by Pete Carroll
To the numerous coaches I have been honored to work with and support—the friendships and the fun have always been worth the struggles. Through the wins and losses I have learned that my favorite part of coaching has been the relationships.
Without the support of Portfolio publishing, Adrian Zackheim’s vision, and Courtney Young’s dedication this book would not have been possible. To them and their staff, thank you. Also, Kristoffer Garin’s aid in the early stages of this manuscript were instrumental and facilitated the project. Also, I’d like to thank Jay Mandel of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment for managing this project from start to finish.
Finally, without the hundreds of players, their dedication and desire to perform every day on the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom, there would be no competition and no reason to formulate a philosophy, so I must say thank you.
It is not possible to acknowledge everyone properly, but to all of those who took part in this, thanks for making it all come to life.
Index
A Better LA
Affirmations
power of
self-talk
vision for self, creating
Albaugh, Glen
Ali, Muhammad
Allmond, Marcell
Always Compete
competitive player, example of
elements of
as foundation of Win Forever
paying price for
Win Forever pyramid
“Always Compete” (Carroll)
Always Protect the Team
elements of
example of
Win Forever pyramid
Attentiveness. See Focus
Bark, Andy
Barry, Rick
Bartner, Art
Basheer, Aquil
Baxter, Dillon
“Beaver of the Week” award
Biletnikoff Award
Bledsoe, Drew
Booty, John David
Brown, Troy
Bruce, Earle
Brunell, Mark
Bruschi, Tedy
Bush, Reggie
Byrd, Dominique
Caddas, Chester
Carroll, Brennan
Carroll, Glena
Carroll, Jaime
Carroll, Jim
Carroll, Nate
Carroll, Pete
“Always Compete” by
“Beaver of the Week” award
coaching career, development of
coach mentors of
early awards
firings
with 49ers
methods, negative reactions to
with Minnesota Vikings
with New England Patriots
with New York Jets
NFL, departure from
NFL, tenure with
NFL to college transition
as NFL Youth Football spokesperson
philosophy of. See Win Forever
with Seattle Seahawks
sports heroes of
sports participation, development of
sports psychology, early exposure to
with University of Southern California
Win Forever program. See Win Forever
Carter, Brian
Clay, Willie
Coaches and coaching
availability for players
coach as teacher
disagreeing, example of
expectation for players, setting
and great practice sessions
having fun, examples of
hiring coaches
individual differences among
interviewing for position, preparing for
leadership development
leaving team
mentors for Carroll
negative communication, avoiding
observing/learning about players
peer critiques of
“players’ coach,” Carroll as
preparing for practice
recruiting players
Win Forever applied to
College of Marin
Communication
negative communication, avoiding
strong language, use of
Competition
always compete concept. See Always Compete
defined
as foundation of action
and moving on
during practice sessions
talking down opponent fallacy
Competition Tuesday
Confidence
and great teams
and practice
and Win Forever
Contingency planning
Cope, Bob
Cosby, Quan
Coslet, Bruce
Crawford, Vernon
Danelo, Mario
Diamond B
Disciplining players, talking versus
Distraction
negative impact of
overcoming. See Focus
Dorrance, Anson
Doubt, in Inner Game concept
Elway, John
Emotions, player’s control of
Esalen Institute
Family Night
Fear, performing in absence of
expectation for players, setting
performance, impact of fear on
power of
Ferrell, Will
Fletcher, Sandy
Focus
as altered state of consciousness
competitive
elements of
in Inner Game concept
Win Forever pyramid
49ers, Carroll as coach
Franklin, Jethro
Gallwey, Tim, Inner Game concept
Garcia, Jerry
Garrett, Mike
Glenn, Terry
Grant, Bud
Gross, Daryl
Heisman Trophy
Hess, Leon
Hierarchy of needs theory
self-actualization See also Peak performance
Hitchcock, Jimmy
Holtz, Lou
Ingram, Mark
Inner Game, The (Gallwey)
Inner Game concept
doubt, physical manifestations of
focus versus distraction in
football as illustration of
overtightening
preparing for game, methods used
quieted mind in
Jackson, Mark
Jackson, Phil
Jarrett, Dwayne
Jefferson, Shawn
Johnson, Keyshawn
Johnson, Stafon
Johnson, Ted
Kalil, Ryan
Kelly, Jim
Kiffin, Lane
Kiffin, Monte
“Knowing” You’re Going to Win, Win Forever pyramid
Kotite, Rich
Kraft, Robert
Leadership, and coaches
“Lean on Me,”
Leinart, Matt
Leiweke, Tod
Levy, Marv
Locker-room, mock
Long Body
Losing, and Win Forever approach
Lott, Ronnie
McGinest, Willie
McKay, John
McPherson, Bill
Marino, Dan
Martin, Curtis
Maslow, Abraham
Mattis, James
Mays, Willie
Millard, Keith
Milloy, Lawyer
Minnesota Vikings, Carroll as defensive coach
Monday Night Football
Morton, John
Murphy, Michael
Namath, Joe
National Football League (NFL)
Carroll returns to
Carroll’s departure
Carroll’s early years
Carroll’s tenure with
NFL Youth Football
National Signing Day
New England Patriots, Carroll fired
New York Jets
Carroll as coach
Car
roll fired
No Repeat Thursday
Norton, Ken, Jr.
