How & Why You Need to Coach 'Why?'

No matter what walk of life you come from you have heard "Why?" You could be a parent and have fielded that question hundreds, if not millions, of times from your wee beastling, or at work from an employee or peer. The question 'why?' is everywhere in our lives, yet we struggle to incorporate it in the one place we are most passionate about.

Coaching.

But why?

Why Not Why?
We struggle to bring 'why' into our teams or sport for a variety of reasons. We have the obvious reason that we ourselves, in our former lives as athletes, were not use to asking why to the coach. If you came from football, you are familiar with the conversation that happens among team mates;

Player 1: "Hey, why are we doing this?"

Player 2: "Because coach said to do it."

Then you did it with no questions. You often did it so many times you didn't have to think about doing it let a long the reason for why you were doing it. We are also love our X's and O's and the simplicity of knowing what step we were in the process of the play. You knew the overall reason of why you were running the play, to score or to stop them from scoring, but we never really knew why the whole process was set-up the way it was. Both of those things are the reason why we are a nation of emerging (that is a polite way of saying slightly better than average) coaches. We have a bad coaching culture. We are trapped in a cycle of "Because I said so" or "We've always done it this way" that has lasted for generations of coaches. These traits are passed down through the coaching tree because it once worked in the 60's for that one coaching great. Those two statements above might have worked for coaches in the past but now, we are dealing with different kinds of athletes.

Information Overload is one Reason Why...
The last two generation of players no longer respond to the old "Because I said to do it this way" mindset. Athletes, heck ALL of us, have the answer to any question at our fingertips. Think about it, any question you have can be answered by the internet and that is everywhere all the time.

Boom! In your face, sucka!

The traditional path of information gathering, which includes trusting our coaches, is obsolete. Even you as the coach are constantly looking for the reason of why. When you see a move,  or technique on TV, the internet, or from an opposing team your first thought is usally "Holy shit that was awesome!" quickly followed by the important question "Why did they do that?"

This takes us down the information rabbit hole, it starts with a few scribbles on a notepad, then a google search, followed by a few YouTube videos, and then maybe an actual coaching website with a fee. You do all of this in the search for the answer of why they did it and you come to your own conclusions.

Now, do a bit of personal reflection. How do you present it to your team? Does the process include why they are doing it?

How to Coach the Why

There is no one right way to achieve coaching the why. The important thing is to coach it and coach it well. Below is a quick list of ways I've been able to coach it successfully;

Coach it like a boss, son!

- Before you plan your session stop and ask yourself 'Why are we doing this?'. Whatever the conclusion is, make sure it is included in your brief to the squad. Why they are doing it should be a short and clear presentation lasting no more then 30 seconds. This will help with not over explaing it and losing the focus of the group.

- Make sure you include it in your practice plan. Use it as a question to your team and see what you get back. This is often a good way to see it from a different point of view. It also gives you an idea of how well you're explaning it to them. Don't forget to listen, they might teach you something.

- Highlight why you are doing something on film. Look for examples, either in your games or pro games, and draw attention to it. Don't just explain one point or action but expand on it to include how it effected the next couple of phases. Film doesn't lie so it is a great tool to catch real time results of what you coached in the week building up to match day. Create a dialogue around the why of an action.

- Make asking why a part of your coaching staff's culture. You should be looking to constantly develop yourself and the coaches around you. You would be kidding yourself if you thought you and your staff had all the right answers, and this is often a death blow to a team who's staff  share that mindset. Encourage your coaches to ask why of you and each other in a constructive way. This has often brought some good debate and new ideas to an old technique that made players and coaches alike better.

Regardless of how you get there, never forget to coach the why. We as a whole need to change our coaching culture and it starts by creating a positive dialect between players and coaches on why we are doing the things we do on the pitch. These are different athletes now, so we need to be different coaches.

See you pitch side

40 Questions for 1 on 1 Sessions

We are just wrapping up the season here and the final step to putting 2014 to rest was the full team 1 on 1 conversations. I try to stay away from words like 'assesment' or 'evaluation' simple because I want it to be a conversation about the season, both good and bad, and those words often carry negative associations when attached to any meeting.

It is often hard to start conversations with players, especially some younger college players, because they view you as an authority figure no different than a teacher or parent. So, you simple get answers like 'it was fun', 'yep', or my favorite 'No, we did everything good/perfect'. This is an evasion tactic to avoid answering hard questions or addressing subjects some players think will upset you (I did it with parents and coaches when I was that age too). So, if you're truly invest in improving as a coach and team you need to hear what they have to say and how to get it out of them. They know the social dynamics, personal and team struggles that we as coaches aren't privileged to and can give us an honest view of ourselves as leaders and our systems as they pertain to the team that uses them.

Below are some tips and forty questions that will help you start the conversation with your players. I hope you find them as helpful as I did when using them.

3 Tips:
1. Shut your mouth and open your ears- Its a common problem in any conversation, people listen but don't hear what is being said. What does that mean? We love to sound smart and polished, so we often are thinking of our witty response as someone is speaking to us. Important nuggets of information go unnoticed and chances for you to ask a question, that might open the mysterious black box of your player, are missed. So, listen to what they are saying and then think of your response to when they just shared with you. Yeah, about that response...

