One of my favorite things to coach, at any age, is what culture means. I strive to change the mindset of how my teams think. One bad quarter, one bad game, or even one bad week does not define us! However, we need to fight through adversity and recognize when we are having those "bad" spells. The most important way to do that, from an individual level, is communicate and work hard through it.
Let's take a shooter for example. If our best shooter is having a bad streak, we can live with that. But, if our shooter is head-down, moving slower on defense and not fully running his cuts because he is missing shots then the culture of the team is going to shift right into his bad streak. Typically, when culture shifts most teams have issues getting it back. This is why I love talking and teaching about this topic. As a team, we are going to push through this bad shooting slump, even if it means rotating in bench players that may not play as much. Even if it means our best shooter may see the bench a few more minutes than usual and the expectation is for him or her to be loud on the bench! To cheer as much as he or she is cheered when they are draining 3s. The philosophy I like to teach is there will always be obstacles, there will always be speed bumps. There will always be hard times in life and sports, and it's how we react to the hard times that set the tone for our team culture. No matter what, we have each other's back, we lift each other up. The world is hard enough on us, we don't need to bring our teammates down as well. Most know, I am a numbers guy. If there is 1000 teams in Florida, then that means there is 999 other teams to cheer for over our team. That's why as a team, as a family, we stay loyal, we stay loud, we stay as one because it is so much easier to quit and run away then it is to stay and build that positive, supportive culture. But, staying, building and being loyal is where the magic comes from!
A championship team is going to look like a well-oiled machine on the court because the culture of the team is high and positive. When the first option isn't hitting, the 2nd option knows exactly what to do. The players know exactly how to adapt, shift and execute because they have fought and grew through the tough times. When relationships don't require talking about it anymore, that's when the mindset has shifted. It takes time and work. It takes fighting through hard-times and experience at high-levels of competition.
This same mindset can be used in all aspects of life. As a father and husband I use this mindset everyday. My wife, 2 boys and daughter all require different sides of me as they navigate and grow through life. My job is to protect, advise and be supportive and every so often I have to buckle down and make the hard decisions for them all. If I were to stop doing any of those they all would become lost. As arrogant as that may sound, it's the truth. I know my role, and do not try to change that. One day my role will change for my kids and I will have to adapt and grow in those moments as well. We are a team. A team of 5 just like basketball. Without one of us doing our jobs, we are down a player. Without a player doing their job, the dynamic changes! Dynamic changing is ok, but changing our mindset to reflect negativity is not. Hard times will come! Losses will happen! Fight through it! Remain a team! Stay in love with the process as a team!
-Coach Adam Nicholson