Notre Dame, USC game (2005)
Observation, learning your learners
Olson, Jake
Open-practice sessions
positive impact of
secrecy, maintaining
Orange Bowl
Organization, Be Early rule
Orgeron, Ed
Overtightening, in Inner Game concept
Pacific 10 Conference Champions
Pacific Institute
Palmer, Carson
Parcells, Bill
Peak performance
and being in “the zone,”
group as single consciousness
preparing for game, methods used
theory of
Pep rallies
Polamalu, Troy
Practice Is Everything
competition during sessions
connecting with players
daily routine, creating
elements of
execution, reviewing
on-field techniques
great practice, example of
level of intensity
mock locker-room
open-practices
pep rallies
perfecting performance
spring practice meeting
team meetings
turnovers
USC/Notre Dame (2005) example
Win Forever pyramid
Pyramid, Win Forever
Quieted mind
defined
requirements for
Quinn, Brady
Recruitment
family of player in
National Signing Day
player as contributor, communication of
Reaser, Reynaldo
Reed, Andre
Review Friday
Rhodes, Ray
Rice, Jerry
Richard, Kris
Robinson, Gary
Robinson, Greg
Roll, W. G.
Rooftop prank
Ruel, Pat
Rules
Be Early
positive self-talk, example of
protecting team, example of
Win Forever pyramid
Ruth, Babe
Sacred Hoops (Jackson)
Sarkisian, Steve
Sayers, Gale
Scales, Robert
Schneider, John
Seattle Seahawks, Carroll as coach
Seifert, George
Self-actualization, theory of
Self-fulfilling prophesy
Self-talk
negative, impact of
power of
USC, application to
Seto, Rocky
Shanahan, Mike
Small Unit Excellence Conference
Smith, Alex
Smith, Bruce
Smith, Homer
Smith, Steve
Socratic method, in preparing for game
Song Girls
Steinberg, Dick
Student Sports
Style elements, Win Forever pyramid
Taylor, Bo
Teachers, coaches as
Team meetings
activities during
Socratic method, use of
Tell the Truth Monday
Tice, Lou
Toward a Psychology of Being (Maslow)
Tragedy, inspiration in
Tribal-Mind-Body
Troppmann, Bob
Tug of war exercise
Turnover Wednesday
Uberstine, Gary
University of Southern California
awards/titles, winning
Carroll after tenure with
Carroll as coach
Carroll’s interview for
fun and pranks
“lean on me” motto
losing, response to
Notre Dame game (2005)
practice is everything
press conference, Carroll’s first
recruiting players
Rules
team building
Win Forever and success
University of the Pacific
Valvano, Coach
Vermeil, Dick
Vision for self
creating
group as single consciousness
staying in touch with
Walsh, Bill
Ward, Cornell
Weis, Charlie
White, LenDale
Wiggin, Paul
Williamson, Carlton
Win Forever
Always Compete
beyond the game, examples of
Carroll’s development of
coaches, application to
and confidence
contingency planning
discovery process
fear, performing in absence of
foundation/belief system
Inner Game concept
inspiration from tragedy
interview for coach, application to
“Knowing” You’re Going to Win
and losing
Practice Is Everything
psychological theories influencing
Pyramid
Rules
self-talk, positive
style elements
as USC formula for success
vision for self, creating
Wooden, influence of
Withers, Bill
Wooden, John
influence on Carroll
philosophy of
Young, Steve
Young, Vince
Zolak, Scott
The zone
in athletics
and peak experiences
preparing for game, methods used