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What We Mean When We Talk About 'Pro Habits'

Wednesday, July 29th
What We Mean When We Talk About 'Pro Habits'

As the summer wears on, we are moving forward with our recruiting and planning stages for the Kansas City Mavericks. Our discussions regularly revolve around player mindset when evaluating a potential target. We have coined the term "OKG" or "Our Kind of Guy", the types of players we want to recruit and retain in KC. A big piece of this is the player's responsibility and desire to possess exceptional pro habits. So, what does that mean?

It starts with key pillars that will constantly be stressed and emphasized the moment a player steps into our locker room. These are those building blocks:

WORK

A foundation based on WORK. That is what separates a pro from everyone else. Work rate is a term that will be constantly reinforced as our players must outwork opponents every single night and bringing a workman’s attitude to the arena daily. The best players understand that the strongest statement you can make is through your work rate. The ability to honor the game through work-rate is a pillar to the makeup of pro habits.

OWNERSHIP

To accomplish what we want to achieve, we as staff, players and coaches must all take ownership into the journey. As a coaching staff, Assistant Coach Kohl Schultz and I will empower our leaders and players the ability to control the overall success of the team. We will stress this in team meetings, player meetings, team functions, discussing rules and regulations and gaining insight from players. Our goal is to always to build a framework of professionalism and structure in which our players can succeed.

However, the greatest success is when we all take ownership of our journey. You examine any successful business or team and you will find a common theme. You will find that ownership is stressed, if not demanded  at every level of the organization. Looking back at this year's Chiefs Super Bowl victory and the Royals World Series Championship in 2015, you see countless examples of players and staff stepping up taking ownership of their own personal performance and fully recognizing its effect on the organization as a whole. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Ownership is vital to pro-habits. Taking ownership of what you can control is something we ask daily of our players. Everyday, our players will be expected to own their effort and attitude.

PRO HABITS

It’s not just enough to be a good hockey player on the ice anymore. For a player to reach their full potential, whether that be as a Kelly Cup Champion in the ECHL or a future NHLer, our players must not only embrace the following habits, but they must be great at sticking to them. A failure to do so is unacceptable:

-Great mindset-Great effort and attitude-Focus while watching video and listening to coaches-High level of desire and compete level-High attention to detail during practice, practicing with purpose-Great nutrition-Great supplementation-Great strength and conditioning-Great hydration

This is why it is so important that we continue to focus on recruiting the right type of player. A player that has a true desire to better themselves and become the best pro possible.

The process is long and the journey is longer. However, when equipped with a high work-rate, great pro-habits and the desire to take ownership of teams success, it can be a very special and exciting result.

Go Mavs.

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