Tryouts and Unconscious Bias

It's a numbers game. Team selection creates hard choices for every coach. When 66 players tryout for fortyish spots on three teams, good players get left out.

Remember, cognitive biases and mental models impact selectors. "Cognitive bias is when your brain starts telling little white lies." Wikipedia defines it, "A cognitive bias is a systematic pattern of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment." Here are a few examples:

Sample size. When we have a small number of observations, they may or may not reflect results from a larger sample. If we flip a coin 10,000 times, the results will be close to 50-50. That doesn't preclude the first five flips from being 'heads' or 'tails'. A player may over or underachieve during the small sample size of tryouts. But seeing a player for about six hours of tryouts isn't that small a look. 

Anchoring. "Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane." Size, strength, or quickness may overwhelm our rational self. Think about the Damon Runyan quote, "The battle is not always to the strongest or the race to the swiftest, but it pays to bet that way." 

Endowment bias. Coaches see a player through coaches' eyes. As parents, we see our children through parental prism. We don't have a choice. In The Politics of Coaching, Carl Pierson described measuring strength, speed, and vertical jump of players. When a parent asked why his daughter didn't make the team, Carl could say that she was in the bottom five percent of measurements. 

Sunk cost fallacy. Two words suffice - Tyquan Thornton. The Patriots second round draft choice last year has been neither productive nor available. In Belichickian terms, players need ability and durability. Teams give high round draft picks, bonus babies, and scholarship students more chances to make good. 

Confirmation bias. People tend to read and 'reconfirm' existing beliefs. Watching the Red Sox broadcasts could make you feel 'gaslit' because the announcers keep telling you how great some players are. Meanwhile, you're stuck with your lying eyes. 

The reality of tryouts includes understanding both current production and weighing future potential. It's an imperfect process. 

Lagniappe. Final thoughts before team selection. 

Assuming a Leadership Role Demands Consistency

LeBron James on Leadership 🎯

“You don’t get to pick 2 or 3 days out of the week where you wanna be a leader... it’s an everyday thing.” @KingJames
pic.twitter.com/SSg9jSvHJd

— Jaycob Ammerman (@Jammer2233) August 20, 2023

"Leaders make leaders." Leaders model excellence, fully engaged, and energizing the group. 

Sometimes players are reluctant to lead because they worry about being called 'bossy' or worse. Being the hardest worker, being coachable, and making everyone around you better are the job. 

Tryouts Day 2: Outwork Your Potential

Exceptional players have extraordinary habits. Kobe Bryant on mentality:

Ask "how can I improve today?" How can you build skill, game understanding, physicality, resilience? 
 

Melrose Volleyball 2023, Q and A

"It's not who starts, it's who finishes." - Sonny Lane, former Melrose Athletic Director, New England Basketball Hall of Fame Member

Making the team isn't easy. It should never be enough. Strive to earn a role to compete during the big moments. 

Dust covers the crystal ball, but let's share questions about the 2023 season. 

1. Where do the kills arise? It seems as though every season, Melrose has to replace 400 to 500 kills. It's actually 651 with 338 from Gia Vlajkovic, 198 from Chloe Gentile, and 115 from Anna Shoemaker. The best initial guess is with bunches of kills from senior captain Sadie Jaggers and sophomore Sabine Wenzel with her 10' 4" touch. 

2. Who might ascend into the Swiss Army Knife role of 2012 Jennifer Cain? That's an impossible ask but senior Manon Marchais has a chance to boost her offensive role while continuing to play solid defense. 

3. How can anyone expect to fill Ruth Breen's setting shoes? With an entire offseason of setting, expect junior Leah Fowke to fill in seamlessly. Fowke brings added size to boost blocking power, soft hands, and a rocket serve reminiscent of Cassidy Barbaro. 

4. What's the back row going to look like? Senior captain Grace Gentile and junior Maggie Turner, both 'dirt dogs', have the inside track at two positions. 

