DeAngelo Wiser
Coaching a group of players certainly presents
challenges and opportunities. It can range from life altering situations to
questions about where to stop and eat on the way home from the game.
What exactly is a team? And how do we blend so many
personalities and interests into one common goal or mission of doing what’s
best for the team to achieve success?
I believe one of the best analogies lies in the awe
and splendor we see when looking at a stained glass window. While many remember
them in churches and cathedrals, stained glass is used in homes for windows and
can be appreciated in many forms of art.
I think a successful team is like a beautiful stained
glass window. Let’s do a comparison.
What do you see when you look at a stained glass
window? Usually the image portrayed is our first and lasting impression, but is
their more? What about our team, what do others see as they look at the team
and how they interact and blend together? What image do we portray? We know
there is more to a stained glass window than immediately meets the eye.
As we look closer at a stained glass window, we see
many pieces of glass, some are small while others are quite large. Some are
vividly bright and others are fairly muted in color. What about our team? Are some roles bigger than others? Does size
make them more or less important? Are there days when some players shine
brightly with their play while others struggle under a cloud of mistakes? Will
there be times when those not in the starting lineup shine brightly just by
encouraging their teammates? Are their times when the least noticeable pieces
of glass will have the chance to shine?
Do all the pieces of glass fit together automatically?
No. Our players come to us with varying degrees of ability and demeanor. Having
a vision of what our stain glassed window should look like is something we and
our players have to determine. Through practice and leadership, we guide our
players every day and smooth those edges to fit in the vision of success for
our team.
How is all that glass held together? Strips of tin and
lead are soldered together to hold each glass in place during the process
before being permanently sealed. How about our team? What holds it together? Is
it the commitment and encouragement we use every day to build confidence? Is it
our players’ ability to understand that giving up themselves for the team is
essential? Is it our ability to explain to each player their role and how
important it is to the team?
What if the tiniest piece of glass were missing as we
gazed at the stained glass window? Would we notice? I feel certain we would,
and it would impact our impression and the beauty of the glass. What about our
team? Would we be impacted by a player not showing up, being injured, quitting
our team or having to sit out a game? Certainly, but just as a master craftsman
can repair the window, so do we have the ability to restore our team.
Stained glass windows aren’t usually built quickly,
especially the older, magnificent ones. Those craftsmen used painstaking detail
and labor to make sure everything was just right, just as you do with your team.
If you look closely, you’ll see the glass perfectly fits together and the image
is striking. You may also notice that the only wear and tear is the lead and
tin that holds it together. It may look worn. Not surprising since the lead
used to keep our team together, the commitment, dedication and encouragement,
takes a lot of effort and can become a labor.
But that’s the process you control and, just like the master craftsmen,
always pay attention with pain-staking detail.
Take the time to look at your team as they shine
brightly during a game, with each player contributing a great deal to the
success of the team. Let them know how important their role is and how much you
appreciate everything they do. Remember, stained glass windows wouldn’t be the
same without all the pieces.
I wish you
and your team the best!