2. Ask the 'W's' often- Who, What, Why, When, Where and hoW. Overuse 'why' and 'how' too. Questions like "What was your best game?" are easy to answer but the follow up of why or how will give you an insight to the process that lead to the positive result, and that is what you should be looking for.

3. Leave the ego at home- We coaches are a narcissistic bunch by nature. We are as good as our ego lets us believe and its not a bad thing, most of the time. But, during these sessions you need to check yourself and that ego because your players need to trust you to say what they feel.
Will you also agree with it? Hell no.
Will it sometimes hurt your feelings? Yep.
But at the end of the day this is how your players feel about you. They are entitled to those feelings and if they have something to say you better dang sure listen. Nothing can be more destructive then trying to argue your point about their view on something. So shut up, write it down, and move on. Than listen to what other players say, are they giving you the same feedback? If that is a yes, you might have found what you were looking for, a way to be better.

Here are my Top 40 questions:

1. What was one of your “worst” games this year? Why?

2. What was one of your “best” games this year? Why?

3. What has been one of your biggest disappointments as a rugby player?

4. What has been one of your greatest accomplishment as a rugby player?

5. What has been one of the best teams you have been on and why?

6. What has been one of the worst teams you have been on and why?

7. What has been a hardship in your life?

8. Who is a “hero” in your life and why?

9. What has been one of your greatest disappointments? What was the best team you have been on?

10. What was the most lopsided loss?

11. What was the most lopsided win?

12. If you didn’t come to rugby, where would you be?

13. When are you the most nervous while you are competing?

14. How do you tend to workout/train when by yourself?

15. In your family, who “likes” your sport the most? Why?

16. What other sport would you like to compete in if you were not playing rugby?

17. If you could be the head coach of a team for a year, what would you change?

18. What is something that is unique about rugby?

19. What is difficult about rugby?

20. What is satisfying about rugby?

21. What is the most challenging thing for you to do in rugby?

22. What was the scariest thing you have had to do? Are you glad you did it?

23. What was the last thing you saw someone do that really impressed you?

24. What is your favorite hobby? Why?

25. What are you goals for the winter?

26. Did you fill out the coach survey?

27. What are your goals for next spring? 7s? Developmental 15?

28. How do you communicate best with people? Them with you?

29. Are you considering running for an officer position? Which one?

30. How do you plan to help progress your club this year?

31. What Position do you want to play? Why?

32. Favorite thing we do at training? The least?

33. Giving your commitment level, what can we do better as coaches to help you stay engaged?

34. Do you want to play representative rugby?

35. Are you going to keep playing when you leave school?

36. Do we honor the tradition of (Club Name)? How?

37. How can we honor the tradition better?

38. Toughest player on the team? Why?

39. What are you doing to work on your mental game?

40. Are you having fun?

Did I miss one? Share it in the comments.

See you pitchside,

Hey you American, you're going to cheer for the Eagles right?!

By this point we have all seen the blog to not wear the fern at the USA v All Blacks game next Saturday. I agree with it, I think that stadium should be top to bottom red, white and blue. I also read the comment section and was bothered by how many people dislike the Eagles for this, that and the other. One comment really struck a cord with me, "I don't have a reason to cheer for the USA". That really grinds my gears, what does that even, 'you don't have a reason'!?! If you are like that person, here are 3 good reasons why you should be wearing a USA Kit come November 1st.

1. You're a red blooded, flag waving, star spangle banner loving American!
No, I hate to tell you this, you're not Irish, or Italian, or any other foreign nationality you claim to be. If you're mother birthed your beautiful mug in an America hospital you are 100% American. Bottom line. Embrace it, celebrate it for all the majestic bad assery it is.

"But, we aren't good at the rugbys."

Duh.

This isn't about winning, this is about backing something bigger than you, and creating something that could impact our sport FOREVER. We need to create hype my friend! That is something this sport desperately needs to be noticed in the American sporting conscious and there is no better way to do this then to make it look like the stadium is packed full of American loving rugby fans!

2. You have more in common with those Eagle's on the field than those All-Blacks.
A large portion of that team are still 9-5'ers, like you, they go away on weekend trips for their club team and miss birthdays, work, social events, just like you. They do not get thousands of dollars to play, a sporting good store worth of free kit, or any of the other perks that the All-Blacks collect every tour. Most likely you've played against some of the Eagles, recently, in our club season. How many New Zealanders can say that about the AB's? Which leads me to the next point...





