The Four Rules

I've only coached soccer and baseball, but I think these four rules -- which I've told to every team I've coached apply to any sport.

1. Play Hard
2. Play Fair
3. Listen to your Coaches
4. Have Fun.

They're equally important -- although "listen to your coaches" is more a rule of self-preservation than anything else, particularly with 22 eight- and nine-year-olds. 

But of all the rules, I think I like play hard the most. It's not necessarily about playing aggressively or physically, and it's certainly not about playing dirty (see rule #2).  To me play hard is about hustle, desire and effort -- getting back on defense when no one else is; making that last overlapping run even when you're running on fumes. 

After watching the first couple practices, it struck me that one of the differences between Noah's town travel team and Matty's premier travel team is that every player on the premier team plays hard, in practices and in games. There are 17 kids on his team and they all seem to have the same passion for the game. 

I'm not sure the same applies to the Noah's team. Part of it is age, I'm sure. Noah's team mates are only 9 and 10 and many of them are just discovering the game. They're all good players -- some very good players -- but I'm not sure all of them, Noah included, will develop that passion. And I'm not sure that you can coach that into anyone.

-michael