Nelson Hernandez

Hey Coaches, Someday, someone else will have your job. They’ll sit in your office, wear your gear, and lead the program you once called yours. That’s not meant to diminish the importance of your work. It’s simply a reminder that we’re all replaceable professionally. But there are roles in your life that nobody else can fill. Your children only have one you. Your spouse only has one you. Don’t become so consumed with being excellent in a role that someone else can eventually fill that you neglect the roles that only you can fulfill. I’m all for pursuing excellence in your profession. But just make sure you're bringing that same commitment to the roles that only you can fulfill.

The development gap between players and coaches is widening. Athletes have more individualized development than at any point in history. This includes unprecedented access to personal coaches, specialists, and outside information and “expertise.” As a result, today’s athletes are learning from more people (outside your program/organization) than ever before. Meanwhile, many organizations still have no intentional system for developing their staff. The rate at which your internal staff develops can no longer lag behind the rate at which your players develop. The future belongs to organizations and programs that develop their coaches and staff as aggressively as they develop their players.