3. The Upset
No, its not crazy talk, but an honest to god possibility. It is always a possibility, its why sports are the greatest form of reality television because sometimes it is better than any script. You can also call on the 1980 USA Hockey team as a great example. They were smoked by the Ruskies before that event, but then suddenly they came out like freedom loving Americans and got the W when it counted. Sure, the Soviets would have beaten us 9 out of 10 times but to be apart of that 1 magical game, as a player or fan, is why you should be rooting for the Eagles. Think about it, its the 79th minute and the USA is holding onto a very slim lead, the All-Blacks clearly aren't themselves ( a case of the flu possibly), or the combination of playing in a NFL stadium,  the cold lake Michigan wind and loud American crowd (We do beat every country in the 'ear drum bursting loud crowd' department). Then you hear it, the final whistle, and solider field erupts into pandemonium. You look around, all of your fellow Americans are celebrating like its NYE and then there is you, dressed in black. In the true spirit of rugby people will offer you their condolences "good game, the sun shines on the dog's ass every now and again, it was a fluke, it won't ever happen again in our lifetime*" and then you will have to look at the ground, jam your hands in your pockets, and awkwardly explain that you're an American rugby player and you've never been happier too, all while avoiding eye contact. Don't be that guy...

Most likely the eagles will lose this game, I know it, they know it and so do you. If this was a club game, fine root for the winner with the bigger and better roster but this isn't a club game. This is America and you are an American rugby player damnit! These are your brothers from the pitch and they need you to just bring it in Chicago!

Basic Drill of the Week: Open the Hips

***Sorry our post have been so spotty lately, we are in season at the moment***

This is a quick, easy options for teaching players how to open the hips. You are giving them a physical reaction to what it feels like to have proper footwork while passing. I've used this with both pops and spin passes and can be adjusted to fit your style of coaching those techniques.

Needs:

- 2 cones

- 2 balls

- 2 players

Set-up:

- 2 cones set-up 5-8m apart

- 1 ball sitting on the ground at the farthest cone 

Action: 

- Two players, one with the ball the other in support, releases from the near cone

- The ball carrier looks to open his hips with a step towards the support with his lead foot (passing left, his left foot would be his lead)

- Ball Carrier's back foot (i.e. passing left, his right foot would be the back) should come around to nudge the ball on the ground. This completes the opening of the hips.

Adjustments/Build-up:

- You can start without the ball on the ground to highlight players passing over their thigh and poor footwork.

- Make sure you have players work on passing from both sides of the cone, so they work both hands.

- Build-up to ball carrier and support player attacking a defender to see skill in game situations. 

Basic Drill of the Week: Four Corner Keep Away

This game can be used for either a warm-up or in practice. The goal is to allow players to create/find space and make quick decisions on when to pass. Add a time limit to it and challenge players to see how many times they can get it around the square.

Needs:
- 9 cones
- 1 ball
- 4 players each team (8 total)

Set-up:
- 4 10mX10m grids

Action:
- On The whistle, players look to pass the ball counter/clockwise to their team mates
- Defense can only play a 'basketball' style of D
- Passing players must stay in the grid

Key Factors:
- Fast passes
- Move to create space
- Communicate your movements
- Have fun

Build-Up:
- Add a time limit
- Penalize teams for dropped passes
- Put a time limit on how long a player can hold the ball

Basic Drill of the Week: Depth Square

No matter the level you coach, you have had to battle the issue of depth with your attacking team. Below is a simple fundamental drill that you will find useful called, the depth square.

Needs:
- 4 cones (possibly more if you want to build lanes)
- 1 ball per group

Set-up:
- The square grid should be 25m x 25m.
- Up to 6 attackers on the outside of one edge.

Action:
- First player, with ball in hand, starts by making a pass, at depth, to support.
- Support works to get the ball through all 6 set of hands before breaking the line of the square.
- Once at the other edge players move around the cone and realign in an attacking line.
- Repeat passing on remaining 3 sides of the square.

Key Factors:
- Realignment at depth
- Fast hands
- Travel off the ball: looking over your shoulder, communicating
- Running straight (don't chew up supporting attackers space)

Build-up:
- Add extra cones at square's edge to create running 'lanes' to ensure straight running.
- Put defenders in the middle and allow group to attack into the grid.
- Race by starting multiple grids at the same time.

Must Read Books For Any Coach

A few years ago on a far more unsuccessful blog I wrote up a list of books every coach and player should read. As I'm about to set out on a new challenge in my life I revisited that list a few days ago to take stock and refresh any old ideas it might give me. This started a series of events that pretty much lead to me taking a complete inventory of my leadership books, ideas, fundamental ideas and rehashing things I had learned in the past from some of my favorites. I tell you all of that to give you a new updated version of that list below. These are only ten but could have easily been twenty. But, like a good magician you never show the best tricks. Enjoy and please let me know what you think in the comment section!

'Eleven Rings' by Phil Jackson

This book came along at an interesting time in my coaching career, and exactly when I needed it. We had several big personalities that continually rocked the team boat and were draining for both me and the squad. Now, while this book can at times be like reading the memoirs of a successful hippie it does give you some nuggets of wisdom. For instance, reading about how he managed Kobe Bryant, Shaq, Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman will give you some great insight into some tactics you might have never thought of for dealing with unique players that often clash with others. He also brings a much different perspective to coaching than do most. Dare I call it balance between coaching and life that is not often found in our profession. This is worth a read especially if you grew up around the time the bulls were great so you can see how his impact was felt on the organization or if you sometimes feel like traditional coaching books aren't for you.

