Is This a Successful Five Year Run?

So, first there’s a question.

Then some information.

At that point, you answer the question and we move on to the rest of the post.  Coolio?

Pretty simple, right?  (And it is not about tooting a horn or anything, by the way–this is about how we think as coaches)

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Is this a successful five year run?

In the past five years, my program, Lincoln Land, has been a Region Runner-Up (32-18), made the Elite Eight (29-21), finished 3rd at Nationals (37-7), and lost two National Title games (40-9 and 40-6), finishing ranked in the Top 20 once, the Top 10 once, and the Top Five three times.  That’s a total record of 178-61.  We’ve had eight all-Americans in that time along with six all-National Tournament selections.

What do you think?  Successful?

Wrong answer.  Yes, I said ‘Wrong answer.’

How can I say that when I have no clue what you’re thinking?  (Because I’m telepathic)

It’s because I’ve done a bit of sleight-of-hand with information.  What I gave is completely true, but I’ve left out some stuff.  I’ve led you, a coach, down the road you are trained to take.

(As always, please consider supporting the blog.  You can find my writings on the About Jim Dietz tab and you can always hit ‘FOLLOW’ to boot.)

You said ‘yes’, that that’s a successful run–and you did it based on the information I listed, our performance, the awards given, and the win-loss records.  To a point, yes, you are correct.  On the court, that’s an excellent track record (I’ve been blessed to coach some great people).  The thing is–>it doesn’t address the key point of it all.  These are STUDENT-athletes.  I haven’t mentioned anything academic, so how can we determine success without that?

Is a season where you win truly great if your athletes don’t graduate or become ineligible after the season?  Is it a great club season where you don’t demand your athletes keep up on the academic work necessary to prepare them for college?  Is it a great season if athletes are permitted into easy classes designed to keep them eligible (this happens regularly at the HS and college levels, sadly…and is not a volleyball-specific comment).  Which of these is a better season?

A:  45-0, win a title, but 20% graduation rate B:  35-10, don’t make Nationals, but have a 100% graduation rate

The correct answer is ‘B’.  There are NO EXCEPTIONS to this.

Thus, from the story above, the proper answer is actually ‘I don’t have enough information to answer yet’.  You were tricked–complete rhetorical dishonesty; I freely admit my guilt.  So let’s go through this again.  I’ll give what Paul Harvey would call ‘the rest of the story’ and let you evaluate more accurately.  From worst to best as determined by post-season finish on the court:

• 32-18 Region Runner-Up: 6 academic all-conference and 6 academic all-American selections (roster size of 16), graduation rate of 83%–two left before graduation, transferring to 4-year schools

• 29-21 Elite Eight: 4 academic all-conference, 3 academic all-American selections; 80% graduation rate (doesn’t include one who left for a different program in good academic standing)

• 37-7: 4 academic all-conference, 4 academic all-American selections; 100% graduation rate4 academic all-conference, 4 academic all-American selections; 100% graduation rate4 academic all-conference, 4 academic all-American selections; 100% graduation rate

• 40-9: 7 academic all-conference, 5 academic all-American selections; 100% graduation rateacademic all-conference, 5 academic all-American selections; 100% graduation rateacademic all-conference, 5 academic all-American selections; 100% graduation rate

• 40-6: 4 academic all-conference, 2 academic all-American selections; 100% graduation rate

NOW you can determine whether this is a good run or not and the answer is yes it is/was.  You can also see it isn’t perfect–my goal is 100% graduation (or leaving early to attend a four-year school)

The point’s not to toot my horn–I don’t have academic info for anywhere else; I have no choice but use my program as an example.  The point is to make you think about what the proper definition of a successful season or run of seasons is.  Coaching is not the business of stringing together wins on the scoreboard.  Coaching is the development of maturity in young people and helping them further their education as well as their intellectual and emotional growth.  When we limit ourselves to considering only the scoreboard and the win-loss record, we set ourselves up to fail in our primary role as coaches.

So the lessons and questions?

• Watch out for trick questions!

• How does your team stack up when other things such as academics are put in place as criteria?

• How can we define success in other ways–without relying on a win-loss record?

• SHOULD we define success in other ways? 

• Who else do you have around you that can help reach the goals you seek for your athletes’ success?