What Drives Winning?*

All opinions expressed in the blog are my own. The blog is not an official publication of any City of Melrose organization.

*Adapted from my basketball blog

How can you attack the issues that get in the way of your team maximizing it’s ability?Here’s two questions to start the conversation and help build a community of learners.

- What Drives Winning

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Brett Ledbetter does amazing work discussing the humanity of sport. Don't confuse insight with 'softness'. 

"What are the top three things that could get in the way with you maximizing your ability?"

"What is the biggest personal struggle that you're dealing with?"

We don't know what we don't know. 

Players have issues at home. Jerry West held a shotgun to his abusive father and told him that he would use it. 

Players have financial issues that impact housing and hunger, not just whether they can play club ball. 

A parent had serious health issues and died during the season. The parent had written me requesting extra support for the player. The team imploded while supporting the player.  

Players hide or understate injuries. "Checking in" regularly gives them a chance to share. 

Never make assumptions. (from The Four Agreements)

How many coaches ask players what is going on in their lives (family, home, school, other relationships)? In A Sense of Where You Are, about Bill Bradley, the coach lists three big words on the chalk board:

• Food
• Sleep
• Studies 

In small letters, he writes "Basketball."

Student-athletes experience different pressures and priorities. Players quit or act out sometimes because they don't feel seen, heard, or respected.  

Create Safe Spaces

The team (Oklahoma) thought she was selfish, taking "My Turn" or "Me, Too" shots. They confronted her about it and she broke down crying. She said that unless she scored, her father wouldn't talk to her. Supporting teammates isn't automatic, it's chosen. 

Coaching can't 'fix' everyone or everything. But if we don't know or choose not to know, then issues will impact winning. That's the truth that Ledbetter wants us to understand.

Lagniappe. Apply "The Batman Effect." 

When asked what characteristic ALL ELITE ATHLETES SHARE, Kobe said ‘storytelling’.

“Tell yourself, don’t listen to yourself.”

World class athletes geniunely believe they have an alter ego when they need to go to another level. This is called the ‘Batman Effect’.

One of the… pic.twitter.com/W3okaXhppI

— Chris Steed (@csteed) September 2, 2026

Lagniappe 2. Grow your craft. 

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