Three Ideas Newsletter 9-30-25
Hello, everyone! As I write this, I’m hooked on the Ryder Cup competition taking place at Bethpage Black Golf Course in Long Island. The Europeans hold a lead going into the final round today. Even with the team score being one-sided, the individual matches, combined with the crowd involvement, create a very intense atmosphere. Things got “chippy” yesterday as there was a dispute between European golfers Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, American Bryson DeChambeau, and his caddy. Words were exchanged, and tempers flared. DeChambeau’s playing partner, Scottie Scheffler was also involved.
What I found interesting was that, post-match, the Euros won, as the teams gathered to watch another match. DeChambeau walked briskly past a group of Euro golfers, obviously still upset over recent events. However, his partner, Scottie Scheffler, took the time to stop and shake hands with the opponents, giving them congratulations on a job well done. The disappointment of losing the match didn’t impact his behavior. Very classy! Scheffler obviously has a value system that transcends his internal feelings.
As coaches, there are numerous blunders committed by players, referees, scorekeepers, linesmen, parents, opposing coaches, and others. Take care with your body language and ensure that your temporary inner fury isn’t displayed in your external behavior. I used to tell my players that I shouldn’t be able to look at them and tell if we were winning or losing. The same standard is applied to the coach.
Thanks for reading! Suggestions are always welcome! Have a great week!
~Jim
Quote for the Week: “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience. You need experience to gain wisdom.” ~Albert Einstein
Idea #1 – A Tool to Build Better Player-Coach Relationships – We all get busy, and sometimes the thing that gets forgotten is the time spent on player relationships. A tool I used with the USA team was to write the name of a player on each practice plan. It would serve as a reminder to me that before, during, or after practice, I would take a minute or two to reinforce to the player the value they have to our team. The feedback might include their performance trends, their team-first attitude, and their work ethic, among other aspects. If I write the player’s name on the practice plan, it reminds me of the importance of this routine. This routine is especially valuable to the non-starters who might question their value to the team.
Idea #2 – Be Aware of the Micro-Skills – Behind every skill are what I call micro-skills. For example, what is needed to be a good passer? The most obvious is the movement of the ball. The ability to shuffle step, with balance and good posture, to get to the ball. Less obvious are the visual cues of the server. Where they are facing, the type of serve, the spin on the ball, is the serve landing short or deep? All of these visual cues are often ignored—lastly, the integrity of the passing platform. Too many passers are sloppy with their platform (breaking the elbows and wrists). Whether you’re passing midline or outside the body, the elbows should be locked and the forearms angled to the target area. These micro-skills, which contribute to good performance, can be detailed in each skill and serve as a component of your team’s warm-up.
Idea #3 – Setters: Finish How you Start with your Hands – In this short video, we focus on the hand-ball contact when setting. I use the term “big hands” to emphasize both the pre-contact and the finish. Similar to passing, the setter should have a consistent setting platform with big hands that are shaped to the ball. You will see in the video that these setters will finish the set with a similar hand position to the pre-contact hand position. VIDEO
Video of the Week – Lauren Carlini on Setter Attack: Former USA National Team Setter demonstrates the key aspects of the setter attacking. VIDEO
Archive Blog Post – Your players cannot improve if they are injured and cannot practice. In this blog post, we examine the forces that impact the body during jumping and landing. These forces can be especially impactful if players lack good jumping and landing skills. It should prompt coaches to be aware of teaching proper jumping and landing skills, as well as monitoring the number of jumps that their players execute during the week of practice and matches. READ MORE
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~Jim
