By Ray Begovich
Ray Begovich is a freelance writer based in Indianapolis. He is the author of the new book, Writing for Results: Keys to Success for the Public Relations Writer.
Coaching Management, 9.9, December 2001, http://www.momentummedia.com/articles/cm/cm0909/assistant.htm
Over the past two years, Susie Fritz has experienced both sides of the head coach-assistant coach relationship. An assistant at Kansas State University from 1997-2000, she became the interim Head Coach this past summer after Jim McLaughlin left for the University of Washington. Fritz says McLaughlin made K-State an ideal place to be an assistant coach.
"The thing I appreciated most was that I was allowed some autonomy in the program, and that I had specific duties I was accountable for," Fritz says. "I always felt I was a very big part of why we were successful.”
It must have worked. Under McLaughlin and Fritz, K-State had four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances and made it to the Round of 16 in 2000. This year, the Wildcats again are in contention for the Big 12 title.
But not everyone's situation turns out so grandly. Sometimes heads and assistants simply aren't in sync with each other. Sometimes they don't have the workload divided wisely. Sometimes they don't communicate well. Sometimes they don't live up to each other's expectations. And sometimes, the relationship deteriorates into a negative situation, causing unnecessary tension on a team and casting a pall over an entire season.
Whether at a high school or a top-flight NCAA Division I volleyball program, the working relationship between a head coach and an assistant coach is critical and should never be left to chance. Coaches say the recipe for building a successful head-assistant relationship includes trust, loyalty, tact, communication, and a shared feeling of ownership. But how can a head coach--who barely has enough time in the day to focus on volleyball strategy and student-athlete concerns--turn these ingredients into a satisfying, productive relationship?
It starts with being a good executive director of your volleyball team. This means knowing the direction of your program, knowing what you want out of your assistants, and knowing how to communicate it all on a regular basis. It also means meeting with assistants to get their feedback and encourage their growth, and facing any disagreements head-on before they get out of control.
"One issue for each coach is understanding what you're doing and why you're doing it," says Long Beach State University Head Coach Brian Gimmillaro. "You have to use your staff to the best of their abilities, and make them responsible for things with which they can be successful.”
Ego Check
Nancy Pederson, who has guided Chicago's Mother McAuley High School to eight state titles in her 18 years as head coach, says the starting point is in the head coach's own heart and mind. "You have to be strong enough in your own self esteem that you're not threatened by someone who is good," Pederson says.
Dinu Dan, Head Coach at Pace University, agrees that head coaches need balanced perspectives about themselves if they are to foster successful relationships with assistants. "Head coaches can be too egotistical," says Dan. "They think they know everything and try to impose their will all the time. That's understandable, because the head coach is responsible for the program. But head coaches need to learn to sit back and support and respect their assistant coaches.”
"Every team is the responsibility of the head coach," echoes Gimmillaro. "But as soon as it becomes boss-employee, the relationship is over.”
Nancy Mueller, Head Coach at the University of South Florida, accomplishes this by thinking of her assistants as partners, not underlings. "Ultimate responsibility rests with the head coach and many executive decisions have to be made, but partnership is the best approach," Mueller says.
University of Utah Head Coach Beth Launiere specifically tells her assistant coaches to step up and take ownership of their positions. "I don't want 'yes' assistants," she says. "Assistants should sometimes play devil's advocate. I tell my assistants, 'Don't just wait for me to tell you what to do. Bring opinions to meetings. Bring ideas. Ask what else we should be doing.'”
To foster such attitudes, Pederson encourages her assistants to do the media interviews when the team is doing well. "The head coach should get the blame when things go wrong," Pederson says. "But the assistant coaches should share in the accolades when things go right.”
At South Florida, Mueller divides coaching duties with First Assistant Coach Claire Roach based on each other's strengths and experiences. For example, Roach focuses her technique coaching on middle blockers because Mueller feels that Roach is stronger in that part of the game. "She complements my weaknesses," Mueller says. "I learn from her every day.”
Gimmillaro adds that head coaches should also allow relationships with assistants to grow and change over time. Assistant coaches should be given their own individual goals each year, with more responsibilities added as time goes on. The head and assistant should review these goals every year and talk about where the assistant is heading in his or her career.
Nix Disagreements
One of the most difficult situations--either in practice or a game--is when an assistant coach disagrees with a head coach in front of players. That's taboo as far as many head coaches are concerned. They say they want and need to be questioned and challenged by assistants, but only in private, never where the players are present. "It's really important that players see the coaching staff as a unit," says Launiere.
Kirby Jameson, who has been Head Coach at Clark High School in San Antonio, Texas, for 18 years, says it's "real important to be in harmony in front of the players, but in the office it's different. That's when saying, 'Why don't we try it this other way?' is acceptable."
