This article from Proactive Coaching, written by John McCarthy and included in the Intentional Coaching #2 collection, shares lessons drawn from an in-depth study of legendary, highly successful coaches such as John Wooden, Don Meyer, Bill Snyder, Jim Steen, and Joe Ehrmann. It examines how these coaches sustained success for long periods, highlighting their decisions to stay at their schools, their personal character, their focus on process rather than winning, their attention to detail, and their commitment to transformational coaching and lifelong learning.
Introduction
Over my career in collegiate athletics, I've been intrigued with highly successful coaches. In recent years, I've focused my thoughts and questions into a more narrow focus: How do we define and measure success? How do coaches consistently achieve success with their programs for long periods of time? Can their successes be replicated? What can we learn from these highly successful coaches?
With these thoughts in mind, I began to identify and study multiple coaches in great detail. The result has become a detailed presentation and a booklet. With the popularity of the presentation, I am in the process of turning the Lessons of the Legends into a book and DVD.