Watch as Zack Etter discusses improving your players’ confidence. It is key that the players understand that the conversations they have in their head (self-talk) can be either beneficial or detrimental. The words you use […]
Assistant Coach Checklist
By: Denise Corlett – (Retired) Stanford University Originally Published in: Winning Ways of Women Coaches Provided by: Human Kinetics ☐ Always be loyal to your head coach, staff, and school. At some point you might […]
Great Teams Don’t Happen by Accident with Robert Grasso – La Jolla Country Day School (CA)
Watch as Robert Grasso discusses La Jolla Country Day’s leadership programs for athletics and how developing a culture is the key for a successful team. He explains great teams don’t happen by accident and although […]
Landing Drill for Jumpers with Rob Assise – Homewood-Flossmoor High School (IL)
Watch as Coach Rob Assise explains and shows practice video of this landing drill for jumpers using exercise balls. This drill evolved as jumpers did not like using chairs and they made the switch to […]
You Have Served and Served Well
By: Adam Sarancik Author of: Coaching Champions for Life There are very few certainties in life. In coaching, one of those certainties is that no matter the season, no matter the league, no matter the […]
Shot Put Step-In Drill with Don Babbitt – Univ. of Georgia
Watch as Coach Don Babbitt explains, and an athlete demonstrates this rotational shot put step-in drill. The drill starts with the athlete in the back half of the ring with the left foot inside of […]
Leaders Must Look for Opportunities to Serve with Robert Grasso – La Jolla Country Day School (CA)
Watch as Robert Grasso explains that leaders must look for opportunities to serve. Leadership is not about power, prestige, or a title, but about looking out for others. He explains to the athletes that their […]
Developing a Group Into a Team
By: Dr. Colleen M. Hacker Originally Published in: Achieving Excellence Provided by: Human Kinetics One of the main points from this chapter is that groups and teams are formed through intentional actions; they don’t just […]
Beginner Hurdle Drill with Randy Bermea – Rockwall High School (TX)
Watch as Coach Randy Bermea explains and shows practice video of the intro hurdle drill (trail leg drill) he uses for the incoming freshman. The athlete will take one step into the hurdle with the […]
Championship Culture: Study Excellence and Mastery with Kebba Tolbert – Harvard Univ.
Watch as Coach Kebba Tolbert explains that if you want to establish a championship culture – you must look to others who have done it. It is impossible to do everything by yourself so study […]
You Are What You Eat
By: Adam Sarancik Author of: Coaching Champions for Life One of the most dramatic and consequential shifts in my lifetime in the personal habits of people, including many athletes, is the casual way in which […]
Head Coach Blueprint: Cover Letters Are the Key to Getting Interviews with Chris Fore – Eight Laces Consulting
Watch as Chris Fore discusses how to get that first head coaching job. The key factor of getting an interview for the head coaching position is the cover letter. A great cover letter can make […]
The Butterfly Effect
Originally Published in: The Leadership Playbook One person can have such a strong effect on the world such as Martin Luther King, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Michael Jordan, and Mother Teresa. In the same way, […]
Horizontal Jumps BOSU Ball Stability Drills with Nick Kohl – Wartburg College
Watch as Coach Nick Kohl explains, and a long jumper demonstrates these BOSU ball stability drills. The focus of the drill is to work on the core and ankle stability. This is a controlled movement, […]
Model, Teach, Test, Reward with Stephen Mackey – 2Words Character Development
Watch as Stephen Mackey discusses how leadership is critical in the teaching progression of athletes. He explains “Model, Teach, Test, Reward” as a method of teaching that produces results. How you work as a coach […]
Jumper’s Plyo-Box Bounding with Kyle Tellez – Univ. of Houston
Watch as Coach Kyle Tellez explains, and a jumper demonstrates this plyo-box bounding drill. This drill can be done with either a single or double leg and gives the jumper an additional stress factor by […]
Coaching Yourself: Managing Your Emotions
By: Rainer Martens & Robin S. Vealey Originally Published in: Successful Coaching Just like athletes, coaches must manage their emotions to perform effectively. Your personal example of managing your anxiety is a powerful model for […]
110 Hurdles Drill Progression for High School Athletes with Randy Bermea – Rockwall High School (TX)
Watch as Coach Randy Bermea discusses this drill progression for the 110 hurdles. He records the hurdlers in practice and uses it as a coaching tool to reinforce what he is teaching and emphasizing technique. […]
Today’s Leadership Is Subtle with Chet Scott – Built to Lead
Watch as Chet Scott explains that leadership for coaches today is very subtle. You can no longer get in a kid’s face and use threats to achieve results. The focus and goal should be to […]
Horizontal Jumps Ramp Takeoff Drill with Bryan Stith – Capital High School (ID)
Watch as Coach Bryan Stith explains, and long jumpers demonstrate this ramp takeoff drill. Coach uses this drill later in the season as the jumper must have proficient movement and consistency at the board. This […]
The Mantra of “Get Better Every Day” Applies First to Coaching
By: Adam Sarancik Author of: Coaching Champions for Life After 40+ years in coaching, certain things are automatic for me. One of those things is, from the moment a practice, training session, game or season […]
Closed Hand-Off Passing Technique with Chris Parno – Minnesota State Univ., Mankato
Watch as Coach Chris Parno explains and demonstrates closed-hand techniques used when passing the baton. The proper position for the outgoing runner’s arm is elbow high and then extended outward into the open space of […]
Hurdles: Arm and Hand Movement with Alex Armenteros – St. Thomas Aquinas High School (FL)
Watch as Coach Alex Armenteros explains what he teaches his hurdlers regarding proper arm and hand placement. If the arm and hand are below the hurdler’s face, he will look up and straighten up. Coach […]
Pole Vault: It’s Not in Him, Be Adaptable with David Butler – Rice Univ.
Watch as Coach David Butler explains how he learned to change his teaching approach when a vaulter could not master the technique he was trying to teach. He credits a famous Polish pole vaulter, Coach […]
High Jump Approach Drills with Nickolas Davis – Univ. of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Watch as Coach Nickolas Davis explains and shows practice clips of these high jump approach drills. The first drill is his ‘straight’ drill with the focus being on the first five steps of the approach. […]
Athletes’ Stressors & Resilience with Dr. Peter Ormsby – Univ. of North Carolina at Pembroke
Watch as Dr. Peter Ormsby discusses athlete stressors and resilience. Nearly 33% of athletes report mental health symptoms which is higher than general population samples. He will explain some of the types of stressors that […]
Setting Effective Goals
By: Colleen M. Hacker Originally Published in: Achieving Excellence Provided by: Human Kinetics Olympic athletes, like most high achievers, commonly set goals to guide and motivate performance. These elite performers would not engage in action […]
Nine Ways to Develop Accountability in Your Program
By: John Klessinger – South River High School (MD) Accountability is a modern-day buzz word. It is thrown around team locker rooms, business meetings, and in schools. But what is it really. I am not […]
Why Speed is Key Over Fitness and Strength in the 400m with Ernie Clark – Northern Arizona Univ.
Watch as Coach Ernie Clark explains why speed is key over fitness and strength in the 400m. He shows comparisons on men and women world record holders split times and the athletes who ran the […]
Leadership: What Type of Team Do You Want to Be? with Robert Grasso – La Jolla Country Day School (CA)
Robert Grasso discusses how coaches must determine with their players what type of standards and values they must set that define their teams. It is important to ask questions so that players understand why they […]