During a postgame interview, coach Barry Hinson of Southern Illinois University did an embarrassing bashing of his team after losing to Murray State Kentucky. The struggle will continue, not only because his boys are green, but because the coach is in the blame mode.
For the players, this only creates bad feelings toward their coach.
Can this be a form of reverse psychology? It can, but in the profession of coaching, in my opinion, this is a very poor approach and technique. This philosophical approach can be hurtful to the players. And, to the coach’s demise, the players might begin to mistrust with negative feelings toward their mentor.
Granted the team has only won a couple of games, but the season is still young and could still be turned around in a positive way. A basketball coach needs to play chess and come up with different strategies, not only with his personnel, but also with some different strategical team and game concepts to suit his team’s talent (e.g. offenses and defenses).
Undermining the kids on the team is a form of professional suicide. Once he loses the players’ support, he might as well work at another profession.
The science of chemistry is not only what’s done in a lab, it’s part of the human existence and the connection between people. The coach is the scientist, and metaphorically speaking he or she needs to get the right chemical mix so he, or she, and the team can salvage their season.
When coaching, one needs to get the theory of “We’re all in this together” (the secret words of team sports) and take the ingredient of “One game at a time” for a chemical reaction of team play.
The hypothesis can be cohesiveness between the players and coaching staff with a possible result of success. Most of all, the coach needs to demonstrate to his players the support of being there for them— their cheerleader!
It’s leadership, with the confidence and trust that can develop. Believe it when I say that the coach has to have the players trust in him, and that, hopefully, works both ways.
What makes a team successful can vary. First and foremost it takes talent and ability.
If Hinson is not happy with the performance of a group of young men he and his coaching staff recruited, then who’s at fault? At the Division I level, players are recruited to fit into the system, the head coach’s system.
I say to Hinson, “Look in the mirror and now point the finger of blame at the person who deserves the criticism.”
It’s time to get to practice, learn from the team’s short comings with the determination to correct the short falls, improve on what needs to be accomplished, and know the strengths and limitations of the team. Maybe there needs to be more work on execution.
How about shooting? Are they not good shooters?
Among the coaching staff, there must be someone who can tweak each player’s shot. This is work and it’s counterproductive to yell at the team or ridicule them because they’re not winning.
It’s time to move forward. If some of the players are not easy to coach, make them aware of who the boss is and who determines when and where they’re going to play.
Maybe, for some of the players, there needs to be a change in attitude. But, don’t hang your dirty laundry out for everyone to see. Keep it in your house. No one likes to be criticized from a public podium. It’s degrading and uncomfortable.
In sports, leadership needs to come from the top and whoever is at the top is the one responsible for what needs to be done. Coach Hinson needs to rein in his horses in preparation for what has to be done to compete at the upper level of Division I college basketball.
The coach of Southern Illinois University made the mistake on national television with the negative critique of his team.
My final question: How do you get their confidence back, not only in themselves, but in their coach?
This could be the biggest challenge for Hinson because rebuilding starts at the foundation of believing in each other.
