Building a Winning Culture in High School Sports... and Beyond


Book Description

What makes a sports team successful? What is a winning team culture in sport?How do you build team culture in sport? What does a winning environment look like?How do the sports team core values and life lessons of a winning environment influence young athletes?Think back through your life and sports you played? Whether it be football, wrestling, lacrosse, basketball, or hockey, what was your culture like? What values and lessons did your coach teach you? How did your coach and team culture while participating in youth sports impact your life? Have you ever wondered why some high school sports teams, with no recruiting, and oftentimes smaller athlete pools, are so successful year after year? Why do some teams win state titles or consistently finish at the top of their division or state year after year? What is it that these programs are doing that allows this success to carry through graduating class after graduating class? To get a better understanding, I figured I should start with the coach. I reached out to the winning-est local coaches talked at length on how they built their winning culture and what they do to maintain it. Right away, it was easy to see, with their grateful mindsets, humility, and inspiring presence, why these coaches were so successful. I then reached out to coaches from all around the country. From Texas football coaches and Minnesota hockey coaches to Pennsylvania and Iowa Wrestling coaches to California Volleyball coaches, they all enthusiastically agreed to participate, and share their knowledge, culture building strategies and inspiring stories. With over 500 state titles, 30 national championships, and a continued formula for success in shaping the young men and women of tomorrow, these coaches and their programs exemplify a winning environment. Along with the inspirational stories to be told about each school's culture, we found commonalities across this broad spectrum of successful sports programs. We compared these commonalities to successful business, military, SWAT, and other organizational models that participated. We found that the lessons we learn and attitude/culture we develop playing youth and high school sports transcends the athletic field and serves as a cultural foundation for which many successful organizations are built upon.Over 150 hours of interviews including:*Coach Gary Joseph of 7X Texas Football State Champion Katy High School*Coach George Quarles from 15X State Champion Marryville High School Football*Coach Mike Messere of 15X New York Lacrosse State Champion West Genesee*Coach Bob Shriver of Current National Champion Boys Latin Lacrosse*Coach Greg Urbas of 11 X National Champion/29 X Ohio State Wrestling Champion St Edwards High School*Coach Jeff Jordan of 17X Ohio State and current national champion St Paris Graham Wrestling*Coach Russ Cozart of 34 consecutive years/452 match win streak/ 16 straight state title Brandon High School Wrestling*4X National Coach of the Year Miller Bugliari of 20 X New Jersey State Champion Pingry School Soccer*Coach Jeff Brameier of 10X Connecticut Lacrosse State Champion Darien Lacrosse*Coach Trent Eigner of National Champion/Minnesota State Champion Lakeville North Boys Hockey*Coach Bill Hansen from 17X state champion/6X national champion Catholic Memorial Hockey*Coach Bret Almazan-Cezar of Volleyball National Champion/ 11 time California State champion Archbishop Mitty*Coach Hal Wasson of 8X Texas Football State Champion Southlake Carroll High School*Tom Landry Award Winner Coach Larry Hill of 3X Texas State Finalist Smithson Valley Football*A Retired U.S. Military Colonel*A former Marine who worked for mother Theresa, taught high school students, and climbed Mt Everest*A 3 time cancer survivor*Two Multi-Billion dollar company executives and other business and organizational leadersand more.Pick up your copy today and start a tradition of excellence




50 Team Building Activities to Create a Winning Culture


Book Description

Culture is created. Culture is created either unintentionally as a result of the most potent personality, or it is created with purpose by the leader of the team. It is created by many small (sometimes seemingly unimportant) interactions that happen over and over. You as a coach can create these experiences and build a winning culture. This is something that will take time and planning. Most high school coaches are also teachers and it is difficult for them to find time to adequately make practice plans. Their full-time jobs leave them over worked and underpaid. It is understandable then, that by mid-season, coaches are exhausted. Negative attitudes and difficult personalities begin to define the team culture. To prevent this environment creeping in coaches must actively build the culture they want from day one. This book is designed to be a tool to help coaches create experiences and and environment that compound to create a winning culture.