Tribal Leadership' by David Logan, John King, and Halee Fischer-Wright

In my 'real' job I've read or heard about this several times in one way or the other. While reading 'Eleven Rings' by Phil Jackson he referenced it several times through out his stories and how much it helped him organize his championship winning teams.
The book is based on research done on groups of people and how they develop into world class companies or organization. The authors break individuals inside of groups into tiers ranging from good to bad. Each tier has different cues and trends that they make the reader aware of. They also explain how to bring lower tier groups into the higher tiers.
It was interesting after reading it when I went onto the pitch with my team every evening. You could almost physically see these tiers and their lines through the entire squad, which let me know I had some work to do. If you're in the business of building teams give this book a read because it has my strong recommendations.

Legacy' by Jim Kerr

You ever wonder what makes the All Blacks the All Blacks? How a nation with the same surface area as Oregon can be such a powerhouse in a game like rugby compared to their bigger competition with a much larger selection pool? It comes down to team culture. Author Jim Kerr does an amazing job of pulling the curtain back and revealing the inner workings of a team that has become known for their winning ways. Kerr (and to a certain extent the team) allows the reader a chance to see it wasn't always this way for the team and how management, retired players and current squad members turned it around.

'

Think Rugby' by Jim Greenwood

Everyone knows (at least you should) the book Total Rugby, 'Think Rugby' is the sequel (if you can call it that) to it. In 'Total Rugby' you get all the pieces to a great rugby machine; in 'Think Rugby' you are given the directions to assemble all those pieces. In true Greenwood fashion things are explained with great detail. He gives you step by step instructions in how to build a playing system and make it work for your team. This isn’t just a book for coaches it should be read by players as well to help give them a deeper understanding of the game.

'

Total Rugby' by Jim Greenwood

This is the Bible of rugby. Jim Greenwood is responsible for creating the game we play today. He has inspired coaches like Clive Woodward and Eddie Jones with his expansive style and patterns. This book is all about the fundamentals of rugby. It is written with such detail to make sure that all of your questions are answered and nothing is left to chance. Do you want to know why you are missing kicks? This book will help you identify the reason by breaking everything down from what your feet are doing to where your eyes should be looking. This is a must own for all coaches.

'Winning' by Clive Woodward

Written by Clive Woodward the 2003 world cup winning England coach this is a guide to how he built England into a rugby powerhouse that concluded with them hoisting the cup in 03. His approach was unique in the way that he applied his experience in business management to coaching a rugby team. While you won’t agree with everything he says and does in this book, you will appreciate his forward thinking and organizational skills. If you are serious about the business of coaching rugby I can’t urge you enough to read this.

'

Wooden' John Wooden with Steve Jamison

If you’re a bookstore nerd like this guy you probably would have to take off your shoes to count how many John Wooden books you could find in the sports section. But, this one is different. Written near the end of his life, by him and a friend, this book explores his life and coaching philosophies. Wooden wasn’t just a great coach but a great teacher and person, and that is highlighted throughout the chapters. The lessons he shares from his days coaching UCLA basketball (where he won 7 straight national championships) will make you look at how you coach your team. One of the standouts in the book is a poem titled “A Parent Talks to a Child before the First Game” which should be read to every high school and college rugby team.

'The Fighters Mind: Inside the Mental Game' by Sam Sheridan

Think you’re a bad ass? Wait until you read the story about the ultra marathoner who broke his leg, kept running and finished the race! No big deal you say? It was a race from LA to New York. This book goes and gets some of the top athletes and coaches in sports and burrows into their brain to find out what gives them the drive to train, compete, and reach the top of their sport. Don’t confuse this book as something written by a meat head, about meat heads. It packed full of insight into how to train your mind to do what you might not think physically possible. It’s gritty and honest and will force you to look at yourself and your mental make up.

'

Mind Gym' by Gary Mack and David Casstevens

Written by Gary Mack a leading sports psychologist who has worked with some of the top athletes and teams in America. The book is made up of 40 lessons and packed with anecdotes of them being put to practice. We all know a friend or player who constantly struggles with the mental side of this sport and this book is written for them. It is a quick, easy read (I got thru it in a cross country plane ride) and enjoyable. Read it and enjoy building your mind gym for a mental edge on your opponent. 

'Food for Rugby: Eat Well Perform Better' by Jane Griffin

If you’re like me and consider a diet ordering a small Blizzard from Dairy Queen instead of the large this book is for you. If you are like my nutritionist who probably read that last sentenced and slammed her fist on the desk in rage over my dietary ignorance, don’t worry this book is for you too. Packed full of the science of why and how food fuels your rugby body it balances itself out with helpful, easy to read graphs and handy menus (the healthy bar menu is a personal favorite) that anyone can follow. It doesn’t matter if you are a teenager just getting into the game, a college student who plays socially or residing at the OTC this book can help you take care of your body with the fuel it needs.

How YOU can help the national team be successful

Let me start by saying this is not a fundraising plea, its much more important. This is about how you, as a coach, can have help the Eagles win. We all think we can do it, coach an international side, how hard can it really be? Truth be told we are part of the problem. We are just as responsible for these outcomes as the players and coaches on the field. Why? Because we are responsible for teaching players the fundamental skills of the game (passing/catching, tackling, rucking, decision making and communication). Bottom line we are the one tasked with developing these players at the grass roots level and we are failing them and our national side.

I've had the pleasure of working with high performance teams for a couple years now. I've also had the pleasure of talking, watching, and learning from foreign coaches who are closing in on their countries top spots. The one thing they agree on, and I'm starting to believe, is we as Americans look great in a rugby jersey but that is as close to an actual rugby player we get. We lack the fundamental skills needed for rugby. In my opinion, for what its worth, its starts with how we are taught in our sporting youth. Most of us only know one way to think, in X's and Os, and we are drilled until we can not screw it up (seriously, its been over a decade since I last played a down of football and I still can remember the proper footwork for a trap block). Our popular sports here are controlled by plays, plans, and diagrams. This hurts us in free flowing games like soccer, rugby and other international sports.

We as coach fail in two areas. The first being fundamentals, our players struggle with the basics. We must do a better job teaching the skills from the list above. We often let 'star' players get away with bad habits because of who they are. I'm telling you right now, I've seen it with my own two eyes, your star player will not cut it in any high performance camp. Everyone is a star there and what divides the have's from the have not's is the execution of the fundamentals. The second problem area works in conjunction with the first, overly complicated game plans. We spend too much time at training sessions trying to come up with the secret formula for the win. Recently, I overheard a team that had broken the field into FIVE sections, from sideline to sideline, to help with ID'ing of space for their attack. Could you imagine being fatigued and trying to determine if the half gap is in two or three? The problem here is we are sacrificing time that could be spent on skill development for things that hardly ever get used in the game because at the end of the day, if your covert double screen, switch, loop, wing crash attack play is going to work it all depends on your squads ability to pass and catch.

So what can we do to get better?  Well, for starters educate yourself with videos, articles, and knowledge from other coaches. Start to develop your own style by taking things you like, applying them and getting rid of the stuff you don't. Second, video tape one of your sessions. Focus the camera not on the actual players and the drills, but you. Watch how you speak to them (and for how long) also watch their reactions. Are you clearly telling them what part of the skill your working before their attention is lost? Finally, don't be afraid to learn and coach new things. Don't get stuck telling yourself "this is how I've done it and this is how I will keep doing it". Since the game has gone professional coaches have come up with all sorts of new skills and patterns. They have also started to borrow teaching techniques from the education systems that have really helped to impact and accelerate the learning curve of their players.

What do you think? Anything you want to add?

6-18-14 Good for the Game/Bad for the Game

Good:
1. Canada Rugby
They are clearly doing something right up there in the great white north. A strong finish to their 7s season, which saw them end in 6th place the best finish they have had since the 99-00 season (they finished sixth then too). The maple leafs then came out and put Scotland to the test in Toronto last weekend. It would have been interesting to see how it would have ended if the Canucks wouldn't have been binned. Since focusing their efforts on developing their sevens program they have seen a resurgence on the 15s field. Next years 7s series and World Cup could be interesting if they continue on this upwards projection.

2. Japan Rugby
I know nothing about this team but I do know their coach Eddie Jones and I like his style. Their victory over the USA was the ninth straight for the Brave Blossoms. Over the years they have steadily improved especially under the guidance of Eddie Jones who previously guided Australia to the 2003 World Cup final. He has gone on record in his belief that Japan is a hot bed for rugby and its starting to look it. The ever growing pro game there is only helping with coach and player development.

3. England closing the gap
The mighty All-Blacks have twice looked VERY beatable. The men in white have done well exposing some of the weaknesses and they were a few unlucky bounces (and poor calls) away from snatching a test series in New Zealand. Again, this is great for their world cup build-up and Lancaster has his boys rocking and rolling just at the right time.

Bad:
1. American coach development
Lets face the facts here, we got nothing here in America. It is as much about luck to get a HP position here as it is to recognized for skill and experience. If we want to get better as a rugby nation we need to open pathways for coaches. They are just as important as players are because its them who teach the game.

2. Eagles test performance
see results...

6-1-14 Good for the Game/Bad for the Game

Its time for good for the game/bad for the game. This is a weekly review of all things rugby broken down into what I deem good for the sport and bad for it. It's pretty simple...

Good for the Game:
1. Premiership Final
I won't ruin the ending for you but let me just say you are in for one cracking match! Saracens, coming off a spanking from Toulon the week before, were out to prove something. Northampton looked to tie the bow on their great season. Both teams didn't want to give an inch and it showed with smashing tackles and all out there attack from both squads. If you haven't seen this match yet, find it, watch it and enjoy!

2. College Rugby Championship on NBC (and their sister networks)
This tournament has grown in every important way. The crowds keep getting bigger, which means more people are paying attention to the game and becoming fans. The competition has improved, both in player skills and in team parity. But, the one thing I enjoyed the most was the celebration of the rugby player and not the glorification of the part-time crossover athlete who happens to be on the team for this one event. The true rugby player, once thought of as a second class athlete, is starting to come into his own and showcase all the dynamic aspects that is required to be skilled on match day. Don't believe me? Go back and watch the first year, you'll see what I'm talking about.

