In this age of instant reporting and our ability to put almost every game on TV, there’s a decision that players have to make and coaches have to demand. The decision comes down to…performance or production. What is the goal of the player and the team that night?
This decision is not as easy as it may seem. Players today are getting so much “noise” in their ears from every direction, and a large part of it is self-centered advice — like things the player needs to do to be noticed to get that scholarship or get that contract. How he “performs” is stressed more than what he provides for the team to win that night.
The best players and the best teams see things differently. They understand that the game is not a performance as much as it is a battle of systems, teamwork, discipline, and wills. It’s about production. It’s about everyone doing everything within his role to produce a victory for the team. Individual performances will be a by-product of the team game. Teams and production win games more so than individual performances!
So the choice comes down to what winners care about, production or — what self absorbed players think is more important — their performance. Once that choice is made, you will know whether you are on a journey to compete for championships or on a team that is more concerned with highlights and stats, but never having the opportunity to compete for a championship!
