# Proactive Coaching
> Proactive Coaching helps coaches, teams and leaders build character-based team cultures — speaker presentations, booklets, and a digital library from Bruce Brown.
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## Pages
### About Us
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/about/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:10.000Z
Proactive Coaching is an online coaching education platform — a members-only library and AI coaching assistant built on 35 years of character-based coaching from Bruce Brown, plus his printed booklets and books, shipped from [the store](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/).

## Our founding story

At Proactive Coaching, we believe everything we do is intentional — just like great coaches. However, the foundation of Proactive Coaching wasn’t something we planned. While I was coaching successful teams, I began getting invited to speak at clinics. Most of my talks focused on tactics, but over time, I realized something important. I often found myself telling clinic organizers, “I enjoy discussing the technical aspects of the game, but that’s not why we’re winning. We’re winning because we’re intentional about building character within our programs.” That simple insight became the mission of Proactive Coaching from day one.

As both teachers and coaches, our calling has always been to educate and inspire. Working with coaches, athletic directors, parents, and athletes has been incredibly fulfilling.

![Bruce and Dana Brown on the beach in Carpinteria, California, holding their grandson Luka](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/assets/images/founding-family.jpg)

Bruce and Dana in Carpinteria, California, with their grandson Luka.

Our speaking partner Rob Miller has been with us the longest — since 2006, I believe — and he’s been a key part of our speaking team. We also have other talented speakers who travel across the country, sharing the Proactive Coaching message wherever we’re invited.

We’ve had the privilege of speaking in fantastic locations, from small schools in charming towns to big conferences with thousands in attendance. It’s never about the number of people in the room; it’s about making a meaningful impact wherever we go.

A couple fun facts about us: While Dana is a natural at reading for content, I tend to get caught up in the details. I’m grateful to have her as my editor because my initial drafts can be a bit of a mess! We’re a great team. When I was traveling to speak a lot more, Dana often teased me about visiting certain places, but when she heard West Palm Beach, San Diego, or even Kodiak Alaska, she was the first to sign up to come with me!

We love where we live on Camano Island – it is a peaceful place to be.

## Rob Miller, partner

Rob Miller is a nationally known motivational speaker and a partner in Proactive Coaching with Bruce Brown. He played four years of college basketball and has coached at the college level (men’s basketball), the high school level (boys and girls basketball, and track and field), and in youth sport. He is the former national director of the NAIA’s Champions of Character program, and served as commissioner of the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference for more than ten years. Rob uses his speaking skills and coaching knowledge to carry the Proactive Coaching mission — helping coaches positively impact their athletes’ lives. He lives in Liberty, Missouri with his wife Susan; their daughter Kendall lives in Wisconsin.

![Rob Miller and his wife Susan holding his NAIA Hall of Fame plaque on stage at the 2025 NAIA National Convention](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/assets/images/rob-miller-naia-hall-of-fame.jpg)

In 2025 Rob was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame, honored for meritorious service through the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference. Pictured with his wife, Susan.

> When I first met Bruce and Dana in 2000, I knew Proactive Coaching was special. Application based, caring people and difference makers. Bruce, Dana and the Proactive team are not just partners but family, and have made such an impact on my life. That is our goal with coaches, leaders, team members: to make a difference, to make them intentional about how they go about their business, and give them tools to do that. The last 25+ years have been so rewarding, and our prayer is that we give you thoughts and models to do the same on your team.

Rob Miller, partner, Proactive Coaching

## Where we are today

Proactive Coaching is now two things working together: the [print library](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/) coaches have ordered for decades, and a [digital membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) with every booklet, article, video and podcast — plus Ask Bruce, an assistant trained on all of it. And our speakers still travel to teams, staffs, and parent nights across the country. [Bring one to your program](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/).

## What people say

> I have Bruce to thank for making me a better parent…honestly! Looking back, I took sports too seriously, was too critical of my children’s coaches as well as the officials. What I have learned through this pamphlet has spilled over in all aspects of parenting! I am now truly enjoying (and loving) watching my kids play their sports.

Andrea Zuk Kerr, parent

> I want to thank you so much for being such a tremendous influence on our school. Our coaches are so much more intentional in their daily efforts with our guys because of your message and efforts.

Dave Moreau, Jesuit High School (New Orleans), LA

> Thank you for a wonderful presentation yesterday. I took away so much, and you prompted my assistant coaches — all former players of mine — to want to discuss and plan so many things heading into this offseason. I thought you connected with the older and younger coaches so well with your personal stories, and I heard a lot of positive feedback throughout the day.

Kevin Metcalf, coach

> Thank you thank you thank you a million times over. You helped to create this culture, this sisterhood and this bond.

Annie Harris, coach

> I learned so much from your presentation, including different methods to elevate my team, the importance of upholding our covenants, and the resources to be the best leader I can be.

Isabella Clementi, athlete

[**More of what coaches say →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/testimonials/)
### Booklets
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/booklets/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T15:29:50.000Z
_No content available._
### Videos
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/videos/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T15:29:50.000Z
_No content available._
### Podcasts
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/podcasts/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T15:29:51.000Z
_No content available._
### Articles
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/articles/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T15:29:51.000Z
_No content available._
### Membership
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/
Last updated: 2026-07-15T15:29:52.000Z
_No content available._
### Mike Morgan
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-mike-morgan/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:01.000Z
Mike Morgan’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Mike →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#mike-morgan) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Darin Boysen
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-darin-boysen/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:04.000Z
Darin Boysen’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Darin →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#darin-boysen) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Jon Frazier
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-jon-frazier/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:04.000Z
Jon Frazier’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Jon →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#jon-frazier) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Scott Rosberg
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-scott-rosberg/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:05.000Z
Scott Rosberg’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Scott →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#scott-rosberg) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Lori Thomas
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-lori-thomas/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:05.000Z
Lori Thomas’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Lori →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#lori-thomas) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Pat Bangasser
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-pat-bangasser/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:05.000Z
Pat Bangasser’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Pat →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#pat-bangasser) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Clay Chournos
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-clay-chournos/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:06.000Z
Clay Chournos’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Clay →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#clay-chournos) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Keith Orchard
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-keith-orchard/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:06.000Z
Keith Orchard’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Keith →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#keith-orchard) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Corinne Ferris
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-corinne-ferris/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:07.000Z
Corinne Ferris’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Corinne →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#corinne-ferris) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Jerry Gaines
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-jerry-gaines/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:07.000Z
Jerry Gaines’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Jerry →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#jerry-gaines) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Josh Stewart
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-josh-stewart/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:08.000Z
Josh Stewart’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Josh →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#josh-stewart) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Don Pellum
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speaker-don-pellum/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:08.000Z
Don Pellum’s bio now lives in our speaker directory.

[**Meet Don →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/#don-pellum) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Our Speakers
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/our-speakers/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:09.000Z
Our speaker directory has moved.

[**Meet the speakers →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/speakers/) · [Book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-now/)
### Athletic Presentations
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/athletic-presentations/
Last updated: 2026-08-29T22:19:09.000Z
Our athletic talks now live on the Book a Speaker page, organized by audience.

- [Talks for coaches](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-a-speaker/#coaches)
- [Talks for athletes & leaders](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-a-speaker/#athletes)
- [Talks for parents](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-a-speaker/#parents)
- [Talks for teachers](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-a-speaker/#teachers)

[**See all presentations →**](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-a-speaker/)
## Posts
### I Loved the Ride Home With My Dad
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/i-loved-the-ride-home-with-my-dad/
Last updated: 2026-09-10T16:04:35.000Z
“I loved the ride home after the game with my dad.”

We have all read the social media stories and posts about the car ride home being a bad memory for the athlete when a parent means well but doesn’t really understand what the athlete needs. Responsibilities for parents before the season begins, during the game and after the game (the car ride home) have been part of our [Role of Parents in Athletics](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-role-of-parents/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=cta-the-role-of-parents) presentation for 25 years.

## Two questions I asked my athletes

I would never think that I should tell people how to raise their kids… but athletes will. As a young coach, I had a great mentor coach who suggested that I start getting feedback from my athletes after they had played for me. The purpose was to shorten my learning curve… and it did. I asked them [a series of questions](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/athlete-questions/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=cta-athlete-questions). Two of those questions were: What was your favorite memory from this experience, and what was your worst memory from this experience? I wanted to know if there was something in my coaching style that was creating bad memories for my athletes that I needed to change. There were lots of answers to the second question, but the most common bad memory was “in the car with my dad/mom/parents after the game.” I went further and asked, “What was happening in the car?” It made me examine my own behavior with our kids.

The content of our presentation to parents is entirely from 30 years of players’ feedback. It is what their athlete would like to say but probably never would.

## Two great examples for us to follow

[“I love watching you play.”](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/i-love-watching-you-play/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=cta-i-love-watching-you-play) This comment came during a Fundamentals of Coaching class I was teaching to college seniors. During a discussion about the coach-parent-athlete triangle, one of the students said, “I loved having my grandparents come to my games because no matter how I played or the outcome of the game, all they ever said to me was, *Oh Natalie, we just love watching you play.*”

In 2012, Yahoo sportswriter Steve Henson produced an article entitled [What Makes a Nightmare Sports Parent — and What Makes a Great One](https://web.archive.org/web/20151226162938/http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/more-family-fun/201202/what-makes-nightmare-sports-parent) from a presentation we had done at the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) convention.

In 2005, Proactive Coaching was humbled to receive the ABCA Honor Award along with Hall of Fame player Cal Ripken Jr. Cal and I were sequestered in a side room waiting for the luncheon when I asked Cal what his memories of youth baseball were. One of his best, he told me, was being in the car with his dad after games. “I loved it when my dad was able to come to my games. He was a major league manager, and I knew how much he knew about baseball, and I wanted to learn as much as possible from him. But he never talked about baseball or the game unless I brought it up. Then he never overwhelmed me with long, involved answers. He had a gift of always leaving me wanting more and interested in his opinion. That kept me asking and learning.”

## Understand what the ride home actually is

Your athlete has just finished the most exposed hour of their week. They are tired, they know exactly how they played, and they cannot get out of the car.

Most parents get in that car wanting to help. Almost none of them are trying to do damage. But wanting to help turns into analyzing, and analyzing that soon after a performance does not land as help.

Athletes named the same three things over and over. The breakdown of the game they just played. The comparison to a teammate. And the parent who criticizes the coach — which asks a child to choose between the two adults they need most.

## Give your parents the five words

When those same athletes were asked what their parents said that made them feel best, the answers were short. Not speeches. One sentence.

**I love watching you play.**

That is all of it. It works because of what it does not say. It is not a grade. It does not mention the score or hint at what should have gone differently. It tells a son or daughter that a parent’s enjoyment of them is not attached to how they performed.

Say it, and then let it be quiet. If they want to talk about the game, they will bring it up, and they will bring it up on their own terms. The best conversations about a hard loss happen the next day, at the kitchen table, started by the athlete.

## Decide what your parents hear from you first

You are not in that car. You cannot be. What you can decide is what the parents in your program have heard from you before they get there.

Most of them have never been told any of this. They are doing what their own parents did, or what they believe a supportive parent is supposed to do. Nobody has ever given them another way.

What do your athletes hear on the way home? Who is doing the talking? Is anything being said about you in those cars that a fourteen-year-old should not have to carry?

**You cannot coach the ride home. You can prepare the people who are driving.**

This week

- Send your parents one short note. A paragraph is enough — give them the five words and one sentence about why.
- Ask them to wait until the athlete brings up the game first. Three games is enough for a family to notice the difference.
- Ask two or three of your own athletes, privately, what the ride home is usually like. Their answers will tell you more about your families than a parent meeting will.
- Start with the parents of your youngest athletes. The habit is easier to build in a freshman family than to break in a senior one.
- If a parent is criticizing you in the car, it will reach you eventually. Handle it once, directly, with the parent — never through the athlete.

## And if you are the parent

Nearly every coach is also somebody’s mom or dad, sitting in those same bleachers on a night off. It is harder when it is your own child, and knowing the material does not make it any easier. Say the five words anyway. Then drive.

## Bring this to your community

The Role of Parents in Athletics is one of our most requested presentations. To schedule a speaker for your community, contact Rob Miller at 913.449.3356 or rob@proactivecoaching.ai, or [book a speaker](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/book-a-speaker/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=cta-book-a-speaker).

## References

- [Parents After the Game — the two questions, and what athletes told me, on video](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-after-the-game/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=after-the-game) (14 minutes, in the library)
- [Athlete Questions — my written list, preseason to exit interview](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/athlete-questions/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=athlete-questions) (in the library)
- [I Love Watching You Play — the same story, on video](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/i-love-watching-you-play/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=watching-you-play) (5 minutes, in the library)
- [What Makes a Nightmare Sports Parent — and What Makes a Great One, by Steve Henson, ThePostGame, 2012](https://web.archive.org/web/20151226162938/http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/more-family-fun/201202/what-makes-nightmare-sports-parent)
- [5 Things Athletes Would Like Their Parents To Know And Do — the article written for parents, with its own after-the-game section](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/5-things-athletes-would-like-their-parents-to-know-and-do/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=five-things) (in the library)
- [The Role of Parents — the booklet, written from the athlete’s point of view](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-role-of-parents/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=role-of-parents) (in the library)

[Start 7 days free →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=cta-button)

**About this piece and the references in it** This piece is open to everyone — free to read, and yours to forward to the parents in your program. The library pieces in the references above are the full working materials: the after-the-game video, the athlete questions, the origin of “I love watching you play,” the five things athletes would like their parents to know and do, and The Role of Parents, the booklet written from the athlete’s point of view. Those live in the library, along with every booklet, video, podcast and article Bruce made — most of it now narrated. That is what membership opens. If you would rather look around first, there is a [seven-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=ride-home-2026&utm%5Fcontent=cta-pricing). 

Know a coach whose families could use this? Please forward it along — to a coach, to your athletic director, or straight to a parent. It lands better coming from a friend.

— Proactive Coaching
### Your first real test of the season is not the first team on your schedule...
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/your-first-real-test-of-the-season/
Last updated: 2026-08-27T17:08:55.000Z
The best teams have already intentionally done all the preseason work… Team Covenants are established and taught… Performance and relationship standards have been clarified and defined. Individual players and coaches have had their commitment ceremony… The schedule is set, the first practices are mapped out and about to begin and now the first turning point of the season is right in front of you.

[The ten steps to building a culture on purpose, not by accident →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/core-covenants-building-great-teams/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=first-two-weeks-2026&utm%5Fcontent=covenants) (in the library)

## The challenges start in the first days

They may seem small at first but they are there. The standards are getting tested. A player is late, two are talking during instructions, another is letting the standard for effort slip and beginning to coast, a senior is being disrespectful to an underclassman, a correction is saved for later and later never comes, a coach or player gets upset and uses profanity…etc.

## The turning point for your season could be RIGHT NOW!

What will you stop practice for to address? What behaviors do you let slip without correction? How far will you let effort decline before you say something? Are these real standards or just suggestions?

A standard is what you are willing to stop practice for at an early stage.

[Bruce on commitment: the five levels, and what you are actually asking them to commit to →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/commitment-the-five-levels/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=first-two-weeks-2026&utm%5Fcontent=commitment-video) (10 minutes, and open on the free trial)

## The first time a standard is broken is the test that matters most

Every player is watching what you do, not what you posted. The first violation is not an interruption of your culture work — it *is* the culture work, and it is the single highest-leverage ninety seconds of your season.

The Proactive Coaching piece on confrontation puts the mechanics simply: make sure everyone knows what happens when an absolute is broken, and then follow through the first time and every time. State the absolutes in the positive — “we are always truthful” rather than “we never lie” — so the team is moving toward something. What breaks a culture is not strictness. It is *random* enforcement, and the favoritism people read into it.

This week

- Repeat your non-negotiables out loud at the next practice, only the ones you will stop for
- Correct the first violation the same day, in front of the team, without anger… calm truth
- Hold the same line for your best player that you held for your last one, on the same day if you can
- Confront the behavior, not the person
- Don’t let the standards just become words written on the wall of the locker room.

[Start 7 days free →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=first-two-weeks-2026&utm%5Fcontent=cta-button)

By not confronting a violation you send a message of acceptance and the culture starts to erode immediately.

How far you will let a behavior slip and when and how you are going to confront it is a decision you must make and rehearse before any violation occurs.

*“A returning starter broke a team standard in week one. How do I handle it without losing him?”* You handle it early, in the open, and without heat. The purpose is to change the behavior and maintain the relationship, keep everyone accountable and keep the team moving forward, together in the same direction.

[What to do when someone will not buy in, and how to disarm defiance →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/confrontation/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=first-two-weeks-2026&utm%5Fcontent=confrontation) (in the library)

**About this letter and the links in it** This letter is open to everyone — free to read, and yours to keep. The pieces behind each link are the full working materials: the covenant-building steps, Bruce’s five levels of commitment, the confrontation playbook. Those live in the library, along with every booklet, video, podcast and article Bruce made — most of it now narrated, so you can take it with you on the drive to practice. That is what membership opens. If you would rather look around before deciding, there is a [seven-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=first-two-weeks-2026&utm%5Fcontent=cta-pricing). 

Know a coach whose season starts this week? Please forward this along — to a coach, or to your athletic director. It lands better coming from a friend.

— Proactive Coaching
### Preseason Training — Five Things Before Our First Call
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/preseason-training/
Last updated: 2026-08-21T00:16:14.000Z
Month one: the two weeks around your first practice — the parent meeting, culture by design, cuts, athletic attitude, and the covenants you bring to our first call.

_This post is for subscribers only._
### QA Dry Run — before the next call
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/qa-cohort-dry-run/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T23:28:50.000Z
3 items · one real listen · call Thursday Sept 10

_This post is for subscribers only._
### Entrenar a jóvenes: 4 claves para una temporada exitosa
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/youth-coaching-4-keys-to-a-successful-season-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:31.000Z
Planifica – Enseña – Motiva – Construye un equipo

Hace poco, después de hablar en una clínica para entrenadores, un entrenador local me pidió que visitara el entrenamiento de básquetbol de su equipo de niños de once años. Fue una experiencia reveladora. Cuando llegué, había dos equipos de la misma edad y capacidad entrenando al mismo tiempo en extremos opuestos de la cancha. La diferencia entre los dos equipos era asombrosa. Aquí van algunas observaciones generales.

## Inicio del entrenamiento

**Equipo A**

Los jugadores se sentaron en el piso mientras el entrenador les habló durante 15 minutos; a los 3 o 4 minutos ya estaban acostados y habían perdido por completo la concentración. Tres jugadores llegaron tarde, cuando el entrenador ya había comenzado.

**Equipo B**

La mayoría de los jugadores llegó temprano y practicó tiros. A la hora de inicio, todo el equipo estiró durante unos 10 minutos mientras el entrenador caminaba entre ellos y se reunía brevemente con cada jugador, saludando a cada uno por su nombre con una sonrisa y preguntándole si había alcanzado sus metas de tiro en casa desde el último entrenamiento. Usó el tiempo de estiramiento como tiempo de enseñanza y le recordó al equipo lo que habían aprendido en la práctica anterior y cuáles serían las habilidades nuevas de hoy. Terminó con una reunión rápida y un recordatorio del énfasis del día y de los valores del equipo (Concéntrate – Da lo mejor de ti – Sé un gran compañero).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### El rol de los padres
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-role-of-parents-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:31.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Introducción

---

La participación de los padres en la experiencia deportiva de sus hijos es un hecho. Sin duda, todos los padres deben ser parte de esta área del crecimiento de sus hijos. Su participación afecta a su propio hijo, al entrenador, al resto del equipo, a los demás padres y a los árbitros. Cómo eligen involucrarse es una decisión que les corresponde. Este folleto se centra en el rol de los padres desde la perspectiva del deportista. Durante más de tres décadas les hice con frecuencia a los jugadores de mis equipos una serie de preguntas sobre el rol de los adultos en su experiencia. En este proceso aprendí muchas cosas que me ayudaron como entrenador. También aprendí muchas cosas que los jóvenes quisieran decirles a sus padres, pero que probablemente nunca les dirán. Este folleto es una forma de devolverles algo a tres décadas de grandes jóvenes que pasaron por mis equipos.

