Did I Ever Tell You About....?: Stories from 49 years of coaching

In this episode, Coach Jerry Faulkner shares his comprehensive approach to player development, focusing on preventive medicine, effective communication, and building strong relationships with players, parents, and teachers to enhance performance and character.

Keywords

coaching, player development, communication, preventive medicine, basketball, education, sportsmanship, team management

Key Topics

• The importance of preventive medicine in coaching
• Effective communication with players and parents
• Building relationships with teachers and counselors
• Strategies for player improvement and motivation
• The role of repetition and clarity in coaching
• Exit interviews and continuous feedback
• Balancing playing time and team contribution

In this episode of Did I Ever Tell You About..., Coach Jerry Faulkner shares with host David Green invaluable insights on managing parent relationships, emphasizing communication and consistency. Learn practical strategies for preseason and individual parent meetings to foster a positive team environment.

Coaching, parent meetings, communication, consistency, sports parenting, team management, coaching tipsKey Topics

• Preseason parent meetings and their importance
• Communication and consistency as coaching pillars
• Handling individual parent meetings effectively
• Preventive medicine in coaching to avoid conflicts
• Strategies for dealing with argumentative parents

• Preseason meetings should have a clear agenda and family atmosphere.
• Communication and consistency are key to avoiding conflicts.
• Handle parent meetings with a simple, clear, and respectful approach.
• Always include an assistant coach in sensitive meetings.
• End meetings decisively to prevent arguments.

Hall of Fame coach Jerry Faulkner and host David Green open a coaching series with a practical, candid conversation about one of the hardest parts of coaching, selecting a team.

They also tie the discussion to a larger point: the same communication, judgment, and leadership skills matter in business and parenting too.

In this episode, Jerry shares how he handled cuts, why he focused on building the best team rather than simply keeping the best individual players, and how he communicated with players and parents to avoid surprises and resentment.

David adds examples from football, including manager-to-player success stories that show how development can take time.

Key topics

Jerry Faulkner explains that he did not call the process “tryouts” because players had already been evaluated through junior varsity, B team, and open gym work before November

He describes his roster model, which was usually 12 players and later 13, built around practice structure and team balance rather than talent alone

In Jerry’s view, coaches should select the 12 players who make up the best team, not necessarily the 12 best athletesHe stresses the importance of roster balance by position, class year, and role, saying you cannot build a team with all guards, all seniors, or all post players

Jerry strongly prefers face-to-face communication when making cuts, telling each player directly in alphabetical order with an assistant coach present. He says posting a roster on a bulletin board is one of the poorest ways to handle team selectionJerry emphasizes honesty with players, especially those near the cut line, by telling them exactly where they stand and whether they are likely to play meaningful minutesHe often gave players the option to leave the team or stay on as managers, which created opportunities for later growth

Jerry shares the story of David Dabbs, a player he first cut who later returned as a manager, made the team, became a captain, and illustrates why he believes coaches should never give up on kids

David Green shares a similar story about Chris Robbins, who began as a manager, later played in high school, and eventually walked on at Clemson and earned playing time there

The conversation shifts to how Jerry evaluated freshmen and JV players by looking at both physical ability and character, using the question “can he” and “will he”

Jerry explains his rule that JV teams were primarily for ninth graders, not tenth graders, because he wanted younger players to compete up and develop against tougher competition

For borderline freshmen, he required varsity players to be in the rotation and expected meaningful minutes, not just a varsity uniform

Jerry says he always communicated the varsity versus JV decision with both the player and parents, including the sacrifices involved with varsity play

David and Jerry discuss how football adds another layer of evaluation because size and growth spurts can change everything over timeJerry explains how smaller, late-developing players can improve through reps, weight room work, and patience, using examples like Noel Garcia

They close by framing coaching as a transferable skill set that applies to business, leadership, and working with children, not just athletics

Action items for coachesEvaluate players all year long, not just during formal tryout weekBe direct and honest about role expectations, especially with borderline playersMeet individually with athletes to learn their goals, family context, and motivationBuild rosters around balance, not just raw talentGive late-developing athletes time, reps, and a path to grow into larger rolesCommunicate clearly with parents before and after roster decisionsLook for character traits like effort, coachability, and resilience, not just skill

Never waste a second - because the way you plan practice can make or break a season, a business, and even your day-to-day life. Coach Jerry Faulkner and David break down the exact time-management system behind their book and reveal how elite preparation eliminates surprises before they become problems.

What starts as a behind-the-scenes look at basketball and football practice planning turns into a practical blueprint for anyone who leads people. Jerry explains how he builds a master practice plan, maps every minute before the first game, and uses timed breaks, hard-and-easy drill sequencing, and flexible adjustments to keep players engaged and improving. David adds how those same principles translated from the court to football and then into leadership, management, and everyday habits.You’ll discover:

• Why “never a dull moment, never a wasted second” is more than a motto - it’s a planning philosophy
• How to build a master schedule that prepares your team for traps, blitzes, motion, and other game-day surprises
• The difference between general practice ideas and a minute-by-minute execution plan
• Why breaks, water, and drill sequencing matter as much as the drills themselves
• How to correct mistakes without crushing confidence by praising first and fixing the error second
• Why the “meeting before the meeting” is often the most important part of leadership

Jerry also shares the coaching influences that shaped him, including decades around Dean Smith and Carolina basketball camp, plus the hard-earned lessons he learned from coaches who did things right and wrong.

