Hershey wanted to quit the team. His frustration with me had reached a boiling point, so he requested a player-coach meeting. Hearing him vent caught me off guard to some extent. In so many words, Hershey told me that my approach to coaching didn't make any sense to him. He talked about feeling lost in my sea of analogies. As a coach, I prided myself on being able to help my players think broadly about life and basketball. In that moment, I realized that my best efforts to expand the minds of my players were fruitless.
During practice, I implore my guys to communicate constantly. When they fail to follow that very basic tenet of basketball, I question their fcommitment to the team ideology--especially if I blow the whistle to remind them of what's expected only to be ignored once play resumes. Along those lines, Hershey was the target of my ire during a shooting drill where I asked everybody to yell "shot" while battling for rebounds. He refused to follow the command which lead me to question his commitment to the team. I told them great teams talk to each other on the court, and that we couldn't maximize our potential because Hershey was doing his own thing.
Hershey didn't like that. It was one of the reasons he decided to meet with me. He was upset that I'd question his commitment even though he had shown up to practice that day--albeit late. During that practice, I also called him out for running away from the ball in an end of game situation. His feelings were hurt. Despite his long term desire to play Division I basketball where point guards are expected to execute late game situations with precision, Hershey felt like I was unfairly targeting him and placing way too much burden on his shoulders.
One of his other gripes was that I decided to punish him for arriving seven minutes late to practice. For the infraction, I told Hershey that he was to volunteer for a half hour in my office folding letters and doing other unGodly acts to help him develop some professional skills. At 20, Hershey could only list one job on his resume. According to him, he never needed to work because his father always paid for everything.
Hershey: I came late to practice and you have me foldin letters. I don't get that. Have me run laps or somethin. This is just .. It don't make sense! I don't feel like this is workin' out. I don't wanna quit or nothing. It just don't feel like this is workin out.
Me: How? You play 30 minutes a game and take the most shots on this team.
Hershey: Yeh but you be takin me outta games and I don't even know why.
Me: I take you out for a breather. That happens at every level.
Hershey: You don't tell me that, though.
Me: I'm supposed to do that during a game when a hundred things are going on--that you're coming out just for a four minute break?
Hershey: I need communication. Sometimes I don't know what to expect from you.
Me: Do you realize you complain every time it's time to pay the piper? The only reason we're talking right now is because you have to stuff envelopes. You're the only one on the team who complains about running when they lose during a drill. Now, you're pulling the same thing.
Hershey: That was one time.
Me: No. You do it every time. You have a problem with being held accountable. That's your issue. I'm also on you a lot because your focus isn't always where it should be in practice--especially since you're our leader on the court.
Hershey: I don't feel that way. I be there doin the same thing everybody is doin. Where's the problem? You tell me I check out in games. I know I'm a hot head but I feel like you placin all the blame on me!
Me: The problem is that you aren't self aware and you have an issue with accountability. Let me ask you a question. Why didn't you play ball after graduating from high school? You're talented. You can shoot it well and handle. What held you back?
Hershey: I got kicked off my high school team. The assistant coach had it out for me. Dumb stuff. He just ain't like me, and from there it was downhill since coaches are all connected where I'm form. Then when this other dude was gonna hook me up with a prep school opportunity, my parents fronted. They wanted me to go to college instead.
Me: You done?
Hershey: Yeh. Why?
Me: In everything you just said, you didn't fuckin mention that you had a 1.9 GPA in high school!!!
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