--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Assistant coaches become a little bit…" description: "\"Assistant coaches become a little bit more buddies to the players than a head coach.\" — Adam Oates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8eb/adam-oates-43284_assistant-coaches_assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-mo_858419.png" --- # Assistant coaches become a little bit more buddies to the… ![“Assistant coaches become a little bit more buddies to the players than a head coach.” quote by Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8eb/adam-oates-43284_assistant-coaches_assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-mo_858419.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8eb/adam-oates-43284_assistant-coaches_assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-mo_858419.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8eb/adam-oates-43284_assistant-coaches_assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-mo_858419.png) > “Assistant coaches become a little bit more buddies to the players than a head coach.” [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When assistants build rapport, they foster trust and improve player development. **In simple terms:** Assistants act as mentors, not just staff. Key Takeaway Cultivate supportive relationships. Themes mentorship team cohesion leadership development Mood collaborative supportive Type coaching reflective When to use this quote - team meetings - training drills - off‑season camps Key Concepts coaching dynamics player psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can assistants maintain professionalism while being approachable? - What limits should be set on coach‑player friendships? A Different Perspective Too much familiarity may blur professional boundaries. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assistant coaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assistant-coaches/) [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Head coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-coach/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) ## Related quotes > [Think like a head coach, but act like an assistant coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-amaker/think-like-a-head-coach-but-act-like-an-assistant-coach/) Tommy Amaker > [I put myself around good people, including my assistant coaches. A lot of head coaches are intimidated by their assistant coaches, they'd rather get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dicicco/i-put-myself-around-good-people-including-my-assistant-coaches-a-lot/) [Tony DiCicco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dicicco/) > [When I put my head in my hands after missing a chance, that annoys the coaches a little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-giroud/when-i-put-my-head-in-my-hands-after-missing-a-chance-that-annoys-the/) [Olivier Giroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-giroud/) > [There's some things assistant coaches aren't ready to do. They're not the head coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/there-s-some-things-assistant-coaches-aren-t-ready-to-do-they-re-not/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [I've been with some great head coaches, but also some great assistant coaches, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-stoops/i-ve-been-with-some-great-head-coaches-but-also-some-great-assistant/) [Bob Stoops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-stoops/) > [It was very interesting, when I went on the road and started recruiting college and I spoke to coaches around the country, of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-donovan/it-was-very-interesting-when-i-went-on-the-road-and-started/) [Billy Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-donovan/) > [I tell everyone that I have 25,000 assistant coaches. If I want to know something, I just go to the grocery store.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/i-tell-everyone-that-i-have-25-000-assistant-coaches-if-i-want-to/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [I know a lawyer who'd love to retire and be an assistant coach. I mean, it's fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/i-know-a-lawyer-who-d-love-to-retire-and-be-an-assistant-coach-i-mean/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [ You look at the assistant coaches under \[Pat Riley\] that played and they have become prosperous within this game. It triples all the way… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-starks/you-look-at-the-assistant-coaches-under-pat-riley-that-played-and/) [John Starks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-starks/) > [We have to move the meter in sports in Africa, especially basketball. With the growth of the NBA globally, we have to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/we-have-to-move-the-meter-in-sports-in-africa-especially-basketball/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [Anytime you get an award as a coach, you've got to be the ultimate fool to think it wasn't your assistant coaches and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/anytime-you-get-an-award-as-a-coach-you-ve-got-to-be-the-ultimate/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [If you want to drop off the face of the earth, just be an assistant coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-griese/if-you-want-to-drop-off-the-face-of-the-earth-just-be-an-assistant/) Bob Griese > [The relationships that I've built and the connections and the network that I have created playing on these multiple teams, playing for these multiple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gooden/the-relationships-that-i-ve-built-and-the-connections-and-the-network/) [Drew Gooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gooden/) > [Picking an assistant coach, the first thing I was interested in was the man's character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-hayes/picking-an-assistant-coach-the-first-thing-i-was-interested-in-was/) [Woody Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-hayes/) > [We talked about it. An assistant coach suggested fouling, but I rejected it because I was afraid we'd foul them shooting and get beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whisenant/we-talked-about-it-an-assistant-coach-suggested-fouling-but-i/) John Whisenant ## More by Adam Oates > [I was 19 years old, pumping gas and going nowhere. I was kind of a high school dropout at that point because I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/i-was-19-years-old-pumping-gas-and-going-nowhere-i-was-kind-of-a-high/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [I can't be a hypocrite as a coach because as a player that's what I wanted. I wanted feedback, I wanted communication from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/i-can-t-be-a-hypocrite-as-a-coach-because-as-a-player-that-s-what-i/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [I was a punk. I think that's why I'm such a good person now, because I was such a bad guy then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/i-was-a-punk-i-think-that-s-why-i-m-such-a-good-person-now-because-i/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [Growing