Changing the Game


Book Description

The modern day youth sports environment has taken the enjoyment out of athletics for our children. Currently, 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by the age of 13, which has given rise to a generation of overweight, unhealthy young adults. There is a solution. John O’Sullivan shares the secrets of the coaches and parents who have not only raised elite athletes, but have done so by creating an environment that promotes positive core values and teaches life lessons instead of focusing on wins and losses, scholarships, and professional aspirations. Changing the Game gives adults a new paradigm and a game plan for raising happy, high performing children, and provides a national call to action to return youth sports to our kids.




High Performance Culture in Sports


Book Description

Culture has become a hot topic in athletics. From high school to professional programs, people are recognizing that culture plays a significant role in a team's success, but there has been little agreement about what a good culture looks like or how leaders can create it. Fortunately, this road has been travelled before in industries such as aerospace, oil and gas exploration, and nuclear power generation, where high levels of human performance can be the difference between success and disaster, or even life and death. For more than four decades, the authors have helped hundreds of organizations around the world develop leaders and improve their cultures. And with more than 25 years of experience in high school coaching and a combined 11 state championships, the authors' unique combination of experience and expertise allows them to adapt the solutions used in performance-critical industries to athletic programs at any level. High Performance Culture in Sports is the playbook for coaches and athletic administrators who want to achieve program excellence by developing the six dimensions of a high performing culture.




The Blueprint for Young Athletes


Book Description

Embark on a transformative journey with me, Eric Bell, as I unveil "The Blueprint for Young Athletes" – a roadmap to success in sports and life. As a former athlete and founder of the Players Development Club, I bring over three decades of experience to the table. In this book, I share invaluable insights and practical strategies to help young athletes unleash their full potential. From mastering athletic skills to cultivating mental resilience and emotional well-being, I'll guide you every step of the way. Whether you're a young athlete striving for greatness or a parent seeking to support your child's athletic journey, this book is your ultimate companion. Join me as we redefine what it means to be a champion – on and off the field.




Beyond Winning


Book Description

These days it seems everyone has a youth sports horror story—whether it’s about a tyrant coach obsessed with his team record that only plays the best kids on the team, or a parent who publicly berates his kid for not making a goal. But should it really only be all about winning? What about having fun, learning a sport, and developing athletic skills? Beyond Winning with Whole Child Sports offers an alternative approach to teaching sports to kids. It deemphasizes short-term goals like winning and youth championships and discourages the introduction of adult-oriented, league-structured competition. Instead it emphasizes training techniques and coaching strategies aimed at improving core strength, balance, and creativity in aspiring athletes, using an age-appropriate four-stage timeline, based on a child’s physical, psychological, and neurological development. Beyond Winning with Whole Child Sports provides frustrated parents with help in the form of advice and concrete solutions to common questions, and step-by-step instructions for helping young children develop athletic ability in an environment that’s less structured while encouraging athletic and personal growth. It also reveals how to avoid bullying, trash talk, and elitism.




Why Teams Win


Book Description

Winning isn't easy. The world is becoming more and more competitive, with a greater need than ever for people to work together effectively in teams to make organizations successful. There is no better model for success in business than the world of sport, with its bottom-line performance culture and its relentless focus on creating winning teams. In Why Teams Win, renowned sports psychologist Dr. Saul L. Miller-the man who teaches elite athletes and top sports teams how to be successful-uses sport as a powerful metaphor for the world of business. Why Teams Win distills Dr. Miller's work with hundreds of high-performance teams-in the worlds of sport, business, healthcare, and the arts-into lessons to help business teams perform. Why Teams Win: Identified the 9 key characteristics of successful teams. Describes how to improve personal, organizational, and team performance in each of these 9 areas. Explains how and why to apply different strategies to different types of teams. Outlines how to balance the needs of the individual with the needs of the team. Helps people work together and perform to the best of their abilities. Shows how to get the maximum potential out of a group of individuals. Features advice, quotes, and interviews from high-profile athletes and coaches, as well as from business leaders. Includes self-evaluation and team-building exercises. Why Teams Win offers anyone wanting to improve their personal and team performance a proven and accessible formula for success.




