The 7 Secrets of Sport’s Most Successful Coaches

by Jeff Janssen, Janssen Sports Leadership Center

What skills and qualities differentiate sport's most successful coaches?

Over the past 25 years my team and I have had the amazing opportunity to work with and learn from hundreds of championship coaches from virtually every sport out there including Anson Dorrance, Mike Krzyzewski, Pat Summitt, Bill Walsh, Mike Candrea, Jenny Levy, John Dunning, Muffet McGraw, Red Berenson, Jerry Kindall, Roy Williams, Megan Marsden, Jerry Yeagley, Karen Shelton, Frank Busch, and numerous others. While of course they all possess different personalities, training philosophies, and offensive and defensive strategies, they all share seven similar qualities that are the hallmarks of their high-level success and immense credibility with their athletes, staff, administrators, and supporters.

We call these special leadership qualities the 7 Secrets of Successful Coaches. These seven skills and attributes are exactly why their athletes view these championship coaches as so credible and, as such, respect them, trust them, and would willingly run through a wall for them. If you too aspire to become a better leader and take your program to a championship level, examine the seven secrets to enhancing your leadership credibility and honestly rate yourself on each one.


1. Character-based

Credible coaches continually seek to do the right thing. They are honorable people with high ethical standards and great integrity. They tell the truth to their athletes and never manipulate or play mind games with them. They conduct themselves in a professional manner and take pride in representing their teams and schools with class. Credible coaches look to surround themselves with people of solid character because they know that character is just as important as talent in the long run.


"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without strategy." General Norman Schwarzkopf

How would you rate your character?

How would your athletes assess your character?


2. Competent


"You must be a student of the game and a lifelong student of the game. Even toward the end of your career, you're looking for the newest innovations and creations in your sport, and the newest message of teaching and programming your athletes." Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers Coach

How competent are you as a coach?

How would your athletes rate your competence?


3. Committed


"I expect our teams to work just like I do. They know I'm here early and stay late. I watch film with them. Whatever it takes." Pat Summitt, Legendary Tennessee Women's Basketball Coach

How would you rate your commitment?

How would your athletes rate your commitment?


4. Caring


"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care: that is the critical element in coaching." Anson Dorrance, North Carolina Women's Soccer Coach

How much do you care about your athletes?

How much would your athletes say you care about them?


5. Confidence-Builder


"One of my jobs as a coach is to try to build confidence in young people. Confidence is probably the one area we spend more time on; because the more confidence the kid has, the more fun they have, and the more successful they will be." Mike Candrea, Arizona Softball Coach

How well do your build your athletes' confidence?

How well would your athletes say you build their confidence?


6. Communicator


"A good leader listens - and more so than that - gives time to listen. The bigger the leader, the busier the leader, the harder it is to take the time to listen. You have to get it in your mind that you have to listen - that there couldn't be any time better spent than listening." Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Men's Basketball Coach

How well do you communicate and listen to your athletes?

How well would your athletes say you communicate with and listen to them?


7. Consistent


"If I come in to practice on a downer, that's exactly how the players will respond. My job, no matter what has transpired before 3:00, is to come in focused and ready to go. They deserve that. They deserve my best effort and that has to be consistent. If we we expect consistency for them, they have to see it from us." Mary Wise, Florida Volleyball Coach

How consistent are you as a coach?

How consistent would your athletes say you are?

As you can see, these seven secrets are what make these coaches so special. Invest the time to rate yourself on each of the 7 Secrets of Successful Coaches, and if you are courageous, ask your athletes and athletic administrators how they would rate you. (ADs you should be evaluating your coaches on these seven qualities regularly and using them when hiring new coaches.) If you are deficient in these critical leadership areas, you will have little credibility with your followers. If you have them operating at a high level, your athletes will run through walls for you and likely perform to their full potential!

Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches

For more info on how you can build and enhance your coaching credibility, check out our book The Seven Secrets of Successful Coaches.


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