5 Reasons Why Coaches Should Stop Doing This

Coaches Should Stop Having Post Game Talks - Here’s Why

by Tyler Coston | SAVI Coaching

1. No one cares. Players’ minds are not present which means it is the worst time to try and teach something. Players are tired, hungry emotional and ready to go see their friends and family.
2. You’re not prepared. Coaches are often wrong in what the say post game. You haven't watched the film and if you are wrong often, you will lose trust. Your lens is clouded and you haven’t processed or debriefed with the staff. You will likely major on a minor thing.
3. They’re waiting…The stakeholders in your program, the ones who show up, pay for tickets, pay dues and support the program- they want to see the players. They are standing in a gym with dinner plans. Don’t alienate your support.
4. You’re resulting. One of the worst things a coach can do is judge decisions according to the results. Nearly every post-game meeting has more resulting than analyzing. Resulting exacerbates blind spots.
5. Poor return. You have limited time and attention capital with your team each season. You make a draw on their time and attention with each minute you ask for their focus. Post game talks are the lowest ROI you can get, so stop spending it there and invest it elsewhere.

A new, courageous alternative you can try this season

INSTEAD of a post game locker room talk, hold a 5 minute post game press conference where you share a short prepared statement.

A program has many stakeholders - among them, the players, coaches, parents and administration.

Coaches often attempt to frame how their TEAM should interpret the results of a game in hopes they can communicate that to their PARENTS. Then a coach spends the next week having the same conversation with all interested parties. Your time can be better spent!

Here’s how to execute your statement:

Executing your Post Game Press Conference

Set the expectation before the season…

1. Reserve a space at home & away games.
2. Take 5 minutes to prep while players change.
3. Outline the upcoming Keys to The Game (KTGs).
4. Communicate who you want to be and what you want to do as a team.
5. Be authentic & humble about the team performance.
6. Keep it short.
7. Close the feedback loop with the team via MPI post game reviews

I believe you will become a better leader, a more clear thinker and better communicator if you did this for a season.

5 Reasons To Conduct Evaluation

When organizations talk about evaluation they often feel overwhelmed. Too often, we assume evaluation requires lots of time and money that smaller organizations simply don't have. But, program evaluation doesn't need to be intensive to be valuable. Simply put, evaluation is nothing more than a semantic method for collecting, analyzing, and using the information to answer basic questions about a program, project, or activity.

Often we are asked if it doesn't require that much time or money, why do it at all. We have compiled a list of the most common reasons. These reasons come from our years of experience working with organizations and conducting evaluations. in no particular order - here are 5 reasons.

1. Usefulness: Program evaluations also informed decisions on whether to continue, postpone, or cancel a program. The evaluation provides useful data on whether the program is meeting its objectives and the needs of participants. The data can be used to determine efficiency by weighing the program cost and resources with student needs and outcomes open (supply and demand) demand.
2. Improvement: One of the primary benefits of program evaluation is that it provides useful data to drive improvements. The information gathered can indicate whether the program serves its purpose, was conducted appropriately, and whether it met its goals and objectives. The data can also be used to discover whether the delivery methods and approaches were effective. The program strengths and areas for improvement spearhead constructive program changes that enhance the quality of the program or project.
3. Outcomes: An effective program evaluation helps you to identify what works and what doesn't. That knowledge empowers program managers to focus on the essential components of your program model that most benefit participants. It also allows them to fine tune program design and delivery to maximize outcomes. At the same time, being able to adapt, improve, or eliminate program elements that do not contribute to success saves valuable resources. So, focusing on program evaluation gives you the information you need to not only produce better outcomes but also spend less time, money, and energy to do so.
4. Funding: Funders want to support programs and projects that can demonstrate impact and value. They want to invest in programs that know how to drive outcomes. Essentially, they want a return on their investment. stories and anecdotes can give a human face to your success, but to be truly powerful, they need to be backed by concrete data. Funders generally require some type of program evaluation as a condition of funding. And, while they ultimately want to see strong outcomes, simply having systems in place for program evaluation can demonstrate a commitment to high quality programs that funders value. While individual donors may not “require” program evaluation formally, they too, want to see tangible evidence. Focusing on evaluation will ensure that you can demonstrate and effectively communicate your impact and outcomes to critical funders.
5. Best Practices: A strong focus on program evaluation gives you the tools you need to replicate and scale successful programs. For some organizations, that might mean expanding programs (with that increase in funding your evaluation helped you capture!) For others it may give you the tools you need to inspire and lead other organizations to replicate your success in their own communities. Regardless of how and where you replicate and scale your impact, sharing critical findings from your program evaluation adds knowledge and power to the community of change makers. That means you don't have to be a big organization to become a true leader in your field. You simply have to focus on program evaluation and be willing to share what you learn.

The New Post Game -  MPI Reviews

A mindset performance indicator (or MPI) is a post game performance review.  Conducting “A Conversation About Performance” (or A.C.A.P.) post game helps all athletes and coaches, regardless of the sport.

Now with myPerforma, you implement a routine, Reflective Evaluation Practice that encourages a positive atomic habit which supports these and all other stakeholders, both on and off the court.

Improve preparation and development with use of myPerforma MPIs after games and competition during each season.

The Mindset Performance Indicator

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