Everyone knows the importance of a positive attitude, but sometimes having a positive attitude is easier said than done. Occasionally real-world examples sink in with players. Hopefully, the message in the article trickles down from coaches and parents to players.

And the message for players is pretty clear: Listen To Your Coach.

Showcasing Who You Are

When I was an assistant coach at Cornell College, we would host High School Shootouts. We'd bring anywhere from 30-50 high school teams in for a weekend of playing games.

It was a perfect opportunity to see a lot of players over a short amount of time. It was also an excellent opportunity for players to showcase not only their game but WHO THEY ARE.

Sometimes Shots Go In - Sometimes They Don't

Kids are wrong if they think, "I've got to light it up," while a college coach is watching. Coaches are looking for so much more than just the shot going in.

Now I realize every college coach is different, and every program is different. For me, I wasn't worried if they missed a shot, or even if they made a turnover. These would not be reasons to stop recruiting a player.

Why I LOVE Watching Players In Person

When players were at our shootout, it wasn't a highlight tape showing a player hitting a bunch of 3's or dunking. It was just them playing. I was able to watch everything they did, not just what was spliced together for me.

• I love to see how a player behaves when an official's call goes against them.
  Did they complain? Did it negatively impact them on the next possession?
• I love to see how they react when their teammate makes a bad play.
  Do they put their head down in frustration? Or do they go pat them on the back and say let's get the next one?
• I love to see how they react when THEY make a bad play.
  Do they blame it on an official or teammate? Does it shake their confidence?
• I love to see how they sit on the bench when they aren't in the game.
  Are they cheering on their teammates? Are they actively engaged in the game?
• I love to see WHO they celebrate.
  Do they celebrate their teammates' success or just their success?

Watching these behaviors will quickly tell me about the attitude of the player we were looking to recruit.

"He's Not For Us" - Don't Do This To Sabotage Yourself

There was only one player I watched during this time and thought, "he's not for us." He came to our Shootout one weekend, and this is what I saw. A player who:

• Complained about almost every call the official made
• Threw a fit when the coach would take him out of the game
• Sat on the bench with a towel over his head when he wasn't in the game
• Celebrated HIS makes on the court, not his TEAMMATES

These are the things that stood out, and I still remember. What I don't remember is if he scored 3 or 30 points during the game.

His attitude overshadowed his play.

My message to players would be pretty simple: believe your coach when they tell you that your attitude and behavior impacts how your teammates, fans, and coaches perceive you.

Teaching Moment- Turning A Negative Into A Positive

After watching our recruit play, I asked his head coach if that was a typical attitude/behavior from him when playing? When his coach told me it was his usual attitude and behavior, it was pretty easy to respond that we were no longer interested in recruiting him.

Now, this may seem like a negative moment, and it could have been. But as good coaches do, they can take a negative and turn it into a positive.

This coach wasn't going to yell at his player or tell him I told you so, but he was going to talk to him, advise him, and hopefully help him grow as a person and learn from his mistake.

This coach wanted to see his player succeed more than anyone, and now he was planning on using this moment to help create a positive future for his player. There is no doubt in my mind that the negative moment would become something positive in the future for this player.

Closing Thought

As a parent, it can be tough trying to decide what team your son or daughter should play on. Consider choosing a team not only develops your child's game but their character as well.

Wins and losses will come and go. Players who have the most success down the road do so because of their attitude and character.

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