Listen Up, Leaders: A Record-Setting Coach’s Guide to Communication

Coaching Philosophy and Communication

• Tara VanDerveer, former Stanford University women's basketball coach, emphasizes the importance of trust and openness in fostering a supportive environment for athletes. She believes that genuine care for players and staff is crucial for success.
• VanDerveer highlights the importance of concise and clear communication, especially during game adjustments. She focuses on identifying the most pressing issue ("putting out the biggest fire") and delivering a clear message to her team.

Communication with Referees

• VanDerveer acknowledges the challenges of communicating with referees, emphasizing the need to remain calm and view them as part of the game.
• The coach emphasizes the importance of viewing referees as partners in the game, rather than adversaries. He believes this perspective can positively influence communication during games.

Time Management and Communication

• VanDerveer emphasizes the importance of time management during communication, adjusting the number of points discussed based on the duration of the timeout. She also highlights the value of listening to assistant coaches for insights and guidance during high-pressure moments.

Motivating the Team

• The coach describes his approach to motivating a team after losses, emphasizing the importance of constructive feedback and routine. He explains that after each game, coaches provide individual feedback sheets to players, focusing on both strengths and areas for improvement.
• The coach also highlights the use of a team goal sheet to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

Game Analysis and Improvement

• He emphasizes the importance of watching highlight tapes to reinforce positive plays and teaching tapes to address areas needing improvement, regardless of the outcome of the game.
• The coach believes that the ultimate goal is not to defeat the opposing team, but to use every game as an opportunity to become a better team. He encourages viewers to adopt this mindset in other challenging situations, such as negotiations or conflicts.

Routine and Preparation

• The speaker, Tara VanDerveer, emphasizes the importance of routine in her coaching philosophy. She believes that routine helps players get into the right headspace and be prepared for practice and games.
• VanDerveer describes her specific routine, which includes a warm-up, individual work, and a dynamic warm-up where she connects with each player personally.

Positive Feedback and Guidance

• She also highlights the value of positive feedback and praise, drawing a comparison to her own experience learning to play the piano. She believes that coaches should be like her piano teacher, guiding players to reach their full potential.
• VanDerveer emphasizes the importance of building trust and showing genuine care for players, stating that players care more about how much you care than how much you know.

Coaching as a Partnership

• She views coaching as a partnership, where coaches act as guides and support systems for their players.

Taking Risks and Growth

• VanDerveer shares her experience taking risks in her career, including leaving Ohio State for Stanford and coaching the Olympic team. She believes that taking risks can lead to significant growth and opportunities.
• The coach emphasizes the importance of taking risks, even if they don't always work out. He shares an example of implementing a new offense over Christmas break that initially resulted in a loss, but ultimately led to a national championship after adjustments were made.

Developing Players and Team Dynamics

• He believes that helping players become better people goes hand-in-hand with improving their basketball skills. He prioritizes developing strong team dynamics, emphasizing qualities like unselfishness, discipline, hard work, and encouragement.

Onboarding New Players

• The coach acknowledges the constant turnover of players at the college level and describes how he prepares for it. He emphasizes the importance of onboarding new players into the "Stanford way," which includes specific routines and values.
• He highlights the role of senior players in mentoring freshmen and the importance of communication within the team to foster a positive and supportive environment.

Team Culture and Rituals

• The coach believes in the power of rituals and routines to create a strong team culture and celebrate both individual and collective achievements.
• The coach emphasizes the importance of empowering players to coach each other, creating a team environment where experienced players mentor newer ones.

Staying Calm and Focused

• The coach highlights the importance of staying calm and focused on the court, even when emotions are high. He believes that slowing down the game mentally helps players stay calm and avoid distractions.
• The coach emphasizes the importance of having a short memory and letting go of mistakes. He encourages his team to focus on the next play and not dwell on past errors.

Pattern Recognition and Expertise

• The coach believes that pattern recognition is a key aspect of expertise, allowing him to respond effectively to situations he has encountered before.

Positivity and Encouragement

• The coach shares the importance of positivity and encouragement, emphasizing the need to create a supportive environment where players feel valued and supported, even when they make mistakes.
• The coach uses the analogy of a duck, suggesting that players should let mistakes roll off their backs and not let them affect their performance.

Gender Equity in Sports

• Tara VanDerveer believes that equity between women's and men's sports is a crucial issue. She draws inspiration from her own family, where her parents treated her and her siblings equally, regardless of gender.
• Tara highlights the disparity in resources and treatment between women's and men's sports, citing the example of the 2021 NCAA tournament where men received better facilities and testing than women.

Advocating for Change

• She emphasizes the importance of allies, including parents and individuals who support women's equality, in advocating for change.
• Tara shares her strategy for addressing the issue of gender inequality in sports, stating that she prioritizes winning the championship first and then uses the platform to raise awareness.

Recognition and Humility

• Tara expresses her humility and gratitude upon receiving the honor of having the basketball court at Maples Pavilion named after her. She acknowledges that the recognition reflects the contributions of her family, staff, and players.
• Tara admits that she finds it easier to handle criticism than praise, attributing this to her team-oriented approach and understanding that success is a collective effort.

Effective Communication

• When asked about a communicator she admires, Tara finds it difficult to choose but emphasizes the importance of effective communication in achieving goals.
• The speaker shares two examples of people who have communicated effectively with them: Marian Anderson, a civil rights leader and singer, and Jerry Seinfeld, a comedian.
• The speaker emphasizes that both individuals evoked a strong physical and emotional response in them.
• The speaker believes that successful communication involves three key ingredients: listening, delivering a valuable message, and ensuring clarity in the message.
• The speaker highlights the importance of listening, even for coaches who are often seen as speakers.