In-Powered Coach: Alex Sarama
Different and Better and 30 Years Old
His mission: Transform Basketball
His process: Currently doing just that
This team is going to generate more buzz than 100,000 beehives…
The skeptics will say:
“He’s too young.”
“He doesn’t have the personality to be an HC.”
“CLA is a trend, a gimmick.”
“He doesn’t speak well enough.”
But when someone has a holistic plan to break down our current view of sporting organizations and rebuild it from first principles, you get some of this stuff that William Love saw firsthand at one of his practices with the Portland Fire:
“YEAH … I like it, Liz! Great job!”
Liz is the team psychologist for the Portland Fire, but at this moment, the task was to defend a 3-point shot from the corner in a shooting session involving some of the top basketball players on the planet. The accolade Liz earned for the speedy closeout came from first-year WNBA head coach Alex Sarama.
“How many teams have their psychologist help with shoot-around?” Alex casually asked as we continued our conversation at the conclusion of the Fire’s first practice in the Moda Center. The expansion team was preparing for its first home pre-season game against the Los Angeles Sparks.
The principle is Power.
Power only flows when there’s constructive energy flowing.
And that only flows when there is connection. How do you create connection? As Will continues to write in the article, un-silo everything:
Look to “un-silo” your program
Who are the people like Liz in your organization? Strength and conditioning coaches? Administration? Parents? Donors? Teachers? Fans?
How can you create a program that strengthens relationships, rather than keep stakeholders in their silos? Maybe invite your athletic director to participate in a shooting drill or hold an open practice for parents or have players from your feeder program sit on the bench during games.
Force is separation.
Power is unity.
Un-siloing takes you from separation to unity.
What else is Sarama doing?
Redefining ‘Winning’
JOY
If the next video isn’t music to your ears, I’m not sure how you’ve made this this far down the page:
Working ‘on’ vs. Working ‘in’ the game
You can’t count on 100 human fingers and toes, the number of times Jack Butcher has inspired a remixed thought of his idea:
The distinction is critical.
I love people that work ‘on’ hockey. Or in Sarama’s case, basketball.
Thanks to William Love, the increased platform the WNBA has to offer, and his personal brand documenting it all, chances are high this continues to transform not just basketball but continue to have a wider influence on invasion sports.
That’s Power.
"To become more conscious is the greatest gift anyone can give to the world; moreover, in a ripple effect, the gift comes back to its source."
-David R. Hawkins
Appreciate the shout out. I've known Alex for some time now and I've always appreciated the way he has challenged me to become a better coach. Not just in X's and O's, but in my relationship with others.