The San Antonio Spurs are heading back to the NBA Finals after sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies 4-0, and are already receiving headlines for how their fundamental style of play will match up against their (likely) more “flashy” opponent the Miami Heat. For years now all San Antonio does is win, even if they rarely lead the ESPN nightly highlights with awesome plays from their games. No, you won’t see many alley-oops or monster jams watching the Spurs, but what you will see is perfect synchrony, balance, and team play that has made them more of a throw-back when compared to most of the glitzy teams now seen in the NBA.
Some critics have called the Spurs boring for their style of play (in fact, Tim Duncan might be the most nondescript star athlete of all time), but what should be exciting for coaches and parents is that we have a team in the Spurs that simply wins games by emphasizing good, solid team play. Why is this a big deal? For one, the Spurs are a great model for kids to see that while reverse dunks are nice, it’s actually team play in sports that more regularly leads to on-field/court athletic success. The Spurs also show us that playing a style suited to the team personnel can lead to over-achieving, while other teams who concede their style to one star player often never reach their full team potential.
Unfortunately, most kids only see the big egos and flash when watching pro sports these days, as the grind-it-out, stick to what works kinds of teams seem to almost be a memory of the past anymore. Perhaps ESPN and other sports media are to blame for this, as you will rarely see a highlight of a basketball team making 4 quick, crisp passes leading to a beautiful layup, but you will see plenty of wild alley-oop passes that get the crowd to jump from their seats. So while coaches still preach fundamentals, kids see that fundamentals don’t get much attention — at least not like the exciting plays do.
So coaches and parents, here is your chance — the Spurs are a great model in sport psychology and the application of mental toughness to perfectly synchronized play. They are reliable and successful because of the emphasis on team play, and have prioritized winning over individual achievements and personal success. Interestingly, they are also great role models off the court, as it is rare when you hear about a Spurs player in trouble with the law or putting his foot in his mouth through other insensitive comments.
Looking for a great example to show your child? Look no further than the San Antonio Spurs.
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