up as a kid my father was British and a soccer player. His idol was a guy that passed the ball a lot,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/growing-up-as-a-kid-my-father-was-british-and-a-soccer-player-his/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [You eat and sleep it all day long and play on the streets until mom calls you in. My story is no different than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/you-eat-and-sleep-it-all-day-long-and-play-on-the-streets-until-mom/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [Even the superstars need to be coached once in awhile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/even-the-superstars-need-to-be-coached-once-in-awhile/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [I grew up trying to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, not Team Canada. Didn't even know it existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/i-grew-up-trying-to-play-for-the-toronto-maple-leafs-not-team-canada/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [I went to the Hall of Fame with my dad. I can't say I really remember too much about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/i-went-to-the-hall-of-fame-with-my-dad-i-can-t-say-i-really-remember/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) [Explore all 9 Adam Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) ## More Assistant coaches quotes > [Think like a head coach, but act like an assistant coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-amaker/think-like-a-head-coach-but-act-like-an-assistant-coach/) Tommy Amaker > [ You look at the assistant coaches under \[Pat Riley\] that played and they have become prosperous within this game. It triples all the way… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-starks/you-look-at-the-assistant-coaches-under-pat-riley-that-played-and/) [John Starks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-starks/) > [I know a lawyer who'd love to retire and be an assistant coach. I mean, it's fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/i-know-a-lawyer-who-d-love-to-retire-and-be-an-assistant-coach-i-mean/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [There's some things assistant coaches aren't ready to do. They're not the head coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/there-s-some-things-assistant-coaches-aren-t-ready-to-do-they-re-not/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [One thing that the coaching staff and the assistant coaches did a really good job of working me on was shaping myself into an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/one-thing-that-the-coaching-staff-and-the-assistant-coaches-did-a/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [We have to move the meter in sports in Africa, especially basketball. With the growth of the NBA globally, we have to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/we-have-to-move-the-meter-in-sports-in-africa-especially-basketball/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I tell everyone that I have 25,000 assistant coaches. If I want to know something, I just go to the grocery store.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/i-tell-everyone-that-i-have-25-000-assistant-coaches-if-i-want-to/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [It was very interesting, when I went on the road and started recruiting college and I spoke to coaches around the country, of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-donovan/it-was-very-interesting-when-i-went-on-the-road-and-started/) [Billy Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-donovan/) > [I put myself around good people, including my assistant coaches. A lot of head coaches are intimidated by their assistant coaches, they'd rather get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dicicco/i-put-myself-around-good-people-including-my-assistant-coaches-a-lot/) [Tony DiCicco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dicicco/) > [I was in the right place at the right time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-allen/i-was-in-the-right-place-at-the-right-time/) [Mel Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-allen/) > [Let's face it, first-time assistant coaches normally don't walk into jobs with two perennial All-Stars on a team that just got bounced in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-bickerstaff/let-s-face-it-first-time-assistant-coaches-normally-don-t-walk-into/) [J. B. Bickerstaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-bickerstaff/) > [I've been with some great head coaches, but also some great assistant coaches, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-stoops/i-ve-been-with-some-great-head-coaches-but-also-some-great-assistant/) [Bob Stoops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-stoops/) > [Anytime you get an award as a coach, you've got to be the ultimate fool to think it wasn't your assistant coaches and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/anytime-you-get-an-award-as-a-coach-you-ve-got-to-be-the-ultimate/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Spreading the wealth and giving other assistant coaches their due is critical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mullin/spreading-the-wealth-and-giving-other-assistant-coaches-their-due-is/) [Chris Mullin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mullin/) > [I am working really hard with assistant coaches on both hands, left and right, finishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bojan-bogdanovic/i-am-working-really-hard-with-assistant-coaches-on-both-hands-left/) [Bojan Bogdanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bojan-bogdanovic/) [Browse all 24 Assistant coaches quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assistant-coaches/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Assistant coaches become a little bit more buddies to the players than a head coach.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Oates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-more-buddies-to-the-players/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assistant coaches" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-more-buddies-to-the-players/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8eb/adam-oates-43284_assistant-coaches_assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-mo_858419.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8eb/adam-oates-43284_assistant-coaches_assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-mo_858419.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8eb/adam-oates-43284_assistant-coaches_assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-mo_858419.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Assistant coaches become a little bit more buddies to the players than a head coach.” — Adam Oates", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam Oates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Assistant coaches become a little bit...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-more-buddies-to-the-players/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-more-buddies-to-the-players/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```