Crew Chief Qualities

A couple weeks ago I began a post on crew chief qualities and I explored the first quality of creating a safe environment.  Today’s post I want to expand and cover the next couple qualities of great crew chiefs that I admire.  And while I admit there are many more great crew chief qualities, the two I discuss today are qualities I believe people have and are not taught.

Great crew chiefs inspire and motivate.

Great crew chiefs display integrity and honesty.

I believe a crew chief who can inspire you to be your best self in a game is much more rare than you might imagine.  One of my greatest off court strengths is to inspire and motivate, but so many times in my pregames I neglect that skill.  I love a pregame that leaves you feeling like you are indeed the best team on the floor.  Do you know that one person who can pregame a rookie and a veteran both in the same room and make them feel like they are each the “R” and worthy to own the chemistry of our game?  I work with an official named Dawn Marsh who can truly make you think this game is the best game of your life and that what you call and how you handle coaches is inspiring, though she is doing a much better job at it then you.  haha.  She just motivates you keep working on your craft and your skills.  She inspires and motivates without judgment and critique.  I always leave a game wishing I was more like her.

What probably also makes someone like Dawn stand out to me is that she is honest and she upholds the integrity of the game.  You know we will all experience situations where we are with someone who does not treat the game with the utmost respect.  We have all worked a game with someone who “big-timed” us or made the game less important than their personal agenda.  I used to work with an official who I always suspected was more interested in his own career than anything else.  He was always working an angle in his relationships.  Yet he advanced.  He made his way up the officiating ladder to be the top dog in the region, and then one day his dishonesty caught up with him.

He was accussed of cheating the system and accessing documents, assignments, and information that gave him an unfair advantage over everyone else.  He was two faced and exposed his lack of integrity.  his career was quickly ended.  I tell you this because great crew chiefs are honest and uphold the integrity of the game and the crew.  If someone is not honest, they will not remain the crew chief for long.  Their secrets will not remain hidden forever.  It is better to