Clauswitz and Ball

Clauswitz

http://www.clausewitz.com/readings/OnWar1873/BK3ch05.html 

"This spirit can only be generated from two sources, and only by these two conjointly: the first is a succession of wars and great victories; the other is, an activity of the army carried sometimes to the highest pitch. Only by these, does the soldier learn to know his powers. The more a general is in the habit of demanding from his troops, the surer he is, that his demands will be answered. The soldier is as proud of overcoming toil, as he is of surmounting danger. Therefore it is only in the soil of incessant activity and exertion that the germ will thrive, but also only in the sunshine of victory. Once it becomes a strong tree, it will stand against the fiercest storms of misfortune and defeat, and even against the indolent inactivity of peace, at least for a time. It can therefore only be created in war, and under great generals, but no doubt it may last at least for several generations, even under generals of moderate capacity, and through considerable periods of peace." Clausewitz


Distilled, this could be interpreted as follows: Victory and an unstoppable, winning attitude are generated by winning games, often the big ones, repeatedly and across multiple seasons. This combined with ceaseless, specific and realistic training creates a culture of resiliency that is embraced not only by next year's guys, but those to follow for several years. It becomes an institutional memory/zen that propels an organization into the next campaign and to strive valiantly and on balance successfully, in the big games as they arise.

-Winning and raising the bar on the training field in between seasons equals a better chance at winning.-

It would follow that there is no off-season so-to-speak, but rather an "opportunity season". Between now and the first whistle of Fall Ball, there is an opportunity to "get better" across the full spectrum of program/team/individual building.



Start with these three question: Who are we? Where do we want to go? How are we going to get there? Your answers, unique to your situation, will form the hubris of your Strategy.




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