What is greatness? Does it stem from a career, a reputation, or your accomplishments?
After a look at various definitions of greatness, it’s generally considered to be the quality of being outstanding or extremely good. Greatness often involves achieving remarkable success, demonstrating exceptional skill, or making a significant positive impact on others. Greatness can be found in almost any area including arts, leadership, and everyday life where it is shown in acts of kindness and excellence.
When greatness is applied to sports we primarily think of the athletes who exhibit great skill and athleticism. But what about the coaches who help lead these athletes to greatness? For athletes, particularly student-athletes, finding greatness when it comes to coaching is something that varies greatly and impacts them for years to come.
I’ve played many sports throughout the years. I’ve run track, played basketball and tennis, and studied karate, boxing, and gymnastics. Throughout all these, I’ve had a range of coaches, some of which I would deem good and a handful I would deem truly unfit to coach.
To me, a good coach is someone who helps push their athletes to their fullest potential, who understands every athlete’s strengths and weaknesses, can incorporate fun into a workout, and doesn’t tear down or compare their athletes to each other or somebody who is more advanced. A good coach needs to have strong communication skills that they directly share with their athletes. A good coach needs to be an active listener who is trustworthy, has emotional intelligence, and who can be a leader who has patience, and a flexible teaching style.
Every athlete – amateur or professional – benefits from a great coach. For example, 22-year-old Chicago Sky WNBA player Angel Reese talked about how blessed she was to land with the Sky at No.7 in the 2024 WNBA draft and Head Coach Teresa Weatherspoon. During a post-game interview session, Reese spoke about the impact Coach Weatherspoon has had on her this season and that she can talk to her about any problem she may be having. Reese said, “Anything going on, on social media on and off the court. Luckily, I was blessed to have somebody who understands me on and off the court.”
Reese emphasized that Coach TSpoon stands above others. “I’ve had amazing coaches in my career but this one is special. She understands me, she believes in me. Shots that I take that I may not believe in, she wants me to take. After our pew-draft Zoom, I was like, ‘Please God let me go to Chicago.’”
While Reese has benefited from working with, what I consider, an effective coach and leader, an unfit coach does just the opposite to an athlete. While good coaches see the individual strengths in each of their athletes, an unfit coach tries to motivate all athletes the same, is resistant to change, expresses significantly more negative communication, and is focused on outcome and results rather than developing their athletes. Bad coaches have favorites and publicize it, teach in an authoritarian style, are more concerned with drama than the sport, and all too often disregard the mental and physical well-being of athletes.
Having a good coach is so important. Rookies in leagues like the WNBA and young developing players need someone who will understand them in every aspect of life. Coach TSpoon knows what it takes to be a good coach. As a woman in the league, she knows that you must have confidence and constantly improve with the right work. Angel Resse has had an immediate impact on her team and the league and her growth isn’t a coincidence, it comes from a coach who believed in her.
An athlete shouldn’t have to be a professional in order to have great coaching. In fact, young athletes need the best coaches – great coaches – to help them develop a growth mindset that enables them to approach challenges with determination. Upcoming generations should grow to love and learn the sport they are interested in without having their dreams crushed. We need to change the coaching system and allow it to bring more joy, understanding, and sympathy towards the athletes. Perhaps former Notre Dame head football coach and player Ara Parseghian said it best when he stated: “A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.”
