Everyone knows that Mike Krzyzewski is an outstanding coach — but do you know why? I think that’s important. Of course his National Championships and Final Four appearances speak for themselves. But his most impressive accomplishment to me is how he molded so many strong individual together from the NBA to wing the Gold Medal for Team USA. He obviously has a philosophy that works towards bring people together.
I was reading about Coach K and some of his thoughts and came across his “next play” mantra. It really his hard with me with our team getting off to a slow start. Certainly we are very early in the season and started with two strong opponents on the road but we know as a team we are not where want to be.
That’s what I like about Coach K’s ‘next play’ philosophy. It pertains to basketball and life. You can have a bad play, a bad game or bad day and the main thing is to learn from it and immediately get on to the “next play.”
Here is how Coach K explains it:
"In basketball and in life, I have always maintained the philosophy of 'next play.' Essentially, what it means is that what you have just done is not nearly as important as what you are doing right now. The 'next play' philosophy emphasizes the fact that the most important play of the game or life moment on which you should always focus is the next one. It is not about the turnover I committed last time down the court, it's not even about the three-pointer I hit to tie the game, it is about what's next.
To waste time lamenting a mistake or celebrating success is distracting and can leave you and your team unprepared for what you are about to face. It robs you of the ability to do your best at that moment and to give your full concentration. It's why I love basketball. Plays happen with rapidity and there may be no stop-action. Basketball is a game that favors the quick thinker and the person who can go on to the next play the fastest."
