By Marc Comstock
Courtesy of Winning Hoops at www.winninghoops.com.

I was an assistant coach at the college level for 11 years before I got my first college head coaching position. So I knew that, as a head coach, selecting an assistant would be my first difficult decision. I felt that listing the qualities that make for a successful assistant would help make that decision easier.

A successful assistant coach, must meet the "3 W's" test: He or she must be a winner, worker and worrier.

1.  WINNER

Find yourself a winner. Over the years, I've found that many young assistants are not as concerned with winning or losing as they are about advancing in the profession or securing head coaching positions. You want to find an assistant who wants to win at all costs without
compromising what's best for the program.

Quality assistants will move up in this profession if the programs with which he or she is associated with are successful in the won-lost column.

The willingness to do everything to ensure success at the present time and the desire to work for the future success of the programs are hard qualities to find these days.

An assistant coach must understand the importance of success beyond the scoreboard, as well -- in the classroom, in knowing the satisfaction of giving an all-out effort and in dealing with winning and losing. As assistant coaches come and go, their impact on a program can never be
underestimated.

2. WORKER

Find yourself a worker. Finding someone who is a tireless worker is extremely important. Many responsibilities of an assistant coach are time-consuming and demand constant attention. A quality assistant must be self-motivated and must never tire over the course of a basketball
season. He or she must be the most aggressive person on the staff.

Following through on all assignments and doing the best work he or she can, are probably the most important qualities an assistant may have. Don't hire a 9-to-5 coach who thinks the job's completed after he or she leaves the office.

Find an assistant who's the first person in every morning and the last to leave in the evening. But don't mistake activity for achievement. A good assistant must put in quality time, not just time.

3. WORRIER

Find yourself a worrier. One of the strengths of any quality program is the fear of failure. This is what motivates us of all.

An assistant coach must worry that everything that can be done is done... on time and to the best of his or her ability. Constant evaluation of every phase of a program keeps a head coach
aware of what changes may be needed. Requesting an assistant's input and then acting on it allows for good communication between the assistant and the head coach.

If you are looking for an assistant coach for your, be sure to look for the "3 W's" in each candidate. And if you are an assistant coach, be sure that you possess these traits -- it's what will get you ahead in coaching.