Developing a successful program is more than just knowing the X's and O's of your sport.

In this section you will find strategies and techniques to elevate your athlete program to the next level.

Are All These Drills Really Necessary?
The latest thinking by some Western coaches is that maybe playing more and drilling less might have some merit.
Building Team
John Wooden often said, "there are three things vital to success in athletics: conditioning, fundamentals, and working as a team." The most important element is "TEAM."
Building a Winning Tradition
There is only one challenge more difficult than winning that a successful coach faces: continuing to win.
Closing Out the Season
Following the end of the season is a perfect time for the coach to motivate and give direction to the team members for the upcoming season. All the returning athletes have goals and dreams they would like to accomplish. The athletes though are not sure what they should do, what they need to do, and how to go about it.
Communicate the Plan
Every good coach I've every seen or worked with has developed and worked from a game plan or periodization plan. A coach who is prepared has a plan not only for each individual game, but a plan for the development of the whole team over the course of the current and upcoming seasons.
Decay of Sportsmanship New Featured Article!
In sports today it seems that nearly everyone is out of control - the players and their parents, the fans, the coaches and even the media. How did we get here and how can we return to turn sportsmanship?
Enhancing Athletes Self-Image
Self-image refers to how people see themselves. It is molded by the reactions of others - parents, peers and coaches, for example - and further shaped by experiences in life.
Evaluating Heart
The athlete with heart brings much to our team and to our program. That athlete is the central part of the team, they are vital to success. The athlete with heart suits up every day with spirit, courage and enthusiasm. As you well know you can never have enough heart on your team!
Fairway Fundraising New Featured Article!
If you have been involved in athletic fundraising for even a short amount of time, you've probably put on a golf outing. They may be the most common fundraiser in high school and college athletes. Learn how to maximaze sponsorship opportunities to make the most of your fundraiser.
Framing and Reframing
The way you think about things sets the stage for your self-talk. This in return affects how you feel about something. We call this thinking process framing and we call changing the way we think reframing.
Getting the Most Out of Your Athletes
Finding the best way to motivate your athletes and to get the best out of them can often be a frustrating experience. However, there are a few things that you can do to bring out the best in all of your athletes.
Goal Setting for Team Improvement
Goal setting can help athletes improve both their self-confidence and athletic skills. It can also force athletes to confront certain realities about their ability and potential for improvement.
Handling Defeat
It is a fact of life in coaching that you are not going to win them all. What you need to learn is not only how to handle defeat, but how to turn defeat into a learning experience for your team.
How far can you push an athlete's training before breakdown occurs?
The main problem for a coach is to know just how much to ask of an athlete without pushing him or here into a state of failing adaptation or overtraining.
Individual Differences
One of the biggest mistakes a coach can make is to believe that he must treat all of his or her athletes the same.
Lessons to Learn
Evaluation, reevaluation and honest assessment are critical to making judgements in planning and preparation to bring your athletes to the next level of peak performance.
Making the Tough Calls
The team was undefeated, when the coach benched them all, forfeiting two games...
Maintaining a Positive Team Environment
There are a number of factors that have been identified by athletes why they drop out of sport. Many of these reasons are factors releated to the team environment.
Peaking
Peaking is a phenomenon that produces performance at an athlete's maximum ability. Most athlete's have a point in the season when they are at their best, but it is the coach's job to maximize and facilitate peak performance at the most opportune time.
Philosophy of Winning
No single decision is more important in determining how you coach than your priority for the following...to have a winning team...to help young people have fun...to help your athletes develop.
Planning a Preseason Team Meeting
Many coaches do not start off the season with a formal meeting that include the coaching staff, the athletes, and the parents. This is a mistake that can result in problems as the season progresses. Tips and techniques on how to run a meeting that reduces problems and gives the parents a feeling of confidence on your behalf.
Promoting Your Team
Tips that you can use to help promote your sports program so that your athletes receive the media coverage they deserve.
Recruiting Volunteers
No matter what the cause for your need for volunteers to run your athletic program, it is good to know where to look to find the help you need!
Sanctity of Sport
Trash talking...chest bumping...fist flying...in your face sports...is this what sports are all about in today's society? What is our role as coaches?
Setting Goals
Coaches play a very important role in the goal setting process and they should be aware of what they contribute.
Sportsmanship vs. Gamesmanship
What is your philosophy of the very nature of sport? Is it Sportsmanship or Gamesmanship?
Staying Healthy
No coach can afford unnecessary an injury any more! There are a number of things a coach can do to protect your athletes.
Synergy
Synergism is simply a group of elements working together to produce an enhanced effect greater than the sum total of the individual parts (1+1=3). That is what Teamwork is all about...SYNERGY.
Team Discipline
Team discipline is certainly not a favorite topic for most coaches. Yet it is an important one to address as part of the coaches program management responsibilities.
Ten Things You Can Do to Help Build Character in Sports
As a coach, you are one of the most influential persons in an athlete's life. As a coach you've have the ability to create the climate to help build character in the lives of the athletes you work with. Here are 10 tips to help get the job done.
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