--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If there were ever a secret to being a…" description: "\"If there were ever a secret to being a great coach, that's it: the connection. I need to have a personal relationship with each player.\" — Dawn Staley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/dawn-staley-4962_coach_if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-g_342236.png" --- # If there were ever a secret to being a great coach, that's… ![“If there were ever a secret to being a great coach, that's it: the connection. I need to have a personal relationship with each player.” quote by Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/dawn-staley-4962_coach_if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-g_342236.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/dawn-staley-4962_coach_if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-g_342236.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/dawn-staley-4962_coach_if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-g_342236.png) > “If there were ever a secret to being a great coach, that's it: the connection. I need to have a personal relationship with each player.” [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective coaching hinges on genuine personal relationships with each athlete. **In simple terms:** Build trust with each player. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal connection. Themes leadership trust relationship building Mood inspirational determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - one‑on‑one sessions - player development plans Key Concepts coach‑player rapport individualized mentorship Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal rapport with performance goals? - What strategies foster trust quickly? A Different Perspective Time constraints may hinder deep connections. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Coach Connection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach-connection-3178859/) [Connection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connection/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-coach/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) [Personal relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-relationship/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Relationship Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship-player-3178860/) ## Related quotes > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [To get a former player that has been there and has that extra intel. Jose Higueras is a great coach for that and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-tiafoe/to-get-a-former-player-that-has-been-there-and-has-that-extra-intel/) [Frances Tiafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-tiafoe/) > [Nobody thought I would be a great coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-majerus/nobody-thought-i-would-be-a-great-coach/) [Rick Majerus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-majerus/) > [I think Ancelotti is a great coach who has a great relationship with the players, but is also very demanding of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul/i-think-ancelotti-is-a-great-coach-who-has-a-great-relationship-with/) [Raul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul/) > [Matt LaFleur's a great coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcvay/matt-lafleur-s-a-great-coach/) [Sean McVay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcvay/) > [I've had a great coach, John Norfolk, who has taken me from a novice to a great cyclist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kadeena-cox/i-ve-had-a-great-coach-john-norfolk-who-has-taken-me-from-a-novice-to/) [Kadeena Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kadeena-cox/) > [Big shout-out to Ronnie Shields, he's a great coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermell-charlo/big-shout-out-to-ronnie-shields-he-s-a-great-coach/) [Jermell Charlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermell-charlo/) > [Bob Houghton is a great coach and I am confident that the national team will do well under him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-chhetri/bob-houghton-is-a-great-coach-and-i-am-confident-that-the-national/) [Sunil Chhetri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-chhetri/) > [“A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/a-good-coach-can-change-a-game-a-great-coach-can-change-a-life/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Mourinho is a great coach, and I respect the way he works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rijkaard/mourinho-is-a-great-coach-and-i-respect-the-way-he-works/) [Frank Rijkaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rijkaard/) > [Our God is a great coach, and he's got a great playbook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/our-god-is-a-great-coach-and-he-s-got-a-great-playbook/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [That's always been my dream to be a great player and be a great coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/that-s-always-been-my-dream-to-be-a-great-player-and-be-a-great-coach/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) > [Mourinho is a great coach. He has told me he believes in me, both in person but also publicly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/mourinho-is-a-great-coach-he-has-told-me-he-believes-in-me-both-in/) [Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/) > [Of course, it's always fun when you're winning and you have a great coach, great organization, great trainers, great strength staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gurley/of-course-it-s-always-fun-when-you-re-winning-and-you-have-a-great/) [Todd Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gurley/) > [A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ara-parseghian/a-good-coach-will-make-his-players-see-what-they-can-be-rather-than/) [Ara Parseghian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ara-parseghian/) ## More by Dawn Staley > [I'm not the one to back down and I don't give up, and believe me, I'm not perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-m-not-the-one-to-back-down-and-i-don-t-give-up-and-believe-me-i-m/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [Aside from their talent, a prerequisite of us actually recruiting a young lady is their relationship with their parents because if they respect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/aside-from-their-talent-a-prerequisite-of-us-actually-recruiting-a/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [When I was growing up in the projects in Philadelphia in the 1970s and 80s, Cadillac was the car to have. But I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-projects-in-philadelphia-in-the-1970s/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I like the challenge of getting players to rise to certain levels, but that's the easy part. The biggest challenge is to get them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-like-the-challenge-of-getting-players-to-rise-to-certain-levels-but/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I don't coach to win awards, I really don't. I'm very, very satisfied with just being there for my players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-don-t-coach-to-win-awards-i-really-don-t-i-m-very-very-satisfied/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I