Saturday Secrets to Great Baseball Coaching – Earning the Team’s Respect
It is contradictory for coaches to preach team, teamwork, and team unity and then do the opposite with their behavior. Unfortunately, many coaches fall into this trap.
Demeaning comments in front of the team, which attack a specific player’s character or effort, is the easiest way to lose respect of your players and destroy the idea of team. Sometimes, these comments may be appropriate, but they should be made in a one-on-one (or with player’s parents present) manner, and in a non-derogatory, honest way.
Coaches may think other players are oblivious to treating players differently, but they would be mistaken to think that. Additionally, coaches often fail to that behavior towards any player affects them all, whether they are the intended target or not.
Once again, berating a player in front of others is the quickest way to lose respect of all. On the other hand, the simplest way to get the respect of your team is to show respect to all players, even the ones that drive the coach crazy.