Los entrenadores me preguntan con frecuencia cuánto cambiaron los muchachos durante mi carrera como entrenador. Mi respuesta es siempre la misma: "Los deportistas han cambiado muy poco, pero los padres han cambiado drásticamente". Aunque algunas reacciones actuales de los padres sin duda pueden atribuirse al modelo profesional del deporte o a los medios, la mayoría de los problemas entre padres y deporte son autogenerados. Como resultado, demasiados hogares sobrevaloran el deporte a costa del juego limpio y del apoyo. Ha aumentado el número de padres que cruzan la línea apropiada del apoyo o el aliento hacia una interferencia intolerable. En una muestra similar de prioridades equivocadas, demasiados padres parecen más preocupados por atraer la atención de los reclutadores universitarios que por simplemente disfrutar los años de secundaria de su hijo y dejar que su llegada a la universidad siga su propio camino. Con deportistas enfocados en un solo deporte todo el año (muchos desde muy temprana edad), la presión por el éxito en ese deporte aumenta. Los padres están haciendo grandes inversiones económicas en tutores privados, preparadores físicos y en lo que sea necesario para darles a sus hijos la oportunidad de participar en equipos "selectos" fuera de temporada, con el fin de asegurar que obtengan la mayor ventaja posible.

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### El impacto de la confianza
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-impact-of-trust-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:30.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## El valor de la confianza en un equipo: ¿confianza alta o confianza baja?

---

Trabajo en equipo: “Hay un momento en las grandes tripulaciones que trasciende todo lo que un individuo podría haber logrado por su cuenta. Cuando la mayoría de los hombres hablan de sus momentos perfectos en un bote, no se refieren tanto a ganar una carrera como a la sensación del bote, los ocho remos en el agua al mismo tiempo… la sincronización casi perfecta. En momentos así, el bote parece elevarse fuera del agua. Los remeros llaman a eso el momento del swing. John Bigelow, aspirante olímpico, amaba ese momento, pero lo que más le gustaba era que te permitía confiar en los demás hombres del bote… Un bote no tenía swing a menos que todos estuvieran entregándose en sincronía exacta. Por eso, y solo por eso, existía la posibilidad de confianza dentro del equipo. Ese momento de ‘swing’ es lo que sucede cuando todos los miembros de tu equipo trabajan juntos como uno solo: cuando cada miembro se esfuerza por cada uno de los demás, y el ‘nosotros’ se ha convertido en lo más importante. Debe haber un esfuerzo consciente por combinar todas las habilidades y fortalezas, dejando de lado ‘lo que es bueno para mí – la gloria personal’ y abrazando ‘lo que es bueno para el equipo – el logro colectivo’. Esto nunca es fácil.” — David Halberstam, The Amateurs

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### Las 10 disciplinas
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-10-disciplines-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:29.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Qué es la disciplina y por qué importa

---

La disciplina es esencial en las culturas de equipo exitosas. Aporta estructura, orden, dirección, propósito y enfoque. La excelencia nunca es un accidente.

La disciplina no es lo mismo que la regimentación, la obediencia ciega o el apego a reglas burocráticas. Es tener la fuerza interior para rechazar las presiones o los atajos que violan tus convenios fundamentales, tus estándares de desempeño y tus compromisos de relación: la autodisciplina para mantener el rumbo sin descanso y hacer lo necesario para crear un gran resultado.

La disciplina es una forma de amor. Nada es más dañino para el equipo que el descuido de la disciplina. La disciplina es más importante que el talento atlético. Cuando compiten dos equipos con un nivel de talento similar, la ventaja siempre es del más disciplinado. Un grupo de individuos talentosos sin disciplina personal ni una cultura de equipo intencional terminará perdiendo cuando se encuentre con un equipo casi igual de talentoso que sí tiene la disciplina y la cultura en su lugar.

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### Historias de equipo
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/team-stories-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:29.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Aprovecha la temporada

---

A lo largo de la historia ha habido muchas historias que pueden ayudarnos a construir equipos hoy. Cuando los integrantes de un equipo entienden cómo se construyen los equipos y comparten la misma visión que sus líderes, pueden suceder cosas grandiosas.

El propósito de este folleto es ofrecer a los entrenadores mensajes para inspirar a jóvenes de todas las edades, orígenes y habilidades a enfocarse en la importancia y el poder del trabajo en equipo en sus vidas. El mejor cumplido que puede recibir cualquier deportista es que es un gran compañero de equipo. Los mejores momentos de nuestra vida son cuando formamos parte de algo más grande que nosotros mismos, y el mejor uso de nuestras energías y talentos es contribuir a los demás: crear un equipo.

Los entrenadores y los deportistas en posiciones de liderazgo deben hacer todo lo posible por crear una gran experiencia de equipo. Tus oportunidades son limitadas. No dejes pasar la tuya.

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### Acondicionamiento positivo
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/positive-conditioning-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:28.000Z
"La herramienta más poderosa del entrenador es el amor." — John Wooden

01Capítulo 1

## El acondicionamiento

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#### Esto es lo que yo quería:

1. Estar en mejor condición de juego que cualquiera de nuestros rivales.
2. Que nuestra condición física fuera motivo de orgullo.
3. No tener que enojarme para lograr que corrieran.

Estos son los pasos que usé para cambiar la forma en que los jugadores veían el acondicionamiento. Introduje la teoría preguntándoles de viva voz si creían en las siguientes premisas, que llevan a la conclusión del final. Primera premisa: estar en excelente condición física te hace mejor jugador. Ser mejor jugador individual nos hace mejor equipo. Segunda premisa: el acondicionamiento nos permitirá tener más éxito. El acondicionamiento es algo que los mejores equipos, en cualquier nivel, siempre tienen. Conclusión: por lo tanto, el acondicionamiento debe verse como un privilegio. Una vez que aceptaban la conclusión, yo podía aplicar las siguientes ideas:

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### Enseña la actitud primero
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teach-attitude-first-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:28.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## **Una actitud atlética positiva se puede enseñar y es contagiosa**

---

Las actitudes positivas nacen de experiencias positivas. Tener una buena actitud atlética significa tener creencias y acciones positivas sobre el juego, el equipo y uno mismo. La actitud es una elección, pero muchas veces una que hay que enseñar y moldear. Una vez enseñada, los jugadores de cualquier edad pueden responder por las actitudes que eligen mostrar. La mayoría de los jugadores jóvenes llegarán a tu equipo sin una idea clara de lo que es una “buena actitud atlética”. La actitud atlética debe definirse con claridad, enseñarse, esperarse y evaluarse. Por regla general, las actitudes están mucho más bajo el control del entrenador que el nivel de talento de sus deportistas y, por eso, deben ser un área de enfoque durante todo el año. El deporte es voluntario (tanto jugarlo como entrenarlo) y nadie debería ser obligado a jugar. El esfuerzo y la actitud también son voluntarios. Son elecciones con las que solo cada persona puede comprometerse por sí misma. Al final de la experiencia deportiva, una buena actitud será más útil que cualquier habilidad física.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Estrategias de motivación para entrenadores
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/motivational-strategies-for-coaches-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:27.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Panorama general – ¿Cómo se ve la motivación?

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El propósito de este folleto es describir los atributos que desarrollan un estilo de entrenar capaz de producir deportistas y equipos motivados; un estilo que impulsa a los jugadores a la acción, un estilo que activa el corazón, la mente y la conducta de los jugadores. Este tipo de entrenador entiende que la motivación es mucho más que la "charla motivadora" verbal antes del partido o en el medio tiempo que muchas personas reconocen como "motivación" en el entrenamiento deportivo.

La motivación se define como una fuerza que impulsa a las personas a la acción. Es el "motivo para actuar", un impulso interno. ¿Qué tipo de "acción" quieres que inspire tu manera de entrenar? La meta suprema de la motivación es lograr que las personas hagan todo aquello de lo que son capaces y lo disfruten. Los líderes que comprenden y generan un clima motivador consiguen que la gente vaya más allá de sus propios límites percibidos.

En el deporte, como en la vida, la mayor parte de la motivación interna se desencadena por la esperanza de alcanzar un resultado concreto o por el miedo a sufrir una consecuencia específica. Como regla general, es cierto que la mayoría de las personas comienzan a entrenar tal como fueron entrenadas cuando eran deportistas. Por ejemplo, si una persona creció con entrenadores que usaban el miedo como motivador principal, normalmente inicia su carrera de entrenador usando la misma táctica.

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### Jugar con confianza
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/playing-with-confidence-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:27.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## 1 – Definir la verdadera confianza

---

La confianza deportiva es, sencillamente, la sensación de que estás preparado para rendir bien y alcanzar tu potencial. La confianza en ti mismo no se puede comprar, desear ni conseguir con ilusiones; nace de la habilidad demostrada y de los éxitos anteriores. La confianza te permite relajarte, concentrarte y confiar en ti.

Todo deportista quiere ganar, y si logras competir con confianza de manera constante, podrás jugar a tu nivel óptimo, lo cual, obviamente, te da la mejor oportunidad de tener éxito. Alcanzar tu potencial es todo lo que cualquiera puede pedirse a sí mismo y todo lo que se necesita para caminar por la vida con confianza.

Si te falta confianza, si la finges, si tu nivel de confianza depende de otras personas o si sube y baja en la escala de la confianza, este folleto puede ayudarte.

### El impacto de la baja confianza

Los deportistas con baja confianza suelen temer que la competencia les exija cosas que no son capaces de hacer. Eso puede llevarlos a jugar con cautela, con nervios y con miedo. Necesitan constantemente la validación de los demás solo para seguir adelante. Les afecta lo que otros piensan y dicen, lo que los vuelve frágiles y demasiado sensibles. Todo esto conduce a un rendimiento pobre o inconsistente, que a su vez trae menos éxito y una confianza aún más baja.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Grandes equipos: los siete elementos esenciales
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/great-teams-the-seven-essentials-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:25.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Introducción

---

> "El trabajo en equipo hace que el sueño funcione."

Si alguna vez has vivido el milagro de un gran equipo, ya sea como jugador o como entrenador, es algo que recordarás siempre. Convertir a un equipo en un gran equipo implica decisiones que están en manos de los participantes. Construir ese equipo implica creer, convertirse y pertenecer. Es reunir a un grupo de personas con habilidades, creencias y destinos diversos, de tal manera que se entreguen de todo corazón al equipo para que tanto el individuo como el grupo alcancen su máximo potencial. Pocas experiencias pueden ser tan poderosas en el crecimiento de un deportista joven como formar parte de un equipo generoso que trabaja hacia una meta común.

Muchos entrenadores ven el espíritu de equipo como algo intangible que algunos equipos tienen y otros no. Es tarea de los líderes enseñar, promover y construir esta actitud, y no dejarla al azar. El entrenador debe usar hasta el último gramo de su energía creativa para desarrollar el espíritu de equipo en sus jugadores. Debe buscar oportunidades para fomentar el trabajo en equipo y la generosidad todos los días. Aunque el deporte cultiva muchas relaciones para toda la vida, algunos de los mejores recuerdos que una persona llega a vivir son los que descubre cuando forma parte de un equipo "especial". Estos son los equipos que aprendieron las lecciones que el entrenador intentaba enseñar, y que lograron juntos metas que jamás habrían alcanzado por separado. Al aplicar correctamente todos los elementos esenciales de la construcción de equipos, un entrenador puede multiplicar el valor del equipo muy por encima de la suma de sus partes.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Lecciones de vida
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/life-lessons-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:26.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## 1\. Elige convertirte en deportista

---

Como entrenador o como jugador, ¿cuántas veces has escuchado o dicho "él o ella sí que es un buen deportista"? Aquello que premies o reconozcas como ser un deportista será el estándar que tus jóvenes van a cumplir. Con demasiada frecuencia, este comentario se dirige a una persona que tiene un alto nivel de habilidad física, se mueve con fluidez, anota goles o vence a un rival en el marcador. Los entrenadores llaman "deportista" a esta persona mientras pasan por alto su esfuerzo o su actitud por debajo de lo mejor, y al hacerlo se conforman con menos de lo que el joven es capaz de dar y le hacen un daño para toda la vida. Los jóvenes a nuestro cargo estarán a la altura de cualquier estándar que fijemos para ser un deportista (alto o bajo).

Ser deportista es más que tener habilidades físicas y más que resultar mejor que un rival en un día determinado. Esos rasgos son dones que Dios te dio y sobre los que no tienes control. Ser deportista no tiene nada que ver con el género, la edad ni el deporte. Ser deportista (un gran compañero de equipo) implica decisiones que tomas sobre las cosas que sí puedes controlar — el esfuerzo y la actitud — en otras palabras, asuntos de carácter. Decisiones frente a características accidentales. Por favor, no te consideres un "deportista" solo porque fuiste bendecido con algo de habilidad. El talento es algo que se puede desarrollar o desperdiciar — es algo que tienes la suerte de poseer, no algo que te hayas "ganado".

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Equipar y empoderar a los líderes del equipo
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/equipping-and-empowering-team-leaders-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:25.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Introducción

---

Este folleto está diseñado para apoyar a las personas que enseñan liderazgo de manera intencional usando el folleto Captains y el DVD Captains & Coaches Workshop, y para llevar el liderazgo al siguiente nivel. La mayoría de las ideas aplican a líderes de todos los niveles, y otras son específicamente para líderes de equipos deportivos.

Este folleto tiene ocho secciones. La primera es Ideas Generales de Liderazgo, seguida por las siete maneras de liderar a tu equipo descritas en el folleto Captains:

1. Sé el primero en servir y el último en ser servido.
2. Sé el primero en liderar con el ejemplo y el último en violar los estándares del equipo.
3. Sé la línea vital de comunicación entre el entrenador y el equipo.
4. Sé el primero en elogiar a los demás y el último en presumir o llamar la atención hacia ti.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Lecciones diarias de carácter - Entrenadores juveniles
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/daily-character-lessons-youth-coaches-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:24.000Z
Lecciones diarias de carácter para entrenadores juveniles (NAIA Champions of Character)

01Capítulo 1

## Panorama general

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Este manual está diseñado para entrenadores que quieren incorporar lecciones de carácter en sus planes de entrenamiento diarios. Los entrenadores pueden profundizar en las lecciones de carácter tanto como la edad de sus equipos y el tiempo lo permitan. Parte de cada entrenamiento del equipo debe incluir cómo llegar a ser un deportista de carácter. El carácter se puede enseñar, aprender y mejorar a casi cualquier edad; los entrenadores necesitan identificar el nivel de lecciones que mejor se ajuste a su grupo de edad. Las lecciones están divididas en los cinco valores fundamentales del programa NAIA Champions of Character. Cada rasgo se divide en secciones: (1) una definición — enseña una oración o un concepto a la vez; (2) decisiones con las que el deportista puede comprometerse; y (3) preguntas para que el deportista o el equipo conversen.

Los entrenadores necesitan dejar claras sus expectativas y sus valores: articular, enseñar, practicar, modelar y elogiar estos valores todos los días, para ofrecer una experiencia donde los deportistas puedan aprender y demostrar exactamente lo que significa ser una persona de carácter. Los deportistas jóvenes deberían poder aprender y demostrar cómo:

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Lecciones diarias
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/daily-lessons-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:24.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Panorama general

---

Este folleto está diseñado para entrenadores que quieren incorporar lecciones de carácter en sus planes de entrenamiento diarios. Los entrenadores pueden profundizar en las lecciones de carácter tanto como lo permitan la edad de sus equipos y el tiempo disponible. Parte del entrenamiento de todo equipo debería incluir cómo llegar a ser un deportista de carácter. El carácter se puede enseñar, aprender y mejorar casi a cualquier edad. Los entrenadores necesitan identificar el nivel de lecciones que mejor se ajuste a su grupo de edad. Las lecciones se basan en los cinco valores fundamentales del programa NAIA Champions of Character. Cada rasgo se divide en secciones: (1) definición – enseña una oración o un concepto a la vez, (2) decisiones con las que el deportista puede comprometerse, y (3) preguntas para que el deportista o el equipo conversen.

Los entrenadores necesitan dejar claros sus valores y expectativas. Articula, enseña, practica, modela y elogia estos valores todos los días para ofrecer una experiencia donde los deportistas puedan aprender y demostrar exactamente lo que significa ser un deportista y una persona de carácter.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Convenios fundamentales: cómo construir grandes equipos
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/core-covenants-building-great-teams-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:23.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Introducción

---

Los pasos para construir grandes equipos son consistentes y predecibles, sin importar la edad ni el deporte. El liderazgo tiene la capacidad y la responsabilidad de crear una cultura positiva dentro de sus equipos. Creo que la mayoría de los entrenadores tienen en mente una visión de cómo quieren que sea su equipo, pero la mayoría no da los pasos intencionales necesarios para construir ese equipo.

Como entrenador y constructor de equipos, quiero animarte a que no te enfoques en ganar partidos, sino en construir grandes equipos, y que luego dejes que el resultado hable por sí solo. El marcador no determina a los buenos equipos: puedes ganar sin tener un verdadero equipo, y puedes perder en el marcador y tener un gran equipo.

02Capítulo 2

## Definición de convenio

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El mejor término que he encontrado para describir los principios rectores de un equipo deportivo es "convenio fundamental". Convenio es una palabra fuerte: es más que una promesa. Una promesa es una declaración hecha con toda la intención de cumplirla en algún momento del futuro. Un convenio va mucho más allá de una promesa o de tener un "lema" o "tema" para la temporada. La palabra convenio tiene dos partes en su significado: un acuerdo vinculante, y un acuerdo en el que la acción es físicamente visible. La primera parte habla de un acuerdo hecho por adelantado que los mantiene unidos en las buenas y en las malas — algo en lo que puedes apoyarte o a lo que puedes recurrir para mantenerte firme y sujeto a estándares preestablecidos. Las palabras descriptivas que se usan para definir los convenios crean una visión a la que los equipos pueden aferrarse — para mantenerse firmes, para mantenerse unidos — y con la que tu equipo puede comprometerse voluntariamente. La segunda parte de la definición es lo que le da verdadero poder a la palabra "convenio": tus acciones son visibles. Esto lleva el acuerdo más allá de las palabras, hacia una verdadera visión del desempeño. Dice: "Esto es lo que creemos; por lo tanto, esto es lo que verás".

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Confianza: una guía para padres
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/confidence-parents-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:23.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## 1 – Entender la confianza deportiva

---

Cuando viajo y doy charlas por todo el país, una de las mayores preocupaciones que muchos padres y entrenadores me comparten es la falta de confianza de su hijo o de su deportista. Ven la falta de confianza (miedo, vacilación, preocupación, duda) como uno de los factores más importantes y no saben bien cómo ayudar. Para los padres de deportistas es muy difícil ver a sus hijos e hijas no rendir a la altura de su potencial, o intentar competir sin creer de verdad en sí mismos, o jugar con miedo. Quieren que tengan éxito en el deporte, y la confianza es obviamente importante para el éxito deportivo. Tener confianza como deportista ayuda, pero es aún más importante que puedan trasladarla a la vida adulta. Gran parte de lo que somos se teje en la infancia gracias a personas que de verdad se preocupan por nosotros. Todos queremos criar hijos seguros de sí mismos, y creo que los padres, los entrenadores y los deportistas son capaces de hacer lo necesario para construir la confianza en uno mismo.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Estándares de campeonato: un estudio para el equipo
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/championship-standards-a-team-study-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:22.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Estándar de campeonato: El trabajo

---

Título: "La mayoría de las batallas se ganan antes de pelearse." — Sun Tzu, 450 a. C.

Idea central de la historia: El trabajo te da confianza, es una elección, y el juego y tus compañeros merecen lo mejor de ti.

> "Antes de subir al ring, ya habré ganado o perdido la pelea en el camino. La verdadera pelea se gana o se pierde lejos de la multitud. Tienes que ganarla en el gimnasio y en el camino antes de bailar bajo esas luces." — Muhammad Ali

Los grandes equipos están formados por deportistas y entrenadores que han aprendido a trabajar y a prepararse. Los buenos hábitos de trabajo muestran una inversión en ti mismo y demuestran respeto por tus compañeros. El éxito siempre es un resultado directo de los hábitos de trabajo de tu equipo. En algún momento, el trabajo duro se convierte en un estándar y una expectativa del equipo.

> "Haz más de lo que se te exige." — General George S. Patton

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Compite - Rasgos de un competidor de élite
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/compete-traits-of-an-elite-competitor-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:22.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Introducción

---

Ser competidor no depende de tu género, tu deporte ni tu genética. Ser competidor es una elección; es una decisión, y se convierte en un estilo de vida.

La competencia pone a prueba y mide a las personas, pero también las ayuda a crecer y a ampliar su visión de lo que es posible. Un verdadero competidor eleva el rendimiento de todos los que lo rodean y toda la cultura de equipo. Cuando un equipo tiene un ejemplo de competitividad, todos pueden trabajar más duro, fijar estándares y, por lo tanto, alcanzar metas más desafiantes.

