When coaches reach a certain level of success people want to peek into their minds and see the thinking, planning and strategizing _ everything that went into building a winning program.
When I step into Geno Auriemma's office in the middle of November my goals are similar. He's led UConn to 11 national titles and produced some of the greatest women's basketball players ever. From Rebecca Lobo to Diana Taurasi to Maya Moore to Breanna Stewart, he's found a way of coaching that reaches a wide range of vastly different players.
Managing a group of people is a delicate, exhausting process that not everyone is good at. Everyone is different and responds to different leadership tactics. Over the years Auriemma has been described as being too hard on his players by some, while others say he knows exactly how to motivate each player.
I sat down with the UConn coach to get a glimpse into his thoughts on player management, from how he motivates players to how to deal with the lofty expectations that come with playing at UConn. The following is a transcript of that conversation that's been edited for clarity.
