Coach Flip Naumburg's Journal

Monday, November 6, 2006

YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER, BUT YOU CANNOT MAKE HIM DRINK

One of my assistant coaches expressed concern to me over a certain aspect of what is or is not happening right now. He wanted to make me aware that "the players are not reading the journal" (this thing here), or at least some of them seem to have no clue about some of the important things that concern me at the moment..

This assistant coach pretty much never says too much to me about things like this if they aren’t all that important. Both of my assistants, Alex Smith and Kale Nelson work with one focus being able to ‘make my job easier’ or freeing me up to do more elsewhere in the team, and truthfully that is actually exactly what I want them to do. They do this by teaching the specific things, thoughts, and techniques that we have put in place over the years. We have done things together over the years. In my nice worldthe whole team is constantly and consistently working on the ever-ongoing project.

BOOK OF REVELATIONS

What Kale had related to me earlier today was not a revelation. It has been clear for a while that they (this year’s team) were not ‘getting’ some of my billboard messaging. Does the possibility of them not reading the journal thing bother me? Sure it does a little. They can learn so much about what is going on by reading it, and not just stuff with me and what I candidly think on more or less a day-to-day and reflective perspective. Someti,es I try to add some facts to the written rave.

I firmly believe that this journaling part of ‘my game’ is almost as important as what I may say to them in a halftime tirade or a speech reflecting team philosophy that is delivered on the field. The mix of these two types of communication are powerful and work hand in hand, at least that is the plan.

Then does it discourage me that 'they' may not be reading? Well, I haven’t written much lately, but either way it is not really that discouraging for me. However, by reading I know they also might see more about how my thoughts relate to them as CSU lacrosse players and how that information can in some small way be valuable in some small way to them and the overall team dynamic.

WHAT, ME WORRY?

In some ways not reading it almost shows that perhaps they aren’t that interested in what I have to say, and that ultimately would not a be very good coaching place for me to reside. I know I'm not there, but I also know that any coach or preacher is only one bad move away from losing his congregation.

There is a lot of untapped love here. They just have to get straight the fact that we are not good enough to 'just win, baby'. No, we must search and find ways to create our desired results. There are no shortcuts to success, and I'm pretty sure that is not an original thought...

Finally at least on the reading and reacting theme, I ask them to read and react to things on the field that are happening within a millisecond, and then I expect them to not only make a good choice but also the exactly right one. I challenge them constantly with simulated real moments and game situations.

Well, this particular group is way, way beyond the MTV generation, and it is not that easy to move them as a single herd with a single word (mine). They have, among other things, been raised up in the new, politically correct world and it shows. Meanwhile it is voting day, and I'll bet only a handfull went to the polls to exercise their 'greatest freedom', My hope is that many of them did.

MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT

I do encourage the team directly once in a while to go on line and visit my words when I feel I have written something that for one reason or another seems relevant or that I just want them all to read.

It is not mandatory for them, this Flip blogging thing, but I can’t imagine anyone who is a serious lacrosse player here at CSU not checking it out with some regularity. After all, it is mostly written for them.

Their ‘grades’ are not necessarily affected if they do not read. Performance under pressure counts for more. Being a great teammate counts for more. Whatever, that reminds me, I’m almost done with the ‘report cards’ for the team, the document I will post for them to see in the next day or two. I guarantee they will fall over one another to get a peek at what I have to say about each one of them individually at this juncture. That hunger is human nature I think.

In the end I really do think they hear me and they do read the blog for the most part. I also know that rates of comprehension both range and change.

PLATINUM PLAN, IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE TALENT

The key for me and for us is not to just hope for or even to have and rely solely on a bunch of super star type players opening the door to every victory . I’m sure that would be nice, but not so sure if talent alone can be any kind of an 'anagram' for 'winning'.

We do have skill and plenty of talent if we can keep enough people healthy, but I’m also pretty sure this is not the most skilled or talented team I have coached here. That does not bother me because they always can become that if they want to.

The more actual talent you have is the better of course, at least in theory, but what really matters in the end is not how HE plays, but how THEY ALL perform together... Isn't it?.

BRILLIANT!

My current plan for team 2007 is changing and evolving as the days go by. What I know for sure and from experience is that I need to create that motivating melodic environment we need in order to build confidence inside practices. The state of mind that comes from harmony can take us straight back to the track of team trust that I eternally seek and at times have seen and had. If I can get us to there, then the sky will be the only limit and getting to and staying in that good game-groove remains always a possibility.

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Flip Started Blogging Before it was Cool, Read Over 400 of His Entries Since January 2001
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