Si una persona se vuelve más competitiva, mejorará más rápido que quienes no compiten. Los competidores esperan con ganas cada desafío y cada duelo individual en los partidos o en el entrenamiento. No aceptan la mediocridad, se exigen a sí mismos y elevan a los demás a alturas que no creían posibles. La competencia les exige lo mejor que tienen. Aprenden a prepararse para los desafíos y a atacarlos con todo. Los competidores anticipan las grandes sensaciones que llegan con el éxito al convertirlas en su enfoque; disfrutan el camino tanto como el resultado. Disfrutar el camino les permite tener éxito con más frecuencia.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Capitanes - Siete formas de liderar a tu equipo
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/captains-seven-ways-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:21.000Z
*Sé el primero…sé el último*

01Capítulo 1

## **Introducción**

---

Felicidades por ser líder de tu equipo. No dejes esta temporada, ni esta experiencia, al azar. Solo tendrás unas pocas oportunidades como la que estás a punto de comenzar. Haz todo lo que esté a tu alcance para trabajar con los entrenadores y tus compañeros y crear una gran experiencia. Ser un gran líder o capitán no te asegura una temporada ganadora en el marcador, pero liderar bien a tu equipo sí puede garantizar grandes recuerdos y amistades, y darte mejores posibilidades de victoria.

Hay muchas maneras de liderar un equipo. Puede que ya tengas un modelo positivo de cómo liderar gracias a los capitanes de equipos anteriores, pero si no lo tienes, este folleto contiene siete claves para el liderazgo de equipo. Como verás, a veces lideras estando al frente, y otras veces el liderazgo más eficaz ocurre cuando apoyas a los demás y te mantienes fuera de los reflectores. El primer paso para liderar a otros es conocerte a ti mismo. Necesitas identificar y usar tus dones naturales, así como identificar y trabajar tus debilidades como líder. Quizá nunca te has sentido cómodo tomando una postura o hablando frente a la gente, pero fuiste elegido para liderar y necesitas evaluar tus capacidades y aprender estrategias de liderazgo. Habrá partes del liderazgo en las que necesitarás crecer y otras que quizá debas delegar en quienes tienen esos dones naturales. Para liderar un equipo con eficacia, no todos los líderes tienen que tener las mismas fortalezas; solo necesitan tenerlas todas colectivamente entre quienes forman el equipo de liderazgo. La alianza y la comunicación con tu entrenador pueden ser la clave más importante de tu éxito. Los entrenadores y capitanes que se comunican en la misma sintonía desde el inicio hasta el final de la temporada aportan una de las principales claves del éxito. Nunca dudes en pedirle ayuda a tu entrenador. Busca constantemente maneras de ser un mejor líder.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Llamados a entrenar e inspirar - 7 conceptos motivacionales
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/called-to-coach-and-inspire-7-motivational-concepts-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:20.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Introducción: “Hubo un entrenador…”

---

Cuando les preguntas a adultos exitosos qué fue lo que los llevó al éxito en sus vidas, muchas veces comienzan con estas palabras: “Hubo un entrenador…”

Escribe el primer nombre que te venga a la mente fuera de tu familia, y trata de tener cuatro distintos:

- ¿Eres una persona segura de ti misma? Si es así, ¿quién te dio esa confianza?
- ¿Quién te enseñó a confiar en ti y a estar dispuesto a arriesgarte?
- ¿Quién te inspiró a convertirte en lo que eres? ¿Quién influyó en ti para elegir esta profesión? ¿Quién te dio una visión?
- ¿Quién creyó en ti cuando eras joven?

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Tradiciones deportivas: segunda ronda
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/athletic-traditions-round-two-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:19.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Introducción

---

Hay rasgos comunes en los programas que tienen éxito de manera constante, y uno de ellos son las tradiciones positivas que han instituido de forma intencional para celebrar cada parte de su temporada. Este folleto es la continuación de un libro que escribí hace varios años titulado 101 Positive Athletic Traditions. Al final de ese libro, les pedí a los lectores que tuvieran otras tradiciones y estuvieran dispuestos a compartirlas que me escribieran. Esta es una recopilación de las mejores tradiciones que he recibido de entrenadores, directores deportivos y deportistas de todo el país. Espero que puedan adaptarse para que entrenadores y equipos las usen sin importar el deporte o la edad.

Las tradiciones positivas existen para unir a compañeros y entrenadores, para premiar las conductas que los harán un mejor equipo, para respaldar sus compromisos fundamentales y para divertirse.

02Capítulo 2

## El balde de agua

---

Aportada por Fritz Schumur (NFL). Propósito: Responsabilidad — cada día tus decisiones personales y tu esfuerzo están haciendo que tu equipo sea mejor o peor.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Cómo evaluar y mejorar los programas deportivos
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/assessing-and-improving-athletic-programs-es/
Last updated: 2026-08-17T23:07:18.000Z
01Capítulo 1

## Una hoja de ruta para programas deportivos exitosos

---

El papel de los entrenadores, los directores deportivos, los administradores y las comunidades.

He tenido la oportunidad de recorrer Norteamérica hablando ante cientos de programas deportivos de secundaria y universidad, y de reunirme con grandes entrenadores que han transformado programas. Es sorprendente lo diferentes que pueden ser los programas deportivos. He llegado a la conclusión de que casi todo programa deportivo (o equipo) cae en uno de tres niveles de competencia. Casi todas las escuelas tienen los mismos ingredientes, pero con niveles de capacidad o de interés muy distintos.

Este folleto está escrito para ayudar a las personas clave a ver por qué algunos programas tienen éxito y qué se puede hacer para transformar a los demás. Como en todo gran equipo, estos líderes clave (administración, director deportivo, entrenadores y comunidad) deben cumplir cada uno su papel para que el programa alcance su potencial.

Lo que sigue es una lista de verificación para que las personas en cada uno de estos roles de liderazgo evalúen dónde están fuertes y dónde necesitan mejorar. Identifica el nivel en el que estás y las áreas donde hay que avanzar para atacar el problema y hacer los cambios necesarios. Marca las casillas que describan tu programa actual.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Coaches Collection
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-coaches-collection/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:45.000Z
![Coaches Collection cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/coaches-collection-sq.png?v=1786746972&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [all nine coaching booklets](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/booklets/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$61

The nine booklets written for coaches, in one set.

1. The Impact of Trust
2. 4 Keys to a Successful Season
3. Teach Attitude First
4. First Steps to Successful Teams, Core Covenants
5. The 10 Disciplines
6. Called to Coach and Inspire
7. Great Teams, The Seven Essentials
8. Equipping and Empowering Team Leaders
9. Motivational Strategies for Coaches

### Product details

- **Format:** Set of 9 paperback booklets
- **Genre:** Sports; Self-help & personal development; Education
- **Written for:** Coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

[Buy now](https://shop.proactivecoaching.ai/cart/add?id=52470453960935&quantity=1&ref=proactivecoaching.ai)

Buy now saves this set in your [shop cart](https://shop.proactivecoaching.ai/cart?ref=proactivecoaching.ai) — it stays there while you keep browsing.

[← Continue shopping](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/)
### Athletes Collection
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-athletes-collection/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:44.000Z
![Athletes Collection cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/athletes-collection-sq.png?v=1786746972&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [all four athlete booklets](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/booklets/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$29

The four booklets written for athletes, in one set.

1. Captains, 7 Ways to Lead Your Team
2. Compete, 13 Traits of Elite Competitors
3. Playing With Confidence
4. Life Lessons for Athletes

### Product details

- **Format:** Set of 4 paperback booklets
- **Genre:** Sports; Self-help & personal development; Education
- **Written for:** Athletes and team leaders
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

[Buy now](https://shop.proactivecoaching.ai/cart/add?id=52470453993703&quantity=1&ref=proactivecoaching.ai)

Buy now saves this set in your [shop cart](https://shop.proactivecoaching.ai/cart?ref=proactivecoaching.ai) — it stays there while you keep browsing.

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### Five Things You Don't Want to Miss Heading Into Your Season
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/five-things-you-dont-want-to-miss-heading-into-your-season/
Last updated: 2026-08-13T20:49:30.000Z
Every coach scripts the first practice. Far fewer script the two weeks *around* it — and that’s where the tone of a whole season quietly gets set.

## 01Script the parent meeting like a first game

If a practice goes poorly you get another one tomorrow. You get one shot at a preseason parent meeting. Walk in completely prepared and organized, and you will gain trust and confidence. You can’t fake preparation.

Send these out before the meeting

- A brief letter introducing yourself, your philosophy, and your team standards
- Practice and game schedules
- Team Standards and the role of the parent within those standards
- Volunteer jobs with the exact responsibilities spelled out
- A request that each parent bring, in writing, any information that would help you teach and motivate their son or daughter — including health concerns

[The full agenda for running the meeting itself →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/planning-for-a-parent-meeting/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=season-start-2026&utm%5Fcontent=01-parent-meeting) (members only)

## 02Build an intentional culture

You are going to have a team culture. The question is, will it be by design or will it be left to chance? There is a path to doing it by design. Two questions to start the process:

Ask your team this week

- What are your covenants? (What would you like your team to stand for?)
- How do your covenants look in performance standards and relationship commitments?

[All four team stages, and what each one needs to advance →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/team-stages/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=season-start-2026&utm%5Fcontent=02-culture) (members only)

## 03Give cuts the time they deserve

If you are in a sport that has to cut players… there is no good way to cut a player, but there are more effective ways to treat each player. The change that makes the most difference is simply slowing down: take extra time if necessary. Make the time to talk with every athlete face to face rather than posting a list.

One suggestion worth considering

- **Identify the criteria out loud before tryouts begin** — what you’re looking for, which roles are open, and which measures you’ll use. Almost every hard conversation gets easier when the standard wasn’t a surprise.

And Bruce’s question, for the conversation itself: “Have we seen you at your best?”

[How the whole process evolved, conversation by conversation →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/no-good-way-to-cut-players/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=season-start-2026&utm%5Fcontent=03-cuts) (members only)

[Also: Bruce’s short video on cutting — seeing tryouts from the player’s side →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/cutting/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=season-start-2026&utm%5Fcontent=03b-cutting-video) (members only)

## 04Write the captain’s job description first — ways to develop team leaders

There are many ways to formulate your team leadership. The leadership responsibilities need to be clearly defined. A title with no job description attached becomes ineffective leadership and leaves everybody guessing.

Remember: no single captain has to do all of it. It only matters that every part of the job gets done by *someone*.

[Five ways to select captains, including the Unity Council model →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/selecting-captains/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=season-start-2026&utm%5Fcontent=04-captains) (members only)

[Also: how to give leaders real authority →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/avoiding-leadership-voids/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=season-start-2026&utm%5Fcontent=04b-leadership-voids) (members only)

## 05Continue to install and reinforce attitude while you are installing the technical parts of the game

Teach attitude to your athletes all year round. If you have taught correct athletic attitude, you can catch them doing things right as part of your teaching and defining the core covenants of your culture. If you wait until the season begins, you catch people doing things wrong and have to confront.

Most athletes arrive with no clear idea what a good athletic attitude even *is* — so define it, in words specific enough that it can’t be misread.

An example you can hand your team

Understand and model the core covenants of the team. Be aggressive, enthusiastic, confident, disciplined, and compete fearlessly. Be intelligent enough to listen and develop the ability to learn and work. Have faith in the people you are working with, don’t let your teammates down, and always put the team ahead of yourself. Maintain your integrity and your sense of humor. Give your team an attitude of gratitude.

Some behaviors are **challenges** — fear of failure, low confidence, the athlete new to an established team. Those need teaching. Others are **violations of your team standards**. Violations need immediate addressing. Coaches who mix the two end up disciplining a frightened kid and coaching a defiant one.

[Twelve behaviors, the signs of each, and what to do →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teach-attitude-first/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=season-start-2026&utm%5Fcontent=05-attitude) (members only)

[Also: every word of the definition, unpacked →](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/defining-athletic-attitude/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=season-start-2026&utm%5Fcontent=05b-defining-attitude) (members only)

**About this letter and the links in it** This one is open to everyone — free to read, and yours to keep. The pieces behind each link are the full working materials: the complete meeting agenda, all four team stages, the twelve attitude behaviors with what to do about each, the captain job descriptions. Those come with membership, along with the rest of the library and Ask Bruce. If you’d like to look around first, there’s a [seven-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/?utm%5Fsource=newsletter&utm%5Fmedium=email&utm%5Fcampaign=season-start-2026&utm%5Fcontent=cta-pricing) — no rush, and no hard feelings if it’s not your year for it. 

Know a coach whose season starts this month? Please forward this along — it lands better coming from a friend.

— Proactive Coaching
### What's the best way to select team captains?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/best-way-to-select-captains/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:45:02.000Z
There is no single best way to select team captains — but there is a wrong one: leaving leadership to chance. Bruce Brown's rule is to do it by design. Start with a clear job description before you fill the job; Proactive Coaching's blueprint is the seven ways a captain leads a team. Then pick a method that fits your roster: coach selection, a team vote, a combination unity council, an application process with letters of recommendation and a commitment letter, or an all-senior leadership team. Every method has worked and every one carries a risk. What matters most is that your leaders live the team covenants and that the job is crystal clear.

## Should players vote for captains, or should the coach choose?

Both can work. A team vote gives players ownership but often becomes a popularity contest — or defaults to the oldest or most talented player. Coach selection builds trust but can breed resentment. If you do vote, change the question: ask not who they want as captain, but who is most committed to your covenants.

## What is a unity council?

It is Tom Osborne's combination method from Nebraska football. Each position group elects one representative and each position coach chooses one, so athletes and coaches are both represented. It works well on large rosters — football, track, wrestling — and lets younger players grow into leadership. Watch for perceptions of favoritism in the coaches' picks.

## Can athletes apply to be captain?

Yes — Bruce Brown used this method at the college level. Give the team the job description, then have athletes apply with a bio, letters of recommendation, and a commitment letter naming which leadership responsibilities they can deliver now and which they will grow into. A public commitment to a specific job almost always gets done.

## Do youth teams need captains at all?

No. Bruce Brown teaches that teams of athletes younger than about 14 do not need a captain. Instead, teach leadership to everybody: show short clips of leadership in action and give every athlete leadership experiences. Whatever method you choose later, stay flexible enough to add natural leaders who emerge mid-season.

The methods above are the what — Bruce Brown walks through the how, tradeoff by tradeoff, in [Methods for Selecting Team Leaders](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/methods-for-selecting-team-leaders/), part of the full library included with [membership — $180/year, 7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### Can attitude actually be taught — and how do I teach it?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/can-attitude-be-taught/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:45:01.000Z
Yes. Bruce Brown is direct about it: a positive athletic attitude can be taught, and it is contagious. Attitude is a choice, but usually one that has to be taught and molded first — most players arrive without a clear picture of what a good athletic attitude is. His sequence is the framework: an athletic attitude must be **clearly defined, taught, expected, and assessed**. Start by defining attitude so clearly it cannot be misunderstood, clarify every word in that definition, then hold players accountable for the attitude they choose to display. Attitude is far more within your control than your team's talent, so treat it as a year-round coaching point, not a personality trait you inherit.

## What does a good athletic attitude actually look like?

Bruce Brown's definition, used at every age and sport: understand and model the core covenants of the team. Be aggressive, enthusiastic, confident, disciplined, and compete fearlessly. Listen, learn, and work. Have faith in your teammates, don't let them down, and put the team ahead of yourself. Maintain integrity and a sense of humor. Give your team an attitude of gratitude.

## Why do I have to define attitude before I can teach it?

Because until you define it, every player supplies their own definition. Bruce learned this as a young coach when a principal asked what he meant by the word he preached constantly. Tell an undefined team it has an attitude problem and nobody thinks you mean them. Define attitude so clearly it cannot be misunderstood — concise, with depth behind every term.

## How do I get players to keep a good attitude all season?

Praise it. Effort and attitude are athlete-owned behaviors — things completely within a player's control, no matter the score or the opponent. Bruce's rule: if you identify and praise effort and attitude, you get effort and attitude at a very high level. Reinforce those controllables generously, and hold every player accountable for the one they choose.

## Whose job is the team's attitude — mine or the players'?

Both, but it starts with you. Bruce is blunt: the attitude of the team is the clearest reflection of its leadership. You model the definition first — be the first to have the team attitude and the last to lose it. Then, because attitude is a choice, players own the daily decision to display it.

The definition above is the what — [Teach Attitude First](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teach-attitude-first/) in the digital library walks through how to teach every term, and a [7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) opens the whole library.
### How do I coach my own child without ruining it for both of us?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/how-to-coach-your-own-child/
Last updated: 2026-09-30T21:28:37.000Z
Separate the roles completely: during practices and games you are "coach" and your child is "athlete," and the moment practice ends you go straight back to "Dad" or "Mom." An estimated 80% of volunteer youth coaches have their own child on the team, and Bruce Brown's guidance starts with that clean separation. Leave your instruction, coach's voice, and whistle on the field — never coach your child at home, never parent them on the field. Treat them as a member of the team, nothing more, nothing less. Ask them before you take the job whether they even want you in that role. You will only be a coach for a season; **you will be a parent for life**.

## Should I coach my own child at all?

Bruce Brown suggests four questions first. Am I doing this for any reason other than to be equally helpful to each child? Can I avoid favoritism — and overcompensation? Is my child playing on this team more important to me than to them? Can I accept their ability and motivation level? If you are unsure, consider starting as an assistant.

## How do I avoid favoritism when coaching my own kid?

Favoritism cuts both ways. Give your child special treatment and you strain their relationships with teammates. Overcorrect by being harder on them and they wonder why they are being punished. The standard Bruce Brown teaches is simple: treat your child as a member of the team — nothing more, nothing less.

## What should we never talk about after games?

Never replay the game in the car. Do not discuss teammates, and do not compare players or siblings. Save any analysis for when you are both back in coach and athlete roles. If your child brings the game to you at home, answer from the parent perspective. Keep checking in with them all season.

## When should I stop coaching my own child?

There will probably come a time when it is best for everyone to let someone else coach your child — because of ability, yours or theirs, or their desires and needs. Make a smooth transition to parent, spectator, and encourager. Scout the next coach, then give them the parent support you appreciated as a coach.

That is the what — Bruce Brown's full teaching on parents, roles, and team culture in the Proactive Coaching library is the how: start a [7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) or bring your specific situation to [Ask Bruce](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/ask-bruce/).
### How do I help parents build their athlete's confidence instead of hurting it?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-building-athlete-confidence/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T03:18:16.000Z
Teach parents that every adult in an athlete's life is either a confidence builder or a confidence cutter — then show them how to be the builder. That is Bruce Brown's framework. Confidence builders encourage; the word literally means "to give courage." They model poise, give honest praise, and never confuse how the athlete performs with who the child is. They release the athlete: let them make decisions, take healthy risks, fail without rescue, and build a trusted relationship with you, the coach. True confidence is earned through preparation and through adults who believe in the athlete. It cannot be faked, purchased, or wished for. Put this framework in front of parents at your preseason meeting.

## What should parents say after a game?

Less than they think. Let the athlete bring the game to you. The car ride home is where the most confidence cutting happens — athletes start tying their worth to playing time and the score. Praise must be honest; kids write off false praise. And body language is eighty percent of what you communicate.

## What does it mean to release an athlete?

Releasing is trusting the athlete's athletic destiny to them instead of controlling it. Don't do things they can do for themselves. Let them make decisions, take healthy risks, and work out their own problems. And release them to the coach — a trusted adult outside the family who believes in them builds lasting confidence.

## What do confidence cutters do?

Sarcasm, anger, blame, and over-involvement. Sarcasm criticizes without offering correction. Words said in anger cannot be brought back and become self-fulfilling. Blaming referees or coaches raises an excuse maker. Criticizing the coach in front of the athlete breaks a bond the athlete needs. Confidence is built slowly, one small success at a time, and destroyed quickly.

## How do parents help an athlete who plays scared?

Bruce Brown names three fears: the scoreboard, mistakes, and other people's reactions. Move the definition of success to what the athlete controls — preparation, attitude, effort. Dignify mistakes made at full speed. If your athlete looks at you after a mistake, they are checking how it made you feel. Teach PRP: play, recover, play.

