Texas Tech University Athletics
The #OutWorkChamp: Instilling A Culture In Lady Raider Basketball
October 15, 2015 | Women's Basketball
One can never overstate the importance of practice. However, the very best tend to go above and beyond.
It's the extra shots in the gym, the extra workout or the extra set of bleachers that the best often point to when asked how they got to the top.
The champ is here! S/O to soph post Ionna McKenzie, #OutWorkChamp for the week!!! #GUontheCU pic.twitter.com/KtEEiCKziX
-- Coach RCaldwell (@RayCwellTTU) September 12, 2015
Lady Raider basketball is rewarding that mindset, with the creation of the #OutWorkChamp award.
Texas Tech assistant coach Ray Caldwell, in his first season, was looking to make an impact with the team early on, when the idea hit.
"I come from a background that focuses on skill set," Caldwell said. "I understand that the best players in the country are work out kids. I wanted to make sure I could make an impact on the program in the sense of helping our staff instill that mindset and philosophy--something they were already doing before I got here. Our job as coaches is to teach kids to have pride in their craft. We can only do so much, though. It doesn't happen if players aren't voluntarily getting in the gym and getting better. We wanted to reward that mindset, because it is so important."
The general concept is something that has been done before throughout head coach Candi Whitaker's time in Lubbock, and her career as a coach. "Eugene," a Raider Red doll is given each day to the player determined to be the practice player of that day.
Coach Whitaker starts with Eugene when official practices begin, and then each player who receives it picks the next winner, until there's a practice when Whitaker decides no one should have it, and she takes it back, restarting the process. Eugene can be seen overlooking practice from his perch, whether it be on a chair on the sideline or the scorer's table.
Ever since I started doing that--It's been going for years--I've always been amazed at how players light up when one of their peers recognizes them," Whitaker said. "It obviously means a lot to receive praise from your coaches, but giving the players a chance to recognize each other is great for them as well."
However, there is now another prized possession that the Lady Raiders have their eyes on as well--the #OutWorkChamp belt.
"When the players start to become more self-motivated, they begin to keep each other accountable as well," Caldwell said. "Something like `Make that shot. You're better than that and you know it,' speaks volumes coming from a teammate in a constructive manner. That's all part of the mindset we are implementing with the belt, and it all starts with Coach Whitaker. She is one of the hardest-working coaches out there. She expects us to work hard and in turn, we expect our players to work hard."
True!!!! Great job @Larryn_Brooks The #OutWorkChamp for the week! pic.twitter.com/lKF4RqtobN
-- Coach RCaldwell (@RayCwellTTU) September 1, 2015
The beauty of the #OutWorkChamp, is that, like Eugene, the criteria can change. There is no set way to win it. It started with meetings about how players have progressed in their individual workouts and evolved from there. The players are responding, too. Each winner proudly poses for a picture with the belt, and shows it off until the next champion is decided.
"I knew I was going to need to find a way to try to help motivate," Caldwell said. "I know this generation is a little bit more inclined to enjoy the bling, so I went out and ordered the belt. The players are taking pride in winning it, too. They are enjoying the recognition they get for the work they do."
No matter what the physical prize is, it all stems from the same general idea--It's the culture Whitaker's staff has been trying to instill--You aren't going to accomplish what you want to accomplish, without putting in the necessary work, and then some.
"Toughness is something we talk about quite a bit," Whitaker said. "We feel like our advantage is that we are going to out-work people and we are going to be tougher. We have to be mentally and physically stronger than our opponents, and I think the belt represents that."
