Coach Masek

“You guys make it about the wins and losses. 25 years from now, I want them to pick up the phone and call me because they need me. I’m there for them.” The life of a coach is an investment in people, not just points. Build a legacy that outlasts the jersey.

Transactional vs. Transformational Coaching… Dan Hurley shared a story about asking Geno Auriemma for advice after a rough start last season. Geno didn’t mince words: “Listen, if the only gratification and the only part of coaching that excites you is winning the national championship, then you’ve lost your way, buddy! Where’s the joy in the things that you’ve always been about as a coach before you went on the championship run, like relationships with your players, like helping people get better, like making your team the best it can be. Be a coach, man. This is when you really need to be a leader. This team isn’t as good as last year’s, so what the hell are you going to do about it? Are you going home? Are you going to let this thing unravel?” That’s the tension every coach feels: Transactional vs. Transformational. Transactional coaching is outcome-obsessed. It’s about the wins, the losses, the trophies. The problem? When results don’t come, your purpose crumbles with them. Transformational coaching is different. It’s about people. It’s about growth. It’s about building something that lasts, whether the scoreboard agrees with you or not. And this is why mentorship matters so much in coaching. Left on our own, it’s easy to drift into a transactional mode without even realizing it. A trusted mentor can pull us back to center and remind us why we started coaching in the first place. To build relationships. To develop players as people. To make teams the best they can be. Wins matter. But they’re not the why. The why is impact. The why is growth. The why is leaving your players better than you found them. The process is the prize. Stay grounded. Stay on the path. Always remember your why.

“I get along great with every player that works hard… I don’t get along with players that don’t work hard.” 🔥

Grateful to have hit 1k Friday night! Thank you to my coaches and teammates that have helped me along the way!!

"This is all about our country. I love the USA. I love my teammates. I'm so proud to be an American today…. Just a ballsy, gutsy win...that's American hockey right there." Jack Hughes after scoring the game winning goal

Minnesota didn’t just beat Oregon — they handed out hard hats at the door. The Ducks went a smooth, artisanal 2-for-20 from three. That’s 10%, for those keeping score at home. I’ve seen better odds at a carnival ring toss. And the best part? They just kept firing. Confidence is admirable. Accuracy is optional, apparently. Meanwhile, first-year head coach Niko Medved is out here looking like a basketball architect. Reached into the tool belt, dusted off the 2-3 zone, and basically said, “Go ahead, gentlemen.” What followed was less “Mighty Ducks” and more “Ducks in a Driving Rainstorm.” We are witnessing a wonderful and transformational coaching job. Year one. New culture. New energy. A staff that clearly did the homework. This wasn’t luck — this was a scouting report turned into performance art. Play more zone, win more games. It’s not complicated when the other team treats the three-point line like a suggestion. And just to confirm — because it deserves repeating — Oregon went 2-for-20 from three. That’s not a cold streak. That’s climate change.