Coach ,

It's that time of year when the first thing we do is go into thinking about our plans for next year and making decisions about what the future looks like. Those are important aspects of coaching, for sure.

However, I want to start by pointing out that evaluation is a minimized aspect of building a strong culture. 

We hear about core values and pillars and leadership, which are all crucial to the strength of a culture in a program. But too often, we sweep the real things that can help improve our team under the carpet and rely on the theory that “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” It's a popular phrase that's almost becoming cliche to our own detriment.

The idea puts the two concepts at odds - culture vs. strategy. In speaking with a long-time coaching friend of mine, St. Xavier offensive coordinator Andrew Coverdale, who has been a part of 12 state championships, he is quick to point out that he believes that this is a false dichotomy. 

In a podcast we did years ago, he said the following, 

“I've heard the phrase culture trump's scheme. I'm not bashing it, but I would say that I want to be a part of a culture that wants to have the best of everything, the best of how we care for each other, the best of how we practice, the best of how we learn, the best of how we hit. So technique and scheme fit seamlessly into that kind of culture. I would not want to be in a culture that devalued scheme, because the scheme is all about giving your kids opportunities.” 

Looking at it this way creates a clear process for success that values both culture and strategy. 

So that brings us back to this time of the year in a way which we're going to evaluate all the strategy, all the scheme, all the things we did during the season, and that's an important part of this. We have to start with that evaluation.

USFL Michigan Panther’s defensive coordinator Dan Carrel joined me all season long to talk about the scheme, technique, and strategy on the Coach and Coordinator Podcast.

Coach Carrel knows that you have to continuously be learning in order to improve and that includes after the season as well.  You evaluate what you did to learn about where you need to go next.

He explains what a postseason self-scout should address here (click on image for video):

Video: What should self-scout address?

In going through that process, the details that reveal themselves and those go on to develop your players as Coach Carrel shares here.

Video: Player Development Guides Your Off Season

It was nice to sit back and enjoy the weekend and watch some ball, but as you get back into it, do your autopsy on the season and put together the plan that builds technique, strategy, culture, all of it together like Coach Coverdale pointed out.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski