I’D LIKE TO THANK MATT RIDGE WHO IS THE HEAD COACH FOR DAVIDSON-DAVIE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STORM IN NORTH CAROLINA IN THE NJCAA IN JUCO BASKETBALL FOR SHARING ADVICE WITH THE CANNON NETWORK. HE SHARED, “1). KNOW WHAT YOU TEACH & TEACH WHAT YOU KNOW. YOU CAN BE WRONG & BE SUCCESSFUL BUT YOU HAVE TO BE SUPREMELY CONFIDENT IN WHAT YOU ARE IMPLEMENTING WITH YOUR TEAM OR YOUR PLAYERS WILL PROBABLY NOT BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU ARE SELLING. 2). BUILD A RAPPORT WITH ALL OFFICIALS REGARDLESS IF YOU THINK THEY ARE GOOD AT PLAY CALLING OR NOT. ADDRESS ALL OFFICIALS BY THEIR NAMES. NEVER BLAME LOSSES ON OFFICIATING. 3). GIVE ASSISTANTS MEANINGFUL JOBS. ATTEMPT TO GET STAFF PAY RAISES AND/OR BETTER JOBS. RUN A PROGRAM IN A WAY THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS ROLES WILL BE DIFFERENT BUT EACH PERSON’S ROLE IS VALUED THE SAME. 4). COACH THE BENCH/SIDELINE. MAKE SURE PLAYERS UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS FOR ENERGY, STANDING FOR TEAMMATES IN THE GAME & BEING SUBBED OUT OF THE GAME. IN FILM SESSIONS, CALL OUT THOSE WHO AREN’T BRINGING POSITIVE ENERGY (ENERGY VAMPIRES) & PRAISE YOUR ENERGY GIVERS. 5). FOCUS ON BEING A GOOD SPOUSE. LEAVE THE OFFICE TO HAVE LUNCH WITH YOUR SPOUSE. COMMUNICATE. CHECK IN THROUGHOUT THE DAY. 6). GET TO KNOW YOUR BOSS. BE PURPOSEFUL WITH WHEN & HOW YOU COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR AD OR HEAD COACH.  BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR.  7) MAKE THE BIG-TIME WHERE YOU ARE & THE BIG-TIME WILL FIND YOU.  EMBRACE & ATTACK YOUR CURRENT COACHING JOB INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING ABOUT THE RESOURCES YOU DON’T HAVE.  IF YOU THINK HAPPINESS IS FOUND AT THE “NEXT JOB” OR THE “NEXT LEVEL” THEN YOU’LL BE CHASING YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. 8). THINK ABOUT WHAT, HOW & WHEN YOU TALK & RESPOND TO YOUR PLAYERS, PLAYERS’ PARENTS, ETC…. I RARELY TALK MUCH IN THE LOCK ROOM IMMEDIATELY AFTER A GAME BECAUSE I’M EMOTIONAL & I NEED TO WATCH FILM BEFORE I SAY SOMETHING I WILL REGRET.  BE MINDFUL OF INCREDIBLE POSITION OF BEING CALLED “COACH”.  IT’S AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT LIVES…. BILLY GRAHAM ONCE SAID, “A COACH HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPACT MORE LIVES IN A SEASON THAN MOST PEOPLE DO IN A LIFETIME.”   9). REGARDLESS OF YOUR AGE, STAY “YOUNG” AND DRIVEN AS A COACH. BE OPEN TO NEW IDEAS AND STYLES OF PLAY. STAY UP ON TECHNOLOGY SO YOU CAN RELATE WITH YOUR ATHLETES & UTILIZE TECHNOLOGY TO HELP YOUR TEAM PREPARE. 10). IT’S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT YOUR PLAYERS KNOW & DO THAT MATTERS.  “