5. How important is mentoring? Don't underestimate the importance of mentoring in player development. Sadie had great mentors in Elena Soukos and Gia Vlajkovic, both 'Tier 1' Melrose volleyball stars. Sadie will have an expanded leadership role in mentoring the next generation. 

6. How has the restructuring of the MIAA Power Ranking system impacted Melrose? Coach Scott Celli has always favored playing a competitive non-league schedule. Nothing changes this season as non-league competition features Newton North, Westborough, Frontier, and Central Catholic. Meanwhile the Middlesex League improves each season. 

7. Are there any 'substantial' rule changes in 2023? Judge for yourself. 

8. Should Melrose volleyball fans expect any surprises this season? With the remarkable evolution of offseason volleyball, expect continued growth in the quality of play. 

Lagniappe. "Stop and react." 

Melrose Volleyball Tryouts Day One: Supply and Demand

 

Tryouts began at the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School on a warm August morning. The coaches supply the opportunity and demand was high as sixty-six candidates (including twenty-eight freshmen) worked out.

The first scrimmage is only eight days away (29 August at 5 PM) so prospective players hit the floor running. 

With a large contingent of frosh trying out, the question arose about the most impactful freshman team players who became varsity players. Melrose trivia fans know the answer: Kayla Wyland (the current Wakefield coach) and setter Eva Haralabatos. 

With many returning players having played a lot of offseason volleyball, don't expect a lot of rust when the scrimmages get underway.

Coach Scott Celli shared a vital message at the close of the session, "don't be afraid to make mistakes." Mickey Mantle struck out 1710 times in his regular season career, the equivalent of three seasons of strikeouts. When he wasn't striking out, he won three MVPs, hit 536 home runs, and played on seven World Series champions.  

Final Thoughts Before Tryouts

Via Kobe Bryant and "Mamba Mentality"

Tryouts Start Today

Today is the most important day of your life. Until tomorrow.

"Be on time." On time is early. 

"Cross the red line." When you step onto the court across that red line, be totally engaged. 

"Listen." Show the coaches that you are coachable. When they correct your elbow position on hitting, do it better the next time. 

"Talk." Communicate. Call the ball. "Mine" or "Yours." 

"Always do your best." Your best today might not be your best ever. Your best today might not be the best ever. But when you give your best, all the time, you have no regrets. 

Make 'your wildest dreams' your reality. 

 

 

Tryouts Begin: What It Means to Be Part of the Team

There's a saying about The Country Club in Brookline. If you have to ask how much it costs for membership, you shouldn't apply. 

Ask what it means to be part of a team. It doesn't mean getting your name on a roster or a uniform. It means having your act together. 

Control what you can control. Focus. "Be here now." 

1. Team first. Remember UNC's Excellence Is Our Only Agenda. The coaches prepare the team to win, to put the team in the best position to win, and to play those the most who give the team the best chance to win.

Remember, what you do as part of the team affects every member of the team. Academics and off-court choices impact the team.  

2. Be professional. Be punctual and be prepared. You are not too young to hold yourself to high standards. Respect the coaches, teammates, opponents, and officials. Being late or unprepared disrespects the team. 

3. Be a great teammate. Teamwork is a choice. 

4. "Every day is player development day." Work at continuous improvement. If you improve one percent every day for a year, then you're thirty-seven times better. Don't skip steps. 

From JamesClear.com

5. "This is not a union job." Senior or freshman, everyone is important. 

6. "It's the scoreboard not the scorebook." Play the right way and the statistics take care of themselves. 

Lagniappe. 

Tryouts Start Tomorrow

"Bring your best self" to tryouts. Here's an OG perspective on tryouts.

1. I want to coach whom I want to coach.  

Naomi was a little girl who came to tryouts as a sixth grader. The young guard had the answers to the questions before tryouts even started. Two minutes before tryouts began, she came up to me and said, "Coach, I am really excited to be here." She made the team. "Nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm."

