October 3, 2022 - Defining Coaching Success

Most of the time when we talk about great coaches, we measure their success by championships won… or maybe how many players they are sending to the next level. I know when people talk to me about my coaching background, the thing that catches their attention is when I talk about the guys I got to coach that went on to play D1 ball, even though on many of them, I had little to no part in actually getting them there. I would venture to say that I actually did a better job coaching in some of our losses… times wheh we were completely outmanned and still competed and made the opponents have to work hard for a “W”!

Then there is the approach, in defining coaching success, which I have written about on occasions based upon a quote from Coach Alonso Stagg when a reporter mentioned the great year his team had… he responded: “I won’t know for another 20 years or so if you are right.” He recognized that it was more important to build life transforming character into his players that to just win ball games. And I admit I love seeing former players, students, youth group members, etc. that are honoring the Lord with their lives… and feeling like I may have had a small part in that.

This week my mind shifts to a different way of looking at coaching success… it is based upon time I have been spending reflecting and evaluating our ministry over the years and balancing it with who I am now (as an old geezer.) One’s “coaching tree” tells a lot about one’s success. It is important to pour into others that will carry on the “work.” A coaching tree involves having assistants that go on to be head coaches…

There are often stories about pro or college coaches’ coaching trees… I looked up one article in prepping for this week that had the author’s rankings of greatest college basketball coaching trees… He mentioned many coaches I would have thought of right off the top of my head, but not sure I would have landed on his “number 1” choice… Larry Brown. Coach Brown spent time in both the college and pro basketball world and has left a trail of great coaches. The article shares a quartet of assistants that Larry had while he coaches at Kansas over a 5-year span. During that time KU won a national championship and averaged 27 wins per year. The writer said, “It’s no wonder the Jayhawks won… They had the best collection of instructors imaginable.”

I think the lesson to learn here, (as I grow older and have often stated I love “coaching the coaches”), is that maximum impact comes from replicating oneself… but of course oneself has to be worth replicating.

Paul said this to Timothy: Hold fast the pattern of SOUND words which, you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was COMMITTED to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. (2 Timothy 1:13-14)

SOUND: Free from a mixture of error… if you are going to replicate, it needs to be based on truth!

COMMITTED: Something that is deposited… entrusted… and to be conscientiously delivered unto others… there is intentionality in this process!

I love the way vs 14 is worded in the NASB as Paul exhorts Timothy: Guard,… the TREASURE which has been ENTRUSTED to you.

Do you have anyone you are pouring into? Is your coaching tree branching out? Will your ministry keep going when you grow old?

[I will be sharing this week some plans we have to intensify our efforts to replicate leadership]