It's also critical that head coaches and assistant coaches speak with one voice to the players. And that means coaches must communicate well and often with each other so they can plan what they'll be saying to their players. In addition, Pederson tells her players that if they ever get conflicting advice they should tell the coaches right away so that everyone can quickly get back on the same page.
Fritz says that the manner in which an assistant disagrees with a head coach also makes a difference. Instead of an assistant blurting out, "I disagree"or "I think we should do it this other way," it's better to first learn why the head coach has made a particular decision.
The assistant should approach the head coach in private, says Fritz, and say, "Tell me why we're doing it this way." Then, if the assistant has a better approach, it's time to speak up and prove it.
Tom Keating, Head Coach at Wahlert High School in Dubuque, Iowa, adds that avoiding disagreements in front of players is a two-way street. "Assistants should not be put down in front of players," Keating says. "It's important that kids have confidence in assistants as well as head coaches.”
New & Old
The management ideal of treating everyone the same is a fine principle, but the reality is each assistant, like each player, is an individual. And often, the most difficult challenges arise with new assistant coaches and the veterans who might be ready to lead a program. Both types have their special considerations.
Launiere says the main problem with new, young assistant coaches is that they tend to relate to the players more than the coaching staff, especially if they have just made an immediate switch from wearing kneepads to carrying a clipboard. "It is very hard, because at that age, you identify with the players more than the head coach," Launiere says. "Those assistants totally need to understand that they are an extension of the head coach.
"The advantage," Launiere continues, "is that the head coach can go to that assistant and say, 'How would you react as a player?'”
On the flip side, a head coach must also work carefully with an assistant who is primed to move on. It's not always easy to know when an assistant is ready for his or her first head job, but this should be a part of your year-end discussions. When an assistant stays too long, it can sometimes lead to power struggles and frayed nerves.
Head coaches say that assistants who have ambitions to lead a team of their own should try to determine when they no longer need their current head coach as a mentor, when they are no longer learning any more about volleyball or team management, and when they no longer feel content as an assistant. If all those stars are in their courses, then it may be time to move on. Helping an assistant work through these questions is part of a head coach's job.
Launiere adds that coaches should share one more key element as they and assistants discuss the moving-up decision: Be ready to handle the sharply intensified responsibility and scrutiny that comes with the head coaching territory. Launiere's advice to her aspiring head coaches is be sure to understand the pressure and the vast number of decisions a head coach faces. And, finally, she reminds them that they also need to be ready to manage and mentor--their own assistant coaches.
Sidebar 1:
Ask Them
To ensure your relationship with your assistant coach is that of a partnership, ask him or her to respond to the following positive and negative statements. Then, discuss the responses and where your relationship may need work.
• I feel a sense of ownership in our team.
• My head coach gives me specific responsibilities for which I'm held accountable.
• I feel comfortable offering suggestions.
• I'm treated more like a student manager than like a coach of our team.
• I don't just carry out orders; I bring ideas and energy to our program.
• Even when I disagree with my head coach, I help present a united front to our players.
• I have too many duties to do any of them well.
• I don't have enough to do--I'm bored.
• My head coach makes me feel dumb in front of players.
• I understand that I am an assistant to the head coach, and not a co-head coach.
• My head coach has assigned me responsibilities based on my strengths and on the head coach's weaknesses.
• My head coach is not threatened by my volleyball knowledge.
• Our coaching staff is disorganized--we waste too much time.
• Our coaching staff is buttoned-up--we're smart, quick, and efficient.
• I identify more with the head coach than with the players.
• My head coach takes the time to train me in tasks I'm assigned but that I don't have much experience in doing.
• I see my head coach as a mentor.
• I'm learning management, organizational skills, and interpersonal communication in addition to increasing my volleyball knowledge.
Sidebar 2:
Warning Signs
Like any relationship, the one between a head coach and an assistant is going to experience some down times that need to be dealt with tactfully, diplomatically, and calmly. Here are a few warning signs coaches say indicate that a relationship may need extra attention.
Mood swings: Coaching is filled with highs and lows, but if an assistant coach seems to be going to extremes too frequently, it may be time for a chat.
The silent treatment: When an assistant clams up, it could be a warning sign that the assistant feels frustrated, under-valued, or like an outsider.
Sniper fire: When an assistant makes snide comments about the head coach to players, trouble is brewing.
Power grabs: If an assistant tries to assume too much of the head coach's role, players get confused.
Insecurity: A head coach needs to be confident enough to not feel threatened by talented assistants.
Arguments: Emotions run high in coaching, and a few heated exchanges now and then should not be alarming. But frequent battles or a lingering aura of hostility mean you're traveling in the danger zone.
Letting the little things slip: Assistants often are charged with carrying out tasks that seem mundane yet are essential parts of practices and games. If there is increasing inattention to tiny details, or if there are grumblings about too much "grunt work," it may be time for a talk about duties and priorities.
Losses: There are countless reasons why a team may not be successful, yet one that's not always readily examined is the relationship between head coaches and their assistants.