2. Differentiate yourself with focus, attention, and effort.

3. Talk to energize yourself and teammates. 

4. Stand out. I remember Randi showed up with knee high rainbow socks. She was also the tallest girl at practice. 

5. You want to "pop" at tryouts. You want the coaches to say to themselves, "She has 'it' and we want to coach her." I asked coach Scott Celli once, "when did you know she would be a player?" He said, "after watching for five minutes." 

6. Nonverbal communication is the majority of communication. Stand tall, have a firm handshake, great eye contact, and sprint to each activity. 

7. Believe in yourself. You can't be better than your self-belief. 

8. "Always do your best." You never regret giving your best effort. 

9. "Get on the floor." Be the player determined to keep the ball up. 

10."Trust the process." Great process, consistently executed, gives the best results. 

Good luck. 

Lagniappe. Last minute tips. 

Volleyball and "The Bear"

Art imitates life. Take lessons away every day. Don't expect deep meaning every second but "see it" when you see it. 

The Bear is a Hulu series about the inner workings of a restaurant. Moreover, it celebrates the frustration of pursuing excellence. The language is harsh, but you've heard it. 

Here are some quotes from the series:

"In order to get better, you change limits...figure out the solution." - Coach Mike Krzyzewski

"We're not children. It's okay to make mistakes...but we need to own up to them with immediacy, integrity, and honesty." 

"We can't operate at a higher level without consistency." Consistent results demand consistent focus and effort. 

"It would be weird to work at a restaurant and not completely lose your mind." It would be weird to coach and not lose your mind. 

"I want to cook for people and make them happy and give them the best bacon on earth." "Cooks cook to nurture people." Coaches coach for the same reason.

"Do you ever think about purpose?" Keep purpose above passion.

"Just be confident about it. Don't second-guess yourself." Eventually, it has to flow to work. 

"How'd you get good at this?" "I made a lot of mistakes." Leave your comfort zone. 

"I got better than I ever thought I could be, just by trying to keep up with him." 

"Most of the incredible things I've eaten haven't been because the skill level was incredibly high or there's loads of mad fancy techniques. It's because it's been really inspired." Allow yourself to be inspired. 

"It helps to have good people around you, too." Collaborate. 

"Every night you make somebody's day." I want to see beautiful basketball. Someday it might happen. 

"It's your ship now, Captain." Lead in your moment. 

"Every second counts."

"Let it rip." I keep this reminder under my computer screen at work. It's going to be frustrating. Keep going. 

Don't cry because we're not the best. Keep working to be our best.  

Lagniappe. Imagine what's possible with power and deception. 

Soft Skills: Print and Save Edition

Vertical touch, bench press, and forty-yard sprint time matter. But players with fewer 'measurables' still excel. 

They excel because they have skill and intangibles.

So you want to be a player. Nobody can suddenly make you taller, quicker, and more skilled. 

1. Punctuality. Be stretched out and ready to go on time. 

2. Effort. Be the hardest worker every practice.

3. Energy. Bring energy and energize your teammates. 

4. Positive attitude. Believe. 

5. Passion. Care. Care more every day than the day before. 

6. Body language. Walk onto the court tall, head up, looking confident. Everyone should know you belong as you announce your presence. You are where you should be. 

7. Coachability. Make eye content. Listen. Translate the coaching into action. They say 'jump', you say, "how high?"

8. Extra. Do five more. Be the first at practice, the last to leave. 

9. Preparedness. Know the coverages. Know your responsibility and those on the court with you. Know the score, the situation, and the plan. 

10.Work. Outwork the competition. "Don't cheat the drill." Have a strong identity "this is who I am" and reliable performance "this is what I do." 

"Dean Smith Time." Dean Smith, former UNC Basketball coach, was notorious for strict punctuality. Former player Phil Ford set his watch ten minutes early to assure he'd never be late. 

"Effort plus." NBA Hall-of-Famer John Stockton won EVERY sprint during his long career with the Utah Jazz. Success was his choice. 

