By Dan Cardone
With a new school year upon us, now is the perfect time to analyze adjustments we can make in our behavior and attitude. From time to time, we all need to replace negative thinking with a fresh and positive outlook.
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Suzie McConnell-Serio, head women’s basketball coach at Duquesne University has lived by the saying “your attitude determines your altitude.” Told early on that she was too short to make a difference as a player, Suzie led her high school team to a state championship and went to Penn State University, where she was a four-year starter, an All-American, and became the NCAA all-time career assist leader.
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Suzie was given the opportunity to try out for the U.S. Olympic women’s basketball team in 1988. Again, the critics said she would never make the final cut, and again she proved them wrong. She made the team and lead Team USA to a gold medal. Had she not ignored those who tried to dampen her attitude, her dreams might have remained unfulfilled. There are lessons in Suzie’s story for all of us. After all, attitude is everything.
As athletic administrators, we all complain and we all cry foul from time to time. Maybe you’ve said to yourself, “I only have three years left until I retire and can get out of this place.” However, as athletic administrators, we have to nip that type of thinking in the bud and model behaviors that reflect a can do attitude. Think about what an honor it is to have a small part in the development of our student-athletes.
To use a golf analogy you may all understand, here are four daily “swing thoughts” that can help you have your best year ever as the leader of your sport programs.
• Plus or Minus?
One easy way to turn your attitude around is by keeping a mental tally. If I find myself being short with people early on in the day, I tell myself I need to balance this out in a hurry. Therefore, I might walk down the hallway, stop an athlete, and tell them how impressed I was with his or her performance at a recent event. I physically get up, move to another location and work to “get on the plus side.”
• Doer or Complainer?
A long time ago, someone told me there are two types of people in the world: doers and complainers. If I am talking negatively about someone, then I am not doing. When I see the custodian making regular deliveries of athletic equipment to the athletic office, I often pitch in and help move the boxes. I thank him for his effort, and he in return appreciates a willingness on my part to help. In contrast, when I participate in the complaint department that regularly holds court in the faculty lounge, I feel I have done a disservice to my attitude. By being a doer, I can conscientiously be a difference maker.
• Problem Solver or Problem Creator?
Solving problems is all about approaching a situation and looking for common ground. This can require making concessions, but it also means drawing on others’ experiences to improve the decision-making process. For example, when a coach wants to take a risk, I always try to be supportive. I’ll tell them, “Hey, that is a great idea! Go for it!” I find that giving support is much easier than placing obstacles and barriers in someone’s way.
• Winner or Loser?
Sports are all about competition and putting your best foot forward on gameday. Winning can generate team camaraderie, infuse spirit into the school, and yield positive publicity about your program. A winning attitude inspires those around you to aim higher, to achieve things they did not think were possible, and to create a sense of we, versus one of me.
There are a lot if things to overcome in our positions as athletic administrators, and those obstacles can breed negativity, but that doesn’t need to be the case. I’ve always wanted to be known as a person who carries a positive attitude and these swing thoughts help me do that. By following some of these strategies this school year can be your best ever—which will carry over to those who you lead.
Dan Cardone is Athletic Director at North Hills High School in Pittsburgh, Pa. He is a frequent contributor to Athletic Management.
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