Is Culture "overrated" and "undefinable?"

Coach,  

A good coach said culture doesn’t really matter.

And honestly? I kind of agree.

Here’s what he said—something most coaches feel but don’t always say out loud:

You know what? Fair.

The word culture has gotten pretty watered down. It’s become a vague buzzword—something we say to sound like we’re doing the “deep work” without really defining what that work is. It often feels totally disconnected from how we actually coach.

At SAVI, we believe in something more grounded:

• Standards you talk about every day. Not motivational fluff—real conversations that guide every rep, every timeout, every huddle.

• Standards you’re willing to lose games over. Because your values aren’t situational—they’re foundational.

• Standards that stick. Years later, your players won’t remember the box scores. But they’ll remember how your program felt.

Want help building that kind of environment?

We’re running a 30-Day Challenge to help you define and install your program’s standards, through quick, daily challenges you can knock out in 10 minutes or less.

You’ll get:

• One month of SAVI membership

• The full 30-Day Standards Challenge

• Live training support

• Unlimited access to all our coaching courses

Cost? $97 for the month.

Try it. If it doesn’t give you $97 of value, just tell me—I’ll refund you. No questions asked.

That said, I do value building a culture, not because it guarantees wins (it doesn't), but because most teams don’t win it all. Only one team gets the trophy. So the question becomes: What makes the grind worth it when you don’t end up on top?

That’s where culture—real culture—actually matters.

It’s about creating an environment that’s positive, meaningful, and enjoyable—for players and coaches. A place where the relationships are strong, the experience is memorable, and guys look back and say, “That was special,” regardless of the record.

Talent wins games. No question.

But when talent is close? Culture can tilt the scales.

And even when it doesn’t, it still makes the whole journey more worthwhile.

To the coach who sent that message, thank you. You made me think.

And to everyone reading: if you love talking shop, wrestling with your coaching beliefs, and setting high standards that actually shape lives, you belong in the SAVI community.

We’d be stronger with you in it.

—Tyler & The SAVI Basketball Team

P.S. Our 30-Day Culture-Building Challenge has begun, but it’s not too late to jump in.