🏆 Why do some teams WIN year after year?

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Why do some programs seem to WIN Year after Year?

This is a question that I hear often from coaches or parents. Over my career, I have been very fortunate to coach and witness some very successful programs.

I have seen and learned a lot from these experiences.

Here are five reasons why some teams seem to win year after year.

1. Players:

Players WIN.

We all know you need players to win. But you cannot just wait or wish for players to show up in your program.

I see this too often. A coach spends all of their energy talking about all of the players that other teams have. They may say things like, “If I only had that team.”

These are words of losing programs and losing coaches. Plain and simple.

All of their energy is negative. You get what you get. You get what you develop. Make the most of the players you have.

Coaches should have a sound developmental program to give your program the best chance to succeed. This does not ensure great players, but it does help develop consistency.

Our basketball developmental plan consists of the following:

Develop your players. Create an expectation of commitment. Ensure you focus on developing and getting the most out of your players. Do not worry about other teams.

2. Culture

Culture WINS. Knowing how to win matters. I have written two books with daily strategies to build culture on a team, Culture WINS and Culture WINS 2.

An excellent winning culture can make good teams great, and it can make mediocre teams good.

I define Culture as the following:

Coaches must understand that their #1 job is to develop their culture daily. Coaches must play the long-game with culture. A poor culture will destroy a program.

3. Commitment

Great programs have a culture of commitment and buy-in.

Committed players create a standard that becomes contagious for a winning program.

Committed players make up Committed teams, and Committed teams make up Winning teams.

Coaches in winning programs develop a culture where players are committed. They also REWARD committed players.

There is nothing worse for a player when a committed player, even if they are younger, does not get rewarded for the time put in. When this happens, entitlement can creep in.

Reward commitment.

4. Consistency

Winning is not a “sometimes” thing. Winning is a lifestyle; it is a daily choice.

Winning programs know that in order to win in the long term, you have to “Win Each Day.”

Winning programs have consistency from the coaching staff, in the system, and at all levels of the program.

Even in the down years. Consistency helps winning programs get through these times.

5. Player Leadership

Finally…Player Leadership Matters, and it matters A LOT.

Here is an excellent example of leadership.

Winning programs know that Leadership is the X factor for the team each season. These programs focus on building leaders each year, each day, and they do so over time. They have a meaningful and systemic approach to leadership.

These player leaders become the gatekeepers of the culture.

And winning programs know that the authentic culture of a program is what team leaders allow behind the scenes.

Check out my NEW Project to help Coaches develop their leaders:

The Team Leader OS: The Ultimate Leadership Resource for Coaches. Join the Waitlist HERE.

Summary: If you want a winning program, focus on what winning programs do.

There is no easy way to win. It takes hard work and commitment. Focus on these five critical aspects of team development to give your team the best chance to win consistently.

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Contact Me: Greg Berge, [email protected]