All opinions expressed in the blog are solely mine. Blame nobody else. The blog is not the official publication of any Melrose entity or organization.
Bill Walsh said it best! pic.twitter.com/AmkoKsqDQE
— coachkou (@coachkou) October 6, 2025
Seek Timeless Advice, Not Free Advice
“There is nothing cheaper than free advice.”
Most of us are better at giving advice than following our own.
Bill Walsh was “all about process” long before today’s pundits. He preached a standard of performance for everyone in the 49ers organization — from the person answering the phone to the coach striping the field. Everyone owned the standard. That standard built a dynasty.
As coaches and players, our challenge is to seek and apply timeless advice.
1. Every Day Is Player Development Day
Given a choice between two better players or two better plays, choose the players. Teams thrive when potential becomes performance.
Alyssa DiRaffaele helped Melrose reach the state finals in 2011. She began as an attacker and ended as one of the best liberos — and arguably the best server — in program history. Coach Scott Celli recognized her long-term value and made a change that changed everything. Great coaching is recognizing who an athlete can become.
2. Outwork and Outthink the Competition
Time is our most valuable resource; practice comes close behind.
Champions find a way to turn hours into advantage — by planning, reviewing, and refining. Hard work without thought is grind; thoughtful work becomes growth.
3. Think Again
Adam Grant’s Think Again reminds us that the best leaders and teams never stop rethinking. Keep a “rethinking scorecard.” What attitudes, systems, or traditions need reimagining?
When I grew up, girls’ sports had fewer opportunities and less support. One unhealthy product advertised, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” The slogan was hollow; the progress since then is real. Keep fighting for access, equality, and excellence.
As Mr. Rogers said, “Look for the helpers.” Then become one.
4. Celebrate Small Victories — and Big Ones
Winning on the court is only part of the story. Melrose women who matriculated through MHS and nearby schools now lead in business, education, medicine, and engineering. They’ve built families, careers, and communities with the same discipline they once brought to the gym. Dream big and match your work to your goals.
5. Invest Your Time — Don’t Spend It
Leila Kiggundu described the MVMMS “photels,” wall hangings where students store phones during class. It’s a simple symbol: technology can empower or distract. Focus is an investment; distraction is a withdrawal.
Human performance expert Dr. Fergus Connolly organizes growth around four pillars:
-
Skill – technique and precision
-
Strategy – tactics and decision-making
-
Physicality – athletic explosiveness
-
Psychology – resilience and focus
Improvement means diagnosing, not guessing. If your attacks go long, study your run-up, adjust your backswing, and learn to finish with lift and topspin. Details matter — because process builds performance.
Closing Thought
Free advice is everywhere. Timeless advice is earned — through effort, humility, and reflection.
As Walsh, Eastman, and Grant remind us: focus on process, seek truth, and stay teachable.
That’s how potential turns into legacy.
See how Coach Donny's arms are almost parallel to the floor. Watch your game tape and notice your technique. To become your best, remember that "form begets function."
No comments:
Post a Comment