"Energize." "Nothing great is ever accomplished without enthusiasm." Be a star in your role, the best teammate ever. 

Lagniappe. Ball control drills from Elevate Yourself. 

Lagniappe 2. Coaches are like broken records. We say the same things again and again. 

Attitude

The offseason is almost over. Hit the ground running... with attitude. 

Let's start with an AI take on 'attitude'. 

In sports, "attitude" refers to a player's or a team's mental outlook, approach, and demeanor towards the game and competition. It encompasses their mindset, emotions, and behavior on and off the field. A positive attitude in sports is often associated with traits such as determination, perseverance, sportsmanship, focus, confidence, and a strong work ethic. On the other hand, a negative attitude can manifest as laziness, lack of discipline, poor sportsmanship, and a defeatist mindset.

A player's attitude can significantly impact their performance and interactions with teammates, coaches, opponents, and fans. A positive attitude can contribute to better teamwork, increased motivation, improved skill development, and enhanced resilience in the face of challenges. Coaches often emphasize the importance of maintaining a positive and constructive attitude, as it can influence the overall success and enjoyment of the sport.

Ultimately, a player's attitude in sports plays a crucial role in shaping their overall experience, growth, and achievements within the athletic realm. 

You control your attitude:

Choose to have complete focus from day one. 

Choose to bring energy to yourself and teammates. 

Choose to outwork other teams every day.

Choose to play to succeed rather than to avoid failure. 

Choose to be ready every time you walk onto the court. 

Choose to give maximum effort. 

Choose to be a great teammate. 

Choose to never quit. 

Attitude counts. 

Lagniappe. Pressure is a privilege. 

In pressure situations, stop thinking ahead and worrying about what could go wrong. Stay in the moment and focus only on what you can control.

— Sports Psychology (@SportPsychTips) August 16, 2023

 Lagniappe 2. Handle the bombs. 

Media Savvy

Individuals want minutes, role, and recognition. Recognition takes multiple forms - awards, money, media. 

"Control what you can control." That won't include the type or extent of recognition. Control your response to the media. Become a sophisticated, media-friendly player. The includes both substance and style. 

1. Thank the interviewer. 

2. Be positive. 

3. Share the credit. Recognize others responsible for your success, your coaches and your teammates. Others can see you as a selfish credit grabber or as a great teammate. Reflect on Adam Grant's "Give and Take." “Givers get to the top without cutting others down, finding ways of expanding the pie that benefit themselves and the people around them.”

4. Communicate confidently. 

5. Study examples. 

Melrose's Cecilia Kay presents after a Fenwick state title loss this spring. She recognizes the team's seniors and emphasizes "we." It's not perfect but it's good. 

Practice in front of a mirror or doing mock interviews with cellphone video. Preparation helps you for college and job interviews and for oral school presentations. Poise and maturity take time and practice. 

Lagniappe. Be memorable for the right reasons.

 

Being a Leader

Coaches resemble snowflakes, no two are alike. You've never met a coach who wanted to be mediocre. 

Seek leadership qualities in words and deeds as both actions and words both matter. Not everything we do can or will be pleasant...as coaches or players. 

Add value. 

• "Make the team better." 
• Leaders make leaders. 
• "Every day is player development day." People should leave practice better. 

Model excellence and integrity. Players see everything. Kevin Eastman says, "You can't fool kids, dogs, and basketball players." 

• Be positive.
• Be the mentor you would want. 
• Impact character AND winning. 

Support your 'team'. Protect your team.

• Have your team's back with administrators and officials. 
• Have empathy for the team and players, understanding how they feel. 
• Let them know how you feel and that you believe in them. Work to "see people" not just acknowledge they're present. 

Inspire.

• Speak greatness. Make words count.
• Value, excellence, and support add to inspiration. 
• Win humbly and lose graciously. 

Teach (share).

• Clarify and simplify. 
• "What has not been learned has not been taught." 
• "Trust but verify." Give and get feedback for "sustainable competitive advantage." 

Be part of the team.

