Coaching Trees

[semicoherent]

Assume for the sake of argument that Coach A and Coach B are both highly respected volleyball coaches who have enjoyed comparable levels of success over the course of thirty years as head coaches in Division One power conferences. And assume that the only difference that really stands out in their records is that, while both coaches have had a number of assistants move on to head coaching jobs, the assistants who were mentored by Coach A have generally experienced significantly more success as head coaches than those who had been on the staff of Coach B. Would that incline you to have greater admiration for Coach A for doing a better job of preparing assistants for head coaching positions? Or would it tend to increase your regard for Coach B for achieving so much success without having as capable assistants? Or would it be a nonfactor?       

[Phaedrus]

Apr 2, 2019 9:18:12 GMT -5 semicoherent said:

Assume for the sake of argument that Coach A and Coach B are both highly respected volleyball coaches who have enjoyed comparable levels of success over the course of thirty years as head coaches in Division One power conferences. And assume that the only difference that really stands out in their records is that, while both coaches have had a number of assistants move on to head coaching jobs, the assistants who were mentored by Coach A have generally experienced significantly more success as head coaches than those who had been on the staff of Coach B. Would that incline you to have greater admiration for Coach A for doing a better job of preparing assistants for head coaching positions? Or would it tend to increase your regard for Coach B for achieving so much success without having as capable assistants? Or would it be a nonfactor?       

You are attributing the successes or non-successes of ALL the assistants solely to their mentor. The assistants have their own abilities and foibles and to attribute everything to one factor is a logical fallacy.

Even as a theoretical discussion, this is not one that can recover from the ill-posed conjecture.

[boh]

Too many variables to feel strongly one way or another for me. Where did those assistants get jobs as head coaches? Who were their assistants? What did they inherit as new head coaches? How long were they given to succeed there?  Did the assistants actually learn from the head coach at either location or were they good/bad at coaching already?

[Hawk Attack]

I’d like to admire what John Cook has done with high-profile assistants becoming successful head coaches but then it’s like now he’s also responsible for Jaylen Reyes sooo... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Wolfgang]

I prefer skill trees.