Coach ,

You see it in every team that is doing well - a bond and camaraderie that exemplifies what it means to be a team.

Whether you have reached the time where you are headed into the playoffs or your team is putting the equipment away and preparing for 2022, one thing is certain, your ability to connect with your players is what will put you on track to achieve your goals.

Connection is so important for the health of team culture. As Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Notre Dame Brian Polian points out,

“Relationships lead to winning!”

It took Coach Polian 20 years to really figure that out and he explains the importance of relationships here (click on image for video):

At 7-1 and climbing back up into the rankings, you can bet that Coach Polian and the Fighting Irish are keeping a focus on the relationships as much as they are on the weekly game plan.

Another program that is showing how culture can turn around a program is Texas. Texas is in the process of building those relationships and trust in year one of the Steve Sarkisian era.  

And while they are currently unranked, they have gone toe-to-toe with everyone on their schedule and the health of the culture they are building is a big part.  You can bet they are forging strong relationships.

Texas Defensive Passing Game Coordinator and Secondary Coach Terry Joseph knows that this starts with trust. He believes that trust is such an important component of culture that he has a system for evaluating it so he can help build trust on the team. He explains it here (click on image for video):

Whether you are still out on the field working towards a championship or in the clubhouse thinking about 2022, investment in relationships will pay big dividends now and in the future.

Thank you to Coach Polian and Coach Joseph for putting these powerful presentations together.

Always be growing!

Coach Grabowski