• Leaders dig in. Troy was head of Environmental Services. When a complex problem arose, he traded a suit for scrubs and got dirty. 
• Be fully invested in the personal and volleyball growth of players. 
• Stay available. Let players know we expect to help them advance with networking and recommendations. 

Forgive.

• We are human. So are assistants and players. Correct mistakes and forgive. 
• Don't take the job frustration home and create conflicts. Or else you will need a lot of forgiveness. 
• Forgive yourself, too. You can't be your best while angry at yourself. 

Deal with failure. 

• Everyone fails, without exception. We have to get up off the canvas. 
• Develop and share failure stories for yourself and your team. 
• Need a reference? Try John Maxwell's Failing Forward.  

A big job, impossible, really, but who better to do it?

Lagniappe. Alternative to sprints. Quad power. 

Facing Our Fears and Tryout Tips

"The gap between knowing what you want and going after it is where fear thrives. You don't need enough courage for the entire journey. You only need courage for the next step." - Farnam Street Blog

Fear makes us hesitate. It paralyzes, prevents us from doing the necessary. Fear induces 'choking'. Resilience training helps athletes live at peak performance. 

The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey, 1974 

Dune captures the power of facing fear. 

Bon Jovi: "You can't win until you're not afraid to lose."

Roosevelt changed history with his 1933 Inaugural Address. "This is pre-eminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great nation will endure, as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyses needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

Find solutions for fear. 

1) Competence is the antidote for fear.

2) Mindful meditation reduces stress hormones. Most professional teams and Olympians have mindfulness programs. UCLA Mindfulness has mindfulness scripts. 

3) Sport psychology training such as breathing techniques, identity and performance statements, and visualization (highlight reels) can lessen fear. 

Lagniappe. Do what it takes. Be seen. Be heard. Be memorable.

Study What Works

Study successful coaches and ideas. What influences made them successful? What is their philosophy? Without clarity of philosophy, coaches can't teach or sell a culture, style, or program. 

For example, the Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr emphasizes mindset, mentors, and culture. 

The great entrepreneur Sara Blakely (Spanx) preaches make it, sell it, build brand awareness. 

Alabama football coach Nick Saban's top points are that "life is hard" and "it takes what it takes" to succeed. Players need the discipline to do what they have to do when they don't want to and the discipline NOT to do what they shouldn't when they want to. 

The Chinese General Sun Tzu from about 500 B.C. wrote in The Art of War, "every battle is won before it is fought." Preparation is everything. 

You can't award yourself coaching or playing honors but you can have a clear philosophy. 

Know that the first priority of coaching is successful relationships. I preach teamwork, improvement, and accountability.  Accountability means holding yourself to a high standard. 

Your playing career is short. Develop a philosophy, your approach to the game. Include your identity as a player and an attitude about your performance. Restated, "this is who I am" and "this is how I play." 

Understand that as players, your performance defines the minutes, roles, and recognition. Coaches put what is obvious into play. 

Lagniappe. The Ideal Player.

 

 

Identity Statement

All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. 

Carve out your identity. The Patriots don't keep photographs of championship seasons in the locker room. Last season's six seniors aren't walking through that door. 

1. "Success leaves footprints. Find them, follow them, and then fit them." - Kevin Eastman

Success arises from work. When your biographer writes your story, what do they unearth? "Unseen hours" of strength and conditioning translate into high performance. 

2. Organizational DNA. J.D. Watson and Francis Crick got the most credit for discovering the structure of DNA. But chemist Rosalind Franklin deserves mention for key contributions. Exceptional teams have unique 'structure' as well. Individual play forms the nucleotide bases that combine in infinite ways. 

Melrose volleyball plays the "West Coast Offense" of area volleyball - ball control. Coach Celli emphasizes fundamentals and simplicity. Do well what you do a lot. 

3. Fingerprint ID. Embrace your destiny. Have your fingerprints in the gym, the weight room, and on video equipment where you study film. They don't belong on red solo cups at underaged parties.

