Ten Traits of Successful Athletic Programs

By Bruce Brown and Rob Miller
(April 16, 2021)

[2 Minute Read]

We have been consulting with coaches, athletes, and teams for over three decades. The following ten traits are some of the commonalities of those with great athletic programs. It is not by coincidence. Excellence is never an accident. Be intentional when it comes to your team culture.

Consistent and Clear Standards and Values: Preset team values are the foundation or cornerstones for every successful team. What is your team’s identity? Great teams establish their own culture.
The Team Members Feel a Collective Responsibility to Learn and Follow the Team Values: People commit to the team values and live it in their actions. “This is the way we do things around here” is something the team members are proud to express. The feeling is that “we don’t want to do anything that would let down the coaches, the team and each other”. Everyone is accountable.
Master Teachers – Master Motivators: The first-way coach’s gain credibility, respect, and trust is how much they know and how well they can teach it. Successful coaches understand the game and their players and how to teach both.
Positive Role Models: Coaches must consistently live the team values in their actions. The seniors are the best examples of team values. In these programs freshmen or sophomores can be told, “if you are not sure how hard to work or how to act in any situation, just watch our seniors and follow their lead.” Your older players and most talented players must be your best workers.
All Roles are Valued: When there is relationship-based leadership everyone who contributes to the team is shown value. Credit is shared. When all roles are valued, players are more willing to accept roles and teams are more successful.
Positive Rites of Passage: Intentionally created positive traditions provide a path for athletes to be welcomed and to grow into leadership. Nothing that could be considered hazing is ever-present.
Consistent Performance Feedback: Coaches know how to balance praise and correction. Athletes take correction as a compliment – they are coachable.
Trust – Players trust each other and their coaches. They trust their training. Mutual trust allows direct, open, honest communication and fearless play.
Sense of Urgency: There is a high energy level. Individual and team discipline is visible in the focused attention and focused effort of everyone. Details are important. Only disciplined teams have a chance to win championships.
Impact the Player’s Lives: Players in these programs treasure the experience so much that they carry the lessons and values over beyond the season and into their lives. They build successful teams of their own.

At Proactive Coaching (www.proactivecoaching.info) we work with coaches and teams to help intentionally create character-based team cultures, provide a blueprint for team leadership, develop confident, tough-minded, fearless competitors, and train coaches for excellence and significance.

[Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in PHE America on 03/22/20]