👋 Good morning!
‘Great Teams Better Leaders’ is written by Greg Berge. Do you have an idea or something to share? Just hit reply - I read and respond to every message. Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe for free.
Let’s dive in, but first…
TOGETHER WITH MOMENTUM
A brand-new community for high school coaches called Momentum Sessions launches today.
📅 Today at 7PM EST
🎤 Topic: Building Championship Culture with Greg Berge
This free series brings together coaches and leaders twice a month to share practical strategies you can use right away.
👉 Join here to watch live or catch the replay: [link]
💭 ONE THOUGHT
The Hidden Side of Winning
One of the most common traps for new coaches?
They obsess over the front stage.
How does their team look during warmups?
How do they communicate from the bench?
How their social media reflects their “program identity.”
How the crowd, parents, or AD might perceive their coaching.
In short, they spend too much time managing the performance.
But where is real culture built?
That’s backstage.
Sociologist Erving Goffman coined the concept of Front Stage vs. Back Stage:
Front stage: The polished performance. What the world sees.
Back stage: The real environment. What only insiders experience.
And in coaching, the distinction couldn’t be more important.
Game night is the front stage.
But culture is built at the Tuesday practice that no one watches.
The team meetings when you’re 2–5.
The way you handle discipline, roles, and player dynamics, away from the spotlight.
Winning programs close the gap between the front stage and back stage.
What the public sees matches what’s actually happening when the doors are closed.
That’s alignment. That’s trust. That’s culture.
Your leadership challenge:
Don’t let your culture be just a performance.
Build it in the moments that don’t get posted, tweeted, or announced over the loudspeaker.
Because the truth is this:
“Real culture isn’t created under the lights. It’s built when no one’s watching.”
Quick questions to reflect on:
Are your values just slogans—or are they lived out every day?
Do your players act the same at practice as they do during games?
Are your standards upheld even when no one’s watching?
What’s your team like behind the curtain?
Good luck!
Greg
Bonus: Watch this video from Coach K on Culture.
P.S. Ready to Build a Culture That Wins and Lasts?
Most coaches talk about culture. Few have a system to build it. That’s where Culture Wins OS comes in.
It’s everything you need to build a strong, self-sustaining culture—without wasting time guessing what works.
👉 Grab the Culture Wins OS here
(Lifetime access. One-time price. Built for real coaches.)
GO PRO!
🚨 Coaches: Want a 24/7 assistant built just for you?
Upgrade to GTBL PRO and unlock the Coach OS AI - instant help with practice plans, leadership tools, culture builders, parent talks, and more.
What is included with GTBL PRO?
💡The Coach OS AI
🥇 The Winner’s Circle Premier Sunday Newsletter
🥇 The Edge Tuesday Premier Newsletter
🧠 GB1 Notion Swipe Files
💰 20% off all GB1 products
➕ And more on the way!
📜 GREAT QUOTES
“Coaches who can outline plays on a blackboard are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their players and motivate.”
“He who is not a good servant will not be a good master.”
🔗 LINKS FOR LEADERS
🎥 Video: Coach K’s Most Important Leadership Lessons [LINK]
🆇 ICYMI: John Gruden GOLD [LINK]
📰 Article: What Winning Teams Have in Common
📚 LOOKING FOR RESOURCES?
Save big when you bundle ALL of my paid resources for coaches into the MEGA Bundle!
👀 LOOKING FOR MORE?
Interested in Sponsoring an Issue? Reply to this email or click here: Sponsor Great Team Better Leaders.
Are you seeking a Culture or Leadership workshop for your team or school? Contact Greg for more information.
Check out my website for more: www.gb1leadership.com
Need resources? www.gberge.gumroad.com
Contact Me: Greg Berge, [email protected]