After battling a kidney stone this past Friday (not a pleasant experience) my two oldest boys, Shaun Jr. and Paul, and I traveled to Duke University on Saturday to participate in a Coach Krzyzewski Basketball Coaching Clinic. My son, Paul, is a high school basketball coach in our area and as a family we have always followed Duke Basketball. I played the basketball in high school and college and, with hindsight being 20/20, coaching at some level could easily have been a personal career path. But that is a story for another day.
For those who don’t know much about Coach K I think the statement on his web site says it best:
“Duke Basketball Head Coach and recently-appointed United States National Head Coach, Mike Krzyzewski, cannot be defined solely by those accolades reserved for a highly successful sports coach. Indeed, Krzyzewski, entering his 27th season at Duke, has led the Blue Devils to numerous winning seasons, coached players who have produced superb graduation rates and crafted a tremendous on-court legacy. However, the Hall of Famer also sets the bar as a humanitarian of sport, an ambassador of education, a coach, a teacher, a friend, a family man, a leader and a motivator. While fans worldwide know the three-time national champion as “Coach K,” his three daughters call him their hero, his players regard him as a father figure and his coaching staff and close friends consider him the ideal mentor. In a single word, Mike Krzyzewski is superlative.”
So you might be saying to yourself, “Okay, so what has this to do with online distance learning?” Let me share several points that Coach Krzyzewski made during the day and then tie them into your experience as an online learner or your desire to be one:
- Players need to take ownership – Completing your college degree is an important and potentially life changing decision. You need to do your due diligence when researching online schools. Things like accreditation, reputation, transfer of previous credit/life experience, faculty to student ratio, tuition rates all need to be part of your consideration. We will talk about these things, and more, in the weeks to come.
- Coaches need to adapt to the types of players on the team –Mark it down, you will not be a satisfied student nor will you have a good experience if the online school you attend does not offer strong faculty interaction, is not flexible and proactive with its student support, and does not offer multiple services that will enhance your learning experience and make you feel like you are a part of “something.” Remember — you are worth more than just your tuition payment!
- Be in command of the situation — One of the worst things that you can do as an online distance learning student or a prospective one is to not be clear of all of the school’s policies and practices. Don’t be pressured into making a decision that you will regret later. Ask informed questions to admission’s representatives because you are making a decision that could have significant bearing on your future and the future of your family.
One final point, during the day Coach K kept reiterating that he uses simple words or phrases to drill home important points to his players. One phrase that he used over and over again was “Think Hard.” He would say, “Don’t just play hard, think hard.”
When considering an online distance learning program, or if you are already in one, based on my comments above, I would encourage you to “Think Hard.”