Beyond the Game


Book Description

Beyond the Game: Strategies for Coaches to Navigate Parental Dynamics in High School Sports by James Roden, M.Ed., MBA, M.Sc. In the high-stakes world of high school sports, the dynamic between coaches, athletes, and parents can often be as complex and challenging as the games themselves. James Roden, with his extensive background in education and coaching, brings forth a comprehensive guide in "Beyond the Game", addressing the critical aspects of parental involvement in high school athletics. Drawing from years of experience as the head football coach in Texas, Roden combines insights from his Master of Education, MBA, and Master of Science degrees to offer a nuanced perspective on building positive relationships, fostering team spirit, and ensuring athlete development both on and off the field. Key Features: Practical Strategies: From establishing effective communication channels to setting clear expectations and boundaries, this book provides actionable advice that coaches at any level can implement. Real-World Insights: Roden shares personal anecdotes and experiences, shedding light on common challenges and offering solutions that respect the interests of athletes, parents, and coaches alike. Focus on Development: Learn how to balance the pursuit of athletic excellence with the importance of academic achievement, personal growth, and mental health. Conflict Resolution: Discover techniques for navigating and resolving conflicts constructively, ensuring that team harmony is maintained. Parental Engagement: Explore ways to involve parents positively in the team culture, turning potential sources of pressure into pillars of support. "Beyond the Game" is more than a coaching manual; it is a call to action for coaches to lead with empathy, understanding, and a commitment to the holistic development of their athletes. Whether you're navigating your first season or looking to enrich your coaching approach, this book offers the wisdom and tools needed to create a rewarding sports environment for everyone involved. Embark on a journey to redefine the role of a coach. With "Beyond the Game", transform your coaching philosophy, strengthen your team, and build lasting legacies, both on the field and in the lives of young athletes.




The Other Classroom


Book Description

High school sports programs are not simply one-dimensional after-school recreational diversions from the rigors of academic life. In The Other Classroom: The Essential Importance of High School Athletics, Michael J. Coffino showcases how high school athletics have a positive influence on the student athletes beyond just the sports experience itself. He argues that the lessons learned, tools acquired, and values instilled have an enduring impact that prepare young athletes for the many challenges they will face in life. Coffino reveals how a well-considered, value-based athletic program effectively works alongside the standard educational curriculum to teach athletes a wide range of beneficial behaviors—including self-advocacy, goal-setting, leadership, conflict resolution, and more. Drawing on extensive research, illuminating anecdotes, heartfelt commentary from original interviews, and Coffino’s personal coaching experience, The Other Classroom issues a passionate challenge to school administrators, coaches, athletic directors, parents, and local communities to bring greater focus on how their high school programs consider the long-term well-being of student athletes. It urges schools to emphasize the importance of preparing student athletes to flourish as adults in whatever they pursue once their formal education is complete.




Beyond Performance


Book Description

The secret of achieving and sustaining organizational excellence revealed In an ever-changing world where only a third of excellent organizations stay that way over the long term, and where even fewer are able to implement successful change programs, leaders are in need of big ideas and new tools to thrive. In Beyond Performance, McKinsey & Company's Scott Keller and Colin Price give you everything you need to build an organization that can execute in the short run and has the vitality to prosper over the long term. Drawing on the most exhaustive research effort of its kind on organizational effectiveness and change management, Keller and Price put hard science behind their big idea: that the health of an organization is equally as important as its performance. In the book's foreword, management guru Gary Hamel refers to this notion as "a new manifesto for thinking about organizations." The authors illustrate why copying management best practices from other companies is more dangerous than helpful Clearly explains how to determine the mutually reinforcing combination of management practices that best fits your organization's context Provides practical tools to achieve superior levels of performance and health through a staged change process: aspire, assess, architect, act, and advance. Among these are new techniques for dealing with those aspects of human behavior that are seemingly irrational (and therefore confound even the smartest leaders), yet entirely predictable Ultimately, building a healthy organization is an intangible asset that competitors copy at their peril and that enables you to skillfully adapt to and shape your environment faster than others—giving you the ultimate competitive advantage.