Part of Jason Selk's "10-Minute Toughness" is the 'identity statement'. Your identity statement shares who you are. It might be, "I am a leader who always shows up, "fired up and ready to go."" Another part is your 'performance statement' which reflects how you play. They complement each other.  

Lagniappe. Your vision changes through 'coach's eyes'. 

Steve Kerr on the difference of being a player and a coach

“It's different as a coach because you feel responsible for a lot of people. Even though you don't take a shot, you don't get a rebound, you feel like you just want to help them any way you can.” - Steve Kerr pic.twitter.com/0NS9KN0ddi

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) August 5, 2023

Lagniappe 2. Setting body position... 

 

The Best Sports Parent I Know

You know the term "helicopter parents." I know one who wasn't one - helicopter engine 'rocket scientist', my wife Ellen.

I'm not saying she's the best sports parent ever, only the best one I know.

She wants Melrose to win, but she roots FOR both teams.

She was totally invested in the girls' development, driving them to practices and games and traveling to Florida, Atlanta, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and other destinations to watch. 

She is not a referee-baiting leather lung who had ready criticism aimed at the officials. She knows that they have mothers, too.

She doesn't ever complain about the coaching, the strategy, or the playing conditions.

I don't remember her commenting about playing time, roles, or recognition. Sure, she was thrilled to see our children's name in the newspaper, but there was never any 'whataboutism'.

After wins, she supported the kids but never questioned about individual play or statistics. She liked seeing all the players get a chance to play. 

After losses, she second-guessed nobody. Sure, she wished the team made more plays when they came up short, which luckily wasn't too often.  

On Senior Night, she encouraged recognition of the visitors, too. 

When the high school had banners, she pushed for inclusiveness. If a player only played a few games, she wanted their name on the now-departed banners. 

She would have been a big fan of Bob Bigelow's theme of "Let the Kids Play." 

I wish I could have lived up to half those standards. 

Lagniappe. Make practice competitive with 'ladders'. 

Volleyball Risk Management

"Life is about the management of risk."

People are risk averse so make choices to avoid risk, which compromises winning. Know that many games, including volleyball, involve both skill and luck. A range of outcomes are possible. 

Risk matters for volleyball. Control risk. 

What increases risk? 

• Impaired focus degrades performance. 
• Overconfidence. Overconfidence produces 'trap games'. 
• Playing through injury. Shorter-term availability may risk longer-term unavailability. 
• Unfavorable lineup combinations and inexperience risk poor play.  
• Playing less favorable actions could mean back row hitting, setter dumps, more opposite attacks. Team analytics define risk. Do more of what works and less of what doesn't.  
• Lack of depth might be costly, e.g. having only one setter.
• With the revised playoff format, a weak schedule may increase risk of lower seeding and an earlier 'out'.    

Lessen risk

• Avoid excessive emotion. Don't get too high or too low. 
• Have a well-conceived game plan. Your coaches guide you. 
• Get consultation. Coaching isn't only about sport but psychology. 
• Train players for backup roles. Redundancy matters in engineering, science, and sports. Engineers create backup systems. The body has two eyes, two ears, paired lungs and kidneys, and collateral 'overlapping' circulation. 
• Ankle braces can reduce injuries. Mouthguards reduce concussions. 
• A strong culture with player leaders and maturity reduces risk of player violation of team rules and chemical health violations. 

Lagniappe. Risk identification.

 

 

What Great Players Have in Common

In the book series Market Wizards, Jack Schwager interviewed a trader Ed Seykota. Seykota said, "everyone gets what they want from the markets." Winning is hard, that's what makes it valuable. 

Here's a post from a private Facebook basketball coaching group. 

What does preparedness mean to you? 

• Conditioned 
• Adequate sleep (ideally eight hours nightly)
• Proper nutrition (they don't fuel 'regular' gas in jet engines)
• Focused mentally on the daily task 
• Stretched out and ready to go when practice starts

Lagniappe.