Vince Lombardi

Vince Lombardi may have started his career with the New York Giants but he is best known for his success with the Green Bay Packers. He led the Packers to five league championships in seven years and also won the first two Super Bowls. He was known as being a strict coach who insisted perfection. His attention to detail and will to win set him apart from other coaches of his time. (Zakomurnaya, 2007) Practices must run perfectly or else he was not satisfied. Vince Lombardi expected his players to outwork the other team and excepted nothing less. It seems to me like his strict practices may also have to do with the era in which he coached. It was a time when adults automatically received respect from those younger and it was no different in sport. All of Lombardi’s player had the utmost respect for him and followed the path which he laid for them. These stern beliefs and practices appear in many successful coaches but maybe not to the extent of which Lombardi practiced them. He is probably the most remembered football coach to ever live. After all, who could forget the guy who they named the National Football Leagues Super Bowl trophy after? He was admired by many and will always be honoured by the team which made him famous. Not only does he have his own statue in front of the Packer’s stadium but the main road leading to the stadium in named Lombardi Drive in memory of arguably the best coach they have ever had. In my opinion it was not his winning record which made him one of the best coaches. It was the life lessons which he brought to the sport. He was a very intelligent man with many well known quotes still used today. The lessons he taught his players were not only to be used in sport, he taught them about life and ambition. Any one of his quotes will show how much he dedicated to not only developing great athletes but also developing outstanding citizens. One of many examples of this would be his quote; “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.” (Vince Lombardi) Vince Lombardi seemed to have had it all figured out and the following link has many more of his famous quotes that show this: http://www.vincelombardi.com/quotes.html. Sadly, Vince Lombardi passed away on September 3, 1970 but he will never be forgotten. (Zakomurnaya, 2007) I believe that all coaches have something to learn from him and what he believed in.

Championship Rings

This is a picture of Michael Jordan and the championship rings he won while playing for Phil Jackson. I had to post this because I think it is awesome.

Phil Jackson

Phil Jackson coached in the National Basketball League for twenty-one years. Within this time he accumulated eleven NBA titles, six with the Chicago Bulls and five with Los Angeles Lakers. He has been referred to as a new age coach with the nickname of “Zen Master”. His unique unorthodox method although not popular in the sporting world was obviously very effective for him. Not only was he a fan favourite but his relationship with his player’s appeared to be impeccable. Due to Jackson’s American Indian philosophy he had a tendency to leave his athletes on the court during troubled situations with no time outs or shouting from him. This is part of what fans loved about him. He had faith in his players and allowed them to resolve difficulties without his assistance. Some may argue that his success is attributed to star players such as Michael Jordan but it is my belief that his great trust, patience and transfer of independence and responsibility to his players assisted them in reaching their potential. It would be difficult to find another coach who practices the same philosophies as Jackson and this is precisely why he has been regarded as one of the greatest most decorated coaches of all time. Phil Jackson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007 and retired in 2011.

Welcome to my Blog.

All sports have one common factor and that is the presence of a coach. Coaching is a way of improving athletic performance in order for the athlete to move towards their full potential. Coaching also involves such elements as mentoring and counseling of the athletes. In more ways than just sport, a coach influences the lives of their athletes to become mature, intelligent and respectable men and women. Throughout this blog I intend to revisit some of the most successful coaches from our past and explore the different philosophies of each. I encourage everyone to comment on the individual coaches and give your own opinions. Enjoy!