Brad's on a second chance so let's try some encouragement and steering before attacking him. He's not going to win a Booker Prize (or spell his alias correctly), but the topic deserves more of a chance than Bonz's pick-up lines (Bonz got away with it because it was his birthday).

I'm not a coach and I barely played away from the ring that hung off the garage but from the days of dominating Oscar one-on-one due to the age difference, I learnt to seize the day - win while you have the upper hand. Then when you lose the advantage, change the rules. Then when you've got no chance, change games completely.

It wasn't that short. After he outgrew me, I played a little less fairly. Then when he got to the point where he could just camp outside and hit shots, it was time to give up before the domination reversal - that's the lesson in life: pick your battles.

And in the war on our local ring, it was Isaac 1, Oscar 0 - that will never change!

(In the war between midnight basketball and Nino, it was Local Court 1, Toggle from Nino's Brand New Jordans 0. I think he may have even cried. JK.)

I'm an OLD man now....I was trying to cling to my youth! :-)

brad, honestly, the value of team work and working towards a common goal together has been greatest lesson I got from basketball as a player. Learning to respect and trust those you rely on. Sounds a bit cliched, but in business, very real.

As a coach, value of respecting those who 'report' to you and listening to them, not just dictating and bossing around!

Also little things like you learn off court, self-discipline, forward planning etc.

Also, the value of having something to look forward to outside of work.

Encouragement is critical. I've found that no matter who you're coaching, what their skill level - if you get in the players head, boost their confidence and keep encouraging them, they can outperform their own expectations on any given day and take down teams they never really thought they could.

DAMN straight i was crying, then Nike gave me a new pair and now i dont wear them at all

Was a funny night though hey Isaac!!!

I agree with Phizzer, and would add one more point - the value of hard work. No matter what the challenge you can always achieve your goals through hard work and perseverance. (ie shooting 500 shots a day on school holidays and days off when you're a teenager will make you a very good shooter). This applies to nearly everyone situation in life, however in certain situations i place one covenent on this principle - politics may sometimes over shadow hard work and perseverance (especially in senior circles)

Brad, I thought this a good post, because everyones experiences will be different.

1. If coaching, always remember you in fact have individuals who make up a Team. You have team goals, BUT each one of your players have different wants, needs and personalities. You need to establish the types and what works for one doesn't work for all.

2. Absolutely agree with Phizzer and Lockstock. Anything in life is about how hard you work at it. One of the best quotes of all time was from Garry Player (when told after winning a British Open that he had had his share of luck out there on the course), he said "I agree, and I've always found it amazing that the harder I work the luckier I seem to get!!"

3. When coaching juniors, start from the premise you cannot keep all the parents (as opposed to the kids) happy. But communication is the key, involve them in what you are doing and why. Where the kids need to improve, even the good ones. The more feedback provided the more involved they feel, and remember that most parents are living their own non existent sporting abilities through their kids.

Good luck with it.

Gutless to not put a name to that, and I dispute it in a big, big way. I think anyone who plays a sport wants a certain amount of personal gratification ,but that sure as hell doesn't mean you are not playing for the team. All I wanted was for that team to be successful, and I completely, I repeat, completely changed my game and the way I played to suit what I thought was my role in that team.
And I wasn't even referring to that anyways.
But if you want to get dirty, well let me say that if you think I was playing for myself you should also have a good hard look at half of that team. No doubt a talented squad, but wallowing at the bottom of the ladder. Why? Because there are some serious egomaniacs that care more about themselves than they do about others and the team.
And I'll say it again. You're gutless.

So Lovestock you are now saying your team "played for themselves" I dont know which team you played for but you do sound a little burnt...