In this episode, we discuss the importance of building a strong culture in a basketball program. I share my personal experience of taking over as head coach and establishing a culture at Heritage High School and turning around a team the year before that went 4-20 to 14-12 and making the playoffs again. There is a clear need to define and communicate the desired culture and I am working more and more on the role of actions built on core values that play a large part in shaping culture. I will recommend several books on building a culture and shares specific strategies I implemented, such as high fives, picking up teammates, intentional communication, and effort-based goals. I go over my strategy for preseason, in-season, and offseason activities that focus on building a cohesive and successful team. I will also reflect on some mistakes I made in the past and the lessons I learned from them and what I am looking to adjust for this upcoming season.

Previous Episode - Becoming A Head Coach

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Key takeaways:

* Building a strong culture is essential for a successful basketball program.

* Defining and communicating the desired culture is crucial.

* Actions and behaviors shape the culture more than words or preaching.

* Implementing specific strategies like high fives, picking up teammates, intentional communication, and effort-based goals can reinforce the desired culture.

* Continuous learning and improvement are important for both coaches and players. Establishing and reinforcing team culture is crucial for success in basketball.

* Preseason activities should focus on reestablishing the team culture and setting expectations.

* In-season activities should include regular check-ins with players, culture days, and culture moments in film sessions.

* Offseason activities should involve consistent check-ins, attending games, and setting goals for individual skill development.

* Mistakes to avoid include neglecting culture-building activities, not preparing bench players for their roles, and keeping players who do not fit the team culture.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:54 Defining and Establishing the Desired Culture

05:40 Strategies for Reinforcing the Desired Culture

09:55 Continuous Learning and Improvement in Building a Culture

31:05 Building a Strong Team Culture

33:56 In-Season: Regular Check-Ins and Culture Days

52:37 Mistakes and Lessons Learned

Books & Resources

Extreme Ownership

Jocko Willink Bundle - Best Leadership Books

Culture System

Atomic Habits

Coaches Guide To Teaching

Start With Why

The Culture Code

Practice Perfect

Moleskine Notebook

Note - all books above are Amazon affiliate links.

The Husky Way

Culture Folder

Pre-Season

-Establish Culture Standards

-Introduce The Husky Way

-Conditioning Tests

-Sniper Tests

Beginning Of Season

-Captains Council (Culture System)

-Ask players 3-4 things they like & respect/expect out of a team captain

-Vote blindly on 3 players who exemplify these characteristics

-3 captains in charge of the council (4 if you think someone needs to be on there)

-Meet With Players Weekly

Throughout Season

-Meet With Players Weekly

-Alternate Coaches Meeting With Players

-Culture Days

-Culture Moments (Film)

-Culture Drills

End of Season

-Culture Recap

-End of season exit meetings

-What was bad or negative experiences

-What was good or positive experiences

-What was your favorite part of practice

-What was your least favorite part of practice

Offseason

-Consistent Check Ins

-Attending AAU games

-Give space & time off (July/August)

-Iron Husky & Snipers

📝 Playbooks:

2023-24 Boston Celtics NBA Champions Playbook | 2024 Uconn National Champions Playbook | 2024 NCAA Tournament Playbook | NCAA Tournament Bundle (2018-2023)

🏀 Resources:

Basketball Playbooks | Coaching Clinics | Coaching Membership | Newsletter

👉🏻 Follow:

Twitter | YouTube | Instagram

Enjoy!

Coach Pyper

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