To Bench Him, or not to Bench Him, that is the Question

For those of you who haven’t read this article on the decision by Murphy High School’s Rick Cauley to sit his starting blue chip quarterback against their rival school, it is worth the quick read.  So many coaches think to themselves that they would make this decision only to back down when the hypothetical becomes reality.

For most coaches, the decision to sit their starting quarterback would have been tough, much less with the pressure of having no back-up available and playing your rival high school.  I don’t know Coach Cauley but, while not a pleasant decision, I am guessing it was a clear choice for him.  If discipline is a core value of your program, and you’ve set policies in place for your program surrounding your “process,” the choice is simple, but not easy.

As we get into the middle of the season, it is easy for many to lose the focus they had in the off season to the program’s core values and process.  As Mike Smith says in the book You Win the Locker Room First, you really need to focus on the root before the fruit.  We had a tough loss this past week but what I can say is that our kids played with tremendous effort.  With relentless effort being a core value of our program, we have something to build on.  I am confident that if we focus on living our core values and maintaining our daily focus from our “process,” the score will take care of itself.

Sun Tzu said that, “battles are won in the temples before they are ever fought.”  Bill Walsh taught the tough tactical decisions of football should be made in the quiet and calm of an office rather than in the heat of battle.  Coach Cauley didn’t make the decision to bench his starter when the player missed practice.  The decision was made a long time in advance of the event that precipitated it.

The importance of having core values is that they serve to provide focus and perspective to your program.  When we are faced with making the perceived tough choices, such as Coach Cauley’s on Friday, having core values helps provide the clarity we need to maintain our integrity and provide the example that our athletes need.