In Players First John Calipari talks about how basketball is an intimate game with coaches and players forming their own tight knit family. In these families we know when someone is having a bad day, frustrated, or having a great day without anyone saying a word. These families are very in tune with each others non-verbal cues.
As a coach I think one of the hardest habits to break is bad body language. It's a shoulder shrug or looking down when you are corrected. It's that pouty look or the stomp off the floor when a player is taken out of a game. All these reactions are read internally by both coaches and players without a spoken word. I think it is very important that coaches educate their players that how they carry themselves and their demeanor speaks volumes to everyone around them. The unspoken can say a lot more than the spoken word.
Calipari shares how he was having trouble changing how one of his players carried himself after he missed a shot, when he was corrected, or when he was tired. His mentor, Mike Gottfried, came and watched a practice and afterword he wrote a note of encouragement to the young man which went like this:
"Alex, work hard to improve your body language. Body language is a facial expression, slouching, dropping your head, how you stand, how you sit, how you speak. Begin today. God created you as a winner and he has big plans for you. Work with Him. Be the best. When you feel like you want to drop your head, lift it up. When you feel like slouching your body, stand up straight. When you want to frown or have a sour face, smile. When you feel like complaining, encourage someone else. When someone corrects you, thank God because they care."
Coaches, remember that your actions and body language are being watched at every moment. Players and staff are studying your reactions when someone makes a turnover or misses a shot. Make sure you are modeling the behavior you want them to follow. Just like we have to hold our players to a high standard, we need to make sure we are holding ourselves to that same standard.
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