During my short college coaching time, had the pleasure of attending a clinic where some successful coaches shared their X’s & O’s & overall philosophies. Knowing why, how & what gets these guys out of bed in the morning is powerful knowledge.
One of the speakers was Marty Schottenheimer; his passion for coaching resonated with all of us. An awesome opportunity to hear from a great NFL coach & man. Here are some of his thoughts...
He is perhaps most famous for his pre-game speeches & coming up just short in big games. His English degree served him well in the former & his winning percentage speaks to his success despite not winning the big one.
Find out what you do best & do it!
Throughout his career, his teams ran the ball but he wasn’t afraid to change when the team was better at something else. “Marty-ball” meant finding & doing what the teams he led did best. He’s the only coach to be fired after going 14-2.
Live life one step at a time & play the game one play at a time.
Don’t let one mistake, one bad play ruin the next one. Stay optimistic & have a short memory to move on so you can bring your best on the next play. Hard to do but powerful if you can re-focus quickly. Their family instituted the “midnight rule” to develop the ability to move on. They could complain & re-hash events of the day until midnight then they had to be done with it.
Never stop coaching.
In everything he did, he was always helping make people better. His approach of treating everyone the same encouraged lifelong learning no matter where they were in life’s journey.
Expect to win!
He encouraged his players to trust their preparation & align their expectations on desired results. Maintaining a positive attitude through tough times with the focus on killing ’em with kindness will be the measure of the dignity you displayed whether you win or lose.
Leaders say “we”!
Throughout his presentation, he always included others by stating “we” accomplished it. This inclusive mindset develops deep trust as players & coaches become confident he has their back. We don’t do anything by ourselves, we always need others to succeed.
Rest in Power Marty!
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