Mark Alabakov

A realization all coaches need: You are chasing trends and trying to be cutting edge and losing to a sweater vest wearing grey haired science teacher who has been running the flex offense and playing man-to-man defense for 35 years.

I’m going to propose that you develop an uncanny ability to be selectively ignorant. Ignorance may be bliss, but it is also practical. It is imperative that you learn to ignore or redirect all information and interruptions that are irrelevant, unimportant, or unactionable. Most are all three. Lifestyle design is based on massive action—output. Increased output necessitates decreased input. Most information is time-consuming, negative, irrelevant to your goals, and outside of your influence.

People underestimate how long it takes to win big. You struggle for 10 years. Eventually, in one day, you achieve more than you did your entire life. Be patiently aggressive.

I asked Pat Riley if he were coaching today, would he bring the Armanis back or would he have a quarter zip/polo Riley: "I never change much… I wish they went back to coats and ties. I think an audience wants to see somebody on the sideline who looks like a leader…"

The best coaches I’ve been around aren’t doing anything special. They do the basics. Over and over. With real intent. While everyone else is distracted by everything.

Give Real compliments. Teach Real skills. Repeat Real fundamentals. Provide real connections. Build Real CONFIDENCE!! They’ve got enough people, distractions and naysayers trying to build falsehoods into them.

Developing competence is one of the best routes to deep satisfaction. Nobody can buy, power, connive, influence, bribe, or authority their way into competence. It must be earned.

Stay Authentic.

The fastest way to become appropriately confident is to become dangerously competent.

Was it really a basketball workout if you didn’t have a social media team there ? -a dozen or more still photos - alot of smiles, laughs and fun drills. - video to music - talk to the camera or videographer while working out. -numerous people standing around. It’s too much

The "golden question" every coach faces: How do you get players to listen? Mike Dunlop's answer wasn't what anyone expected, but it's stuck with people ever since. #basketball #coaching #basketball #coaching

Coaching is both art and science. One must balance sports science with the skills of motivating people and understanding learning styles. It's not just about plays; it's about people. #Leadership #Coaching

AFL is "wild"—but can its chaos translate to hoops? With its uncoachable skills, is there anything basketball can actually learn? Seen any transferable skills? #AFL #Basketball #AFL #Basketball

Star players often get checked on *least* because of assumptions they're "okay." But ignoring them can be a huge miss. Who's truly getting the support they need? #Leadership #Teamwork

Stepping up can trigger imposter syndrome, but coaches often have what it takes to lead, even with more experienced players. It's about trusting the journey and your skills. Ever feel like this? #leadership #impostersyndrome

Surrounding yourself with smarter people is key. One coach reflects on lessons learned from working with the best, tracing his basketball journey back to his family's sporting roots. #Basketball #Coaching #Basketball #Coaching

When working with athletes or revered coaches, knowledge is key, but being trustworthy is the foundation. Reliability and consistency display that, according to one expert. #mentorship #leadership #mentorship #leadership

To avoid being a carbon copy, it's about finding what's authentic within oneself. Compete to win, even in practice. Show humility, but compete at a high level—that's the arena. #motivation #mindset

Looking for an edge? The evolution of your game might NOT be in your game. Unlock new strategies by studying how other sports handle invasion and scoring. Think soccer, football, hockey… #SportsStrategy #Innovation

Unlock your coaching potential! Discover "transferrable truths" across sports by immersing yourself in diverse coaching styles. The evolution of any field doesn't lie within itself. #CoachingTips #SportsPsychology #CoachingTips #SportsPsychology