Assistant coaches vital to strong teams

From the Evansville Courier Press
Sunday, April 5, 2009

Whether it be watching the NCAA basketball tournament on TV or on the sidelines of a youth soccer tournament this weekend, it is easy to see how valuable the role of an assistant coach can be in the dynamic of a team.

I had the unique opportunity to work as an assistant under two of the more successful coaches in the history of college soccer — Fred Schmalz, who won more than 400 games and led the University of Evansville to the Final Four in 1985 and 1990, and John Rennie, who won more than 400 games and led Duke to the 1986 national championship and to four other Final Fours. Working for each gave me tremendous insight into how to run a successful program, and also gave me a chance to get some practical experience in every area.

Former NBA coach Eric Mussleman wrote in his blog about a recent interview with Indiana University's Tom Crean. Crean, a former assistant under Tom Izzo (at Michigan State) and Ralph Willard (at Pittsburgh and Western Kentucky), talked about what he thought were "three functions" that assistant coaches should fulfill:

1. Offset the mood of the head coach. "If the head coach is in a bad mood, you as an assistant need to be a in a good mood," said Crean. "Assistants should not be carbon copies of head coaches. I love playing teams where the assistants act and teach just like the head coach because they just aren't prepared as well."

2. Always be accessible to players. "A head coach is often pulled in several directions through various responsibilities," said Crean. "An assistant must be available to players at all times."

3. Do what is needed. "An assistant's primary role is to make the life of a head coach easier," said Crean. "You must be a willing participant. When I was learning under Ralph Willard and Tom Izzo, my job was to make them Coach of the Year. I wanted to allow them to do what they do best, so I took care of the things they didn't want to do or didn't have time to do."

If I was going to add other important functions, it would be:

— Not only offset the mood of the coach, but their personality. Long before I was offered the position as head coach at UE, I knew that I wanted to work with Marshall Ray. Marshall was a former player for the Aces, and when he went on to work at Drury as an assistant then head coach, we stayed in close contact. In my last season at Duke, he was able to join our coaching staff there. Not only did I think he was capable and credible, but I thought that his personality and temperament offset mine to the point where I knew it would be a good fit for us to work together.

When I was hired both at UE and at Duke, it was not only because of my experience as a coach or recruiter, but also because I had a different personality from both of my head coaches, which helped in interacting with our players.

- Loyalty is everything: If I was going to prioritize the most important aspects in an assistant, having people you can trust is at the top of the list. It is not a coincidence that Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski regularly hires former players, as he wants to have assistants that have a certain level of loyalty and respect that have been developed over a period of time.

Not only did Marshall and I have a long-standing relationship, but when I talked to Mike Miller about joining my staff, I was floored by the idea that he would be willing to step down from a teaching position in Florida to move to Evansville sight unseen. Because of that, I have a certain level of trust in him that has allowed him to play a big role.

You often will see assistants on TV during the NCAA basketball tournament. Understand that their role cannot be underscored in the success of a strong team.