Last Spring N.C. State Head Coach Tom O'Brien informed three year starter and ACC player of the year quarterback Russell Wilson that he was no longer a member of the Wolfpack football team even though he had one year of eligibility. Wilson one of the most popular players on the team and recognized leader was not canned for on or off the field behavior, but for following his dream of being a professional baseball player by signing with Colorado Rockies and playing with a minor league affiliate of the Rockies. O'Brien felt that Wilson was lacking in commitment to the team and the situation would cause uncertainty. Did this come down to age old misguided philosophy that a coach has to treat everybody the same. Unfortunately for O'Brien the Wolfpack has suffered and Wilson has taken over the quarterback reigns at University of Wisconsin and has become a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. O'Brien viewed this decision as one that needed to happen for well-being of the team. As a leader you need to understand that not everyone is the same so you should not treat everyone the same. Great achievers and producers build up equity because of their results and contributions and should be treated accordingly. One of the best coaches I have ever seen (he has won more college tennis matches than any current college tennis coach) is VCU's Paul Kostin. One of Coach Kostin's most amazing traits is his ability to give each individual exactly what each player needs to reach his/her maximum potential. Some need praise, some need a scolding, some need almost nothing and P.K. is the best at recognizing that and supplying that relationship. Coach O'Brien appears to have lost perspective that the individuals are the foundation of the team and their individual performances blended together is what makes a team successful. Making the decision to not bring Wilson, the recognized team leader, back also brings to question how the rest of the team viewed the coaches commitment to the individual team members. Does he care about us as individuals or does he just care about the team? We all know when trust disappears, the leader quickly loses any ability to bring the group together. The decision by Coach O'Brien was a difficult one. The question is, "Did he really think through the implications of that decision?" It could wind up being a very costly decision. After watching the video below posted below that was recorded before the season, you can understand how difficult some decisions can be.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/video/college-football/Tom-OBrien-on-Russell-Wilson-decision-1096592
No comments:
Post a Comment