The off season, for pretty much all sports, is a time when run ins with the law and bad decisions tend to make headlines.
One of those bad decisions made by a player in Frank Martin's South Carolina basketball program meant Martin dismissing him from the team. From his latest press conference, you can tell it's certainly not something he wanted to do, but understood that for the good of the program and the individual involved, it needed to be done.
While briefly discussing the events surrounding the player's exit, Martin didn't share too many specifics, but did share a bit about his personal coaching philosophy and what he preaches to his team about the difference between mistakes and problems.
"I'm real simple, okay? I try to keep life really simple, so that I can function. Nobody has made more mistakes in life than me. But I am a big believer in that you better make mistakes, understand, then listen, and move away from that mistake, and grow from that mistake."
"When someone makes the same mistake over, and over, and over, and over, that is no longer called a mistake. That's called a problem. When I deal with mistakes, which is an every day thing for me, I'm okay with mistakes. I can live with them. I'm gonna stay in your corner when there's mistakes."
"When I start sensing problems - which is the same mistake over, and over, and over - I can't help problems. I have to get rid of problems."
"That is verbatim what I tell our team, pretty much once a week during the course of their careers here. I deal with mistakes. I eliminate problems."
For young coaches trying to feel out there discipline style and approach, that knowledge from coach Martin may prove to be valuable.
Hear more from Martin in the clip.