Coaches:
As you may have noticed, I have not published in awhile. I have been battling some health concerns that have caused some debilitating pain and even rendered my right arm and hand useless for periods of time. Thanks to those of you who remained subscribed during this lull. I am on the mend.
As always, I try to impart coaching lessons from my experiences both basketball and non-basketball related. This experience has given me many such lessons.
You can do everything “right” and still lose - I have the healthiest diet of anyone I know. I have a stress free job with complete autonomy working on a project I created from nothing and care about deeply. I sleep, exercise, mediate and maintain other healthy habits. Yet something debilitating still found me. I fully realize others have far worse health issues come their way, some even terminal, so I am fortunate in the grand scheme of things. But I have been thinking a lot about sports and coaching and how you can scout, have great practices, work hard and still lose. Like a loss, this injury is temporary. It is not the end of the world and people deal with far worse things and have to endure.
Bad habits always come home to roost - My doctor pointed out that the source of my ailment is posture related. A combination of bad ergonomics in both the workplace and on the bike. So nothing “happened” to me. It was self-inflicted due to not addressing fundamental issues that allow me to work and perform healthfully. I have been trying to keep this in mind. I am not a victim of someone else’s negligence. Just mine. Surely you don’t need me to spell out the coaching lesson here. A shortfall in something as basic as posture combined with hours on the computer writing and watching video has led to a significant interruption in my well being. As in sports and coaching, your habits make or break you. Ignore the bad ones at your own peril.
Know when to call timeout - I felt some mild symptoms of this condition and instead of taking a break and addressing some bad habits, I kept going. My body was telling me to take a timeout, but I ignored it. “Playing hurt” was echoing in my head. Do you as a coach know when enough is enough? Are you powering through instead of protecting the asset (you), that your players, program and family rely on? Depending on the level you coach and where you may have 25-40 game days per year. Does it REALLY require a 365 day coaching commitment? What timeout signals are being sent to you that you are ignoring? Lack of sleep? Do you take time for your own health? Are you overdoing it? Your body and/or mind will call a timeout for you if you are unwilling to.
I am healing from this setback. To many of you it may seem minor and it is. I will return to writing, diagramming, creating videos and meeting online with coaches slowly and gradually with newfound boundaries thanks to this wake up call. I am an asset to coaches and I will protect the asset. Will you?