1) A coach who is passionate about the drill: This will insure that the drill has positive energy and authentic enthusiasm. It will ensure that the skill is mastered and not just the drill. It will ensure the players remain engaged throughout the season has tweaks are made to distort the game through drills.
2) Has a winner/loser, score, time, or standard: This allows you to chart progress/regress, teach pressure situations, and learn decision making skills in under game chaos. We use the record boards to chart each teams success and also past team records. We also compete in drills with teams of our colleagues.
3) Directly helps you win a game(s): This is the real “secret sauce”… When you find a drill like STOP-SCORE-STOP that we will cover that has direct correlation to a game, then you use it as often as needed. You tweak it. You morph it. But whatever you do, put it on your practice schedule.
4) Where you place them in your practice: Was advised at an early age to plan each practice is if ______ (insert your mentor or coaching idol here) was coming to your practice. You don’t know what day or at what time. And they are only staying for 20 minutes. In that 20 minutes, could they tell your style of play, your coaching style, and identify your team culture. Keeping that in mind keeps our practices competitive while preparing us for game situations.
