All innovation across sports can be traced to a single type of tree. This type of tree cannot be found in the forest and is probably unknown to most tree enthusiasts. As a matter of fact, this tree doesn’t have bark, leaves, or roots. As you may have realized by now, the tree I am talking about is not a tree at all. However, similar to actual trees, coaching trees continually provide a breath of fresh air into the world of sports.

So what is a coaching tree? A coaching tree is similar to a family tree. The only difference is that coaches become the would-be offspring of another coach by serving under them as an assistant. The coaches that make up a coaching tree are connected by some common philosophy or strategy that was passed down to them. Most coaching trees originate with a single innovator whose revolutionary ideas spread to his assistants, who pass them on to their assistants, and so on.

One of the most impressive coaching trees is that of NFL coach Bill Parcells. Parcells’ coaching tree includes Bill Belichick, Sean Payton, and Tom Coughlin. Since 2002, half of all Super Bowls have been won by these three coaches! The philosophy that these coaches share has made them the most successful group of coaches in the NFL and has changed the way the entire league manages their teams.

The change this coaching tree brought to the NFL is at the heart of what makes coaching trees so influential. Football is a very visible example of a sport that has been revolutionized over and over by a single coach with a new idea. The shotgun formation, the spread offense, and the hurry-up offense all began as underground strategies that were rejected by football’s old guard. However, through the success of these innovations and the coaching trees that spread them, all three of these tactics have become staples in football today.

Coaching trees have had the incredible ability in every team sport to completely change the way a sport is played, all from the idea of a single person. As a generation of athletes and coaches that will undoubtedly revolutionize sports once again, it’s important for us to understand just how influential a novel idea can be. When the next strategic or philosophical craze is sweeping through your sport of choice, remember it all began with a tree.