The answer above is the what; the how — the confidence profiles, builder habits, and six ways to release — is in Bruce Brown's [Confidence: How Parents Can Help Build a Confident Athlete](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/confidence-parents/), part of the full digital library with [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) or a 7-day free trial.
### What do I say to a player who wants to quit mid-season?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/player-wants-to-quit/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:45:00.000Z
Start by listening, then separate the reason from the feeling. Most players who want to quit mid-season are discouraged, not done — Bruce Brown describes how a discouraged player starts blaming, loses interest, and begins thinking about quitting. Ask what is actually driving it. If the answer is hard work, low playing time, or frustration, hold the line: commitment means you finish what you start. Bruce's teaching allows that there may occasionally be a good reason to quit, but hard work is never one of them. Remind the player what they committed to when they joined your team, that being a positive contributor in some role matters more than being a star, and that finishing builds something quitting cannot.

## Should I let a player quit mid-season?

Not for the wrong reasons. Bruce Brown highlights programs where the standard is plain: turning out means you are committed, and commitment means finishing what you start. Those programs make exceptions for personal or family tragedy — not for playing time, hard practices, or a rough stretch of losses.

## What if the player isn't getting playing time?

This is the most common trigger. Bruce Brown cites college admissions experts who weigh two things about an applicant's team experience: did they make a positive difference, and did they see it through. A defined role plus a finished season is worth more, long after sports, than starting ever was.

## How do I handle the conversation itself?

Privately, and start by listening. Bruce Brown describes the slide of a broken player: discouraged first, then blaming, then losing interest, then thinking about quitting. Name where your player is on that slide. If they choose to stay, spotlight it — Bruce tells of a team publicly honoring a teammate who nearly quit and instead decided to finish.

The answer above is the what; Bruce Brown's article [Finish What You Start](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/finish-what-you-start/) and the full library teach the how — free for 7 days, then [membership is $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### Is there a good way to cut players?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/a-good-way-to-cut-players/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:45:00.000Z
No. Bruce Brown taught that there is no good way to cut players — only a respectful one. The approach that made the biggest difference in his own coaching: slow tryouts down by a day or two, let your assistants run practice, and hold a brief personal conversation with every player, every day. Start with your best players so being called over carries no stigma. Ask each athlete, "Have I seen you at your best?" If the answer is no, create the chance. When a cut has to happen, deliver it face to face with honest feedback, never in the middle of practice, and thank the player for the courage it took to try out.

## Why shouldn't coaches post a cut list?

Posting a list is impersonal. It hurts the kids who don't make it and can even invite mockery from students who never had the courage to try out. Bruce Brown began his career posting lists and abandoned the practice. A face-to-face conversation preserves your relationship with the player; a list ends it.

## What should a coach say when cutting a player?

Start by acknowledging the courage it took to try out. Then give honest, caring feedback: where the player ranks, specific strengths and weaknesses, and what to work on in the off-season. Point to other places in your community where they can keep playing, and offer to talk with their parents.

## How do you run tryouts so cuts feel fair?

Talk to every player, every day. Bruce Brown asked each athlete where they thought they stood and whether he had seen them at their best — then arranged for it, such as grouping a player with stronger teammates. Never cut a player mid-practice. Released players shook his hand and thanked him for a fair chance.

## Is there an alternative to cutting players at all?

Sometimes. Coaching junior high, Bruce Brown moved to a no-cut morning program that kept 120 kids playing basketball. Varsity and JV practiced daily; everyone else trained in ability-level groups one morning a week, with games on evenings and weekends, moving up or down as they developed. The program's talent level rose significantly.

The answer above is the what — the how is Bruce Brown's full tryout-conversation process in [No Good Way To Cut Players](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/no-good-way-to-cut-players/), included with [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) and free for 7 days.
### What do I do when my assistant coach and I aren't on the same page?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/assistant-coach-not-aligned/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T03:10:09.000Z
Meet privately, before the next practice, and get specific about where you differ — philosophy, roles, or terminology. Disagreement belongs in the planning room. In front of players, an aligned staff shows well-defined roles, no overlapping duties, and the same terminology for skills and behavioral expectations, so athletes listen to both coaches with equal respect. Bruce Brown taught that it is fine to question decisions while they are being made, but once a decision is made, loyalty means supporting it. Then check yourself: secure leaders are not threatened by strong assistants — *only secure people give power to others*. If you have never defined your assistant's exact responsibilities, start there. Most misalignment is undefined roles, not bad intent.

## Should I address the disagreement in front of the team?

No. Players perform best when every adult does their own role, and mixed messages break that. On misaligned staffs, an assistant talks over the head coach or freelances; on aligned staffs, coaches work cooperatively and independently, each trusting the other to handle their area. Handle differences privately, then present a unified staff.

## How do I know if it's a philosophy gap or an insecurity problem?

Bruce Brown drew the line at security. Secure people know their strengths and weaknesses and are never threatened by people equal to or better than themselves; insecure people create problems that do not exist and want control. Apply the test to yourself first. A strong assistant should feel like an asset, not a threat.

## What does an aligned coaching staff look like in practice?

Each coach arrives knowing the practice plan and their exact responsibilities. Roles are defined, duties do not overlap, and both coaches use the same terminology for skills, techniques, and behavioral expectations. Players listen to both with equal respect. If your staff cannot check those boxes, that is the conversation to have this week.

## What should I look for in my next assistant coach?

The same three things that let any coach be trusted: competence, caring, and character. Then hire up. First-rate people seek out people equal to or better than themselves because it makes the team better; second-rate people hire third-rate people because they want control. Hire someone who will challenge you well.

That is the what — the how is in the library: start with [First Rate People Hire First Rate People](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/first-rate-people-hire-first-rate-people/), included in the [7-day free trial of membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What do I do about a player who loses their temper in competition?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/player-loses-temper/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:59.000Z
Teach the player that a lost temper is not competitiveness — it is emotion out of control, and it costs the team. Bruce Brown draws this line directly: anger, temper, and frustration are wasted energy, and out-of-control emotion does two things — it discourages your teammates and encourages your opponents. So name the behavior privately, without attacking the kid's competitive fire. Then give a replacement skill: Brown's Play, Recover, Play (PRP) routine trains athletes to recover from a mistake or bad call faster than the game requires and get ready for the next play. Practice the recovery routine the way you practice any skill, and hold the standard: composure is a choice, not a personality trait.

## Isn't a hot temper just part of being a competitor?

No. Bruce Brown is explicit: do not confuse anger, temper, or frustration with being competitive. Being mad is not the same as being fired up. Anger may help performance briefly, but a player focused on what made them angry is not prepared for what comes next. In Brown's words, if you lose your poise, you have lost.

## How do I teach a player to recover after a bad call or a mistake?

Use Brown's Play, Recover, Play sequence. Calls, opponents, and results are uncontrollables; the response is always in the player's control. Have the player build a specific refocus routine and rehearse it in practice. Recovery has to happen faster than the game requires, and speed comes from repetition.

## What do I say in the conversation with the player?

Keep the fire, redirect the response. Frustration is normal — the question, as Brown puts it, is where it goes. Privately, tell the player their intensity is an asset and their reaction is the problem: out-of-control emotion discourages teammates and encourages opponents. Brown points to Jackie Robinson — the discipline to not fight back is strength, not softness.

The answer above is the what — for the how, read [Compete: Traits of an Elite Competitor](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/compete-traits-of-an-elite-competitor/) in the library, free for 7 days with a Proactive Coaching trial.
### How do I change an athlete's behavior that's hurting the team?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/change-behavior-hurting-team/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:59.000Z
Use Bruce Brown's five-step process from The Power of Your Words. First, call the behavior exactly what it is — attentiveness, lack of effort — never the vague word "attitude," and go directly to the athlete, one-on-one. Second, get them to see the behavior through somebody else's eyes: a teammate, an official, an opponent. Third, ask one simple question: "Is that who you want to be?" No athlete says yes. Fourth, ask, "Can I walk through this change with you?" — then reward small successes and use private cues when the old behavior surfaces. Fifth, give them ownership. Once the change is permanent, the phrase is *"Look who you have become,"* never "look what I did."

## Why won't threats or punishment change an athlete's behavior?

You can force compliance through fear, but it does not last. The goal is getting the athlete to say, "I need to change. I want to change." Bruce Brown teaches that athletes rise to your level of expectations or fall to your level of tolerance — lasting change is a walk alongside, not a head-butting contest.

## What if the athlete denies the behavior exists?

Some athletes have been enabled and excused for years. Bruce Brown's answer is evidence: film practice or pull a game clip, sit down one-on-one, and say, "Watch nothing except your own body language." Then use no-opt-out questions — "Whose problem is this?" and "Is it clear what I'm asking you to do?"

## How long does it take to change an athlete's behavior?

It depends on trust. Bruce Brown says some kids take a month, some take five minutes — the higher the trust in your team culture, the faster the five steps work. If the process stalls, examine trust first, and make the framing clear: "I'm not doing this to you, I'm for you."

The five steps above are the outline — Bruce Brown walks through the full process in [5 Steps to Changing Behavior](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/5-steps-to-changing-behavior/), part of the library included with [membership — $180/year, 7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What do I do when my best player is my laziest worker?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/best-player-laziest-worker/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:58.000Z
Hold your best player to the same effort standard as everyone else, and have the conversation now, in private. Bruce Brown calls this one of his few nevers: you will never see a great team where the most talented players are not the best workers. Talent buys no exemption — your most talented players need to be your best examples of what the program stands for. Name what you see, define the effort you expect, and attach playing time to work, not ability. Effort is a choice the player owns; tolerating low effort is a choice you own, and your committed players are watching which one you make.

## How do I know if my best players are also my best workers?

Bruce Brown uses a quick exercise. Name your three most talented players — they jump out instantly. Now name your five best workers. If the talented three are not on the worker list, your team is in trouble, because teams are measured by their weakest link, not their best players.

## What happens if I keep playing a lazy star?

Brown describes a four-step cascade. First, the player thinks they're anonymous, but everyone knows. Second, your committed kids reach out and try to pull them toward team standards. Third, when nothing changes, frustration sets in and team performance drops. Fourth, committed kids question your leadership — and once leadership is questioned, the team is gone.

## What do I say in the conversation?

Keep it private, specific, and standards-based. Effort is not a talent — Brown teaches that less than your best effort is a selfish, player-owned decision, which means it can change today. Define the standard, explain that the most talented players must be the best examples of the program, and attach consequences to effort, not ability.

## How do I change a talented player's work habits?

Reward your best workers instead of only punishing poor ones. Brown suggests starting the game with your best practice workers, regardless of talent, until the whole team becomes good workers. When you treat low effort the same as high effort, you tell every player that effort does not matter.

That answer is the what — the how is in Bruce's short clip [Best Players, Best Workers](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/best-players-best-workers/), part of the digital library included with [membership — $180/year, 7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I help a player accept a role they don't want?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/help-player-accept-role/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:58.000Z
Start with an honest role-clarification conversation built around two questions Bruce Brown teaches in 7 Ways to Develop Role Players. First: "What roles can you play right now to contribute to the team?" Be specific and honest. If a player sees himself as a perimeter shooter but shoots under 25 percent from three, say so plainly — that isn't part of the job description yet. Second: "What roles would you like to grow into?" Then commit to helping, even if it means 300 shots a day after practice. That second question is what makes the first one land. The current role stops feeling like a ceiling and becomes a starting point. Acceptance follows honesty plus a real path to growth.

## What do I say to a player who thinks they deserve a bigger role?

Tell the truth with specifics. Bruce Brown's example: a player who wants to shoot the three but hits under 25 percent needs to hear that number, not a vague no. Then move straight to the growth question — what role do you want to grow into — and offer concrete help getting there.

## Why do players reject their roles in the first place?

Often because the roles were never defined or explained. Proactive Coaching teaches listing every job your team needs and explaining why each matters — shooters, screeners, defensive stoppers, encouragers — and how they complement each other. One successful coach carried a toolbox to make the point: you don't build a deck with a box full of hammers.

## How do I make an unwanted role feel valued?

Whatever you praise, recognize, and reward gets perpetuated. One Division I program opens every team meeting with a practice clip of an unnoticed job done excellently — the lineman creating the lane, the tackle eating two blockers. When all roles are visibly valued, players are far more willing to accept theirs.

## Does a player have to keep the same role all season?

No. Roles change through improvement, plateaus, and injuries — how you start is probably not how you finish. Say that up front. Keep assessing whether you have the right people in the right roles and adjust in season. A role accepted today is a starting point, not a sentence.

That's the what — the full [7 Ways to Develop Role Players](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/7-ways-to-develop-role-players/) video teaches the how, step by step, and a [7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) opens the whole Proactive Coaching library.
### How do I correct bad body language on my team?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/correct-bad-body-language/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:58.000Z
Treat body language like any other skill: define it, teach it, practice it, and hold athletes accountable for it. Bruce Brown's approach starts with a clear definition — body language allows everyone to read you, and it can say confidence, poise, and toughness, or frustration, discouragement, and *I give up*. Most athletes have never been taught which messages they send. So teach it directly: weak body language does two things — it discourages your teammates and it encourages your opponent. Then rehearse the correct response in practice, the way Bruce's Walk Away Drill rehearses composure under provocation, and correct individuals privately using his four-step conversation, starting with *"Is that who you want to be?"*

## Why does body language matter so much in sports?

Bruce Brown teaches that body language is a language everyone reads. Roughly eighty percent of communication is body language. Weak body language — palms up, shoulders down, eye rolls — discourages your teammates and signals an "attack alarm" to opponents. Negative body language usually follows bad performance and precedes more of it.

## How do I talk to a player about their body language?

Use Bruce's four-step plan from Teach Attitude First. Away from the crowd and the emotion, help the athlete see the behavior as teammates see it. Ask, "Is that who you want to be?" Then ask, "Can I help you make this change?" When it changes, tell them, "Look who you have become."

## Can you practice good body language like a physical skill?

Yes. That is the point of Bruce's Walk Away Drill. He staged provocation in practice — a shove, trash talk — then had the whole team rehearse the correct response: hands up, walk away. One memorable rehearsal, plus accountability, ended behavior-related personal fouls for years. Test your athletes in practice before competition tests them.

## What if the whole team has bad body language?

Start with yourself. Bruce is blunt with coaches: if you expect athletes to be mentally tough, check your own body language when they struggle. Then define the standard for the team. Attitude is a choice — once it is clearly defined, taught, expected, and assessed, players at any age can be held accountable for it.

That is the what — for the how, watch Bruce run the [Walk Away Drill](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/walk-away-drill/) and get the full teaching library with a [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/), free for the first 7 days.
### How do I confront a player without damaging the relationship?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/confront-without-damaging-relationship/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T03:10:06.000Z
Confront the behavior, never the person, and make sure the player hears that the correction comes from care. Bruce Brown opened every confrontation the same way: "I care too much about you, and I care too much about our team, to allow that behavior to continue." Proactive Coaching calls this being *positive demanding* — demanding without being demeaning. Correct privately whenever possible. Be clear about the exact behavior that has to change, and be honest, discreet, and brief. You demand from players in direct proportion to how much you care about them. The test is simple: you confronted correctly if the behavior changes and the trust between you and the player is not violated.

## What does demanding without being demeaning mean?

It means holding the standard out of care, not anger. A coach who demands out of love and respect gets results; once words become demeaning, the athlete puts up a wall of resistance, trust is broken, and learning stops. Correct the action, not the person, and never embarrass a willing learner.

## Should I correct a player in front of the team?

No. Praise publicly and correct privately whenever possible. Public praise carries double value — the player hears it and the team learns exactly what draws praise. Private correction protects the player's confidence and keeps the relationship intact while you deal directly with the behavior. Be discreet, clear, honest, and brief.

## What happens if I avoid confronting a player?

By not confronting an unacceptable behavior, you send a message of acceptance. What you don't confront, you tolerate — and what is tolerated grows. Let a talented player's effort slide from 100 percent toward 80, and your whole team learns the real standard. Waiting also shrinks your options.

The answer above is the what — Bruce Brown's video [Overview of Shaping](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/overview-of-shaping/) teaches the how, and a 7-day free trial of [membership ($180/year)](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) opens the full library.
### How do I help my team bounce back after a tough loss?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/bounce-back-after-tough-loss/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:57.000Z
Bring the energy yourself, eliminate excuses, and point your players back to behaviors they control. Bruce Brown's advice for struggling teams starts with the coach: your athletes take their emotional cue from you, so never appear discouraged in front of them. Refocus the team on athlete-owned behaviors — attitude, effort, preparation — because those stay in their control no matter the scoreboard. Communicate hope to the individuals who are hurting; help them see more in themselves than they currently see. Don't replay the whole game film with players — show only a few teachable moments. Then celebrate every small success on the way back. Losses are teachers: learn, work, and move on.

## What should I say to my team after a bad loss?

Focus on solutions, not excuses. Bruce Brown teaches coaches to eliminate excuses from the culture — no blaming refs, conditions, or luck — and to ask what the team can do differently. Keep the vision clear: if you stay the course and work the process, you will get there. Communicate belief, especially to players who are hurting.

## Should we watch film after a tough loss?

Coaches can break down video as much as it is beneficial — but don't dwell on it with players. Bruce Brown recommends showing athletes only a few plays that are genuine teachable moments. The competitor's question is what could we have done differently: get answers, then move on and compete.

## How do I keep my team motivated during a losing season?

Anchor the season to core covenants built on athlete-owned behaviors — things completely in their control, like attitude, effort, and preparation. In one of Bruce Brown's examples, a first-year soccer team chose one covenant, preparation, stayed committed through an 0-14 start, and won its last six games. Celebrate small successes; don't wait for the first win.

## How do I bounce back as the coach?

Losing sleep after a hard loss means you invested — every coach who cares goes through it. Half the teams that play lose every Friday. Compete against your own potential, not your opponent. Learn what you can, keep home separate from coaching, lean on your staff and a mentor, and go back to work.

This answer is the what — Bruce Brown teaches the how, step by step, in [10 Thoughts for When Your Team Is Struggling](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/10-thoughts-for-when-your-team-is-struggling/), available in the Proactive Coaching library with a [7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What do my athletes actually want from me as their coach?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/what-athletes-want-from-a-coach/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:57.000Z
Athletes want a coach who believes in them before they are successful, teaches the game well, and treats them as people first — not as a means to winning. Bruce Brown framed it as five commitments in Be the Coach You Would Have Liked to Play For: be professional, be a master teacher, be an example, be a confidence builder, and be a team builder. They want a climate that is safe — safe to take healthy risks, safe from ridicule — and standards they can rise to rather than rules they will test. And they want to be asked. Brown's advice is simple: don't guess what your athletes want. Ask them specific questions all season long.

## How do I find out what my athletes actually want?

Ask them directly, three times a year. Bruce Brown's Athlete Questions article gives coaches preseason, midseason, and postseason questions. Preseason: list three reasons why you play. Midseason: do you know where you stand on the team? What can the coaching staff do better? Their answers tell you how to coach each athlete.

## Do athletes want a demanding coach?

Yes — when the demands come from love and respect. Brown distinguishes positive-demanding coaches from demeaning ones. A coach who is demanding out of love and respect gets a full response; once words turn demeaning, trust breaks and learning stops. Be a confidence builder, not a confidence cutter — correct mistakes honestly while stressing what athletes can do.

## What kind of team culture do athletes want?

A safe one. Brown teaches coaches to create a climate that is physically safe, safe to take healthy risks, safe from ridicule, and safe from unnecessary outside pressure. Build your team on standards athletes will rise to, not rules they will test. Being part of something bigger than themselves is the lesson they keep.

That is the what — for the how, Bruce Brown's [Athlete Questions](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/athlete-questions/) article and the rest of the Proactive Coaching library are open with a 7-day free trial of [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What are the signs of coaching burnout — and how do I avoid it?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/avoid-coaching-burnout/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:56.000Z
The signs of coaching burnout are fatigue, cynicism, negativity, irritability, anger toward people making demands, exploding over things that are not important, feeling your full effort and commitment are never enough, and feeling betrayed by your school, community, or profession. Bruce Brown identifies burnout as one of the stages of coaching — a crossroads reached after the technical stage, alongside prove-it, status quo, and significance. Coaches in this stage say the same things: coaching is no longer fun, I have sacrificed too much, I am physically and mentally drained. You avoid it by taking the signs seriously — the worst thing you can do is nothing — pinpointing your sources of stress, and protecting the parts of the job that bring you satisfaction.

## What causes coaches to burn out?

In Bruce Brown's Stages of Coaching, burnout follows a crossroads. After the technical stage, frustration builds — limited practice time, players who don't share your urgency, parents questioning your decisions. Add outside pressure and self-inflicted pressure, without enough relationships to fall back on, and the result is a coach who is physically and mentally drained.

