Had I been a great athlete, I'm not sure I would have even gone into coaching. I may have turned out feeling that my life ended when my athletic career ended, as happens so many times with various athletes.
Every year, you need a couple of weeks to energize as a coach and get back at it.
What is there about basketball that makes Larry Bird or Lenny Wilkens want to coach after their playing careers are done?
You coach to coach. You don't coach to satisfy media, satisfy fans.
Many tennis coaches are enablers. They need the job more than the player needs the coach, and if the coach needs the job more than the player needs the coach, he can't effect change.
If I ever want to get back into coaching I should be calling teams they shouldn't be calling me. That's when you know you really want to do it.
I had no desire to coach college until I went to college. Then I said, 'Maybe I can do this.' You get inspired by the people around you who move you and light a fire under you.
Thanks to Conte, I got the urge of coaching, and I thank him for that.