David connects those lessons to business leadership, employee management, and the simple but powerful idea that people need time, knowledge, and resources to succeed.This episode is a must-listen if you’re a coach, manager, parent, teacher, or anyone trying to lead better under pressure.

If you want fewer surprises, sharper execution, and a smarter way to organize your week, this conversation delivers a plan you can actually use.

Coach David Green and Coach Jerry Faulkner discuss how a disciplined approach to practice planning can improve coaching, teaching, and everyday productivity. The episode focuses on master planning, daily timing, and how to prepare for the unexpected so teams and businesses avoid surprises. They also show how the same principles apply beyond sports, especially in management, correction, and leadership.

Book link:https://a.co/d/07CKlnYE

Key topics

In this episode, David and Jerry Faulkner explain the core idea behind their book: time management, efficiency, and productivity for coaches, business people, and everyday life.

Jerry shares how he learned to build practice schedules by watching coaches around him, especially Dean Smith, whom he credits as a major mentor.

They break down the difference between a master practice plan and a daily practice plan, with Jerry describing how he mapped out every practice before the season began.

Jerry explains why he always timed practices down to the minute, including planned breaks, water, and the order of hard and easier drills.

David and Jerry compare basketball and football planning, noting that football has more moving parts, more assistants, and a full weekly schedule built around one game.

They discuss the importance of preparing for the unexpected, from half-court traps and blitzes to unusual special teams situations and administrative surprises.

Jerry emphasizes that good correction should start with praise, then move to the mistake, a method he says works with players, employees, and even family members.

The conversation covers how to keep everyone active during practice by avoiding standing around, using rotating partners, and planning every minute before the session starts.

Jerry explains his belief that the most important meeting is the meeting before the meeting, meaning staff alignment before players are ever brought in.T

hey close by discussing environmental control, including Jerry’s insistence on keeping the gym warm so players stay loose, healthy, and focused.

Coach Jerry Faulkner shares the inspiring story of Clarke Bynum, a high school basketball star turned hero, highlighting lessons on character, leadership, and heroism both on and off the court.with host David Green.

Coach Fauikner and Coach Green talk about Clarke Bynum's high school and college basketball career, the type of person he was, and how he ultimately helped save hundreds of lives while onboard a hijacked passenger plane.

In this episode, we dive into the art of storytelling and its profound impact on teaching, coaching, and leadership through the experiences of Hall of Fame coach Jerry Faulkner. Jerry shares personal stories, principles about time management, and how small moments can leave lasting impressions.

Link to book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0h94kQUF

• The importance of storytelling in motivation and education
• How stories help students and players remember lessons
• The significance of being early and respecting time ("If You're Early")
• Practice organizational strategies to maximize engagement
• Real-life stories demonstrating impact: "I Forgot" and the baseball story
• Lessons learned from officiating and sportsmanship
• How small acts, like giving a baseball, foster gratitude and lasting memories
• The concept of coincidence as divine intervention, inspired by Einstein
• The purpose behind the book If You're Early — making positive impressions that last forever

In this episode, David Green and Coach Jerry Faulkner discuss the realities of recruiting, the pitfalls of recruiting services, and how parents and players can navigate the complex landscape of college sports recruitment effectively.

Key Topics

• The role of recruiting services and their claims
• How college coaches evaluate players through film and camps
• The importance of honest assessment of player ability
• The impact of AAU basketball and travel teams
• Differences between general and elite camps
• The changing landscape of college recruiting and NIL
• How parents can support their child's athletic journey
• The importance of communication between coaches and parents

• Parents should do thorough research before paying recruiting services.
• High school coaches are often better resources for recruitment than paid services.
• College coaches receive thousands of film submissions; first impressions matter.
• Playing AAU basketball can be beneficial but should be aligned with development goals.
• Parents and players need to understand the purpose of different camps and showcases.

recruiting, college sports, scholarships, recruiting services, camps, AAU, high school sports, college coaches, athlete development

Discover how college coaches identify and recruit talented players, the changing landscape of recruiting due to the transfer portal, and the importance of honesty and relationship-building in the process. Coach Jerry Faulkner shares decades of experience from high school to college level with host David Green, offering practical insights for players, parents, and scouts alike.

Main topics include:

• How college coaches discover prospective players (recommendations, camps, AAU)
• Key traits coaches look for in recruits—ability and work ethic
• The role of camps, AAU, and high school basketball in recruiting
• Red flags and honesty in communication between coaches and scouts
• The impact of the transfer portal on recruiting and team composition
• The influence of foreign players and the changing landscape of high school recruiting
• The reliability of recruiting services and expert opinions
• Practical advice for parents considering recruiting services
• The future of sports recruitment and potential solutions for recruitment challenges

In this episode, Coach Jerry Faulkner shares insights from his extensive coaching career with Coach David Green, including experiences in college and high school basketball, travel adventures, and the impact of coaching on young lives.

Basketball coaching, college basketball, high school basketball, coaching experiences, travel stories, youth developmentKey Topics

• Differences between college and high school coaching
• Memorable travel experiences including Alaska and Texas
• The importance of safety and discipline in youth sports
• The role of travel and tournaments in player development
• The influence of coaches on young people's lives

• Travel broadens players' horizons and teaches life lessons.
• Discipline and consistency are key to effective coaching.
• Safety and trust are paramount when managing youth teams.
• High school coaching allows for deeper personal influence.
• Travel experiences can be educational and character-building.