--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's some things assistant coaches…" description: "\"There's some things assistant coaches aren't ready to do. They're not the head coach.\" — Kelvin Sampson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/kelvin-sampson-5185_assistant-coaches_there-s-some-things-assistant-coaches-ar_765408.png" --- # There's some things assistant coaches aren't ready to do… ![“There's some things assistant coaches aren't ready to do. They're not the head coach.” quote by Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/kelvin-sampson-5185_assistant-coaches_there-s-some-things-assistant-coaches-ar_765408.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/kelvin-sampson-5185_assistant-coaches_there-s-some-things-assistant-coaches-ar_765408.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/kelvin-sampson-5185_assistant-coaches_there-s-some-things-assistant-coaches-ar_765408.png) > “There's some things assistant coaches aren't ready to do. They're not the head coach.” [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Assistant coaches lack authority to make final decisions, unlike head coaches. **In simple terms:** Assistants can’t make final calls. Key Takeaway Recognize and respect role limits. Themes leadership hierarchy decision making Mood pragmatic analytical Type advisory instructional When to use this quote - team meetings - strategy sessions - player development Key Concepts authority responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can assistants add value within constraints? - When should they speak up? A Different Perspective Sometimes assistants can influence outcomes despite limited authority. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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 > [You can't have assistant coaches who aren't loyal - but you can learn a lot from your assistant coaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-dicicco/you-can-t-have-assistant-coaches-who-aren-t-loyal-but-you-can-learn-a/) [Tony DiCicco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-dicicco/) > [From a planning standpoint, you want to surround a first-year head coach with quality coaches at all levels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dorsey/from-a-planning-standpoint-you-want-to-surround-a-first-year-head/) [John Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dorsey/) > [If we, as coaches, aren't teachers, we are nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/if-we-as-coaches-aren-t-teachers-we-are-nothing/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Assistant coaches become a little bit more buddies to the players than a head coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-more-buddies-to-the-players/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [When I became the assistant, I was intelligent and helpful. I had patience. As the head coach I was completely the opposite. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-van-basten/when-i-became-the-assistant-i-was-intelligent-and-helpful-i-had/) [Marco van Basten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-van-basten/) > [I've known Adrian Griffin for quite awhile now and always had him as my 'when I get a job, I want to hire him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nurse/i-ve-known-adrian-griffin-for-quite-awhile-now-and-always-had-him-as/) [Nick Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nurse/) > [My head coach in Minnesota, Dennis Green, loved wideouts with plenty of size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-carter/my-head-coach-in-minnesota-dennis-green-loved-wideouts-with-plenty-of/) [Cris Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-carter/) > [In 16, 17 years as a pro I was used to the head coach doing it alone. He might have asked his people for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-klinsmann/in-16-17-years-as-a-pro-i-was-used-to-the-head-coach-doing-it-alone/) [Jurgen Klinsmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-klinsmann/) > [It's been a dream of mine to become a head coach in the NFL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-ryan/it-s-been-a-dream-of-mine-to-become-a-head-coach-in-the-nfl/) [Rex Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-ryan/) > [As a head coach, you're always concerned how you pace the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/as-a-head-coach-you-re-always-concerned-how-you-pace-the-team/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [The biggest thing as a head coach, you want to make sure you exhaust every option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cowher/the-biggest-thing-as-a-head-coach-you-want-to-make-sure-you-exhaust/) [Bill Cowher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cowher/) ## More by Kelvin Sampson > [One of the ways to use your depth is to play with speed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/one-of-the-ways-to-use-your-depth-is-to-play-with-speed/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [I've had kind of a nondescript college career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/i-ve-had-kind-of-a-nondescript-college-career/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [I didn't realize the difference between coaching college and coaching the NBA. It's a totally different animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/i-didn-t-realize-the-difference-between-coaching-college-and-coaching/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [It was never my intent to come back to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/it-was-never-my-intent-to-come-back-to-college/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [Nobody believed in us. Everybody made fun of Houston basketball. I can't say I blamed 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/nobody-believed-in-us-everybody-made-fun-of-houston-basketball-i-can/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [As an outsider, when you think of Indiana, you think about a place that not only has championships but a championship tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/as-an-outsider-when-you-think-of-indiana-you-think-about-a-place-that/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [The one thing about Lumbee people is that there's so many stereotypes about Native Americans, especially reservation Native Americans, and we all tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/the-one-thing-about-lumbee-people-is-that-there-s-so-many-stereotypes/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [One of the first things people think of when they think of Native Americans is reservations. We didn't have any idea what that was.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/one-of-the-first-things-people-think-of-when-they-think-of-native/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [Iowa State's a great team; I know how tough they are in Ames.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/iowa-state-s-a-great-team-i-know-how-tough-they-are-in-ames/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [I loved the NBA. I really did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/i-loved-the-nba-i-really-did/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [The one thing that young coaches should do is if there is an NBA team in your area, get to training camp and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/the-one-thing-that-young-coaches-should-do-is-if-there-is-an-nba-team/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [You're not a loser in anything until you quit. Don't quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/you-re-not-a-loser-in-anything-until-you-quit-don-t-quit/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [When I was at Oklahoma, I always felt like I had to control the game because we didn't have great scorers. So, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/when-i-was-at-oklahoma-i-always-felt-like-i-had-to-control-the-game/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [Washington State was a tough recruiting spot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/washington-state-was-a-tough-recruiting-spot/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) > [I liked coaching in an underdog situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelvin-sampson/i-liked-coaching-in-an-underdog-situation/) [Kelvin Sampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) [Explore all 103 Kelvin Sampson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelvin-sampson/) ## 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/) > [Assistant coaches become a little bit more buddies to the players than a head coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-oates/assistant-coaches-become-a-little-bit-more-buddies-to-the-players/) [Adam Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-oates/) > [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": "There's some things assistant coaches aren't ready to do. 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