Stan Van Gundy - Notes

From a talk Stan gave at IMG Academy in 2019.

• Older generation of coaches share with one another a lot more. There was less paranoia. We need more of that.
• There is a serious lack of leadership in our country right now. We need coaches more than ever. Leadership is really only taught in the military and in sports.
• Geno Auriemma - "Coaches are afraid to coach their players now."
• If you want to advance in coaching there is one thing you can control - get better as a coach. Be as good of a coach as you can be. It's not about networking. Get better as a coach and you have to get lucky.
• Players want 3 things - 1) To win - they want to be part of a great team. 2) Have fun - they want to enjoy themselves. 3) They want to get better.
• People who are happy get over themselves and get into other people. "No matter how good you have it, if you are thinking about yourself, it's never going to be good enough. You are are going to be unhappy."
• 9 C's of Communication:
  • Communicate Competently - You must show competence in how you communicate. Anders Ericson, Peak - High-performers don't just accept good coaching, they don't just welcome it. They demand it."
  • Communicate Courteously - Understand your team and their goals - respect them.
  • Communicate Collaboratively - 1) Listen 2) Use others to get your message out 3) Talk to EVERYONE
  • Communicate Consistently - "Do not tolerate in victory that which you would not tolerate in defeat."
  • Communicate Confidently - you must study your craft, know your message.
  • Communicate Clearly - "Cluttered minds = Slow Feet" - communication must eliminate confusion.
  • Communicate Candidly - Frank, open, sincere, honest and straight forward. "There is nothing more important in coaching than to be honest. Always."
    • You want to play more? Don't tell them they need to rebound better, turn it over less - it's not true! "You have to be better than him!" - that's the honest answer.
  • Communicate Constructively - Give them stuff to do. "C'mon guys, we're playing like shit right now!" - What does a player do with that?
    • Your job as a coach is to tell them the truth, as you see it, all the time.
    • People say I'm too negative as a coach - how much should I be positive vs. negative? Carol Dweck, Mindset - "That's the wrong question. The question is which one do you want? Do you want me to tell you how great you are, or do you want me to make you better?
  • Communicate Courageously - You cannot be afraid of confrontation and conflict.
• How do you know if you are being effective as a communicator? - Look at the performance of your team. If your communication is working, you should see it out there.
• The coach/player relationship is one that is designed to get a result.