Coaches Journal

I've been composing this correspondence in my head for the past week or so. Every night as I'm heading home from work, these thoughts bombard my head and beckon to be let out of their cage. Well, here it is, now that I'm hopped up on enough caffeine that I can't keep thoughts of a National Championship out of my mind.

These are the unspoken elements of championship teams. These are the qualities that separate the champions from the merely talented. These are the qualities that keep outsiders scratching their heads as to why some teams always "have it" and others can never seem to figure "it" out.

I have an incredibly clear idea as to how we will compete and win a national championship. Every year, my resolution grows firmer, and my belief stronger. These elements must be in place for such a accomplishment to become possible.

Belief
There are so many people out there, for one reason or another, that seek to limit the dreams of others. The bottom line is that if you do not believe that such a thing is possible, it simply is not. I am not advocating delusion. Far from it. I work every single day of my life to make such a thing possible, and believe with every fiber of my being, that such a thing is possible. I am aware of what it takes, and am willing to go to the ends of the earth. In short, I believe. More importantly, you must believe. You must believe every day that you are out there. This is how we get better every day, working towards a goal...to make this reality. Our belief is all that matters. We're in the middle of it and nobody knows what we're capable of like we do, and we believe. We are not struck down by roadblocks, we are merely emboldened.

Teamwork
This cannot happen alone. Just as I rely upon you to do the work, buy in, take ownership of these things, and continue to improve, you must do the same with each other. As we move forward into the season, you will struggle and you will break through. You will have good days and not-so-good days. You will have days when everything comes easy, and others when the simplest thing is a struggle. Mediocre teams have more bad days than good, and are at the whim of their emotions. They are pulled down by those who struggle and the entire team suffers. Good teams, and those with potential, are inconsistent. They never seem to get on the same page. One guy struggles, while another has the day or match of his life. They cannot seem to put it all together at the same time, and wait for the magical time when it all just "clicks." It never does, and they're left thinking about what could have been. Great teams know that their success lies not just in bringing their best every day, even when they don't feel their best, it means their teammates must do the same. When everyone goes out of their way to be their best, the collective level rises together. We've talked about this level in practice, but in order to be great we must OWN this level, day in and day out. This is committing to being better. I've mentioned that this is a choice, and it is. What are you doing right now? It is not about doing your best, or working hard when you feel like it, or motivation strikes. IT IS ABOUT CULTIVATING MOTIVATION, AND MAKING THE TIME. You will never regret making time to push yourself, mentally, emotionally, or physically. Know that you are not alone. Show that you are not alone. Work together. Bring people together. Take a chance and lead. Do not wait to be led. If everyone waited, we would not move. We all have a lot going on. We're all under stress. We all have deadlines, and could use more sleep. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. THIS IS WHAT MAKES US STRONG. Tennis is no different. It is about managing stressful situations with calm and dignity. It is about being your best under less than ideal circumstances. That is greatness. The willingness to take on challenges, to rise to the occasion. Look at our schedule. Do not be overwhelmed. See challenges everywhere you look, and salivate. The opportunity for greatness presents itself on a daily basis. Greatness is no accident; it is cultivated with care, understanding, and with teamwork.

I alone cannot win a National Championship, but we can. Do we have the talent? Yes. Do we have the foundation? Yes. Do we have the courage to believe, and the dedication to put in the work when others would not? That's not up to me...

Looking around at all of the elite teams in this country, you can say this about them all: They __________ better/more/harder than anyone else in the country. What do we do?

I truly appreciate you guys and all of the work that you put into this thing, and am climbing up the walls in anticipation of this season.

Sincerely,
Ben