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#91: Chris Anstey - "The work you do in the dark will become apparent in the light."

Season #4

Our guest this week is former professional basketball player Chris Anstey. Chris and our host, Emma Doyle grew up playing tennis together from the age of 10 at Maribyrnong Park Tennis Club. They have remained very close mates ever since. Emma seized the opportunity to interview Chris when he recently visited her in Denver, Colorado while on a tour to the US to watch his daughter, Izzy Anstey, who plays for the UCLA basketball team. Please find below some of the highlights that you will hear about coaching for success in sport and the workplace.  

  • Worse Coaching Moment – when you are ‘trying’ to 'show' your ability to coach.

  • Anything you accept and walk past on day one of your coaching job, you need to accept for the duration of your tenure.

  •  Coaching Women’s Sports – Educate your female players to hold tightly those people who compliment you and the positive affirmations you get.

  •  Embrace differences – don’t just do things because other people have always done them.

  •  Find time in everything you do to invest in yourself.

  •  You can’t be motivated every day but what you can have are incredible habits and behaviours.

  •  Are you prepared to get a little uncomfortable even though you don’t know what the outcome is going to be yet?

  •  How do you deal with a superstar within a team – “I always coach the best player the hardest.”

  •  Statistics should be used like a lamppost, for support, not illumination.”

  •  You have to build a culture around people, not around the data.

  •  Parents – “Let the coach, coach.”

  •  Don’t only coach the what, coach the why? Athletes and team members want to know the why.

Chris Anstey is a father of three, and a former professional basketball player, whose 17-year career included stints in the National Basketball Association (NBA), Russia and Spain.

A 2-time Olympian, World Champion and World Championship MVP, Chris also played for the Melbourne Tigers, South East Melbourne Magic, and Victoria Titans in the Australian NBL. He retired as a 2-time Championship winning captain and MVP, with 3 NBL titles to his name. He became the Melbourne Tigers head coach in 2012.

Anstey was selected at #18 in the 1997 NBA Draft, becoming the first player in history to be drafted from Australia’s NBL. Chris has coached male and female basketball teams at all levels- professional, world and national championships, state, high school, and club. 

Check out Chris Anstey's website: https://www.chrisanstey.com.au

And his book is called Tall Tales - What the White Board Never Taught me
https://www.chrisanstey.com.au/tall-tales/