How Pete Carroll Gets His Players to Perform to Their Highest Potential
NFL Head Coach Pete Carroll has one of the greatest philosophical minds in sports. Carroll is also among the greatest football coaches of all-time, as he is one of three coaches to win both a Super Bowl and a college football national championship.
In his book Win Forever, he provides several thoughtful suggestions for coaches to get their players to perform to their highest potential. Carroll writes:
It is our job as coaches to prepare players in every regard possible. When players know that they have mastered the rigors of training, whether on the football field or in the weight room or classroom, then their confidence leads to an unusual focus, free from distractions, doubt, or fear. This attentiveness, also known as a quieted mind, clears the way for athletes to perform to their highest potential.
So, if you are a coach your #1 job must be to quiet your team’s mind. In other words, you must help support them as they master every aspect of their life that may lead to distractions. Of course, coaches can’t be at home with an athlete or in the classroom with them. However, coaches can provide their athletes with support, resources, and guard rails.
More importantly, coaches have a huge influence on how an athlete masters “the rigor of training” on the court, field, or mat. Carroll further states that coaches must maximize this influence by showing athletes:
…exactly how they can develop their confidence. They have to prepare in a manner that will promote their skills. They have to be in great condition in all areas. They have to know the responsibilities of their positions. They have to know how they fit into the overall scheme of the team’s design. Basically, they should leave no stone unturned in terms of preparation and readiness. All of these factors contribute to an athlete’s feeling of supreme confidence and the ability to perform with a “quieted mind.”