## How do I recover from coaching burnout?

Pinpoint the sources of stress and unhappiness, then act. Protect the parts of the job that are meaningful. Change your routine. Revisit why you are coaching with people you respect who see the big picture. Delegate. Step back to an assistant role, take time off, or try a new sport. Fall back on relationships with other coaches.

## How do coaches avoid burnout long-term?

Coach for significance. Bruce Brown's goal for every coach is to reach the significance stage — coaching beyond the X's and O's to impact the lives of athletes — as early as possible and stay there for an entire career. Coaches at that stage build lifetime relationships, keep perspective, and stay in the profession.

## Does treating coaching as a calling prevent burnout?

It helps you see the difference. In Job, Career or Calling, Bruce Brown contrasts coaches driven by a paycheck or a ladder with coaches whose work is its own reward. When coaching is a calling, the mission carries you through hard seasons. When the joy is gone and every day drags, treat it as a warning sign.

The signs above are the what; the how is in Bruce Brown's full [Stages of Coaching](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/stages-of-coaching/) — read it free with a [7-day library trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What should I study in my first year of coaching?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/first-year-study-plan/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:56.000Z
Study how coaches grow before you study more X's and O's. Bruce Brown maps a coaching career in five stages — First Years, Proving Yourself, Significance, Status Quo, Burnout — and the goal is to shorten the first two and reach significance. That gives your first year three subjects. One: the survival traps of the First Years stage — being too close to players and not demanding enough, or confusing demanding with demeaning. Two: smart learning. Trial and error is the most expensive training there is; books, clinics, and a mentor who walks alongside you are the inexpensive kind. Three: the people side — parents, playing time, and communication — because it surprises every new coach.

## What are the growth stages of coaching?

Bruce Brown names five: First Years, Proving Yourself, Significance, Status Quo, and Burnout. First Years is survival — parents, playing time, new practice plans every day. Proving Yourself lets the scoreboard rule your moods. Significance is coaching for competence and character. Your aim is to shorten the first two stages and stay out of the last two.

## Do new coaches need a mentor?

Yes. Bruce Brown writes that inexperienced coaches don't know what they don't know. Trial and error is the most expensive kind of training; clinics, books, and mentors are the smart, inexpensive kind. Find an experienced coach to walk alongside you, meet regularly, and bring your topics ahead of time. Mentored coaches grow faster and stay in the profession.

## What mistakes do first-year coaches make?

Two survival traps show up in the First Years stage: getting too close to your players and not demanding enough, or turning overly forceful — confusing demanding with demeaning. The next trap is Proving Yourself: putting winning ahead of your athletes and letting results decide your relationships. Study both traps now, before your season tests you.

The stages above are the map; the library teaches you how to move through them — start with [Growth Stages of Coaching](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/growth-stages-of-coaching/) free during the [7-day trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I build trust fast when I'm the new coach?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/build-trust-fast/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:55.000Z
Earn trust in three areas at once: **professional preparation**, **personal caring**, and **consistent character**. After interviewing athletes about trust, Bruce Brown found those are the three reasons players trust a coach — the framework behind The Impact of Trust. Trust normally takes time, but Brown teaches that the process accelerates when you approach it intentionally. Start with what you control on day one. Plan every practice in detail. Teach clearly, and correct the action, not the person. Show each athlete you care about them beyond their ability. Enforce the same standards for everyone, including your best player. You begin with credibility just because of the word coach. Every decision after that is a deposit or a withdrawal.

## What makes athletes trust a coach in the first place?

Bruce Brown identifies three reasons: professional preparation — knowledge, teaching ability, and coaching style — personally caring for the individual, and purposeful, consistent character. All three are required. Athletes may trust a kind coach with a personal problem, but they will not trust game decisions without competence. Trust is built by actions, not talk.

## Can a new coach speed up building trust?

Yes. Brown writes that trust normally takes time but the process accelerates when you approach it intentionally. Come prepared every day — disorganization cannot be hidden. Reward effort and attitude publicly, by name. Be "tough/nice": strong without being oppressive, sensitive without being soft. Consistency gives athletes stability, and stability is what a new team trusts first.

## What breaks trust fastest with a new team?

Inconsistency. Different rules for star players cost you credibility with everyone, including the star. So does coaching by fear or micromanaging — control erodes confidence and invites your strongest personalities to resist. Brown compares trust to a bank account: good decisions are deposits, bad ones are withdrawals, and an empty account ends your leadership.

## Why does trust matter so much for young athletes?

Because athletics puts kids in public to fail. As Proactive Coaching partner Rob Miller points out, a failed math test stays between student and teacher; failing in a game happens in front of teammates, opponents, and fans. Athletes accept that risk for coaches they trust. Trust gives them the freedom to try, fail, and improve.

The three reasons are the what; Bruce Brown's booklet [The Impact of Trust](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-impact-of-trust/) teaches the how — the ten traits of prepared coaches and the six ways to show caring — and it is included in [membership — $180/year, with a 7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I plan a practice that doesn't waste anyone's time?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/plan-an-effective-practice/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:55.000Z
Give every drill a purpose, put the plan in writing, and sequence it around how athletes actually learn. Bruce Brown's rule: good coaches plan — great coaches plan every detail. Start by knowing your constraints — time, space, number of players, number of coaches — because wasted practice time usually comes from not planning around them. Put new drills and concepts that require thinking early, when minds are fresh; save simple, essential fundamentals for the end, when players are tired. Every drill must apply directly to your offensive or defensive system and simulate game conditions — if it doesn't, cut it. Then write your plan, post your plan, and follow it. Start on time, stay on time, end on time.

## How long should each drill last?

Short segments. If a skill needs twenty minutes, break it into two ten-minute segments — or better, four five-minute segments. Repetition is the key to motor learning: small doses, repeated regularly, at game speed and maximum effort. Once a skill is taught, shorten the time segments and vary the drills.

## Should practice include separate conditioning time?

Usually not. Get conditioning done during drills run at normal pace, instead of as a separate block. If your team only practices once a week, conditioning has little or no effect by game day — that time is better spent on skills. Making drills competitive raises intensity and motivation on its own.

## How do I know if practice is actually working?

Don't confuse activity with achievement. Achievement is activity that produces improvement in skill level — busy is not the same as better. The four factors that drive team improvement are attention, effort, your teaching ability, and your use of practice time. Keep a written record of each practice with comments, and adjust the next plan from it.

## What should I plan before the season starts?

A master checklist. List every individual and team skill you need to teach, place each one on the season calendar, and prioritize essentials over non-essentials — you will not get to everything. Then build a delegation list so each assistant coach or parent knows exactly which duties and skills are theirs.

This is the what — [Planning and Coaching – Coach as a Professional](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/planning-and-coaching-coach-as-a-professional/) in the Proactive Coaching library teaches the how, free for 7 days or with [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What's my job on game day — how much should I actually coach?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/game-day-coaching/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:56.000Z
On game day, your job shrinks: teach less, model more. Bruce Brown's game-coaching principles are blunt about it — modeling confidence, concentration, and poise is **the single most important contribution you can make** during competition. Keep the game simple. Be careful how much teaching you try to do during the game itself; most instruction belongs in practice, so take notes and coach it tomorrow. Use only behaviors that actually help your team perform — not the ones that make you the center of attention. Coaches who yell constant instruction teach athletes to wait for someone else to do their thinking. And your team responds to adversity exactly the way you do. They do what you do.

## Should I be teaching during the game?

Very little — and less than you think. Look at what happens a lot in the game at the level you coach, and get good at those things in practice. When you spot a teaching point mid-game, write it down. That note builds your next practice plan, where real teaching belongs.

## How should I act when things go wrong in a game?

Respond to adversity the way you want your athletes to respond — they will do what you do. Be the same person you are in practice. Keep the focus on your team's performance, not on opponents, officials, or conditions. Your poise under pressure is contagious. So is your panic.

## What should I say to my team after the game?

Bruce Brown's rule is simple: if you can't end on a positive note, say nothing at all and wait until the next day. What athletes need after a game is time and space. If you do speak, use the moment to spotlight your team's themes — briefly.

## What if my players keep making mistakes I've already covered?

Don't excuse yourself. "I've taught you that" really means teach it better. Labels like "can't hold a lead" or "panics in the clutch" hand responsibility to the player. Bruce Brown's answer: make yourself coach it. Every game-day failure is a practice-plan assignment, not a character verdict.

These principles come from Bruce Brown's [Game Coaching](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/game-coaching/) article — the full piece, and the rest of the Proactive Coaching library that teaches the how, is one [7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) away.
### How do I prepare for a coaching interview?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/prepare-for-coaching-interview/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:54.000Z
Prepare in two directions: rehearse your answers to values-based questions, and bring your own questions to evaluate the school. Bruce Brown built interview tools for both sides of the table. On your side, expect questions about character, not just tactics — your personal core values, the best team you have ever been part of, what integrity and commitment look like in daily behavior, and whether you will accept accountability to the program's covenants. On the school's side, use the moment when the committee asks, *"Do you have any questions for us?"* Ask what the athletic department stands for, how it defines success, and how long coaches stay. Then rate each answer a Green, Yellow, or Red Light.

## What questions should I ask when interviewing for a coaching job?

Bruce Brown's Coach Interview tool covers ten areas: leadership, department culture, professional development, facilities, sharing athletes, the booster club, community support, coaching longevity, how success is defined, and the teaching staff. Ask the athletic director directly — "What do you like and dislike about your job?" reveals more than any brochure.

## How does the Green, Yellow, and Red Light system work?

Each answer earns a rating. Green means a good-to-great job. Yellow means be cautious — ask yourself, "Can I change this or if I can't change this, can I live with it?" Red means ask the committee what plans they have to change it. One Red Light, or more Yellows than Greens, means little chance for success.

## What questions will a school ask me in a coaching interview?

Values-driven programs interview for character. Expect questions like: What are your personal core values? Who are your life mentors? Describe a time your integrity was challenged. What would you do if a teammate violated team values? Prepare specific stories; these questions test team-first attitude, integrity, and commitment.

## How do I know if a coaching job is a good fit?

Settle the hard questions before you sign. Proactive Coaching urges coaches to address discretion and support in the interview itself: Where will the administration stand when you take a stand for team covenants? When parents complain? A school that hedges on those answers now will hedge midseason.

The list above is the framework; Bruce Brown's complete [Coach Interview](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/coach-interview/) checklist — all ten questions with every Green, Yellow, and Red Light answer — is in the library with a 7-day free trial of [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### Should I take a job at a program that keeps burning through coaches?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/high-turnover-job/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:55.000Z
Usually not. Constant coach turnover is rarely about the coaches — it points to the administration. In Bruce Brown's framework for evaluating a job, four coaches in ten years means one of two things: the administration is hiring the wrong people, which signals poor selection and judgment, or it is hiring the right people and not supporting them. Either way, the problem will still be there when you arrive. Brown's blunt advice to young coaches is that the best way to stay in the profession is to not take a bad job. Before you accept, look at the history of administrative support at that school — it is doubtful it will change, good or bad.

## What are the red flags before taking a coaching job?

Bruce Brown lists specific warning signs: four coaches in ten years, three Athletic Directors in ten years, parents who have run more than one coach out, an AD who can't tell you exactly what they want in a coach and a program, no shared operational values across the athletic department, and a roster you don't control.

## What does it mean when parents have run coaches out?

It means the administration has taught parents that its door is open to complaints and that enough noise removes the coach. Rather than deal with out-of-control parents and back the coach, these administrators find it easier to replace the coach. Take that job and you inherit that expectation on day one.

## What are the green flags that a program is worth joining?

Look for an established, long-term, full-time, successful Athletic Director — ideally one active in the state AD association. Look for coaches with longevity and success, mentor coaches available to you, and a school that encourages and supports coach training. These are Brown's green flags: signs of a program that develops coaches instead of consuming them.

## Is high coach turnover a sign a program is in trouble?

Yes. In Brown's program assessment, constant turnover in coaches is one of the warning signs of a Level 3 program — one in trouble that needs to be turned around. In those programs, coaches don't feel supported, young coaches are left to figure it out on their own, and schools lose coaches to burnout and parent pressure.

The checklist above is the what — Bruce Brown's full article [Take The Job Or Not](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/take-the-job-or-not/) and the rest of the Proactive Coaching library teach the how, free for 7 days with a trial, then [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I get my seniors to lead instead of coast?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/get-seniors-to-lead/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T03:10:01.000Z
Give every senior a defined leadership job — then teach it and hold them to it. Bruce Brown's standard is blunt: a player who has been in your program three or four years should be expected to step up and lead. So challenge each senior to own one specific part of team leadership. Have them study a real job description, meet with you about which natural gifts they bring, choose a role, and declare how they will help the team. Seniors coast when leadership is treated as a reward for age. They lead when it is assigned, taught, and reviewed like any other skill. Don't leave leadership to chance — build it by design.

## What leadership roles can seniors actually fill?

Bruce Brown's Captains framework defines seven paired responsibilities under one rule: be first, be last. Be first to serve, last to be served. First to lead by example, last to violate team standards. First to communicate, praise teammates, protect and defend, confront violations, and encourage. No senior needs every strength — the leadership group needs them collectively.

## How do I handle seniors who act entitled instead of responsible?

Reverse the pattern. On most teams, the longer players stay, the less they are expected to do. Bruce Brown teaches the opposite: the longer you are in the program, the more you serve. Make daily team duties a privilege of leadership rather than a chore handed down to underclassmen, and entitlement loses its footing.

## Do captains or a leadership council work better?

Structure matters more than the title. In an account Proactive Coaching published, one college soccer team set team covenants and built a seven-player leadership council of upperclassmen who met weekly with the coach and personally welcomed every freshman into the standards. Their season swung from disappointing to undefeated conference champions.

## What do I say to a senior who is coasting?

Point to a standard, not a rule. Bruce Brown teaches that people rise to standards but test rules. One standard — don't let your teammates down — covers effort, attention, eligibility, and decisions away from the team. Ask the coasting senior which of those their current example is teaching the underclassmen.

The answer above is the what — the role-by-role how is in [Captains: Seven Ways to Lead Your Team](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/captains-seven-ways/), part of the full digital library with [membership ($180/year, 7-day free trial)](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### I just got my first head coaching job — what do I do first?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/new-coach-first-steps/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:54.000Z
Start with a written plan — your coaching philosophy, your team standards, and your expectations for players and parents, on paper before you run a single practice. Bruce Brown's Four Keys framework gives you the order of operations: plan, teach, motivate, build a team. Then map the season's critical points before it starts: your first meeting with players and parents, your first practice, the second and third practices where routine and climate get set, the first game, the first win, and the first loss. Decide now how you will respond to each. The culture of your team is in your complete control, and your team's behavior will be the clearest reflection of your leadership.

## What should I do before my first practice?

Hold a preseason meeting with players and parents. Bruce Brown calls it one of the critical points of the season: a bad practice gets a second chance, but this is usually your only chance to set the right tone with parents. Send your philosophy, schedules, and written expectations ahead of time.

## How should a new head coach run early practices?

Your second and third practices are where routine and climate get established. Plan every detail. Keep drills short with lots of repetitions, give every drill a purpose, and start, stay, and end on time. Don't confuse activity with achievement, as John Wooden said — achievement is activity that produces improvement in skill.

## How do I earn credibility as a first-year coach?

Credibility comes from knowledge and preparation, and preparation provides confidence. Teach skills through the four steps of motor learning — define, model, shape, reinforce. Be positive and demanding without being demeaning, and when a player errs at full effort, correct the mistake, not the person.

## What matters most in your first season?

Culture. The culture of the team is in the complete control of the coach, and your team's behavior will be the clearest reflection of your leadership. Turn slogans into action statements: define exactly what respect and effort look like in practice, in games, and everywhere else.

That's the what — the how is in the full [Four Keys to a Successful Season](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/youth-coaching-4-keys-to-a-successful-season/) booklet, yours with a [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) or a free 7-day trial.
### How do I motivate players who don't seem to care?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/motivate-players-who-dont-care/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:53.000Z
Start by treating apathy as a symptom, not a character flaw. Bruce Brown teaches that five things drain a player's natural motivation: consistent defeats, outside pressure from parents, mental or physical tiredness, a game made too complex, and negative coaching — and the coach controls most of them. Fix the climate first. Then apply his core principle: decide what matters to you and the team, and find a way to make it matter to your players. Measure and reward the small things that help the team, build small successes into every practice, and learn each player individually — some respond to praise, others to a push. Fear produces compliance. Love, trust, and respect produce commitment.

## Why do some athletes stop caring about their sport?

In Motivational Strategies for Coaches, Bruce Brown lists five things that hurt natural motivation and love of the game: consistent defeats, outside pressure from parents, mental or physical tiredness, making the game too complex, and negative coaching. You control the last two completely and can influence the others — start there before labeling a player unmotivated.

## Does fear or punishment work to motivate athletes?

Fear works, but only short term. Brown teaches that fear produces compliance — watered-down commitment — plus resentment and players who avoid responsibility to avoid mistakes. Love, trust, and respect motivate longer and deeper: teammates complete tasks because they don't want to let each other down. Never punish physical errors, and avoid running as punishment where conditioning matters.

## How do you reach a player who doesn't respond to your usual approach?

Be adjustable, flexible, and creative. Brown's rule: know which buttons to push — some players need praise, some need a push, some an aggressive approach, some a calm one. Learn how each athlete is wired and how they learn, then watch how they respond and adjust. No motivational outcome is worth breaking a player's spirit.

## What are practical ways to build motivation in practice?

Measure what matters. Brown's principle: whatever you measure is more likely to get done, so track "Team Points" for the small things — diving on the floor, setting screens, taking charges. Build small successes into practice, even if you have to set them up, and end every practice on a fun note.

This answer is the what; the how — Team Points, positive demanding leadership, and practice design — is in [Motivational Strategies for Coaches](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/motivational-strategies-for-coaches/), available with a 7-day free trial of [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I keep bench players engaged when they're not in the game?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/engage-bench-players/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:53.000Z
Give every bench player a real, named role — then treat that role as essential. Bruce Brown taught that the best teams are made up of multiple roles: scorers, screeners, encouragers, defensive stoppers, leaders, followers. List every job your team needs to perform at its peak, explain why each one matters, and get role clarification with every player so they understand, accept, embrace, fulfill, and grow their role. Then honor the players who fill the small ones. Mention their names in interviews. Tell them individually how they are helping the team. As Brown wrote, quoting John Wooden, "acknowledge the unacknowledged." Engagement follows value: players stay invested when their contribution is visibly needed.

## How do I give bench players a meaningful role?

Start by listing every job your team needs done, then match players to roles and clarify each one directly with the player. Bruce Brown recommended two questions: What role can you fill now? What role would you like to grow into? Then commit to working with the player toward it — so no role feels limiting.

## What should I say to the last kid on my bench?

Tell them you admire them. Brown wrote that it takes real courage to stay on a team knowing you will seldom play — and that if anyone deserves special treatment, it is these athletes. Give them leadership responsibility, such as a bench captain, and never let anyone embarrass a willing learner.

## Do role players really affect winning?

Yes. Great teams have great depth, and the person who makes the most significant contribution is often the one who energizes and encourages others, not the most talented. Bench players who study the game, work hard, and stay positive also tend to become excellent coaches and teachers later in life.

## Can a bench player's role change mid-season?

It should be able to. Brown taught coaches to emphasize from the start that all roles can change during the season — players grow and improve, and injuries force adjustments. Keep assessing whether the right people are in the right roles, and keep telling your bench their path is open.

That's the what — for the how, read Bruce Brown's full article [The Last Kid On Your Bench](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-last-kid-on-your-bench/) in the Proactive Coaching library, free for 7 days with a [membership trial ($180/year)](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I develop team leaders instead of just naming them?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/develop-team-leaders/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:52.000Z
Give your leaders a real job description, then teach and mentor it every day — a title develops no one. Proactive Coaching's teaching is direct: leadership never happens by chance; leaders must be developed. Naming a captain because they are a senior, popular, or talented hands out a label, not a skill. Development starts when you define the actual work. The framework is the seven ways to lead a team: be the first to serve, the first to lead by example, the lifeline of communication between coach and team, the first to praise others, the first to protect and defend, the first to confront violations of team standards, and the first to encourage.

## Why doesn't naming a captain produce a leader?

Because a title is not development. As Proactive Coaching teaches, leadership won't come just because someone is a senior, a captain, popular, or talented. One athlete put it plainly: told she was a leader since fifth grade, she said no one had ever taught her how to lead. Define the work, then mentor it daily.

