It goes without saying that expectations should be high at the start of a new season. Whether those expectations are laid out by the program’s head coach or the athletes, the ultimate goal is always the same; a state title.
Some teams might set smaller goals from the start in the hopes of building up to larger ones by the end of the season.
At Cinnaminson High School, every single head coach this spring has kept their athletes focused on the ultimate goal by remaining even-keeled. They have also focused on their players improving with each game.
Coaches we have spoken to whose teams are in the midst of a long winning streak have not gotten ahead of themselves. Coaches we have spoken to whose teams are working to snap a losing streak have not waved the white flag on the season.
Because of this even-keeled temperament, the athletes respond to the message of their coaches.
If only this was the same at all levels of sport.
In the long run, what is more important? Dwelling on a loss, or string of losses, or learning from mistakes made in those losses? The answer is quite simple; learning from mistakes made in those losses.
As boy’s lacrosse head coach Craig Angelini has said multiple times this season, “My message has always been that they learn from their mistakes and they work on improvement. As long as they do that, we will be just fine with our record at the end of the season.”
Angelini said those words following a loss to Northern Burlington earlier this week.
Take a look at softball, which started the season 0-2 and has since improved its record to 4-4. Head coach Tracy Bart has been operating under the same pretense.
After the team’s second loss of the season, a 6-0 defeat against Bordentown, Bart said the following about improving:
“We are going to go back to the drawing board offensively and we are going to go back to the drawing board defensively and we are just going to continue to prepare and get better each and every day.”
No matter a team’s record, there is always room for improvement, just ask girl’s lacrosse coach Laura Curran. Her team began the season with a loss to Holy Cross by one goal, but has since gone on to win five in a row to move to 5-1. Is she content with her team’s play? Not in the least bit.
After beating Delran 14-9 this week, Curran said, “We’ve been using the phrase, ‘To climb a mountain.’ This season is a mountain for us. We want to reach the peak and be division champions. We are not focusing on the long-term, just small goals at a time.”
She elaborated on the small goals comment, saying that before each game she and the coaching staff discuss small items that must be addressed in the first half of the game. Then, they do the same at halftime for the second half. When the team meets those goals, the games turn into victories.
Success does not come easy in this world, especially in sports. It must be worked for by everyone on the team from the coaches to the players. Even if a team was successful last season, the new season brings with it different challenges. And, the season is long, with plenty of stepping stones along the way.
Just ask golf head coach Bret Jenkins, who said the following about securing a state title this year prior to his squad teeing off for the first time:
“It is so long away and I want to make sure we are focused on each match. You have to show up well in sectionals before you can get to states.”
As you can see, the even-keeled temperaments of all the spring coaches has helped keep their players focused on the task at hand, which is taking things one game at a time and improving each time they step on the field.
