1. A Poem About Two Coaches
By Katie Wheeler
This is a poem about two coaches I knew,
My hope is that it will somehow apply to you.
The first one we’ll call Tim and the other Lou,
Both were different in more ways than a few.
They each coached a young basketball team,
Their goals for the season were similar, it would seem.
To get to the championship game and win,
It was how both wanted the season to end.
I order to get the most out of each team’s play,
Tim and Lou went about motivating in an opposite way.
Tim got to know the players, each and every one,
Because he wanted to find out how to make the sport fun.
He knew each one had a special gift or skill,
That would be unstoppable if combined with will.
“That’s a waste of time,” coach Lou thought,
“I’ve got a lot to do…honestly a lot!”
During the games, Tim knew how to bring the team’s best out,
But all Lou could do was stand there and shout.
It wasn’t nice things either, but those that caused fear,
Ever once in awhile, on a player’s cheek, came a tear.
Lou was only looking for external sources to blame,
Meanwhile the players went home in shame.
Tim focused on aspects he could control and maintain,
“Thoughts lead to action,” the mindset he trained.
Not only games, but practice too,
Coach Tim’s strategies were very different from Lou’s.
Tim used rewards but in smart ways,

2. Making the players feel good through praise.
The players didn’t find their worth in rewards,
But in the achievement of goals they were working towards.
Lou used punishment as his motivating force,
But it didn’t work very long, of course.
Players were fearful of making a mistake,
The consequences were more than they wanted to take.
The differences between the teams began to show,
As each coach would reap what they sow.
Tim’s team had fun whether they won or lost,
Lou’s team wondered if it was worth the cost.
After awhile, it didn’t take long,
Lou realized he was coaching all wrong.
He wanted to be effective and motivate right,
And began to think about how he might.
It started with changing his idea of success,
To more personal goals and comparison less.
He showed his team he was a new man,
By telling his players to always think “I can.”
His feedback was positive instead of tearing down,
And everyone had a smile instead of a frown.
Lou changed his techniques, which was very smart,
But coach Tim did it right from the start.
How to motivate as a coach is a choice that you make,
And I hope this poem has a lesson you can take.
It’s going to be either Tim or Lou,
What type of coach is going be you?