Play Hard. Play Together.

Coaching Notes:

   Play hard. Play together. A former player pointed out that I said that before every match. I never put that much thought into saying it every match. I just wanted my team to play hard and play together. Sometimes in coaching we have to keep it simple. Keeping it simple is hard. In pregame pep talks, there isn’t time to go on and on about all the details that each player needs to complete in order to win. That is what practice is for. In those last minutes it is your job as a coach to bring the whole team together to focus on what is most important. Short and simple words are always the best! The players are nervous and or focused on what they have to do. They don’t have time to be thinking about the meaning of the SAT vocabulary word you threw at them and how they were going to perform it. Give your players something they can quickly grasp. “Play hard. Play together” is simple and understandable for all. If you want to win games that is key to get done! That might not work for you as coach. That is okay. Find your words and your team will listen.