The Coach as a Cheer Leader – How to Respond to Tough Losses

 

Warren Grimes

I’m a career teacher.  I’ve learned that enthusiasm is a key to good teaching.   If I announce that today’s class will be a yawner, students won’t be optimal learners.  Being a cheer leader is even more important for a coach.  Win or lose, staying optimistic and focused is vital if the coach hopes to motivate players to continue to work hard and develop their skills. 

In the past two weekends, Stanford split games, winning two against relatively weak opponents, and losing two hard-fought games against more elite teams.  The losses came against Duke (home) and Syracuse (away).  Both losses were deflating, in part because anyone watching those games could see the intensity of Stanford players.  That was evident, for example, in the rebounding statistics.  Stanford outboarded Duke 43-37 and had a 40-32 advantage against Syracuse.  Stanford players played with heart and focus and still came up short.

So what does a coach say to her team after difficult losses?  Anyone who has watched a losing coach’s press conference knows the drill.  The coach talks about what players can learn from the game and how to improve for the next one.   The goal is always to get the team to peak by season’s end. 

So is this Stanford team getting better?   There are obvious signs that it is.  Take rebounding.  Stanford continues to win rebounding battles, but with a difference.  Coming off the bench, Alexandra Eschmeyer had 11 boards against Wake Forest and 6 against Duke.  And the guards are seizing opportunities to grab loose balls while the bigs are blocking one another out.  Shay Ijiwoye has darted in from the perimeter to grab 5 boards against both Wake Forest and Boston College.  Chloe Clardy had 4 boards each against Duke and Syracuse.

Another example of improvement is Lara Somfai.  She had an off game against Duke, shooting 1 for 9 and playing less than 17 minutes.  Perhaps learning to take what the defense gives you, Somfai scored a team-high 17 points against Syracuse.  If the Syracuse defense is focusing on Nunu Agara, take advantage.  Somfai did exactly that.

Freshmen, with more to learn, generally have the fastest learning curve.  Hailee Swain had 15 points, 7 boards, 2 steals and an assist against Boston College.  The coaches deservedly gave her the most minutes of any player.  The next game against Syracuse was not so good – 0/6 shooting and 1 rebound in 22 minutes.  Swain will learn from these back-to-back experiences.  Her evolution will be critical for Stanford’s late season performance.

Alexandra Eschmeyer is still up and down as a freshman performer, but she too is showing signs of being a force.   Against Duke, she played 28 minutes, scored 10 points, had 6 rebounds, and is credited with 5 solo or assisted blocks. 

Meanwhile, the trio of juniors, Nunu Agara, Chloe Clardy, and Courtney Ogden, now occupy the top three spots in season scoring.  To make the offense more potent, each of those three and other players, including the three top-ranked freshmen, must learn how to seamlessly and quickly take what the defense is giving.  A lot of teams have followed NC State in clogging the middle.  Syracuse did that and occasionally used a zone.  By season’s end, the team needs to respond to defensive strategies quickly and without a word spoken.

Stanford now stays in the Bay Area for a road game against Cal and two tough at home matchups against Louisville and Notre Dame.  Here’s to continued improvement and some wins!