to play at a high level but you can also train the mind. Leadership is taught during physical preparation as the athletes work together and encourage and teach each other. Confidence comes as the athletes get stronger. Discipline comes from attending workouts on a regular basis. Mental toughness comes from completing tough workouts and then getting up the next morning when you are sore to do it again.

If you'll remember back to what Bobby Bowden said, "If all things are equal..." As a coach I am committed to improving in the "things" that will make us competitive with the best team in the state. As the other teams around us ask more of their kids we have to ask more from ours. This season will be the year to catch up and play with the big boys. We will be expecting more of them because we want them to be winners.