Whatever They Need

Aghast at her team’s flimsy play and frustrated at all the things people needed her to do for them, Oklahoma head coach Sherri Coale called Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma for some advice.

After patiently listening to Coale’s grumbling, Auriemma interjected.

“Do you know what your job is?” he begun. “Your job is to be whatever they need for you to be. If that’s a teacher, then teach. If it’s a cheerleader, then cheer. If it’s a conselor, then counsel. That’s it. Period. Do your job.”

Auriemma’s advice was so impactful on Coale’s career that she wrote an article about it for ESPN.

But it’s not just good advice for basketball coaches, it’s good advice for all coaches.

Anyone who has worked with me has heard me ask this question: What does this team need at this time?

Not some other team.

Not the team you’re hoping they’ll become in six months.

Not the team you used to coach.

This team, at this time.

If they need to go back a step, then go back and teach them again. If they need a prod to shake off some lethargy, then prod them. If they need you to help them find solutions to their problems, then roll up your sleeves and help them find solutions to their problems.

Far too often, coaches pull away from their team because they believe they have ‘better’ things to do, or they figure they shouldn’t have to teach this thing again, or the team should be ‘further along by now’.

This is your reminder to stay in it with them. Wherever they are.

Your job is to be whatever they need you to be.

Cody’s Notes

• There’s an important distinction to be made here: whatever they need you to be isn’t a proxy for always available. Like any young adult finding their way in the world, sometimes what they need is to be left to figure things out on their own.

• If you’re not sure what they need you to be right now, one of the ways you can find out is to ask.