## What should a team captain's job description include?

Real leadership decisions, not logistics like calling the coin flip. The seven ways to lead give captains concrete daily work: serve first, model team standards, carry communication between coach and team, praise others before yourself, protect and defend teammates, confront anyone not living up to standards, and encourage when others get discouraged.

## Why don't teams have natural leaders anymore?

Because the experiences that once built them are gone. Earlier generations organized their own games, managed themselves, and resolved their own conflicts; today adults organize everything. The leaders are still in your athletes — the real question is whether you have developed them. Hand leadership back and let your kids lead.

## Should only captains lead the team?

No. Bruce Brown writes that leadership should be available for anyone who wants to do the work, not left to designated captains or the best players. Any player can arrive early, set the standard for effort, encourage teammates, or make an underclassman feel valued. The more people willing to lead, the better the team.

The seven ways above are the what; Bruce Brown's booklet [Equipping and Empowering Team Leaders](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/equipping-and-empowering-team-leaders/) teaches the how — read it in the digital library with a [7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I spot the athletes who could become leaders?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/spot-future-leaders/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:52.000Z
Watch for character first, then for behavior under pressure. Bruce Brown's fifteen traits of natural leaders start there: character is the foundation that lets an athlete be trusted and followed. From there, look for a teachable spirit — the athlete who takes correction as a compliment. Look for problem solvers who face small issues before they grow. Look for emotional control when the game turns. Look for players who choose truth over popularity, who can follow as well as lead, and who are doers, not complainers. Passion, perseverance, and appreciation for every role on the team round out the picture. None of this requires a title. It shows up in daily habits long before you name anyone a leader.

## What do natural leaders look like before anyone names them?

In Bruce Brown's teaching, natural leaders are visible before any vote: excellent character, good listening, words that are thoughtful and bold, creativity, perseverance when things get difficult, and a positive, uncomplaining attitude. They are not afraid to be in front, and they know the difference between popularity and leadership.

## Is the most popular athlete the right choice for captain?

Not necessarily. Brown warns against confusing popularity with leadership. Team votes often become popularity contests or simply reward your most talented player, and that seldom holds up as the season progresses. Look instead for the athlete who chooses truth over popularity — the hard right over the easy wrong.

## Can leadership be taught, or is it only natural?

Both. Brown teaches that the best team cultures do not leave leadership to chance — they teach it. Not everyone can lead, but athletes with some natural ability become strong leaders when you give them a clear path and a job description. Spot the raw traits, then develop them by design.

That is what to look for — Bruce Brown's full [15 Traits of Natural Leaders](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/15-traits-of-natural-leaders/) and the rest of the leadership library show you how to develop them, with [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) and a 7-day free trial.
### How do I get players to hold each other accountable?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/peer-to-peer-accountability/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:52.000Z
Players hold each other accountable when three things are in place: standards they helped build, trust between teammates, and a clear method for confrontation. Start with team covenants — behaviors your team agrees to live all the time and is willing to hold each other accountable to. Bruce Brown teaches **two levels of accountability**. The first is personal: I am responsible for myself. The second appears only on great teams: we are willing to hold each other accountable — because I care too much about you and the team to let us slip. Most teams never reach the second level because players have no method. Give them one: agreed rules of engagement that make correction respectful, direct, and expected.

## Why won't my players call each other out?

Usually players want to — but few have an application method or the courage to follow through. Bruce Brown teaches "rules of engagement" and "codes of confrontation": agreed ways to correct a teammate. When athletes have a clear path, teams move quickly to higher trust and performance.

## What does peer accountability sound like on a team?

Respectful but direct. Straight talk is essential on teams that care, trust, and want to win. Proactive Coaching calls this "carefrontation" — confrontation means you care, so the player giving correction and the player receiving it can both assume positive intent. The message underneath: I care too much about this team to let us slip.

## What role do captains and team leaders play?

Your leaders go first. Teach them the leadership principle "be the first to confront violations of team standards" — and its companion, be the first to encourage. Choose leaders your players respect, then train them; the Captains and Coaches Workshop model builds covenants and accountability with coaches and leadership athletes together.

## Can you build peer accountability without trust?

No. Accountability between teammates only appears where trust already exists, and communication creates that trust. Build relationships player to player — Washington softball coach Heather Tarr pairs older players with younger ones so mentoring and honest feedback become normal. Small accountability groups or trust partners work the same way.

The steps above are the what — the how lives in the Proactive Coaching digital library: hear it applied in [Heather Tarr — Accountability, Honesty, Trust!](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/heather-tarr-accountability-honesty-trust/), free for 7 days with a trial or $180/year with [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What do I do when my players are playing scared?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/players-playing-scared/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:51.000Z
Remove the fear from competition. Players play scared when they believe they are being judged by the scoreboard and by their mistakes — so they play to not make mistakes: passively, nervously, carefully. Bruce Brown's teaching is blunt: being afraid of failing nearly always equates to failing more, and no athlete performs well or improves while passive. So change what your team believes gets judged. Put the emphasis on effort, learning, and improvement instead of comparative performance. Watch your own face — frustration or anger from the bench will not help a low-confidence kid play better. And distinguish fearless from careless: you still demand urgency, focus, and competing to win, just without punishing the risk-taking that competing requires.

## Why are my players playing tight and tentative?

Usually fear of failure. Bruce Brown describes it: playing scared is playing passively, nervously, carefully, to avoid mistakes — and being afraid of failing nearly always equates to failing more. Look at what your athletes have learned they are judged on: when the emphasis is comparative performance rather than effort and improvement, tentative play follows.

## How do I coach a player who is afraid of making mistakes?

Be a confidence builder. Bruce Brown names the traits: encourage — literally "give courage" — with honest praise, never confusing how the athlete performs with who the athlete is; model quiet confidence with your own face and body language; and remove fear from competition so the athlete can play fearlessly, not carelessly.

## Does yelling at players make them play scared?

Yes. In Bruce Brown's interviews, athletes said quick-tempered coaches were hard to trust: you never know which mistake will set them off, so you end up playing scared and not free. Others simply tune the coach out. A determined, poised face gives players positive energy; frustration and anger will not.

## How do I build real confidence in my team?

Confidence cannot be wished for; it comes from demonstrated skill and previous success. Earn it in practice: focused, specific, game-speed rehearsal of the skills and decisions competition demands. Then teach players to compete against their own potential, not the opponent — that gives the same positive focus every game: best effort.

The answer above is the what — Bruce Brown's full *Playing With Confidence (To Coaches)* teaches the how, and it's in the digital library with a [7-day free trial of membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What do I do when my captains aren't stepping up?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/captains-not-stepping-up/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:51.000Z
Give your captains a real job description — most captains don't step up because they were never told what the job actually is. Proactive Coaching calls this a leadership void, and the fix has four parts: select leaders based on commitment to your team's values, not talent, popularity, or seniority; define specifically what you want them to do in practice, in games, and away from the team; give them visible authority by telling the team they lead with your approval; and mentor them with regular one-on-one time, in season and out. Bruce Brown's rule is simple: don't leave team leadership to chance or popularity — do it by design.

## Why aren't my team captains leading?

Usually because they were chosen for the wrong reasons. Voting after tryouts becomes a popularity contest, and talent or seniority doesn't guarantee respect. Ask your team a different question: not who they want as captain, but who is most committed to your team covenants. That answer shows who teammates will actually follow.

## What should a captain's job description include?

Bruce Brown frames it as be first, be last: first to serve, first to lead by example, first to be a lifeline of communication between coach and team, first to praise others, first to protect and defend, first to confront violations of team standards, and first to encourage. One captain doesn't need all seven; the group covers them together.

## How do I mentor my captains during the season?

You can't appoint leaders and just tell them to go get them. Meet regularly — even lunch once a week, in season and off. Read a leadership book together. Then rehearse the scenarios every team faces: a teammate slacking off, teammates arguing, criticism of the coach. Ask each captain: will you be ready, and what action will you take?

The framework above is the what; the how — including the complete [Captains — Seven Ways to Lead Your Team](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/captains-seven-ways/) booklet — is in the Proactive Coaching digital library, free to read for 7 days with a [trial membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I prevent hazing and build positive traditions instead?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/prevent-hazing-positive-traditions/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:50.000Z
Replace hazing by putting positive traditions in its place — deliberately. Bruce Brown teaches that every program will have traditions; the only question is whether they are negative (hazing) or positive, and which path yours takes is the coach's responsibility. Hazing survives on one mentality: "This is what was done to me, and now it is my turn and my right to do it to someone else, and I am going to add on a little bit." It crosses quickly from harmless to harmful or illegal. Provide the alternative path: intentional traditions that welcome new members, bond teammates and coaches, reward the behaviors that build a better team, and support your core covenants — then let your seniors pass them on.

## Why does hazing happen on sports teams?

From the athlete's perspective it is simple: it was done to me, now it is my turn — and I will add on a little bit. Left to chance, that becomes an unstated negative tradition. Each year about one and a half million high school athletes report being "welcomed" by initiation.

## How should you welcome new team members instead?

Your team leaders reach out first. They introduce new members to teammates, walk them through your core covenants — "the way we do things in this culture" — and share team history so newcomers see the path into the inner circle. Do it in the first meetings and practices, by design, not accident.

## What makes a tradition positive?

Positive traditions exist to bond teammates and coaches, reward behaviors that make a better team, support your core covenants, and have fun. Explain the lesson behind each tradition when you introduce it. Once traditions are established, let your seniors introduce them to younger players — that ownership is where real leadership grows.

That is the what — for the how, read Bruce Brown's [101 Positive Athletic Traditions](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/101-positive-athletic-traditions/) in the library with a free 7-day trial or an individual [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I build real confidence in my athletes?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/build-athlete-confidence/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:51.000Z
Real confidence is built through preparation, not pep talks. Bruce Brown taught that confidence cannot be purchased, wished for, or faked — it has to be learned, earned, and cultivated. Three practices do the work. First, prepare your athletes so thoroughly that they trust their training; confidence is a state of mind that says they are ready. Second, create victories in practice. Small successes lead to more aggressive, confident, fearless athletes, and confidence spirals upward from there. Third, believe in your athletes before they are successful, so they can believe in themselves. And hold the standard: true confidence is carried quietly. If your athletes are good, they should never have to tell anyone.

## Why can't I just tell my athletes to be confident?

Because confidence is earned, not announced. Bruce Brown was direct about this: it does not come from telling a young athlete, "Hey, be confident." Confidence comes from demonstrated skill and previous success. Your job is to build the preparation that produces those successes — Proactive Coaching shortens it to PBC: Preparation Builds Confidence.

## What does real confidence look like in an athlete?

It is quiet. Ask an athlete how Friday's game will go. The arrogant one predicts the outcome: "We are going to kick their butt." The truly confident one talks about preparation: "We have had a great week of practice and are ready to compete." Real confidence is carried quietly; bragging usually covers insecurity.

## How do I help a low-confidence athlete?

Believe in them before they are successful, so they can believe in themselves. Then engineer small wins: the best coaches create victories in practice that let young athletes experience success. Small successes make athletes more aggressive, confident, and fearless — and confidence spirals upward once success is experienced.

## Am I a confidence builder or a confidence cutter?

You are one or the other — there is no neutral. Bruce Brown's exercise: ask a young person to list every meaningful adult in their life, then sort each into "confidence builder" or "confidence cutter." They can do it almost instantly. Your athletes have already placed you in a category.

The answer above is the what; Bruce Brown's booklet [Playing with Confidence](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/playing-with-confidence/) teaches the how — read it in the Proactive Coaching library with a [7-day free trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I teach character lessons without losing practice time?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teach-character-without-losing-practice-time/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:49.000Z
You don't need a separate character block — teach character inside the drills you already run. Bruce Brown's thematic approach picks a theme for the day, week, or season — work habits, poise, perseverance — and defines it in one sentence, one concept at a time. The sport then supplies the reps. You model the value, shape it by correcting the wrong behavior the moment it appears, and reinforce it by praising the right behavior with the athlete's name attached. That four-step cycle — **define, model, shape, reinforce** — turns a belief into a behavior without stopping a single drill. Break values into teachable parts the way you break down physical skills; the teachable moments are already inside your practice.

## Does playing sports teach character on its own?

No. Research by Dr. Sharon Stoll at the University of Idaho shows participation alone does not build character — and unaddressed bad habits teach their own lessons. In every program, athletes learn one side or the other: accountability or excuses, positive discipline or disrespect. Character teaching has to be intentional; don't leave it to chance.

## How much practice time does a character lesson take?

Almost none, if you teach one sentence or one concept at a time. Proactive Coaching's daily character lessons follow a short structure: a definition, choices the athlete can commit to, and a discussion question for the team. Deliver the definition before a drill; let the drill itself supply the practice.

## What if I can't confront every behavior?

You can't — if you confronted everything, it's all you'd do. Pick your "for-sures": the handful of behaviors you will confront every time. Then hold the line early. If you demand 100 percent, call it at 99 — don't wait until effort drops to 90 or 80 before you say something.

## How do I reinforce character without adding meetings?

Reinforcement rides on what already happens: things that get rewarded get done. Praise the right choice immediately, with the athlete's name and the action attached. Use quotes, a team motto, or a Most Valuable Teammate award — small signals woven into the season, not extra time on the schedule.

The framework above is the what; [Daily Character Lessons for Youth Coaches](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/daily-character-lessons-youth-coaches/) in the library teaches the how — trait by trait, with definitions, choices, and discussion questions — free for 7 days, then [membership is $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What are the most important disciplines to teach my athletes?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/most-important-disciplines/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:49.000Z
Teach the ten disciplines Bruce and Dana Brown lay out in *The 10 Disciplines*: arrive early and energized; give focused attention and effort for the entire training session; respect authority and opponents; take personal responsibility and accountability; listen with positive intent and to learn; control emotions and reactions even when others don't; maintain strong, confident body language; do the small things well; earn your success with no shortcuts; and finish what you start, finishing strong. Before any of the ten, teach your athletes what discipline is: **focused attention and effort**, not punishment. Discipline provides structure, order, direction, purpose, and focus. Excellence is never an accident.

## How do I teach discipline without it feeling like punishment?

Separate the two completely. In Bruce Brown's teaching, the purpose of discipline is learning, not punishment — never discipline to punish; discipline to teach. Define it for your athletes in clear, age-appropriate terms: the ability to laser-beam attention and effort in a way that benefits the athlete and the team. Taught that way, discipline builds pride and self-confidence.

## Why does discipline matter more than talent?

Discipline is more important than athleticism. When two teams near the same level of talent compete, the advantage goes to the most disciplined. A collection of talented individuals without personal discipline or an intentional team culture loses to an almost-as-talented team that has both. Undisciplined teams do not win championships. It is that simple.

## What is the end goal of teaching discipline?

Self-discipline. If you love your players, give them the level of discipline they need at this point in their lives — but the goal is for them to become self-disciplined so they no longer depend on you. Every sport carries its own disciplines. Teach your athletes to accept them, then embrace them.

The ten above are the what; [The 10 Disciplines](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-10-disciplines/) in the Proactive Coaching library teaches the how — guidance on each one for competitors, team leaders, and coaches, included with [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) or a 7-day free trial.
### How do I raise my team's competitive spirit?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/raise-competitive-spirit/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:50.000Z
Treat competitiveness as a choice you teach, not a personality trait you hope to recruit. Bruce Brown's teaching is direct: being a competitor is a decision that becomes a lifestyle, and just telling athletes to be competitive won't make it happen — they need to understand the process, mentality, and actions of competing well. Start by naming the traits of an elite competitor and coaching them one at a time: passion, a strong will, mental toughness, controlling the controllables, confidence based on preparation, unselfishness, and relentlessness. Then protect your example-setters. Brown teaches that one true competitor elevates everyone around them and the entire culture of a team.

## Why isn't my team competitive in games?

Often because they are competing not to lose. Brown observes that athletes who see losing as failure sacrifice the natural joy of competing; their whole focus sits on the final score. Shift the measure: teach your team to separate performance from outcome and measure every game against their potential, not the scoreboard.

## Can you teach an athlete to be a competitor?

Yes. Brown is explicit that being a competitor does not depend on gender, sport, or genetics — it is a choice and a decision. Wanting it is not enough, though. Your athletes need the process, mentality, and actions of competing taught to them, trait by trait, before you demand it in games.

## How do you build competitive spirit in practice?

Give them a vision to compete against. Brown teaches that coaches and athletes should share a picture of how good they can become, then compete every day against that vision, not just opponents. Competitors don't save it for the game — their motor is running when the whistle blows. Expect that readiness daily.

That is the what — the how, every trait with reflection questions for your athletes, is in [Compete: Traits of an Elite Competitor](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/compete-traits-of-an-elite-competitor/), free for 7 days with a [Proactive Coaching membership trial](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I improve our whole athletic program, not just my own team?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/improve-whole-athletic-program/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:48.000Z
Start with an honest assessment, then get every leadership role working on its part. Bruce Brown, after visiting hundreds of high school and college programs, concluded that almost every athletic program sits at one of three levels: strong (fine-tune and keep it going), average (turn it up), or in trouble (turn it around). Identify your level with role-by-role checklists — what administrators, the athletic director, coaches, athletes, and the community each notice — then attack the specific gaps. Program-wide change is never one coach's job. It takes administrators who hire the right people and stand by them, coaches who share athletes and support each other's programs, and the elimination of every excuse for failure.

## What separates a strong athletic program from an average one?

Intentional leadership. In Brown's framework, average programs win when the talent is good and lose when it isn't, because leadership is left to chance. Strong programs are intentional about everything: a clear purpose, preset standards and values, taught leadership, positive traditions, and high trust. Many average programs believe they are strong — and don't want to find out otherwise.

## What is the athletic director's role in program-wide improvement?

Treat your coaches as your team. Brown challenges athletic directors to identify what each coach does well and where they need to grow, then provide training, mentoring, and honest assessment — including feedback gathered from athletes. Value, support, and retain good coaches: remove every reason a great coach would leave your program.

## How long does it take to turn a program around?

Expect years, not weeks. One high school volleyball program Proactive Coaching worked with went from drama and mediocrity to a state title in four seasons by teaching core covenants and leadership skills. And the work never stops — after the championship, the same leaders met again to plan how to sustain the culture.

## What excuses hold athletic programs back?

Brown catalogs them: small school, poor facilities, kids only play one sport, no parent support, no administrative support. His answer, again and again, is to control the controllables. Share athletes across sports, build feeder programs, train parents, take pride in the facilities you have. In great programs, excuses do not exist.

The checklists that turn this framework into action — role by role, level by level — are in [Assessing and Improving Athletic Programs](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/assessing-and-improving-athletic-programs/), included with [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) and the 7-day free trial.
### Does culture really beat talent?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/culture-versus-talent/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:49.000Z
Yes — culture beats talent, because culture is the only one of the two you can count on. Proactive Coaching's Rob Miller frames it as a choice every coach makes: do you rely on your talent, or on your culture? Teams that rely on talent ride a rollercoaster — loaded rosters underachieve, and even winning can feel hollow. Teams that rely on culture achieve the most they could achieve whether the roster is strong, average, or thin, and they look the same year in and year out. Bruce Brown adds the deeper point: team spirit is not an intangible some teams happen to have. It is built through choices that are in your control.

## Why do talented teams underachieve?

Because they rely on the talent. Rob Miller describes rosters coaches thought couldn't miss — and seasons that ended nowhere close. One player called his state championship team one of his worst experiences: nobody felt part of the program. The talent won games; without culture, the experience was left to chance.

## How do you build culture instead of relying on talent?

Proactive Coaching teaches three keys. Establish what your team stands for with a few core covenants — defined action statements, not T-shirt slogans — and let your athletes help write them. Create your leaders instead of waiting for them. Then build the culture through your whole program, down to the youngest level.

## Does talent still matter?

Yes. Bruce Brown teaches that individual talent is the primary factor in any team's success — and that your most talented players must be your best workers, or you will never have a great team. Culture doesn't replace talent. It decides whether talent turns into a team worth being on.

That answer is the what — the how is in the library: listen to [Rob Miller: Culture Versus Talent](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/rob-miller-culture-versus-talent/), then start a [7-day free trial — membership is $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I change a toxic culture I inherited?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/change-inherited-toxic-culture/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:48.000Z
Yes — you can change an inherited toxic culture, but only through deliberate, daily work. Bruce Brown's answer starts with written team covenants: standards the team helps build, then defines with extreme clarity so no one runs on a private interpretation. Be honest about the problems you inherited, and attack problems, not people. Choose the right team leaders — replace them if necessary — and get your influential players on board early, because coaches and leaders must be the first to live the covenants. Hold everyone to the standards daily; no one opts out, and players who refuse to change are released. Then keep teaching the culture all season. It is not easy, but it works — if you do the work.

