A couple of years ago, we talked to Coach Beilein, who is known for his tenure at the University of Michigan. There, he led the team to two national championship games and shared key strategies that can benefit our Soldier Coaches at all levels.

Building a Winning Culture

Coach Beilein emphasized that the foundation of any successful team is its culture, a concept familiar to our military community. At Michigan, he focused on teaching and living core values daily, much like the ethos instilled in service members. This approach transformed the program, leading to consistent success.

“Pride, poise, team,” Beilein shared, were the pillars of his coaching philosophy. These values, which resonate strongly with military ideals, guided not just how players performed on the court, but how they conducted themselves as student-athletes.

Practice Makes Perfect

One of Beilein’s most striking insights was his approach to practice, mirroring the military’s emphasis on preparation and drill. “If you’re going to be ready to use it, take two hours to plan every second of practice,” he advised. This level of preparation ensures that every moment on the court is purposeful and contributes to player development, much like mission planning in the military.

Beilein structures practices to keep players constantly engaged, using a variety of drills that maintain high energy levels while improving skills. This approach aligns well with the STS philosophy of translating military leadership skills to effective coaching methods.

Fostering Team Unity

A key aspect of Beilein’s coaching strategy is fostering a sense of unity among players, a concept deeply ingrained in military culture. He encourages players to compete not just for themselves but for their teammates, echoing the camaraderie found in military units.

Beilein shared an anecdote about a challenging plane incident the team faced, which ultimately brought them closer together. The team’s response to this adversity, rallying around the concept of “sudden change,” demonstrates the kind of resilience and adaptability that our Soldier Coaches bring to their teams.

Adapting to Modern Challenges

Coach Beilein also touched on the evolving landscape of sports, including the impact of analytics and the changing dynamics of player development. He stressed the importance of balancing data-driven decisions with intuition and experience, a skill many veterans have honed through their military service.

Key Takeaways for Soldier Coaches:

• Invest time building and reinforcing team culture daily, drawing from your military leadership experience.
• Plan practices meticulously, applying the same dedication to preparation you used in your military career.
• Design drills that keep players engaged and improve multiple skills simultaneously, utilizing your training expertise.
• Foster a team-first mentality that motivates players to perform for each other, much like the unit cohesion in the military.
• Be prepared to adapt to “sudden changes” and use them as opportunities for growth, leveraging your military adaptability.
• Balance modern analytics with sports intuition and the leadership experience gained from your service.

Whether you’re coaching youth leagues, high school teams, or aspiring to college-level coaching, these insights from a respected coach can help elevate your program. Remember, success in coaching isn’t just about X’s and O’s—it’s about building a culture of excellence that brings out the best in every player, a skill that our Soldier Coaches are uniquely qualified to deliver.

Ready to transform your leadership experience into coaching excellence?

Learn more about our upcoming workshops and clinics and join the ranks of Soldier Coaches, making a difference in communities nationwide.

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Last year, we talked to Coach Dustin Kerns, head men’s basketball coach at Appalachian State University, to share his wisdom on coaching and leadership. His insights resonate strongly with our mission to educate, develop, and certify members of the military community to become expert coaches and exemplary role models.

Here are some key takeaways that apply both on and off the court:

Understand what loses before you can win.

One of Coach Kerns’ most impactful strategies when taking over a struggling program is having players identify losing behaviors. This aligns perfectly with the STS approach of leveraging military experience to build winning teams. As Coach Kerns put it, “You’ve got to really understand what loses before you can go out there and win.” This mindset is crucial for our Soldier Coaches as they transition their leadership skills from the battlefield to the playing field.

Create alignment through shared standards.

Rather than imposing a long list of rules, Coach Kerns has his players collaboratively develop team standards. This builds buy-in and accountability, mirroring the way military units operate. He emphasizes that “how you get people to believe in them and get aligned” is crucial for success. Our certification seminars teach Soldier Coaches how to establish these shared standards in their teams.

Foster authentic connections.

Coach Kerns uses an exercise called “Highlight, Hero, Heartache and Hope” to help players bond on a deeper level. By sharing personal stories, teammates develop empathy and unity that translates to on-court performance. This approach resonates with our mission to create strong community connections through coaching.

Communicate with clarity and repetition.

When addressing young athletes, Coach Kerns stresses the importance of “speaking in soundbites”—precise, memorable phrases that reinforce key messages. This echoes the communication skills honed in military service, which we help our Soldier Coaches adapt to their coaching roles.

Stay humble and authentic.

“There’s two kinds of coaches—humble and about to be humbled,” Coach Kerns quipped. Admitting mistakes and showing vulnerability as a leader can actually strengthen your credibility and rapport with players. This aligns with our focus on developing Soldier Coaches who lead by example and continue to grow.

Trust the process.

Building a winning program takes time. Coach Kerns reminds us that “good days will add up” if you stay consistent in your approach and keep believing in what you’re doing. This mirrors the dedication and perseverance instilled through military service, which our Soldier Coaches bring to their teams.

These insights remind us that great coaching involves much more than just the game. By focusing on culture, communication, and character development, Soldier Coaches can profoundly impact young athletes’ lives while achieving success on the scoreboard.

Whether you’re a certified Soldier Coach, considering our program, or a leader in any field, Coach Kerns’ approach to building teams and developing people through sports offers valuable lessons we can all apply. At Soldiers To Sidelines, we’re committed to equipping you with these skills and more through our comprehensive certification program.

Ready to transform your leadership experience into coaching excellence?

Learn more about our upcoming workshops and clinics and join the ranks of Soldier Coaches, making a difference in communities nationwide.

The post Leadership Lessons from the Basketball Court: Insights for Soldier Coaches appeared first on Soldiers To Sidelines.