Bad for the Game:
1. CRC Marketing and women's tournament
It does bother me, in a very big way, that this event is celebrated as a 'national championship' when a very large number of good schools ( St. Mary's, Arkansas State come to mind) aren't invited to this event because they don't have the alumni to support ticket sales. If anything this should be called the the Commercial Rugby Championship as it is geared to one thing, making money. Which I'm fine with, just don't pretend the teams you see on TV are the cream of the crop when, if you follow any kind of rugby in America, you know isn't the case. Also, playing in an empty stadium on a poorly executed web cast can't be fun either. As for the women's side of the game why do they continue not to show their finals? We are aware that our women's team is the only hope we have for Olympic medal, right? We should be celebrating these athletes and encouraging the growth in the women's game. I have a feeling that either one of the women's national team's could do for our sport what the '99 women's national team did for soccer.

2. Super 7s
Why do we here in America feel like we need to attempt to make the great sport of rugby better by tampering with it to make it look like football? I don't know who won the thing, who played in it or if it was even enjoyable to watch. But you can't call it '7s' if you break it up into four quarters with a halftime. It kills the soul of 7s which is you need to make your chances count because you don't have the time to wait for another one. Also, the fatigue the players are subjected to must diminish the skill to the point where it becomes hard to watch. Leave 7s alone, it will sell itself without the help of our American sports business models.


See you pitch side!

7 Coaching Rules You Won't Find in Books

I love leadership books, all of them. Even the bad ones have at least small nuggets of wisdom that can make you better. But, no matter how many you always find yourself in a situation no author has every addressed before. Heck, the list below might even be something you've never even thought of before! Either way here are my 7 coaching rules you never needed until now...

1. Take your sunglasses off when addressing your team/player
Its no secret that eye contact can help with effective communication. If you don't know that then this blog isn't for you and you're beyond any help you can find here. But, if you're like me and like to rock the shades take them off when your talking with your squad. No one enjoys talking to a person of authority when they can't see their eyes. Need an example? Think of the last time a cop talked to you and kept his glasses on, it makes the whole interaction feel inhuman. So next time take your shades off and see the difference in eye contact and retention when they get back on the field.

2. Don't mess with another team's roster
We all have favorite players who enriched the coaching experience. Be it high school, college, club, or pro you build a bond with that player who embodies what your program is about and becomes the poster child for how it should work. Now, that player will go on to do bigger and better things and you will cease to be their coach. Its your duty as the past coach NOT to interfere with their career or their team's flow. Now, that doesn't mean you shouldn't invite them back for activities that will benefit your team like fundraising dinner or tournaments. But, never should you ask that player to commit to an activity that will have a direct negative effect on their own seasons and their teams. If it is that important that they attend then schedule it around their current commitments. It is disrespectful, selfish and will cause undue criticism of you and your program.

3. Stay out of the locker room/training room
A coach has his sanctuary, its could be his office, a path he walks before a game, a watering hole. Where ever the spot may be you don't like people who normally aren't there in it. Players feel the same way about their locker room. Its the one safe place they can go to get away from everything including you the coach. If you need to go in there make it short and quick (think pre-game address) and get out. Respect their space and you might be surprised how the team dynamic matures and team policing begins. This is also true for the training room. Speaking of training rooms...

4. Find a good Athletic trainer/physio
Besides the obvious reason that you want someone knowledgeable in injury prevention and treatment you also want a trainer who is socially aware of what is going around around them. These professionals often have a better feel for your teams actual pulse then you do, and this could be a huge tool for you. Players speak freely around the medical personnel and the med staff often hear things that can benefit you as a coach. I've had staff members tell me "Coach, the players are complaining about fatigue and we have seen a spike in fatigue related injuries." This is great as I can adjust my training plan accordingly. Other times they have come to me with information that can help me adjust the culture of the team (hazing, bullying, etc). Finally, always make time to meet with them or include them in staff meetings with allotted time to speak on topics they deem important to the team.

5. Don't always believe the stats
We are in the age of sabermetrics, Money Ball team building, and all those other fancy math dominate systems that you see and read about that has helped improve some struggling team. I'm not saying these stats don't have a place in the game because I honestly believe they do. But I'm saying is that statical analysis should work in connection with the eye test. At the end of the day we are coaches and we have been around our respective sports long enough to know when we see a good player. Watch how they handle defeat, interact with team mates and coaches, and their production on the field. Trust your judgment on those things before turning to the stats. Recently I sat in on a selection meeting and listened to half the table argue for selecting a player because she plays good rugby and the other half countering they shouldn't bring her because her statistical numbers weren't as high as some of the other players in her position. Neither side would look at the other's perspective which, in my opinion, only hurt the player. Do yourself and the player a favor and don't just rely on numbers because there is no stat for character.