## Can a toxic team culture actually be changed?

Yes. Proactive Coaching's culture-change teaching is built on documented turnarounds. One high school tennis program went from substance-abuse problems and player divides to a state sportsmanship award in a single season — after the coach involved returning players in rebuilding the program's standards and let the team enforce them itself.

## Where do I start when I take over a broken program?

Start with honesty about what you inherited. Then build covenants: a few agreed standards, defined with clarity and backed by a strong why for every behavior. Involve your returning players in shaping them. Ownership is what turns players into enforcers of the culture instead of bystanders.

## Why do most culture changes fail?

Proactive Coaching's 8 Actions point to the same failures: coaches treat culture as casual or optional, announce it once and never revisit it, let issues fester, or slide back into old habits when success is not immediate. Successful programs keep covenants in daily conversation, all season.

## What about players who refuse to buy in?

Hold them to the covenants like everyone else — no one can opt out. Address the behavior directly and attack the problem, not the person. If a player still refuses to change after honest accountability, the teaching is blunt: release them. The team always comes first.

The answer above is the what — the how, including the full [8 Actions That Make a Championship Culture Change Successful](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/8-actions-that-make-a-championship-culture-change-successful/), lives in the library with a [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) and a 7-day free trial.
### What are the most important standards to set for my team?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/most-important-team-standards/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:48.000Z
The most important standards to set are character standards, not skill standards. Bruce Brown calls them **core covenants**: a short list of values — work habits, unselfishness, class, discipline, mental toughness, a team-first attitude — that your team agrees to live by in every situation. A covenant is more than a promise or a slogan. It is a binding agreement whose actions are visible: this is what we believe, so this is what you will see. Pick a few covenants you will never compromise. Then define exactly what each one looks like when you win, when you lose, in practice, in school, and away from the team. Preset standards built on character outlast any season's record.

## Why character standards instead of skill standards?

Most coaches' first instinct is a physical identity — a tough defensive team, a great shooting team. Bruce Brown pushes character instead. A team that chooses work habits as a covenant and practices with complete attention and full effort makes natural skill improvement. Character standards drive every team decision; skill goals do not.

## How do you choose the right standards for your team?

Start with Bruce Brown's questions. What will you never compromise? What are your "for sures" — the things anyone watching your team is guaranteed to see? Involve your captains, because what leaders help create they more willingly support. Then put the covenants in writing, teach them like skills, and make them public.

## How do you make team standards stick?

Standards stick when they are visible and enforced. Leaders model them first — players may listen to what you say, but they believe what they see. Reward the smallest actions that demonstrate them. And confront violations: Bruce Brown warns it is better to have no covenants than covenants that are only words.

## Which standards show up on championship teams?

Bruce Brown's Championship Standards team study works through work, motivation, loyalty, pride, mental toughness, purpose, service, teamwork, and will, among others. Real programs pick a few and define them. One high school basketball program built its identity on three — work habits, unselfishness, and class — and spelled out what each looks like in action.

That is the what — Bruce Brown's [Core Covenants: Building Great Teams](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/core-covenants-building-great-teams/) teaches the how, step by step, and [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/) opens the full library with a 7-day free trial.
### What do I say to parents whose kid is losing the love of the sport?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/losing-love-of-the-sport/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T03:09:53.000Z
Tell them the loss almost always traces to one of five causes, and help them find which one. Bruce Brown identified five reasons kids lose their natural love of a game beyond ability: consistent defeats, negative coaching, mental or physical tiredness, making the game too complex, and outside pressure. Whenever a parent told him a child seemed to have lost the love of the game, he went straight back to that list — it is either one factor or a combination. If the answer is outside pressure, the conversation gets harder: it usually means an adult is pushing too hard or living through the kid. Never invest more in a sport than your child.

## Why do young athletes lose their love of the game?

Five factors beyond ability: consistent defeats, negative coaching, mental or physical tiredness, making the game too complex, and outside pressure. Coaches are the key to positive and negative experiences. Outside pressure is the parents' factor — pushing too hard or living through the kid. When the sport matters more to the adult than the athlete, that is a red flag.

## How do I know if an athlete is burned out?

Watch what happens when one sport fills the whole year. Bruce Brown's example: being chosen for year-round select soccer feels exciting at 9 or 10, then turns into forced labor at 14 or 15\. Before age 14, kids should play as many sports as possible. Watch closely for signs of burnout.

## What do kids wish their parents knew?

In Bruce Brown's 30-plus years of listening to athletes, the messages repeat: they play because it is fun, they like being with teammates, and they want their best to be enough. One high school sophomore put the pressure problem plainly: "I wish my parents had a hobby other than my sports."

## What should parents actually do differently?

Ask why your kid plays, then accept their answer. Give more praise than push, more approval than advice. Keep one instructional voice — the coach. After games, give time and space instead of analysis. Then release the child to the experience: let the sport, its struggles, and its successes belong to them.

That is the what — the how is in the full library, including Bruce Brown's [5 Things Athletes Would Like Their Parents To Know And Do](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/5-things-athletes-would-like-their-parents-to-know-and-do/), free for 7 days or [$180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What do I do when a parent goes over my head to the athletic director?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parent-goes-to-athletic-director/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:47.000Z
Go to the athletic director yourself, before you respond to the parent. Bruce Brown's counsel for attacked coaches is to seek your administrator first: tell them what happened, share your documentation, and ask how they handle situations like this. Keep every email and notes from every phone call. Handle any meeting with the parent in person, with the administrator in the room. Never meet an upset parent alone, and meet families one at a time, never in groups. Stay polite, listen for anything valid, hold your ground without getting defensive, and discuss only their child. Meanwhile, keep your relationship with the athlete positive — the parent's fight is not the player's fault.

## Why do parents skip the coach and go straight to the athletic director?

Because the real complaint usually looks selfish. In When Good Coaches Get Attacked, Bruce Brown, Mike Morgan and Randy Bates describe the pattern: the issue is playing time, roles, or discipline, so parents reframe it as something harder to disprove — negativity, favoritism, losing the team — and recruit other families so it looks bigger than one kid.

## Should I meet with the parent after they've gone to the AD?

Yes, but on the right terms. Meet in person, with an administrator present — never alone, and never with a group of parents. Discuss only their child, not other players or families. Be respectful, control your emotions, and listen for anything you should genuinely change. Then hold your ground and do not compromise your values.

## How do I keep this from happening again?

Build allegiances before you need them. Bruce Brown names four groups: fellow coaches, administrators, parents, and players. Invite your AD to practices and the locker room so accusations meet an eyewitness, not a stranger. Cultivate grateful parents and former players — the more allies you have, the more you "speak from a position of strength."

The steps above are the what; the full protection checklist in [When Good Coaches Get Attacked](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/when-good-coaches-get-attacked/) and the rest of the Proactive Coaching library teach the how — [free for 7 days, then $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What do I do about an over-involved parent who is stressing out their kid?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/over-involved-parent/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T03:09:52.000Z
Meet with the parent privately, away from the field, and treat it as education, not confrontation. Bruce Brown's finding from thirty years of asking athletes what adults help and what adults hurt is blunt: **over-involved, stressed parents produce stressed-out, poor-performing athletes**. Explain that a young athlete needs one instructional voice — the coach's — and many encouraging voices. A parent coaching from the stands sends the message "listen to me, not your coach," and the athlete tries to obey both at once. Ask the parent to release their child to the game, the team, and the coach, and give them a role they can win: encouragement. Then set expectations for every parent at a prepared preseason meeting.

## Why does coaching from the stands stress an athlete out?

Bruce Brown lists the messages a sideline-coaching parent actually sends: you can't do this without my help, listen to me and not your coach, the game is about you, and your value to me is tied to your performance. The athlete splits attention between two voices and ends up looking to the stands for approval instead of playing.

## What should I actually say to the parent?

Keep it about their child, not the behavior. Share the principle: one instructional voice, many encouraging voices — the technical voice belongs to the coach. Ask them to release their athlete to the experience; Brown found the athletes who went furthest had parents who released them early. Offer the one comment that always lands: "I love watching you play."

## How do I prevent over-involved parents next season?

Prepare your preseason parent meeting like your most important practice — a bad one puts a bullseye on your back for the year. Cover the parent's role before, during, and after games, name the one-voice principle out loud, and provide parent training so expectations are set before emotions run high. Trained parents become allies, not adversaries.

This answer is the what — the how lives in the library, starting with Bruce Brown's full article [Over Involved Stressed Parent](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/over-involved-stressed-parent/): try it free for 7 days with [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I get parents to release their athlete to the program?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/release-your-athlete/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:46.000Z
Teach release at your pre-season parent meeting, and let the athletes make the case. Have every athlete write down their individual and team goals, then hand each parent their own child's answers. Ask parents three questions: What are your goals for your athlete? What role do you hope they play? What does a successful season look like? When their answers differ from their kid's, the rule, according to athletes, is: drop yours and accept theirs. Parents release once they know their child is safe emotionally and physically, so put your philosophy, expectations, and contact information in front of them early. Bruce Brown's most successful former athletes consistently credited parents who released them early.

## Why won't parents release their athlete to the team?

Most adults can see solutions in athletic situations, and it is painful to let kids find their own. But the one guarantee of any season is that there will be issues. Athletics is one of the best places for young people to take risks, fail, and solve their own problems. Release tells them: this is your thing.

## What are the red flags that a parent hasn't released their athlete?

Bruce Brown collected these from athletes themselves: sharing the credit when things go well, trying to solve every problem that comes up in a season, coaching a kid who thinks they know more about the game than you do, yelling at officials, building in excuses after games, and kids who avoid their parents after competition.

## What should the pre-season parent meeting cover?

Send families your philosophy, standards, and contact information before you meet. At the meeting, thank parents for sharing their athletes, walk them through the team covenants your players built, and hand out each athlete's written goals. Then define which conversations are appropriate — treatment, improvement, behavior — and which are not: playing time, strategy, other kids.

## When should a parent release their child to a coach?

As early as possible, with one asterisk. Before releasing a son or daughter, parents should know the child is safe emotionally and physically — and not starting does not mean not safe. Once that is settled, the earlier the release comes, the better the experience becomes for the athlete.

That is the what; the how — including Bruce Brown's booklet [The Role of Parents](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-role-of-parents/) and the full Role of Parents video series — lives in the Proactive Coaching library, free for 7 days with a [trial membership ($180/year after)](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What should I tell parents their role is on our team?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-role-on-team/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:47.000Z
Tell parents their role is to release their child to the game, the coach, and the team — and then to be encouragers, not coaches. Bruce Brown built this answer from three decades of asking his own athletes about the adults in their sports lives. Before the season, parents should learn their child's goals, role, and reasons for playing, and accept them. During games, they should model poise and confidence, focus on the team, and leave instruction to one voice — the coach's. After games, they should give their athlete time and space. Parents who do these things relieve competitive pressure instead of adding to it, and the experience stays the athlete's own.

## What does it mean for parents to release their athlete?

Releasing means the experience belongs to the athlete — the successes, the failures, and the problems. Brown found that the athletes who advanced furthest had parents who released them early. Red flags include solving every problem that comes up, sharing credit for success, and an athlete who keeps looking to the stands.

## What should parents do during games?

Three things. Model poise and confidence — athletes take their cues from the adults. Focus on the team, not one child or the officials. And keep one instructional voice: the coach's. Brown taught that a game has four roles — spectator, competitor, official, coach — and everyone should choose exactly one.

## What can parents appropriately discuss with a coach?

Treatment of their child, ways to help their child improve, and concerns about their child's behavior. Playing time, strategy, and other team members are off the list. Ask parents to call and let you choose an appropriate time and place — an athlete caught between coach and parent can only lose.

## What do athletes want from parents after the game?

Time and space. Brown's players often named the car ride home as their least favorite memory in sport — where confidence cutting happens. Tell parents to let the athlete bring the game to them, and that one comment always lands: "I love watching you play."

That covers the what — for the how, read Bruce Brown's full [The Role of Parents](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-role-of-parents/) in the library, free for 7 days, then [$180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What should parents say on the car ride home after a game?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/car-ride-home/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T03:09:51.000Z
Say "I love watching you play" — then stop talking. When Bruce Brown asked his departing athletes for their worst sports memory, the answer, year after year, was the car ride home with mom or dad after a game. So save your analysis of their play, the coaching, and the officiating. Your child needs time and space after a game — the more competitive the kid and the sport, the more of it. Be a quiet, reflective listener, keep the big picture — why they play in the first place — and let them bring the game to you. **"I love watching you play"** covers everything that needs to be said, and it tells your athlete their value is not tied to performance.

## Why is the car ride home such a bad memory for athletes?

Bruce Brown conducted exit interviews with his departing athletes every year. Best memories were almost always relationships — bus rides home, locker rooms after big wins. The worst memory, year after year and regardless of age, was the car ride home: trapped, emotions high, while a parent replayed the game. Some high school athletes didn't want to go home at all.

## Shouldn't I help my child improve after games?

Advice after the game says, "You don't know how to figure things out, so I'll figure them out for you." Give less of it and they'll ask for more. One father, a professional football player, dropped the play-by-play critiques for: "Good game. I'm proud of you for playing hard and being a great teammate. Where do you want to eat?"

## When should a parent bring up the game first?

Almost never. When your child is emotionally past the game and wants to talk, they will bring it to you. The exception: behavior in the game that wouldn't be acceptable at home — profanity, disrespect of authority. Even then, choose your comments and timing carefully, and address it parent to child, not parent to athlete.

## Where does "I love watching you play" come from?

From Bruce Brown's Role of Parents in Athletics presentation. A fast-pitch softball pitcher in a college class he taught told him her favorite spectators were her grandparents: win or lose, no-hitter or shelled, they only ever said, "Oh, Natalie, we love watching you play." It says everything that needs saying and gives an athlete freedom to recover after a game.

The phrase is the what — for the how, watch Bruce Brown's full [Parents After the Game](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-after-the-game/) in the library with a [7-day free trial of membership ($180/year)](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### What do I do about parents yelling from the sidelines at games?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-yelling-from-sidelines/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:45.000Z
Teach parents the four roles before the season starts, then address violations quickly. The framework Bruce Brown teaches: every athletic event has only four roles — coach, athlete, spectator, official — and each person must choose one before arriving at the game. A parent's role is spectator and encourager. Pair that with the one-instructional-voice rule: kids can absorb unlimited encouraging voices, but instruction during competition must come from the single voice that prepared them all week — the coach. Athletes as young as 13 say sideline instruction confuses them and interferes with performance; older competitors simply tune it out. Cover both principles in your preseason parent meeting, put them in writing, and correct sideline coaching the first time it happens.

## What's the difference between loud parents and a real problem?

Loud, rowdy, and encouraging is fine — Proactive Coaching does not want to quiet a gym. The line is crossed when comments become personal and demeaning: a kid's name, their game, their appearance. Address that immediately. Fan behavior is your program's front porch — one or two voices reflect on the whole school.

## How do I explain the one-instructional-voice rule to parents?

Use the athletes' own words. Bruce Brown gathered this from kids: a second or third voice from the stands sends mixed messages while they try to focus on the voice that prepared them all week. High-school-age competitors have already learned to tune parents out — competitors block unnecessary information during competition. Encouragement helps; instruction from the stands does not.

## What about parents yelling at referees?

Athletes describe it plainly: one adult yelling at another adult in a public place, while everyone tells them to respect authority. Nobody has ever changed a call from the stands. It also feeds a real shortage — the average high school official is 53, and harassment is what drives younger officials out.

## What should parents do instead during games?

Bruce Brown's answer, drawn from athletes: be there, model the poise and confidence you expect from players, watch and encourage the entire team instead of spotlighting your own kid, and keep every voice encouraging. When kids look into the stands, what they see should match what you ask of them on the floor.

The four roles are the what — Bruce Brown's [Parents During the Game](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-during-the-game/) video teaches parents the how, free for 7 days with a [Proactive Coaching membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I respond to an angry email from a parent?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/respond-to-angry-parent-email/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T03:09:50.000Z
Don't answer the anger — and don't try to resolve it over email. Bruce Brown's rule for coaches is to do as little as possible by email and handle real conflict in person, with an administrator present. Send one brief, calm reply: thank the parent for reaching out, say the concern deserves a real conversation, and offer a meeting time in the next day or two. Do not defend yourself point by point in writing. Before you send anything, tell your athletic director and ask how they handle these situations. Save the parent's email and your reply — keep all documentation. Never meet an angry parent alone, and never respond in the emotional hours right after a game.

## Should I reply to an angry parent email right away?

No. Give it time. Bruce Brown warns coaches never to engage a parent right after a game, when emotion is highest — the same applies to email. Wait until the next day, then send a short reply that offers a call or meeting. A measured response protects you; a fast one rarely does.

## What should my reply actually say?

Keep it brief, polite, and un-defensive. Acknowledge the concern, then move the conversation offline: offer to meet in person this week. Don't argue specifics, don't discuss other athletes, and don't put anything in writing you wouldn't want read aloud later. Every email becomes part of your documentation.

## Should I tell my athletic director about the email?

Yes, before you respond. Bruce Brown's counsel is to seek advice from your AD or administrator before doing anything with the parent, then hold the meeting with an administrator present — never alone. Forward the email, keep notes from every phone call, and meet with parents one family at a time.

## What if the parent is angry about playing time?

Playing time, team strategy, and other athletes are off the table — set that expectation early and hold it. Appropriate topics are the treatment of their child, ways their child can improve, and concerns about their child's behavior. Listen for any area of truth, stay poised, acknowledge what you heard, and hold your ground.

The reply is the easy part — Bruce Brown's full playbook for parent conflict, including [Protecting Yourself From Problem Parents](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/protecting-yourself-from-problem-parents/), is in the library with [membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/), free for your first 7 days.
### What should I cover in my preseason parent meeting?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/preseason-parent-meeting/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:44.000Z
Cover six things: introductions and your coaching philosophy, complete practice and game schedules, league and school rules, standards for athletes, coaches, and parents, equipment requirements, and volunteer roles with exact responsibilities. Bruce Brown's framework adds two pieces. First, introduce your team covenants — the performance standards and relationship commitments built with your athletes — and let your team leaders present them. Second, hand each parent their child's written individual and team goals, and ask parents to compare those goals with their own. Collect a contact roster, share when you can be reached, and take group questions only — anything individual gets answered privately afterward. Then thank parents for sharing their athletes with you.

## How should I prepare before the parent meeting?

Send a letter or email ahead of time. Include the meeting date and length, a brief introduction of yourself and your philosophy, the start of your team standards, and your contact information with the best times to reach you. Ask parents to bring, in writing, anything that would help you teach and motivate their child, including health concerns.

## Why does the preseason parent meeting matter so much?

Because you get one shot. Bruce Brown's rule: if you have a bad practice, you get another chance tomorrow. A bad parent meeting is hard to recover from — coaches who wing it put a bullseye on their backs. Prepare as hard as you would for your first practice. It sets the tone for the season.

## What role do team covenants play in the meeting?

Bruce Brown calls this the most important piece. Introduce the covenants — performance standards and relationship commitments built with your athletes — and let your team leaders walk parents through the process. Then hand out behavioral expectations for every stakeholder: athletes, coaches, and parents. Parents leave knowing exactly how they fit into the team culture.

## How do I handle parent questions at the meeting?

Take questions that apply to the whole group, and assume positive intent — it keeps you from getting defensive. Anything about an individual athlete moves to a private conversation afterward. Stay and meet with parents who need individual help, and schedule longer conversations for another time.

That is the checklist — Bruce Brown walks through the full meeting step by step in [Preparing for a Parent Meeting](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/preparing-for-a-parent-meeting/), in the library with a [7-day free trial of membership — $180/year](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### How do I handle a parent who's angry about their kid's playing time?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/angry-parent-playing-time/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:44.000Z
Don't have the conversation in the heat of the moment. Bruce Brown's approach starts with choosing the time and place: never right after a game, never in public or on the court, always in private, and always with another person sitting in so the meeting stays focused on the athlete. Once you're there, listen first — let the parent say everything they came to say, take notes, and don't interrupt or rush to defend yourself. Stay calm and don't buy into their emotion. Be honest and direct about playing ability, but never compare their child to other athletes. Keep the athlete, not the parent, at the center of every response.

