A History of Winning
by Eric Eaton,
Assistant Coach, Quinnipiac University
As
career coaches we spend many hours learning as much as possible
about our game, our profession, and what it takes to achieve
success in the wild world of college athletics. As assistant
coaches, we must work tirelessly to advance our programs on a
daily basis. Of course, we are preparing to become head coaches,
but being the best at the job you have should be the top
priority. Loyalty to the head coach and the program are a staple
of a top notch assistant. Through the experiences we have in
different programs, under different head coaches, we will shape
our opinions, contacts and coaching styles.
During my time at Holy Cross (00-04) and Albany (05-07), I noted
the common threads that made these programs successful. As Coach
Tom Moore strives to build Quinnipiac into a successful program,
he has asked our staff to aid the process by using our past
winning experiences as a guide. Here are 12 components to
building a successful program that I have learned from Ralph
Willard (Holy Cross), Will Brown (Albany), and many talented
assistants during my history of winning:
1) Relentless Recruiting- Blanketing the country for players who
fit the program and school is the #1 key….PERIOD. We looked for
kids who achieved on the court, in the classroom and in public.
2) Relentless Recruiting- See #1!
3) Academics-Weekly meetings between players and staff reinforce
how serious we are about the academic progress of our
student-athletes. They are in the program to get a degree and we
are responsible for helping see them through that process.
4) Build Contacts- You never know where players will come from.
We work hard daily to build solid ties with key people in key
areas.
5) Teach the Game- We are educators who teach basketball and
life. The more time spent cultivating skills, the better the
results will be for the players. If players and coaches share a
mutual trust, the team will be on a path to overachieve.
6) Scouting/Game Preparation- The most overlooked component to a
program’s success. There have been numerous games I felt we won
because we were better prepared than the opponent. If you know
your opponents tendencies and sets as well as your own it
frustrates them.
7) Form an Identity- Once the Head Coach has decided what the
team will “hang their hat on,” it must be consistently
reinforced.
8) Program Pride- When the staff and players believe in the
front of the jersey they will be relentless in the pursuit to
advance the program. Defining what makes the program special
will create a bond among the group that is difficult to break.
When the players feel they have been directly involved in
developing this pride, it is carried on from year to year as
people come in and out of the program.
9) Communication-A staff that is plugged in to each other is
extremely productive. We are sure to know each other’s
recruiting schedules and are familiar with each other’s
recruits. We meet on a weekly basis to discuss any pending
issues and map out the best way to get things done.
10) Family Atmosphere-We create a culture where the players can
approach any staff member with a question or issue that they are
confident will be resolved by a coach they trust has their best
interest at heart. You can get after them on the court but it is
never personal. We are here to make them the best people and
players we can during their time in the program and beyond.
11) Learn and Evolve- Whenever possible get to other programs
and coaches to learn about what makes them successful. We can
all put our egos aside and pick something up from the many great
coaches in any sport.
12) Do the Extra- Overachieve….. do more than the opponent
whether it’s players - 50 extra 3’s, 100 extra Free Throws, 5
more sprints, …. Or staff - 10 more phone calls, 2 more films, 8
more notes to recruits, 6 more emails, WHATEVER IT TAKES!
We all know that there are many different methods to developing
a successful basketball program. After being a part of 5 NCAA
Tournaments, I am confident that these ideas can be helpful in
any program, regardless of style. I have been extremely
fortunate to work under Ralph Willard, Will Brown, and now Tom
Moore. They are 3 successful coaches who have allowed me to
contribute to their programs while growing as a coach and
preparing to guide my own program. They have been successful
with different experiences and styles but they share a common
thread, a history of winning.
