Most people get uncomfortable when they hear the word “change.” Some actually fear it. But to be successful in any walk of life, from business to basketball, you have to learn how to embrace change. Change creates opportunities. There are those who see an opportunity and there are those who seize an opportunity. Successful people obviously do the latter. The world is changing on a daily basis, and if you don’t change with it, you will be left behind!
Why am I harping on the concept of change? Because that was the deciding factor in my decision to resign as the strength & conditioning coach with the basketball program at Montrose Christian and accept a similar position at DeMatha Catholic High School. I was ready for a change. I was ready for a new environment. I was ready for a new challenge. I was ready to learn from a new coach. I was ready to take another step forward in my professional development.
It was not an easy decision, but one that I evaluated thoroughly over the past several months. I confided in, and listened to, my inner circle of family and friends. I heavily weighed the pros and cons. And in the end I decided that it was the right time to move on. And I am 100% confident in my decision.
Montrose has been an overwhelmingly important part of my life for the past 7 years. I will always be eternally thankful for the opportunity Coach Vetter gave me. I got to work with and develop lifelong relationships with coaches and players. I got to meet some amazing people, go some amazing places, and do some amazing things. Montrose opened a lot of doors for me. Equally important, I got to learn, grow, and develop as a coach. I got to work on my craft every single day. I am a better coach and a better person for having been a part of the Montrose program.
But it was time to move on.
I have known Coach (Mike) Jones for several years and have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for him as both a coach and as a man. I am so excited to be a part of his staff and a member of the tradition rich DeMatha Basketball Family. I look forward to being an asset to their all ready successful program as well as begin a new chapter in my life and career. I have an opportunity to be a part of another one of the nation’s top high school programs. I will get to see how someone else does it. That can only make me better.
I get several dozen emails (as well as Twitter/Facebook messages) asking me “what it takes to be a great player.” Here are a few of my thoughts:
Over the past three weeks I had the opportunity to work the nation’s two premier high school basketball All-Star events – the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Jordan Brand All-American Classic. As always, being a part of such prestigious events is both an honor and a privilege. Having access to the nation’s top high school players for several straight days gives me valuable insight into what makes them great players.
With very few exceptions, elite level players absolutely love to play basketball. They want to play 24-7. Whenever possible they have a ball in their hand and they are always trying to get up shots. They would rather play basketball than do just about anything else (the only thing that even comes close is chasing girls!). When they aren’t playing basketball they are watching it on TV. The game consumes them. And most of them have been this way since they were young. Do you have the same love for the game? Do you have the same passion? I am not implying or suggesting that basketball should be the most important thing in your life… but it should be up there. If you truly want to be great you have to genuinely love the game.
I also noticed that the most elite level players are super competitive. They hate to lose. Whether they are playing NBA Live ‘10 or a game of H-O-R-S-E, they always try as hard as possible to win. They never concede. Winning matters. Especially when they are playing against their peers or when bragging rights are on the line. Does winning matter that much to you? How hot does your competitive fire burn? If you want to be a great player you have learn how to compete. Winning has to matter.
Despite being the top players in the nation, most of them still fit into one of two categories: those who have a tremendous work ethic and those who are lazy. Unfortunately, many of the players who are the most naturally gifted are also the laziest because they haven’t had to work hard to be successful. They have been able to rely solely on their size, strength, quickness and explosiveness. They aren’t hard to spot. Heck, I can tell in the first 5 minutes of warm-ups which guys like to work and which guys don’t. Regardless of how naturally gifted they are, it will eventually catch up to them… at either the college level or the pro level. Do you enjoy putting in the hard work necessary to be a great player? Or do you constantly look for short cuts and the easy way? The best players look at every workout and every practice as an opportunity to get better. As Kevin Eastman of the Boston Celtics says, “great players look to get from the workout, not through the workout.”
Another thing I noticed about the talented players that play in these games are the intangibles of attitude, enthusiasm, manners, punctuality, and appearance (how they present themselves). Most of the players are energy givers, not energy takers. These players think “we”… not “me.” Their attitude and enthusiasm raises the level of those around them. They are polite, friendly, and engaging. These are the guys who will make it. I will admit the committees that select the players for these prestigious events do an outstanding job of taking character into account. It is very rare that a jerk makes the team. This means if you want to be an All-American you have to be an outstanding player and an outstanding person. Are you an energy giver or an energy taker? Are you always on time? Do you say please and thank you? Those might sound like “small” things; but they aren’t.
Obviously, the players who have the best chance to excel at the next level (whether college or the NBA) are those who combine natural talent, solid fundamentals, an unparalleled work ethic, and have a fantastic attitude. Kevin Durant, the youngest NBA scoring leader in history, is the epitome of those qualities. KD loves to play more than anyone I have ever worked with. KD loves to compete. KD works his butt off every single day. KD is an energy giver. Despite his money, fame, and success, KD is as humble as the day I met him. KD is pure class.
If you haven’t already done so, it is time to start thinking about making your off-season as productive as possible. What you do this spring and summer will determine how successful you are next season. Championship programs and elite level players are built in the off-season! That is why THE BEST PLAYERS ARE IN THE BEST SHAPE!
Whether you are a coach or a player, here is a three step plan to how you should approach this off-season:
1) Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses (athletically and fundamentally)
2) Create a comprehensive plan to improve (prioritize AAU vs. individual development)
3) Implement your plan with effort, enthusiasm, and consistency (deserve success!)
I will be traveling to Wisconsin this weekend to speak at a Nike Championship Basketball Clinic as well as to conduct one of my Cutting Edge Reaction and Quickness for Basketball clinics. If you would like more info on either event, or if I can help you in any other way, please email me at Alan@StrongerTeam.com.
Train hard. Train smart.
Alan Stein