Rocky Mountain Philosophy

1. BE A STUDENT ATHLETE.

  • A player's educational growth is first.
  • An athlete is only as good as his eligibility.
  • "Pay in the classroom, so you can play later."
  • It's the first question college coaches ask.

2. WORK HARD AND PLAY SMART.

  • Put in the effort and time during practice and in the classroom to succeed.
  • The intensity of practice should match the intensity of the game.
  • Give your best effort and winning will take care of itself.
  • A strong work ethic builds strong character.

3. LISTEN TO LEARN.

  • Keep your eyes and ears open.
  • Focus on the task at hand.
  • If you're not listening, you're missing something.
  • Ask questions for better understanding.

4. BE COACHABLE.

  • Have a willingness to be coached.
  • "Buy into the system." (The Fur Coat)
  • Have fun competing and being on the team.
  • Take constructive criticism; you are being loved.

5. HAVE A DESIRE TO IMPROVE.

  • Practice good habits and practice, practice, practice.
  • Be humble, yet confident.
  • Work harder than your opponent to improve.
  • Fundamentals will get you there faster.
  • Set goals for yourself and your team.

6. BE A TEAM PLAYER.

  • Believe in and trust your teammates.
  • The best teams work together as a unit.
  • Keep each other accountable for your actions.
  • Communicate with the coaching staff

7. COMPETE TO WIN.

  • Have fun playing the game.
  • Have the desire to win.
  • Competition builds character.
  • Play because you love the sport.

8. TEAM DEFENSE.

  • Be aggressive and dominate the offense.
  • Pressure the ball and play help side defense; shrink the box.
  • Contest every shot without fouling, and rebound.
  • Make everything difficult for the offense without jeopardizing your teammates.
  • Be better conditioned than your opponent.
  • Rebound.

9. TEAM OFFENSE.

  • Push the ball up the floor and help your teammates score.
  • Keep the floor balanced in order to set screens in motion offense.
  • Motion offense is not constant motion. Read and react to what the defense gives you.
  • WANT to shoot/ WANT to pass. It is the extra pass that gets the open shot.
  • Be better conditioned than your opponent.
  • Rebound.

10. BE A CHAMPION!

  • “Competitive Greatness: Perform at your best when you best is required. Your best is required each day.”-John Wooden
  • “If you’re going to be a champion, you must be willing to pay a greater price than your opponent.”-Bud Wilkinson
  • “The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don't define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them.”-Denis Waitley, The Psychology of Winning