Cal Baptist University’s Rick Croy has been a highly successful basketball coach at every level and understands that teaching his players how to lead on and off the court is a key to building a winning program. @CoachesHangTime #CalBaptist #growthegame
“In leadership development, we want to build leaders in everything we do in our program,” Croy said. “Leadership is making someone else better. To be leaders we want our players to be difference-makers in our program and in the community.” #HangTime
Croy and his staff set program standards and daily examples that players and the team leaders follow in a “Team Only” commitment. “We want to build strong habits, which is what we repeatedly do,” Croy said. “We strive to get better every day, to get our players to buy-in.” #CHT
“We want to build great relationships with our players, to have a close, tight team that pulls together when we face adversity,” Croy said. “Team building helps us find separation. When you have a team that trains well, has talent, & great leadership, special things happen.” #CHT
Croy has various activities that he does in the preseason to get his players to take ownership. He tells them: “We’re going to coach everybody differently because everybody is different. But we’re going to coach you to our best ability to help you reach your max potential.” #CHT
Croy believes you have to be straight up with the players. “Successful communication is not about agreement, it’s about understanding,” he said. And at CBU, the players know they represent themselves, the team, school and community every day. #HangTime
Croy and his staff try “to be positive and demanding every day in practice.” “We’re always trying to find a positive way to do things,” he said. “We want to compete every day, to face some adversity and embrace it, and learn lessons.” #HangTime
Croy’s teams play extremely hard daily. But they also enjoy the competition. “You’ve got to have a good definition of fun,” he said. “We believe taking something hard to do, and doing it well is fun. When you’re experiencing real fun, that’s the best satisfaction.” #HangTime
Croy also helps his players build a vision for the future, starting as a successful student-athlete and getting a quality education that will help them later on, regardless if they play pro ball after college. The coach wants them to take pride in that important mission. #CHT
The passionate Croy told the CHT coaches that “you’ve got to trust in what you know,” and “it’s important to find great mentors that can help you grow.” He’s a life-long learner and continues to read, and learn from other coaches/successful people to grow his own knowledge. #CHT