6. It is OK to give days off and take one off for yourself at the same time
Somewhere along the lines we were brain washed to believe the more we practice the better we will be. Its flat out not true, its not about the quantity its the quality of which you are practicing. I've been on teams and have seen teams be run into the ground by over training. Its why I'm telling you its OK to give days off. Its good for you as the coach and its good for the team as a whole. It helps combat the grind of a season, allows everyone to mentally recharge, and is a good reset button for team morale. What do I mean by a reset button? In my own experience I have had teams where their training sessions have regressed over several weeks. No amount of 'let's go'-ing, 'try harder'-'s seemed to be work. So, instead of trying to grind it out of them I just gave them a day off. The clear, social up-front contract is given that the time should be used wisely and not wasted so when they return we, as a team, will be ready to go. By the next session they are back looking crisp and most importantly having fun. Even the Head Coach of the L.A. Clippers, Doc Rivers, is a fan of days offs. The only time this has not worked is when I have failed to prepare properly and time is wasted at training. Again, the day off is important for you too. So use it to work ahead in your practice planning and make sure its efficient with little time wasted. Don't forget, quality always beats quantity.

7. Hire assistance who are better than you and encourage them to be head coaches
If you read that and thought I was crazy stop reading, close the browser, open Word, and write your resignation letter now to save yourself the embarrassment of being fired later. Your support staff is more important then yourself. They are the ones that keep you employed and your team winning. We are all ego-maniacs and control freaks to some degree so it can be hard to grasp the idea of not being able to do it all by yourself. Identify your weak areas as a coach (or find someone who will, should be plenty of people) then hire people who are strong in those areas. The next step after assembling your coaching team is to foster growth and development. You should want them to be head coaches someday and encourage them to chase those dreams down while developing on your staff. If you have read the book 'Tribal Leadership' you know how helpful it can be to go from a 'I'm great, you're not' mindset (this thinking is common in coaches, listen for the famous 'well, Coach (insert name)'s (insert unit) didn't perform today' comment) to a much more team orientated 'We are great, they are not'. The difference from the first one (where you think you are king of the castle) to the second (thinking more like protecting your castle along side your nights) is a massive shift in philosophy. For ever great coach like San Francisco 49ers great Bill Walsh, who has a impressive coach lineage, you have a million knuckleheads who always tried to be the best coach on the team. Don't be a knucklehead.

I hope these were helpful and caused you to think about some things you might do differently. As always leave me a comment with some feedback.

See you pitch side

Good for the Game/Bad for the Game

Top 3 good and bad things that have happened recently in rugby.

Good for the Game:

1. All Blacks v USA: Finally a big (if not the biggest) rugby nation will be coming to American soil! Not only will this be a much needed money making opportunity for USA Rugby but it has potential to draw a lot off needed attention to the game here at home. They have selected the right venue (historic Soldier Field) and city (Chicago) for such a match to be hugely successful and I hope everyone will want to be a part of it.

2. Twitter: We've all seen the tweet between Salesi Maafu and Tom Young after their dust up. In a nut shell Young wished Maafu and his Northampton squad luck while joking about a punch he took from the Saints prop. Maafu responded with an apology and that he owed his friend a beer for his actions. While this same act has been repeated since the beginning of the game, between teams and players, never has it been put into the public spotlight where people outside the game could see the culture of the sport.

3. The USA Men's Summer Test: Not long ago we as rugby fans would be hard pressed to see our boys play matches within their home boarders. Even then it was against a fellow minnow or a larger nations 'B' team. But this summer boast three matches against World Cup qualified teams who will be bringing the full arsenal of their rosters. As always, the Houston test against Scotland will be a good time with several rugby events leading up to the match itself. Check the schedule here and get your tickets.

Bad for the Game:

1. Bryan Habana's Theatrical performance during the Heineken Cup Final: Come on Bryan! Referee Alian Rolland was right for telling you it wasn't the time or the place for that soccer nonsense. Clearly the South African wing has spent to much time in France as that can be the only reason to explain his softness and need to be dramatic during Europe's finest rugby match.

2. England's Selection Policy: I get it, I really do, you want to keep your talent at home. I can understand why southern hemisphere teams drop stars for going to the cash flooded northern hemisphere. They are thousand of miles away and aren't playing in the local (better) competition. But, the exclusion of Toulon flanker Steffon Armitage from the England squad is criminal. He plays his rugby in France which can literally be seen from England on a clear day. He also just picked up the award for the top European player this morning yet he is sitting at home for England's summer test series.

3. Jonny Wilkinson Retirement: This is more for sentimental reasons as Wilko is a helluva player that had nothing left to prove. I remember being a freshman in college and watching him hit that drop goal in the final that propelled him into super stardom. But, what impressed me more was the work ethic that went into that kick. A man can be judged by the work he does away from the eyes of the public and Jonny was the standard for that. He will no doubt leave a huge gap in the culture of our great sport.

