John Shulman concluded a brief coaches meeting prior to practice on Saturday with a simple message.
“Let’s have a good practice — a positive practice,” Shulman told his coaching staff.
One easy win, a break for Christmas, followed by two significant wins has lightened the mood and relaxed the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball team — even its spastic and emphatic head coach.
“I’m doing less yelling and screaming, and more coaching and teaching,” Shulman said. “I’m an emotional guy, I probably need medication, but I’m not taking any.
“So if people see me smiling and more relaxed on the bench, it’s not because of any medication. You can coach and teach more when you’re less emotional.”
Players have noticed a different — a softer — tone from their coach and they’ve responded well to it. They like it.
“Coach is in a good mood and there’s no point in ruining it, and we’re having success right now so everybody’s happy,” said senior forward Ty Patterson who was MVP of the Dr Pepper Classic. “It’s true. He comes with a positive attitude every day. He’s not yelling, he’s listening to players and if he keeps that approach we won’t have a negative attitude.”
Point guard Keegan Bell has noticed a new Shulman as well.
“Coach has been in the Christmas spirit a little bit longer so that’s been a fun experience,” said Bell, who was named to the Dr Pepper Classic all-tournament team. “Positivity is just as contagious as negativity. We’ve come back from the back with a new attitude. We’re all more positive and ready to get going and I think that’s a good thing.”
Sophomore forward Chris Early has checked into a game only to check out immediately after missing a rebound, setting an illegal screen or making some other mistake.
He played through a couple of those errors in UTC’s wins over Long Island and Eastern Kentucky in the Dr Pepper Classic.
“We’re finally starting to come together as a team and playing for each other,” Early said. “Coach is starting to lighten up and make everybody feel better. He’s starting to let us play through mistakes, and we can play with a free mind and not worrying about messing up and getting pulled.”
Saturday’s practice consisted of 20 percent individual drill work and 80 percent team practice. Two of the longer sessions were 5-on-5 drills but the only scoring came from rebounding — one point for a defensive rebound and two for an offensive board.
“No doubt its more fun winning, but it was fun competing in the Dr Pepper Classic,” Shulman said. “You can also learn from team work, not just drill stuff. We’ll change as coaches.
“We’re getting there, and for the first time this year I think our kids believe we’re getting there.”