by Jefferson Mason, on Jan 11, 2017 12:01:00 AM
To be a successful team and player, you need more then skill and athleticism. Great players must be able to think the game, be willing to prepare, be focused, and consistent with what they do. Both coaches and players need to make sure to practice good habits so that it's second nature come game time.
Everybody wants to win but success doesn't come from luck, it comes from preparation and hard work. Great opportunities only come around every once in a while, so when they do you must make sure that you are fully capable and ready to take on the challenge. Every coach and player's legacy is built in the off season when no one is around or looking. The blood, sweat and tears that come with pushing through a tough practice week are what makes champions. Sacrificing time and energy is what it takes to become the player that you envision yourself to be.
These two basketball quotes from legendary coach Bobby Knight embody what we believe in here at Dr. Dish Basketball.
"The key is not the 'will to win'... everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important" -Bob Knight
Success is fun and anyone in athletics knows the feeling of finishing a game and looking up to see your team on the winning side. I don't think you can find one athlete that doesn't like to win or doesn't have the desire to win. Even though most or all athletes want to win, that doesn't necessarily make them winners or equal success. Coach Bob Knight emphasizes that the will to prepare to win is the most important part when it comes to winning. As a coach I can ask 10 basketball players right now if they want to win and be successful and all 10 players would reply with a resounding "yes." But if I followed that up with telling them they needed to show up for 5am sprints or needed to sacrifice significant time, effort, and energy, likely most of those players would probably say, "No thanks."
Coaches provide scouting reports to players which help them have an edge on their opponent, but simply having this report doesn't give you the edge. You have to sacrifice your time to study it, find weaknesses in your opponent, figure out their game plan so that you are properly prepared to win. Preperation needs to be executed properly on and off the court before there is any chance for success.
"Discipline is doing what has to be done, when it has to be done, as well as it can be done, and doing it that way all the time" -Bob Knight
Consistency is key when it comes to success in basketball. Players have to buy in with what coaches are selling and they have to believe in the process set forth. Teams that continually make mistakes tend to be unsuccessful. Usually mistakes come from a lack of discipline and forgetting offensive and defensive assignments.
Coach Knight's quote really sums up how players should approach every practice and every game they play in. Your goal is to be the best version of you on the court and to make sure you are consistent with your responsibility and role within the team. When teams win championships, one of the first things coaches will talk about is the discipline the team exhibited and how they executed the game plan properly.
There are so many pieces that must be in place to win games or be successful throughout a season. As a player and/or coach you have to practice great habits all the time so that it become second nature when you hit the court. Dr. Dish basketball puts an emphasis on training game-like and going hard with everything you do on the court. Make sure you take these Bob Knight basketball quotes to heart and you will reap the benefits in the long run! Here at Dr. Dish we always make sure to train hard, train smart, and train with a purpose!
Check out how Texas A&M Basketball is using Dr. Dish to train their perimeter AND post players!
