"Play Hard"

"If i can't count on you for the effort I can't count on you for the results." - Jessica Pearson, Suits 

Play smart. Play hard. Play together. Have fun. 

Great coaching inhabits specifics. Focus on the details. 

What does play hard mean?

• Engage on and off the court - meetings, film sessions, weight training. In practice, "Never cheat the drill." 
• Be coachable. Know the "Commander's Intent," "intermediate steps" and the desired "end state." 
• Communicate. Talk intimidates. Talk energizes. Talk succeeds. 
• "Get on the floor." Jay Bilas's Toughness elaborates. "A tough player has a sense of urgency but has the discipline to do it the right way."
• "Whatever it takes." Discover your resilience under adversity as a part of great culture. 

Lagniappe. Location. Location. Location. Hitters get the glamor but defense gets the ball into neighborhoods where attacks live. Most (not all, read Fairhaven) of the memorable losses Melrose suffered occurred because the other defense outperformed, especially on serve receive. Keep improving. Which of these can you fine tune?