The Social Up Front Contract: Establishing How We Do Things

A few years ago the company I work for sent me away to an intense sales training course. This was a two day event in the middle of no where Massachusetts and there I was a 20 something year old mover with little use for sales training, surrounded by a group of middle-aged sales people who had lost touch with the times (one guy talked about making deals on his car phone, CAR phone, like the phone in the bag you plugged into the lighter to turn it on type of phone, not a cell phone.) As the seminar dragged on we came across an interesting technique called up front social contracts.

As a young coach in the process of helping to build a program, made up largely of students who had never played a sport before their first rugby training, I saw a gem that could help the way I taught the game. The social up front contract comes from the Sandler Sales Institute and is based around the following 5 core ideas:

#1: Define the point of the meeting
#2: Length of time to discuss the point
#3: Define the other parties objectives, 'No' is OK
#4: Define your objective
#5: Set the outcome and when it will happen

I  began to think the process over and mold it to help from a coaching perspective. This method was a better way then the typical pen and paper contract as it helped build personal relationships and accountability. Its one thing to sign something that says you promise to play hard, show up and all that prototypical team rah, rah stuff. But, it was another to talk to a group or individual, engage them in conversation and come to a resolution that both parties can agree on. It also allows for honest feedback in the regards that it allows for disagreement or 'no'. Below I will break down each idea and how I use it both in a team setting and a one on one setting.

#1: Define what the drill/meeting/gameplan is trying to achieve; It doesn't matter if it's a drill, game, or an actual sit down meeting you, must give your team or player a reason why they should invest their time. If it's a drill or game, keep it simple, 2 or 3 points at best and make them clear (i.e. follow through on the swing until a certain point, leg drive until you've passed a certain point, kick for points early to build a lead, etc). If it's a meeting, establish the talking points early and stick to them. Write it down and share it, a meeting outline or practice plan are another form of an up front contract.

#2: Use what you need of the time but not a minute more, let them know that; Pick an amount of time and use only what you allow but not a minute more. If it's an on field exercise this will help build urgency and emphasis execution. Communicate your expectations, "I'm giving you 5 minutes to work on your kicking, after that we are onto a team run-through" and don't compromise on that time limit. If a player chooses to waste it, then look at what the next player on the depth chart is doing. This might be the opportunity they have been waiting for. If it's a meeting with the team or an individual define what the topics are and the length of time you're prepared to discuss them and don't stray. If you follow idea #1 this can save you any possible ambushes. You don't want to go into a meeting about fundraising only to be asked about playing time. This isn't fair to you or the other parties involved, as sometimes we can say things in the heat of the moment we don't mean. Just pass it by for the time being with a simple "OK, I understand you frustration but lets stick to the plan and come back to that later today or tomorrow."

#3: As a player what do you want from me/this. Be honest even if it's 'No'; To often as coaches we tell players what to do instead of asking for their input. Now, I know what you're thinking and I agree this can be a slippery slope if not managed correctly. Often asking either a captain or a core group of squad leaders to define their (and the teams) objectives can give you great insight on how your team works and what they view as strength and weaknesses. But, I would not recommend a full squad discussion on the training pitch as they will chase you down the rabbit hole if you get what I'm saying. The most important step in this core idea is the 'No' is ok'. If you hear the 'No, that won't work' ask the most important follow up question 'Why?' and actually listen. If they have a good reason, adjust accordingly as they might have given you a good point on something that can be coached. Same goes for one on one interactions, lets look at a selection issue as an example. Player A asks you why they aren't being selected (or starting). Instead of saying your side right away first ask why they think they aren't be selected (or starting). Hear their side first, and don't let them get away with the "I don't know" answer. Take on board what they have to say and then state your reason with evidence. The next follow up question we often miss as coaches during these discussions are, "what we can I do to help?" This is getting them to verbalize and define their expectations to you so now both parties are being held accountable for their end of the agreement.

#4: What do you want to see and why;  The important thing here is to let them define their objectives first and then you follow. This helps to achieve honest feedback by not having your opinion effect theirs. Be direct, truthful and with evidence when you can. So back to Player A and the selection question; ask them why they think they aren't being selected, acknowledge it, and then tell them what you are looking for in them to be selected. This is a good example of the conversation structure you should follow. This will also allow you to keep up on their learning style, do they need to do it vs do they need to see it.

#5 When will it be done and how; The last core idea is setting the outcome and when they will be completed by. Nothing is worse than empty promises and disregarded deadlines. Once you have agreed on something set a date for when it will be finished/worked on and stick to it. Most importantly define what the outcome will be. For the case of Player A and the selection issue, if you both have established that one weak area is left hand passing then set a time, a half hour before the next practice, and an outcome, 50 passes with good hand position and follow through, so both of you know what you're working for. In a team setting it can be as easy as listing your coaching goals on a practice plan and then defining them during the brief before a drill. Do a couple of reps and ask them for feedback on the objectives, then before restarting it ask for what they can do better. Again, this is another way of getting them to define their outcomes.

The up front contact isn't a perfect system and does take practice. But, if communication is an area you think you struggle with this might be worth a try. We as coaches need to keep growing and evolving with the game and player learning patterns. Or else we might find ourselves in a intense course designed to shock us into the present with some 20 something who is their for free and gunning for our job.

See you pitch side