Geno Auriemma: Parents, teach your kids to be teammates, not superstars

[coachb]

If a child is selfish they'll never make any of our teams. We want kids that are all about the team.

[ifheavenwashuman]

One of the best quotes I've ever heard, literally.

[madisonabiog]

this is how I was taught to play ball. I was taught to play as a teammate and not a superstar

[matthewbloomfield]

When I coach basketball, I tell players that we will win if you go out there consciously trying to make each other better. Pass the ball to open players, set good off ball screens, tell each other when they do something good, tell each other "you got this next time" when they screw up. Nothing makes us play harder than team mates!

[udhoop]

Thats all good but the truth is most coaches still recruit the aau superstar. I helped coach a young lady who had much more potential and ability than the NAIA level she ended up playing at. And she truly cared only about winning. Was not stat driven whatsoever. She was the star of her high school team. The happiestI ever saw her was after a game where she was held in check but assisted on nearly every 3 point basket her teammate made to set a school record for 3's made in a game. The problem was she played on an AAU team where she took a back seat to some ball dominant players. Coaches never came to her high school games where she shined (2nd in school history for pts scored). Majority of college coaches only recruit or watch recruits at aau tournaments these days without ever going to see a kid in their natural high school element. Its aau or bust. I'm not saying this young lady was UCONN material but I have no doubt she could have been solid at the D2 level.

[garnet]

Some coaches encourage the kids to be selfish. It's disheartening as a parent to hear it. We've taught our son to play with his team mates, not against them.

[BasketballAve]

Basketball is a team sport...thus you need team mates...

[Antbeast]

Usually talented players become natural at scoring and such some do learn how to be great teammates but others do not. Some teams are really stackee through aau that they win and playing with other good players makes some players better through competition in practice

[Vangen]

A vise man talking right here. Thumbs up!

[SweetSirenia]

There's a reason he refuses to allow his players to have their names on their jerseys. The definition of a "front of the jersey is what matters" coach.

[lauribricker]

Me Teams vs We Teams. We Teams focus on the good of all the players on the team. Me Teams focus on one person being numero uno, a solo star.

[fightrrrrr]

Coach is right but that’s the way sports are now. If you aren’t a great player, u get benched or your teammates wonder why your on the team. Club sports and HS demand a great player if you WANT to play

[cathydiggs]

college coaches are calling and asking the AAU coaches and players. when is your next tournament. I'm coming to see play. so players and parents are saying play your game. Get that scholarship. I believe players would like to win, but if they don't coach G see my skills. showcase tournament. Truth be told

[mylaascott]

Coaches say this “stuff “ all the time but when you look at the type of kids they actually offer scholarships to it’s the kid getting the buckets so they look like hypocrites coaches have the ability to offer those same kids they preach about a scholarship but they don’t so what are you really teaching the kids

[AmandaSmith-vivm]

We can teach them that all day long, but when you have coaches that say stuff to players about other players. Or saying stuff like you wont ever be as good as so n so. Etc etc. To me that's not a team because of the coaches...