Anger is Fast Fuel but Bad Medicine

Hey SAVI Coaches,  

This week I’m going to throw out a 1–3–1 format, just like a 1-3-1 zone, it can change the flow of the game. I hope this changes your coaching flow, cause it’s Stuff that good coaches should know.

Good teams don’t just play hard.
Good teams change the game to play to their strengths.

You can change the tempo.
You can change where the ball goes.
You can change what the other team is comfortable doing, take away the thing they want most.

That’s what the 1–3–1 does and why I teach our LockLeft “Blue” version of the 1-3-1, want a sneak peak of it, just hit reply to this email, type in “Blue” and I’ll send you a link to a free video.

In this Newsletter, I’ll share a different kind of a 1-3-1…

1 principle we believe at SAVI Coaching.
3 ways to win more games.
1 behavior to change this week.

Stuff that matters.

1 — Principle: Anger is fast fuel. Love is long fuel.

When you're frustrated with a behavior, anger can burn fast and hot to force a change. Sadly, like gasoline on a fire, it burns up quickly and leaves you with nothing.

Love on the other hand is long fuel. It can burn for decades and produce consistent excellence.

So the question is simple: What fuel are you using with your team?

The emotional state of the coach will predict the emotional state of the team.
If the coach is angry, the team will play tight.
If the coach is steady, the team will play steady.
If the coach loves the process, the team will learn to love the work.

Anger might get compliance.
Love gets commitment.

3 — Ways to Win More Games

Win first, then go to war.

Sun Tzu wrote, “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to battle and then seek to win.” This tells you what type of coach you are.

Many coaches are trying to win the game on Friday night.
Good coaches win Monday through Thursday.

If you are relying on emotion, speeches, or anger to win games, you are going to battle and then trying to win.
That is the defeated warrior.

Here’s how to win first.

You win first with systems.
You win first with preparation.
You win first with practice habits.
You win first with role clarity.
You win first with standards.

The game is just a test. Practice is where you study. Don’t try to pass the test if you didn’t study.

I was on a film session this week with one of our SAVI coaches, Peter Sabiti. First practice of the year — organized, clear, competitive, high energy. Why? Because he’s been preparing for months. That’s what winning first looks like.

Avoid bad energy like the plague.

Anger is bad medicine. It gives you energy, but it takes away your thinking.
Make a player angry and you get a bad decision.
Make a player tight and you get a bad shot.

Tension is the enemy of skill. Great performance requires a relaxed mind and a relaxed body. Anger tightens both. Anger is a blunt tool. And blunt tools are for amateurs.

1 — Action (Behavior change this week)

Ask your team one question: “Do we want to compete from a place of anger, or from a place of love?”

Love for the game.
Love for teammates.
Love for improvement.
Love for doing hard things together.

Anger burns fast.
Love burns long.

- Stay SAVI, Tyler Coston

P.S. If you liked this, you’ll love our SAVI Coaching Podcast, The Hours. We provide coaching insights every week for your drive or workout. Subscribe here.

P.P.S. Join the Off Season Challenge inside SAVI Basketball and get a 30-day guided plan to help you build a plan that actually translates to wins. Click here to try it FREE for 7 days.

P.P.P.S. Want to discuss how we help coaches at all levels have more fun, score more points, and win more games? Book a discovery call, and we’ll help you solve your biggest problem. Click here to book 15 minutes with us.