Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
As coaches, we often prioritize efficiency over fun.
We plan practices full of drills, games, installs and teaching because it's the "most effective way." More often than not, it’s not top of mind to consider what would make practice enjoyable for our players.
But the best coaches find a way…
They find a way to make it fun.
They choose ways to play that players enjoy.
And they practice in a way that makes them look forward to showing up.
Because the best drill in the world is not effective without energy and excitement behind it. If it's not done with enthusiasm, it's not done well.
3 Ways to Make Practice More Fun
1. Play more games
When I work with coaches, their first question is, "What drill would you do to fix this problem?" My response: "You don’t need a drill, you need a game."
The simplest way to have more fun in practice is to play more games.
Your game-to-drill ratio matters. Most coaches' ratio favors drills over games. A SAVI coach's ratio favors games over drills. There isn't a perfect ratio, but games are more fun than drills. When players have more fun, they play with more energy — and energy elevates performance.
More Fun = Elevated Performance.
2. Show more excitement
Most coaches get more animated and fired up when something bad happens, then go stoic when their players do exactly what they're supposed to. FLIP THE SCRIPT if you want to see results.
That which you measure will improve. That which you celebrate gets repeated. We ask our players to bring more energy — so model it.
Get animated when good things happen! Stay calm when they don't.
3. Give individual compliments
Players won't remember the drill you ran, but they'll remember the time you complimented them for attacking the rim aggressively.
What you compliment will be remembered. What's remembered will improve.
Compliment someone's toughness and they'll play tougher. Compliment someone's rebounding and they'll rebound more. Compliment someone's passing and they'll make better passes.
I can run two months off one good compliment. Imagine what your players could do with thoughtful, specific praise every single practice.
⬇️ This is what happens when practice stops feeling like work. ⬇️
Pick one of these three this week — more games, more excitement, more specific compliments — and watch what happens to your gym's energy.
Stay SAVI,
Mark
P.S. If you want to find the perfect blend of fun, development, and performance, while building a more joy-filled coaching experience and a program players actually want to be part of - join SAVI Basketball.