grew up in the projects in North Philly. And when you grow up in the projects in North Philly, no one thinks you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-grew-up-in-the-projects-in-north-philly-and-when-you-grow-up-in-the/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I'm not one that really has a huge social life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-m-not-one-that-really-has-a-huge-social-life/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [A lot of people notice when you succeed, but they don't see what it takes to get there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/a-lot-of-people-notice-when-you-succeed-but-they-don-t-see-what-it/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I think I'm very consistent with who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-think-i-m-very-consistent-with-who-i-am/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I grew up in a disciplined household, and I have never been afraid of working hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-grew-up-in-a-disciplined-household-and-i-have-never-been-afraid-of/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [It's my nature just to teach, help and simplify basketball, that's my mentality. To not make the game so hard. It's really an easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/it-s-my-nature-just-to-teach-help-and-simplify-basketball-that-s-my/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [Some of my earliest lessons in perseverance were being turned away from the basketball court by the guys in the neighborhood when all I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/some-of-my-earliest-lessons-in-perseverance-were-being-turned-away/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [It's not often you see great players just improve year after year after year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/it-s-not-often-you-see-great-players-just-improve-year-after-year/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [Coaching - teaching the game - came relatively easy. I connected extremely well with the players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/coaching-teaching-the-game-came-relatively-easy-i-connected-extremely/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [We were rattled. A team like Rutgers, they play in spurts, and they didn't have a large spurt. We certainly knew we had it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/we-were-rattled-a-team-like-rutgers-they-play-in-spurts-and-they-didn/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) [Explore all 104 Dawn Staley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) ## More Coach quotes > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Every coach in the league does an unbelievable job, and they're prepared and think you're going to outcoach people, or you think that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/every-coach-in-the-league-does-an-unbelievable-job-and-they-re/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [Everything I have experienced and learned in football led me towards one day becoming a coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/everything-i-have-experienced-and-learned-in-football-led-me-towards/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [Often, organizations don't know how good they have it with a player or coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/often-organizations-don-t-know-how-good-they-have-it-with-a-player-or/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I was just putting way too much pressure on myself. I was just trying to get that validation from my dad. It got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-was-just-putting-way-too-much-pressure-on-myself-i-was-just-trying/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) > [A lot of the kids gave a lot of positive feedback about if I ever became a coach, they would love to play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/a-lot-of-the-kids-gave-a-lot-of-positive-feedback-about-if-i-ever/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I think it's very important to have contact with the players that I will coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/i-think-it-s-very-important-to-have-contact-with-the-players-that-i/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [Of course, it's always fun when you're winning and you have a great coach, great organization, great trainers, great strength staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gurley/of-course-it-s-always-fun-when-you-re-winning-and-you-have-a-great/) [Todd Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gurley/) > [No one likes a change of coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-azpilicueta/no-one-likes-a-change-of-coach/) [Cesar Azpilicueta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-azpilicueta/) > [As far as being a coach, it's always fascinated me. It's a greater responsibility than most people give it credit for because you're dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-prefontaine/as-far-as-being-a-coach-it-s-always-fascinated-me-it-s-a-greater/) [Steve Prefontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-prefontaine/) > [Mourinho is a great coach. He has told me he believes in me, both in person but also publicly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/mourinho-is-a-great-coach-he-has-told-me-he-believes-in-me-both-in/) [Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/) > [I've grown up playing for some incredible coaches, and I don't think anybody's ever been as fortunate as I have in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brown/i-ve-grown-up-playing-for-some-incredible-coaches-and-i-don-t-think/) [Larry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brown/) [Browse all 2,963 Coach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If there were ever a secret to being a great coach, that's it: the connection. I need to have a personal relationship with each player.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dawn Staley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-great-coach-that-s-it-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coach" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-great-coach-that-s-it-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/dawn-staley-4962_coach_if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-g_342236.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/dawn-staley-4962_coach_if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-g_342236.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72e/dawn-staley-4962_coach_if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-g_342236.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If there were ever a secret to being a great coach, that's it: the connection. I need to have a personal…” — Dawn Staley", "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": "Dawn Staley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If there were ever a secret...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-great-coach-that-s-it-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/if-there-were-ever-a-secret-to-being-a-great-coach-that-s-it-the/#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 } } ] } ```