Apologies - Both Unoriginal and Original Thinking

All opinions expressed in this blog are solely mine. It is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization. 

Writing daily during the season is easy. During the 'offseason' I take a cue from "Finding Forrester," and use other people's words to launch into a few of my own. "The blog" recently crossed the '5200' threshold, which is not to mistake quantity for quality. None of us can separate our values independently from our experience. 

Dr. Fergus Connolly, Human Performance expert, shares his expertise often on linked in, as well as in several exceptional books. 

What coaches seek is high performance. Dr. Connolly shares that efficiency is not the same as execution, although they can be linked. 

Visiting a team's practice can "unlock" ideas about efficiency. For example:

• Ralph Labella and I visited the UCONN women's practice which has high tempo, assisted by at least six managers. They track everything. I couldn't tell whether practice was taped. I expect it was. 
• Brad Stevens discussed the value of attending Patriots' practices during the Belichick era. Ellen and I attended a Celtics' practice and saw the importance of assistants as they led the practice as the team prepared for the Raptors. 
• I scripted practices according to what "need" areas I perceived for our young players. The practice was organized to be at least 50 percent fundamentals (ballhandling, shooting, player development) and lesser portions on team offense and defense, handling defensive pressure, scrimmages and "special situations" like out-of-bounds plays and after timeouts (ATOs)

As a player, think about potential need areas for the team, for you individually, and how your skills fit into that picture. 

MVB 26 will look 'different' than MVB 25 with challenging competition at virtually every position. The fiercest competition may arise from the "scoring" slots - service-generated points, pin hitters, and individual/combination blocking. If getting and staying on the court drive you, those roads need navigation. 

Lagniappe. Student-athletes learn leadership from those closest to them (family, peers, teachers/coaches) and from reading. Here's an AI (DeepSeek) post about leadership lessons from "Once an Eagle." Select as many as you feel resonate with you. 

Coach Ellis Lane shared enduring principles with us - family, school, basketball. 

Anton Myrer's epic military and leadership novel, Once an Eagle, is a foundational text for many military officers and business leaders, framed as a lifelong contrast between two archetypes: the selfless, strategic Sam Damon and the ambitious, political Courtney Massengale. (Note: to be labeled a Massengale is a career-crippler in the military.) 

The top ten leadership principles, drawn from the virtues of Sam Damon and the failings of Courtney Massengale, are:

1. The Mission and Your Men Come Before Yourself. This is the novel's core, captured in the famous quote: "There is only one rule, one immutable law: of the mission and the men... the men come first, and the mission must always be accomplished." A true leader serves both, sacrificing personal ambition for their fulfillment.

2. Lead from the Front. Sam Damon consistently shares the hardships and dangers of his troops. He believes you cannot understand the reality of a situation or earn genuine respect from a position of insulated comfort. Presence builds trust.

3. Master Your Craft. Be a technical and tactical expert. Damon studies logistics, terrain, history, and the minutiae of soldiering. Competence is the foundation of credibility. Massengale, by contrast, is a master of "the system" and theory, not the gritty reality.

4. Moral Courage Over Political Savvy. The book's central conflict. Doing the right thing is more important than doing the career-advancing thing. Damon repeatedly chooses integrity over promotion, even when it costs him. Massengale's political maneuvering ultimately leads to catastrophe.

5. Know the Terrain (Literally and Figuratively). Damon's legendary ability to read a map and the actual ground is a metaphor for understanding the true reality of any situation—the human terrain of your team, the market, the enemy. Don't rely on reports from afar.

6. Simplicity and Clarity in Orders. Damon's operations are built on clear, achievable objectives understood at all levels. Massengale's plans are often complex, aesthetically pleasing on paper, but brittle and incomprehensible to those who must execute them.

7. Take Care of Your People. This goes beyond basic needs. It means knowing their names, their families, their capacities, and fighting for their welfare. Damon's men follow him because they know he sees them as human beings, not tools.

8. The Power of Decisiveness in the Face of Uncertainty. "A tolerable plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan next week." Damon understands that inaction in a crisis is often the greatest failure. He gathers what information he can, then acts.

9. Humility and Continuous Learning. The truly strong leader is never afraid to admit a mistake, learn from a subordinate, or adapt. Damon is a constant student. Massengale's fatal flaw is his arrogance and inability to accept criticism or blame.

10. The Long View: Build for the Future. True leadership is about stewardship—leaving your organization, your unit, or your people better than you found it. It's about developing the next generation of leaders (like Damon does with individuals like Bowdon), not just building a personal monument.

In Essence: The novel argues that authentic, enduring leadership (Damon-style) is rooted in character, competence, and selfless service, while the counterfeit (Massengale-style), though often successful in the short term, is built on ambition, politics, and personal aggrandizement and ultimately fails when tested. The title itself is the final lesson: in the long moral arc of history, the cunning of the serpent (Massengale's emblem) will always be subordinate to, and defeated by, the courageous heart of the eagle (Damon's emblem).