PART XXI - The Secret Of Longevity - No Fear = The Zone.

I've learned over time that to accomplish great things you have to approach whatever it is you want with no fear.   Too many times I have seen teams or players that I think can accomplish special things fall short because the fear of failure got in the way.        

There is nothing greater than standing face to face with whatever obstacle is in your way and saying "OK, you may beat me, but that's not going to happen without you getting my best". There is nothing worse than shying away from that same obstacle and having the regret of "Why didn't I believe more in myself and my team".

Every player you coach, no matter how tough they act or how timid they may approach things, has a small part of them that fears the worst. That's human to feel that way. I have it, you have it, we all have it.

My feeling is that when that small voice begins talking to you, you need to interpret that as you know you can do it. It is really nervous energy that is waiting to perform versus scared anxiousness that doesn't want to fail.

BIG GAMES

Think about how you feel before a "BIG GAME". Why is that game a "BIG GAME"? It is a "BIG GAME" because you, in your mind, have made it that way. Treating every game as the same takes a lot of mental practice and I get where younger coaches may not have enough of a history to understand that. I do think what younger coaches can and need to understand is that in order for a "BIG GAME" to be a "BIG GAME" you had to win other games before to make the "BIG GAME" a "BIG GAME".

You have already won important games to place yourself in this position. As you get older, you then begin to understand that Games 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, no matter the skill level of those teams, is helping you build those stairs to the "BIG GAME". You learn to impress upon your teams how to make Games 1-5 important because of what they are hoping to achieve down the road. Your team(s) will then begin to take on a mentality that Games 1-5 carry the same amount of weight as Game 6 which will then start to forge a championship-type mentality.

PREPARATION

I got asked the question yesterday before our 21st game of the season "When do you start talking to your team about the post-season"? My answer was "June". The person asking the question was surprised by the answer, but I explained that with a goal you have to prepare. The more preparation you put it, the more confident you feel in those championship moments.

The longer the investment, the greater the return.

When we were practicing in June, we talked about how Drill A and Drill B were going to play an important role in winning in February and March. When we were running on the track or lifting in the weight room in September and October, we made mention of the "Why" behind it all.

I believe that preparing 7-8-9 months ahead of time by not just performing the action itself, but talking about where we want to take the action, is vital when it comes to facing the fear that is 100% going to be present in February and March.

THE MOMENT IS AT HAND - The Zone.

When the moment is at hand is the same moment when the fear is going to try to be at its' greatest. That's when you know if you're ready or not. You'll know. It is a feeling that just comes over you and when it does, you slip into what folks refer to as "The Zone".

I can distinctly remember the first time I stepped into "The Zone"; that was March 4, 2006. My high school team played the Thomasville Bulldogs in the Western Regional Championship at the LJVM Coliseum Annex. Thomasville was the four-time defending state champion while we were the new kids on the block, undefeated at 29-0, the underdog, but a team that I felt was prepared. The build up to this game started back in November of 2005. The chatter that Thomasville was unbeatable versus the chatter of our team being good, but "not ready" yet. Champ versus Challenger, Experience versus Youth.

I knew we were ready. When we arrived at the annex, the place was packed. It was the first time our school was in an NCHSAA Final Four playing on a big stage versus a formidable opponent. Looking back, I don't remember the noise for us or against us. I do remember feeling a sense of calm knowing that these are the types of moments I wanted our program to be in and all of the work leading up to it was ready to be on display for everyone to see.

We won and then the next Saturday on an even larger stage, we won the state championship. That entire week, March 4-11, 2006, I could say that I was in The Zone. The Zone is a place where you feel like you are having an out of body experience.

How do you get to The Zone? You need to have a prepared team, you need to have a clear mind, you need to have a tough task in front of you and you need to have faith in yourself. When fear creeps in, your faith has to crush it. When you have all of those ingredients you begin to slip into The Zone. You won't know you're in it until after it has passed by, but then when the next moment comes, you'll know how to get back in it again. It is a really interesting place once you get the handle on it. If you can get your team into The Zone with you, it is an incredible experience.

The Zone doesn't mean you're going to win. The Zone means that you are going to approach the moment with no fear which gives you a better opportunity to win.

It's February! Moments are coming. You may not have 6-7-8 months to prepare, but you have today, so make the most of today to prepare you and your team for what is to come.

Best of Luck!

Yours For Better Basketball Always,

Brian / Coach Robinson