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| Saturday, October 14 Ageless leaders By John D. Hunter ESPN.com | |||||||||||
"I think a good coach has a way to motivate and encourage his players, and that really doesn't have much to do with his age. He has to be able to get to know his players as people and then deal with them as individuals. My position coach Coach Hazell is a young guy, but Coach Nehlen is cool -- you don't think about his age when you are talking to him. It's good to have a mix of ages and personalities to relate to all the different guys on the team." Joe Jackson, center Baylor "Yes, I think it takes a different type of coach to coach in today's game. You need a coach that you can relate to and that you can feel comfortable with. But, on the other hand, you also need a coach that is old enough that you can respect him. "I'm an old-school type of guy so I like the coaches who demand discipline and respect. I think you need that discipline to reach high levels of success. But today's coaches still have to modernize and stay with the times in order to relate well with their players." Javon Green, wide receiver Colorado "Yes it is hard for coaches to relate. Times change and you have to change with the times. That's why Bobby Bowden is such a good coach. He doesn't have a problem changing with the times. "You have to have the personality that relates with the players and a personality that can separate friendship from coaching. But most importantly, a coach must have that love for the game. Once players see that, they understand where the coach is coming from."
"That is a tough question, but I would have to say that it definitely takes a special person to take on the challenge of coaching today's athletes. Athletes today are much different than they were ten years ago, and the coaches of today have to be extremely patient. "I think that for me, it is important for my coaches to be able to talk to me both on and off the field. They need to understand who I am as a person and not just as a football player. I have been very fortunate that both of the coaches I have played under at Ole Miss have had this understanding." Chris Lepore, free safety Navy "Older coaches may have a hard time relating to today's players off the field, but this should not hurt the effectiveness of older coaches. When a coach and player are on the football field, they share a common bond, football. It should not matter what era the coach is from, as long as he knows what he is talking about when it comes to teaching football. So no matter how different the coach and the players personalities off the field may be, they should always share the common bond on the field, and that is the willingness to win, no matter how old they are. "An effective coach must be someone that the players respect, and sometimes fear on the field. But off the field the coach doesn't necessarily have to be the players friend, but every player should feel as if he could approach his coach and ask him whatever is on his mind without any fear. By developing this kind of relationship, the coach earns the respect of his players, and everyone can get along with each other." Marlon McCree, linebacker Kentucky "I think it depends on the individual player. You give some guys some shoulder pads and a helmet and they play football no matter who's coaching or who's watching. Other players in today's society need a coach who have similar backgrounds and interests or a coach that will bring out the best in them. To me football is football. I just love to play the game and it doesn't matter who's coaching me. I think if the coach knows the game and the players believe in him and what he's doing, the coach and the players will both be effective." Travis Dorsch, kicker Purdue "It is hard to define what is meant by an 'older' coach. Is Bobby Bowden old and therefore ineffective? Well, he has a multitude of rings that would suggest otherwise. How about Joe Paterno? He has his Nittany Lions near the top of the Big Ten every year. Regardless of age, I think teaching the game of football to young athletes keeps many coaches seemingly young themselves and thus helps them relate to their players. Also, diversity of a staff helps the coaches, as a whole, relate to the team. As long as each player feels he has at least one coach he can confide in during a time of need, there will be a greater sense of family on the squad. And we all know that goes a long way towards winning. "The definition of an effective coach is one who maximizes the performance of his players by transforming HIS knowledge into THEIR performance. I think all coaches understand that to be successful they must be somewhat open to change. However, players must also recognize the fact that their coaches have seen all and done all and usually have a solution to every problem." Chris Palic, punter Arizona "I think it's hard for any coach to relate to student-athletes because they've got so much to be concerned with these days. An effective coach is one that can gain the respect of his team in order to bring the best out of them. Coaches sometimes make it hard on themselves. It's just a matter of making yourself available to the team, and Coach (Dick) Tomey does a great of making himself available to us." Dylen Smith, quarterback Kansas "I feel that some coaches can and some coaches can't relate to their players. It just depends on the coach. I know some young coaches can't relate to the players maybe because of where they come from. Certain styles that coaches bring to their team is effective and some are not it just all depends on how the players react to him. I think it just takes a certain kind of coach to relate to the players. I see a lot of old coaches who work well with the players just fine. "I think an effective coach is someone who relates to their players well and knows each persons weaknesses and their strengths and uses them to their full abilities. They also understand that most student-athletes have other responsibilities besides football such as school, social life and other personal things they have to attend to." | |||||||||||
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