Sometimes being a coach isn’t always fun and games.
You’re charged with making decisions that are in the best interest of the team, the players and the school or organization. Sometimes those decisions can be unpopular, and sometimes it can be hard to know what the “right” thing is to do.
According to an industry advisor, a tough decision is one “you don’t want to make, a decision that you know will be unpopular or a decision where you cannot decide between two or even more options. In each of these situations you will be having a struggle with yourself.”
When faced with a difficult decision, it’s a good idea to keep your goals in mind. Then you have to prioritize those goals. For example, winning is an obvious goal to strive for, but what objectives do you value more than winning? Some examples could be the safety of your players, setting an example of good sportsmanship, developing your players’ character, and protecting the team reputation.
Once you know your options, try visualizing each of the outcomes of your decision. For example, say you have two worthy players who play the same position, but you don’t know whom to start. One may have more natural athletic ability, but the other might have more game-time experience. One may be a sophomore and the other a senior. Imagine each player as a starter. Which would be a better leader during practice? Which player would give your team the best chance to win? Which player will have made the largest impact on your team by the end of the season?
At this point, it can help to make a list of pros and cons, or to assign a score to each player’s attributes, similar to the chart seen here.
In the end, though, making a difficult decision comes down to finding a balance between gut instinct and rationality. And someone has to be responsible for making the tough calls. That’s what being a leader is all about.