COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVE PHILOSOPHYPHILOSOPHY

Damon Burton & Bernie HollidayDamon Burton & Bernie Holliday

Vandal Sport Psychology Vandal Sport Psychology ServicesServices

University of IdahoUniversity of Idaho

WHY DEVELOP A WHY DEVELOP A COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVE PHILOSOPHY?PHILOSOPHY?

Your competitive Your competitive philosophy guides philosophy guides your everyday your everyday actions and helps actions and helps you to make the you to make the right decision by right decision by deciding what’s deciding what’s important ahead of important ahead of timetime

COMPETITIVE PHILOSOPHY COMPETITIVE PHILOSOPHY FACTS AND MYTHSFACTS AND MYTHS

Developing a competitive philosophy is not a Developing a competitive philosophy is not a one-time process but an ongoing journey that one-time process but an ongoing journey that requires frequent reflection and systematic requires frequent reflection and systematic updating—a constant work in progress.updating—a constant work in progress.It has to be personalized to fit your experience, It has to be personalized to fit your experience, attitudes, values and beliefs as well as the attitudes, values and beliefs as well as the society you live in.society you live in.You can’t borrow your philosophy from a coach You can’t borrow your philosophy from a coach you admire or from simply reading a book. It is you admire or from simply reading a book. It is a product of your experiences and values.a product of your experiences and values.You must cultivate and nurture your coaching You must cultivate and nurture your coaching philosophy and constantly work to make it philosophy and constantly work to make it better.better.

DEVELOPING YOUR DEVELOPING YOUR COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVE PHILOSOPHYPHILOSOPHY

1.1. self-awareness…self-awareness…monitor thoughts, monitor thoughts, feelings, and behaviorsfeelings, and behaviorsask othersask others

2.2. prioritize competitive prioritize competitive objectives…objectives…

personal development personal development versus winning versus winning How much importance do How much importance do you place on each of these you place on each of these objectives?objectives?

PHIL NIEKRO’S CAREER- PHIL NIEKRO’S CAREER- CHANGING INSIGHTCHANGING INSIGHT

1.1. Niekro let his ego get Niekro let his ego get in the way early in his in the way early in his career.career.

worried about how much worried about how much he pitched,he pitched,what spot he occupied in what spot he occupied in the rotation, andthe rotation, andwhether he won.whether he won.

2.2. At 32, Niekro quit At 32, Niekro quit worrying about worrying about winning.winning.

pitched his best until 48pitched his best until 48318 wins followed 318 wins followed

WHY WHY COACHES/ATHLETES COACHES/ATHLETES

BECOME WIN-BECOME WIN-CENTERED?CENTERED?Pressure from media, Pressure from media,

parents, boosters, parents, boosters, administrators and administrators and themselves.themselves.Living vicariously thru Living vicariously thru their athletes.their athletes.Model their philosophy Model their philosophy after win-oriented pro after win-oriented pro coaches and athletes.coaches and athletes.Easier to evaluate Easier to evaluate success based on success based on winning instead of long-winning instead of long-term development.term development.

CHALLENGE OF CHALLENGE OF REPRIORITIZING REPRIORITIZING

WINNINGWINNING1.1. Do you compete for Do you compete for

any of these any of these reasons? reasons?

2.2. Is competition a Is competition a personal ego trip?personal ego trip?

3.3. Do you link your Do you link your personal worth with personal worth with winning?winning?

4.4. Do you understand Do you understand what Phil Niekro what Phil Niekro learned?learned?

JOHN WOODEN’S PYRAMID OF SUCCESS

RETHINKING RETHINKING MARTENS’ MOTTO…MARTENS’ MOTTO…

Rainer Martens’ American Coaching Rainer Martens’ American Coaching Effectiveness Program (ACEP) Effectiveness Program (ACEP) motto…motto…““Athletes first, winning second”Athletes first, winning second”

Our revised motto highlights the Our revised motto highlights the relationship shared between relationship shared between personal development and success.personal development and success.““Personal excellence – The Personal excellence – The

foundation for success”foundation for success”

PERSONAL EXCELLENCE PERSONAL EXCELLENCE MOTTOMOTTO

Your first priority is Your first priority is development and development and maximizing personal growth.maximizing personal growth.

Personal excellence also Personal excellence also enhances chances of enhances chances of winning.winning.

Increasing physical, Increasing physical, psychological and social psychological and social development improves your development improves your probability of outperforming probability of outperforming others.others.

WINNING – DEVELOPMENT WINNING – DEVELOPMENT CONTINUUMCONTINUUM

Excellence- Excellence- Win-Win-

Centered Centered CenteredCentered

•Where would you put John Wooden, Where would you put John Wooden, Bobby Knight, LaBron James, & Barry Bobby Knight, LaBron James, & Barry Bonds?Bonds?

BILL SNYDER BILL SNYDER DEVELOPS THE ‘TRUE DEVELOPS THE ‘TRUE

COMPETITORS’COMPETITORS’In turning Kansas State from In turning Kansas State from the nation’s worst football the nation’s worst football program into one that won program into one that won 11 games six years in a row, 11 games six years in a row, Snyder emphasized . . .Snyder emphasized . . . getting better every day, getting better every day, improving as athletes, students improving as athletes, students

and people instead of winning,and people instead of winning, evaluating success based on evaluating success based on

enthusiasm for the game, life-enthusiasm for the game, life-skill development, graduation skill development, graduation rates, future career success, rates, future career success, and character developmentand character development

‘‘TRUE COMPETITORS’ TRUE COMPETITORS’ BRING THE MOTTO TO BRING THE MOTTO TO

LIFE…LIFE…““striving to win” versus striving to win” versus “actually winning”“actually winning”appreciating “the appreciating “the journey” versus “the journey” versus “the destination”destination”the challenge becomes the challenge becomes practicing what you practicing what you preach…preach…community-wide community-wide competitive philosophy competitive philosophy developmentdevelopment