Why Excuses are So Bad
Excuses hurt teams, not just because they waste time and kill team morale (and a coach’s morale), but because they reveal that the player making them has a very off-line focus. An excuse-maker can’t possibly be using his energy thinking about how to enhance what is going on or about to go on because, obviously, he is putting his time into explanations and justifications.
Maybe, in this context, you can better understand why a good coach hates excuses so much. When a player makes an excuse, especially on the court, it’s hard for his coach to even think about the excuse itself.
He gets a frown on his face before he even begins to hear the explanation. He frowns for the misplaced energy, not the reasoning.
This point ought to be compelling. If you truly wish to be a special athlete on a special team, you don’t have time for excuses. You need all the time you can possibly muster to focus on things that will keep enhancing your team’s activities in new and exciting ways.
Book excerpt from Dick DeVenzio‘s book, Runnin’ The Show
Related Articles
The Beauty of the Game | The Leadership Podcast
Mano joins Jan Rutherford & Jim Vaselopulos, on The Leadership Podcast to talk about his sports and business experiences with stories and advice on thinking like a coach, communicating, and making a difference in people’s lives.
The Way I End Each Year
For the past few years, I have taken time over the holidays to do the same two exercises: On New Year’s Eve I take time to reflect back on the year; then on New Year’s Day I take time to create my plan for the coming year. These few hours have become really special to me. In fact, I look forward to them with great anticipation. Looking back on the year gives me the chance to pause to celebrate and appreciate all that transpired. My reflection process is the same each year.
A Leadership Lesson Most Never Get
If there is one crucial concept that is important to living well, it’s learning to live between your own ears.
About PGC
PGC Basketball provides intense, no-nonsense basketball training for players and coaches. Our basketball camps are designed to teach players of all positions to play smart basketball, be coaches on the court, and be leaders in practices, games and in everyday life.
We combine our unique PGC culture with a variety of teaching methods and learning environments to maximize the learning potential of those that attend our sessions. In addition to spending 6-7 hours on the court each day, lessons will be reinforced through classroom sessions and video analysis.
Our goal at PGC is to empower you with the tools to fulfill your basketball dreams, while also assisting you in experiencing the joy of the journey.
To learn more about PGC Basketball, including additional basketball training tips and videos, visit our YouTube Channel or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Share This Post