Practice is so important that we have to make sure we are accomplishing things that we want to accomplish whenever we hit the practice floor. I have observed many practices over the course of my years in the game and I’m always concerned about a team that takes things to a personal level in practice.

There’s a big difference in “having” a practice and “getting something from the practice.” We all have a practice plan, but more importantly, a reason for that plan. But practice involves two parties: the coaches and the players. So often I see a great practice plan never reach its intended goals because the players either don’t want to execute it or they don’t know what they are truly working on. In both instances the onus falls on the coaches.

I suggest that you specifically state what each drill is for. What are you working on? How can you work on it through this drill? If you leave it up to the players to figure this out, what typically happens is that they revert to their instincts, and their instincts tell them to compete. This often leads to players trying to beat players (the personal twist) and never executing the actions that need to be worked on.

Consider having an assistant continually remind each player throughout the drill exactly what you’re working on. It may be as simple as the assistant yelling out, “hedge angles are important!” or, “get the proper hedge angle!” Verbally keep your players working on what needs to be worked on. Couple this with a quick explanation at the beginning of the drill and I think you’ll find that you get a higher quality drill and you get work on exactly what you need to improve on. That makes for a good practice!