## What do I say to a parent who confronts me right after a game?

Don't engage there. Emotions are highest right after a game, and a public confrontation gives the parent a scene and a chance to enlist support on the spot. Offer to schedule a private meeting instead — at a time that works for you, with another coach or administrator present — and ask what the concern is beforehand so you can prepare.

## Should coaches discuss playing time with parents at all?

Decide before the season — ideally as a department — which topics you will discuss and which you won't. In Bruce Brown's framework, treatment of a parent's child, ways their child can improve, and concerns about behavior are fair topics. Playing time, team strategy, and other athletes are not. A practical middle ground: invite them to watch five practices first.

## How do I stay calm when a parent is yelling at me?

Listen with positive intent. The parent is there because they love their kid, usually reacting to one side of the story. Let them vent, take notes, and respond in a calm voice — yelling parents generally calm down when you don't match their volume. If they turn abusive, politely end the meeting and continue another time. No one deserves abuse.

## How do I prevent playing-time conflicts before they start?

Communicate early and often, starting with a well-prepared preseason parent meeting that sets expectations for both athletes and parents. Then ask each athlete why they're playing, what role they expect to fill, and what role they hope to grow into. When a parent loses perspective, their own child's words can bring them back to it.

This is the what — for the how, read Bruce Brown's full [Preparing for a Tough Conversation with an Angry Parent](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/preparing-for-a-tough-conversation-with-an-angry-parent/) in the Proactive Coaching library, with a [7-day free trial of membership ($180/year)](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).
### Intentional Coaching 2 - Building Leaders
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/intentional-coaching-2-building-leaders/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:42.000Z
Rob Miller continues the intentional coaching series with a look at why leaders no longer emerge naturally and must be deliberately built. He treats the Seven Ways to Help Lead Your Team booklet as a real leadership job description and explains why a title alone doesn't make a leader. For coaches ready to develop and mentor team leaders daily.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Why Would I Need Anything Else?
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/skip-lord/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:18.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Skip Lord, longtime college coach and athletic director at Houghton College in New York and a Proactive Coaching regional speaker. Topics covered: building a career and a family in one place, the turning points and mentors that shaped him, and how a single teacher or coach can change a kid’s life.

## Introduction

**Bruce:** Good morning, and welcome to Proactive Coaching and our podcast series. Our guest today is Skip Lord. Skip is a great friend. He’s been a college coach, a college athletic director, and an administrator at Houghton College in New York. He is also one of our regional speakers, and this is kind of an opportunity for our audience to get a chance to meet and get familiar with our speakers. So, Skip, welcome to the show.

**Skip:** Thanks for having me, Bruce. It’s a pleasure to be here.

**Bruce:** So give us a little bit of your background and your family, and how you ended up at Houghton.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Kids Used to Pick the Teams
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/corey-westra/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:18.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Corey Westra, longtime commissioner of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, youth coach and Proactive Coaching regional speaker, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: how youth sports moved from kids picking the teams to adult control, what a commissioner’s job really looks like, the qualities that separate the very best coaches, and why parents walk out of “The Role of Parents in Athletics” saying thank you.

## Introduction

**Narrator:** Proactive Coaching is a business that provides character-based materials and presentations for coaches, athletes, team leaders, parents, and businesses around the world.

**Bruce:** Good morning and welcome to our Proactive Coaching podcast. Our guest today is Corey Westra. Corey is a husband and father and youth coach, and also a regional speaker for Proactive Coaching. He’s been the conference commissioner for the Great Plains Athletic Conference in the NAIA for 16 years, I believe. Corey, we just want to welcome you to our show and give our audience a chance to meet you. So, how have you been doing?

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The First Female Commissioner in NAIA History
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/lori-thomas/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:17.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Lori Thomas, hosted by Bruce Brown. She is an executive leader with more than thirty years in sports administration: most recently president of Kansas City Professional Volleyball, which she built from the ground up, and before that ten years as the first female commissioner in NAIA history, leading the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

## Introduction

**Bruce:** Good morning, and welcome to the Proactive Coaching podcast. This is Bruce Brown, and our guest today is Lori Thomas. This is part of the series where we’re introducing our speakers to our membership. So Lori, welcome to the program.

**Lori:** Thank you, Bruce. Thanks for having me.

**Bruce:** Lori is the conference commissioner for the Heart of America Conference. She’s the first female conference commissioner in the history of the NAIA. She’s also a mom, a coach, and a wife. She is currently the vice president of the United States International University Sports Federation, and she just got back from some international competition in Italy. So how was that, Lori?

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Twenty Years, Four Sports, Three States
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/scott-rosberg/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:17.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Scott Rosberg, athletic director at Park High School in Livingston, Montana and a Proactive Coaching speaker. He has coached at the high school level for more than twenty years — boys' and girls' basketball as well as football and soccer, across Illinois, Montana, and Washington — and previously served eight years as a district-wide athletic director.

## Introduction

**Bruce:** Good morning, and welcome to our Proactive Coaching podcast series. Our guest today is Scott Rosberg. Scott is a former high school coach and athletic director for years. He is one of our Proactive Coaching speaking team members who travels all around the country to speak to parents and coaches and athletes and team leaders and businesses. So Scott, welcome to our show.

**Scott:** Hey, thanks for having me, Bruce. Looking forward to it.

**Bruce:** So you just made a big move from Montana to Georgia. How's that gone for you?

**Scott:** Well, like any move — anytime you move the whole house, it has its trials and tribulations — but it's been good. It's been exciting.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### A Program That Had Never Won — Then 36 Straight
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jon-frazier/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:16.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Jon Frazier, head boys basketball coach at Summit High School in Bend, Oregon from 2011 to 2024\. Frazier took over a program that had never finished a season with a winning record and built it into one of the most successful in the state, winning the 2024 state championship and setting an Oregon record with 36 straight wins. He is also a Proactive Coaching regional speaker.

## Introduction

**Narrator:** Proactive Coaching is a business that provides character-based materials and presentations for coaches, athletes, team leaders, parents, and businesses around the world.

**Bruce:** Good morning and welcome to our Proactive Coaching podcast series. We’re combining the two things we’re doing right now with this next guest, Jon Frazier from Bend, Oregon. He’s the head basketball coach at Summit High School. The two things we are doing here: we’re interviewing our speakers, our speaking team, just to introduce them to our audience, and another series we’ve been doing is the best coaches you’ve never heard of. I think we can probably do both — Jon fits into both those categories. So, Jon, welcome to our podcast series.

**Jon:** Thanks, Coach Brown. I appreciate it.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Feedback Is the Norm
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/feedback-is-the-norm/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:10.000Z
Bruce Brown makes the case for a program where feedback is expected rather than resented — the growth-minded standard he sums up as “expect it, accept it, embrace it.” He looks at how willingly a staff and a team take correction as a read on the real state of the culture, and why coachability has to start with the coaches.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Proactive Coaching eGift Card
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-proactive-coaching-gift-card/
Last updated: 2026-08-13T03:24:09.000Z
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### Youth Basketball Coaching Handbook
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-youth-basketball-coaching-handbook/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T18:54:34.000Z
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**The NABC’s handbook for parent-coaches** — how to coach and develop youngsters through the basketball-playing experience.

Covers the crucial knowledge for coaching young basketball players: reasons for coaching, developing a coaching philosophy, motivating young athletes, planning and organization, game coaching, establishing personnel roles, developing essential skills, monitoring and controlling player behavior, teaching character lessons, and much more.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Sport:** Basketball
- **Written for:** Youth and parent-coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Language:** English

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### 101 Quick Strike Inbounds Plays
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-101-quick-strike-inbounds-plays/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T18:54:33.000Z
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**A collection of simple, quick-attacking inbounds plays** designed to get the ball into the hands of the right players, at the right place on the floor, in order to score.

Every play is designed to get the ball to the hoop in fewer than three passes. Covers box sets, 1-4 low sets, stack sets, random sets, lob plays, bunch sets, and side out-of-bounds plays. Each play is thoroughly diagrammed and explained, so it is easy to teach and easy to implement.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Sport:** Basketball
- **Written for:** Basketball coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Language:** English

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### 101 Post Player Drills
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-101-post-player-drills/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T18:54:33.000Z
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**101 basketball drills designed to develop the post player.**

Includes drills for positioning, receiving, passing, rebounding and tipping, offensive moves and shooting, plus screening drills for the post player and a section on conditioning. Each of the 101 game-tested drills is thoroughly explained and diagrammed with easy-to-follow illustrations.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Sport:** Basketball
- **Written for:** Basketball coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Language:** English

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### 101 Youth Basketball Drills and Games
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-101-youth-basketball-drills-and-games/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T18:54:32.000Z
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**101 drills to teach, motivate and challenge youth basketball players.**

Covers rebounding, defense, aggressiveness, the fast break, offense, shooting, passing and pre-game drills. Each drill is thoroughly explained and diagrammed, and a special chapter covers games and fun ways to end practice.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Sport:** Basketball
- **Written for:** Youth basketball coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Language:** English

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### 101 Positive Athletic Traditions
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-101-positive-athletic-traditions/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:13.000Z
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In the digital library

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$18

**Traditions help shape and reflect the character of a team — past, present and future.** They refocus the coach and the athlete, give perspective, rekindle the spirit of the past, and remind everyone what matters. Traditions produce successful teams, great memories, lasting friendships, and help establish coaching legacies.

This idea-packed book offers over one hundred examples of positive athletic traditions: traditions to welcome new team members, pre-season traditions, senior traditions, traditions for captains, and pre-game, post-game and last-game traditions. There are also traditions that involve the community and alumni, traditions for equipment and facilities, and much more. A resource for coaches and leaders of any sport or activity.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches and leaders of any sport or activity
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Language:** English

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### 1001 Motivational Messages
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-1001-motivational-messages/
Last updated: 2026-08-13T03:24:06.000Z
![1001 Motivational Messages cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/1001motivational.png?v=1730744436&width=800)

$18

**Over 1,000 motivational quotes for athletes and coaches, organized by theme.** A resource for coaches and physical educators at any level, and a book you will reference again and again.

Quotes come from noted athletes, writers, celebrities and world leaders, gathered under 13 themes: confidence, discipline, teamwork, work habits, courage, integrity, poise, sportsmanship, friendship and more. Also includes sport-specific quotes and humorous quotes.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches, athletes, teachers and physical educators
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Language:** English

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### Another 1001 Motivational Messages, Great Teams
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-another-1001-motivational-messages-great-teams/
Last updated: 2026-08-13T03:24:06.000Z
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$18

**Another 1,001 sayings to move, motivate and inspire** — a follow-up to Bruce Brown’s first collection of motivational messages.

The quotes are organized around the seven essentials of great teams: leadership, guiding principles, pride, communication, motivation, persistence and positive attitude. They come from coaches and athletes such as Vince Lombardi, Paul “Bear” Bryant, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali and Mike Krzyzewski, and from writers and world figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, George Washington, Billy Graham and Albert Einstein.

Ideal for coaches, athletes, teachers, parents and team leaders in any environment, and a gift that gets referenced again and again.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches, athletes, teachers, parents and team leaders
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Language:** English

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### Teaching Character Through Sport
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-teaching-character-through-sport/
Last updated: 2026-08-13T03:24:06.000Z
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$18

**A positive coaching legacy is not a score on a bronze plaque.** It is the lifelong character of the athletes a coach works with. This book shows how coaches shape it.

Bruce Brown examines the key issues in creating a lasting legacy: how to make a difference, common traits among successful coaches, beliefs about character and sport, action statements for teaching character through sport, redefining the term “athlete,” teaching specific values, practicing sportsmanship, the qualities of great teams, team building through positive conditioning, the role of parents in athletics, and much more.

As easy and enjoyable to read as it is thought-provoking. A book for coaches of any level and any sport.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches of any level and any sport
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Language:** English

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### Coaching for Significance, Volume 2
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-coaching-for-significance-volume-2-tim-corbin-heather-tarr/
Last updated: 2026-08-13T03:31:40.000Z
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$20

Written for leaders who want to become transformational coaches of significance. A leader of significance impacts people for life — and significance never happens by accident. It is always intentional and purposeful.

**Volume 2 features two transformational coaches: Heather Tarr** (University of Washington and USA Softball) **and Tim Corbin** (Vanderbilt baseball).

Each book is written through the eyes of their players and assistant coaches, and gives insight into their leadership style, why they win, what sets them apart, why they are trusted, the culture they built, and what any coach who cares can take from them and apply to their own style.

“*Once you have tasted significance, success will never satisfy you again.*”  
— John Maxwell

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches and team leaders
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Coaching for Significance, Volume 1
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-coaching-for-significance-volume-1-pat-summitt-dick-vermeil/
Last updated: 2026-08-13T03:31:40.000Z
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$20

Written for leaders who want to become transformational coaches of significance. A leader of significance impacts people for life — and significance never happens by accident. It is always intentional and purposeful.

**Volume 1 features two transformational coaches: Pat Summitt** (Tennessee women’s basketball) **and Dick Vermeil** (high school, college and NFL football).

Each book is written through the eyes of their players and assistant coaches, and gives insight into their leadership style, why they win, what sets them apart, why they are trusted, the culture they built, and what any coach who cares can take from them and apply to their own style.

“*Once you have tasted significance, success will never satisfy you again.*”  
— John Maxwell

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback book
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches and team leaders
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Assessing and Improving Athletic Programs
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-assessing-and-improving-athletic-programs/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:10.000Z
![Assessing and Improving Athletic Programs cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/assessingandimprovingathleticprograms.png?v=1746470925&width=800)

In the digital library

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$8

Written for athletic directors, coaches, administrators and booster clubs to work through together.

1. A checklist of what you will notice, as a coach, athlete, athletic director, administrator or community member, in successful programs, average programs and programs in trouble — along with what is needed to make positive changes.
2. Eliminating all the excuses we have heard.
3. Team stages, the challenges of changing an existing culture, and the responsibilities of all stakeholders.
4. Questions for athletes — preseason, mid-season, post-season and graduating players.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Athletic directors, coaches and administrators
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### 4 Keys to a Successful Season
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-youth-coaching-4-keys-to-a-successful-season/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:10.000Z
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In the digital library

Members read [Youth Coaching - 4 Keys to a Successful Season](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/youth-coaching-4-keys-to-a-successful-season/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

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Written for youth and volunteer coaches.

**1\. Planning the season**  
Eight critical points in the season — master season checklist — daily practices — parent meeting — coaching your own child

**2\. Teaching the game**  
Maximizing the possibilities — how to teach a physical skill — define, model, shape and reinforce

**3\. Motivating your athletes**  
Keys for motivated teams — motivation in action — keys to positive motivation — using punishment sparingly — game day motivation

**4\. Intentionally building a positive team culture**  
Signs of a good team culture — team standards and values — example standards and responsibilities for athletes, parents and coaches — season assessment model

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Youth and volunteer coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

[Buy now](https://shop.proactivecoaching.ai/cart/add?id=50456323227879&quantity=1&ref=proactivecoaching.ai)[← Continue shopping](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/)
### The Role of Parents in Athletics
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-the-role-of-parents-in-athletics/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:10.000Z
![The Role of Parents in Athletics cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/the-role-of-parents-in-athletics.png?v=1787251720&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [The Role of Parents](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-role-of-parents/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for parents of athletes.

This booklet is taken from a chapter in *Teaching Character Through Sport — Developing a Positive Coaching Legacy*. It focuses on the parent’s role from the perspective of the athlete.

It covers what parents can do to help performance and increase enjoyment before the game, during the game and after the game. The summary sets out, in bullet points, the roles of the player, the coach and the parents. Be a confidence builder, and part of their good memories.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Parenting; Sports
- **Written for:** Parents of athletes, and coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Great Teams, The Seven Essentials
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-great-teams-the-seven-essentials/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:08.000Z
![Great Teams, The Seven Essentials cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/great-teams-the-seven-essentials.png?v=1787251554&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [Great Teams - The Seven Essentials](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/great-teams-the-seven-essentials/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for coaches and leaders of any team.

1. Leadership
2. Guiding principles
3. Pride
4. Communication
5. Motivation
6. Persistence
7. Positive attitude

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Pages:** 32
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches and anyone else who leads a team
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Equipping and Empowering Team Leaders
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-equipping-and-empowering-team-leaders/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:09.000Z
![Equipping and Empowering Team Leaders cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/equipping-and-empowering-team-leaders.png?v=1787251555&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [Equipping and Empowering Team Leaders](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/equipping-and-empowering-team-leaders/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for coaches and athletic directors who are using *Captains, 7 Ways to Lead Your Team* to intentionally teach leadership.

It provides over 300 teaching and talking points for discussion, encouragement and growth for team leaders.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Self-help & personal development
- **Written for:** Coaches and athletic directors
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Motivational Strategies for Coaches
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-motivational-strategies-for-coaches/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:07.000Z
![Motivational Strategies for Coaches cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/motivational-strategies-for-coaches.png?v=1787251553&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [Motivational Strategies for Coaches](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/motivational-strategies-for-coaches/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for coaches.

**Your success or failure as a coach will be in direct proportion to your ability to plan, teach, relate and motivate.**

What kind of coach would you like to play for? What does positive motivation look like?

1. Coaching motivational concepts
2. Using statistics to motivate
3. Use of punishment
4. Using role to motivate
5. Creative practices
6. Game day motivation
7. Motivating the individual athlete

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### The 10 Disciplines
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-the-10-disciplines/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:08.000Z
![The 10 Disciplines cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/the-10-disciplines.png?v=1787251554&width=800)

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Members read [The 10 Disciplines](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-10-disciplines/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for coaches and athletes.

1. Arrive early and energized
2. Purposeful work — focused attention and effort for an entire training session
3. Respecting authority and opponents
4. Personal responsibility and accountability
5. Listening with positive intent and to learn
6. Controlling emotions and reactions even when others don’t
7. Maintaining strong, confident body language
8. Doing the small things well — focused on the details
9. Earning your success, and no short cuts
10. Finishing what you start, and finishing strong

Each section has thoughts for competitors, team leaders and coaches.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Self-help & personal development
- **Written for:** Athletes and coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

[Buy now](https://shop.proactivecoaching.ai/cart/add?id=50456316182759&quantity=1&ref=proactivecoaching.ai)[← Continue shopping](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/)
### First Steps to Successful Teams, Core Covenants
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-first-steps-to-successful-teams-core-covenants/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:06.000Z
![First Steps to Successful Teams, Core Covenants cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/first-steps-to-successful-teams-core-covenants.png?v=1787251552&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [Core Covenants - Building Great Teams](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/core-covenants-building-great-teams/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for people who lead teams.

The first steps to building successful teams are consistent and predictable. Leadership has the ability and the responsibility to create a positive climate within their teams.

The first half of this booklet covers the ten intentional steps necessary to create the climate and develop the identity you envision for your team — your Core Covenants. The second half gives examples of the covenants for twenty different teams, of all levels and sports, from around the country.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches and team leaders
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Teach Attitude First
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-teach-attitude-first/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:07.000Z
![Teach Attitude First cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/teach-attitude-first.png?v=1787251553&width=800)

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Members read [Teach Attitude First](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teach-attitude-first/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for coaches.

**A concise, applicable definition of a positive athletic attitude for coaches at all levels.** The definition is broken down into teachable parts, with each section having a series of questions for the athletes on your team.

The last twelve pages are dedicated to how coaches can work with challenging athletes — the fear-of-failure player, the quick learner, the slow learner, the low-confidence athlete, the overconfident athlete, the unmotivated player, the mentally weak player, the “bad attitude” player, and others.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Called to Coach and Inspire
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-called-to-coach-and-inspire/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:05.000Z
![Called to Coach and Inspire cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/called-to-coach-and-inspire.png?v=1787251308&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [Called to Coach and Inspire - 7 Motivational Concepts](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/called-to-coach-and-inspire-7-motivational-concepts/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for coaches, teachers and parents.

Seven motivational concepts used by inspirational coaches to improve performance, grow confidence and change lives.

1. Learning to be positive demanding
2. Visualizing success — believing in them before they believe in themselves
3. Conduct flows out of character
4. Give ownership of all positive growth
5. Passion paves the road to achievement
6. Having fun is being good
7. True servant leaders create more servant leaders

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Self-help & personal development
- **Written for:** Coaches, teachers and parents
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Life Lessons for Athletes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-life-lessons-for-athletes/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:06.000Z
![Life Lessons for Athletes cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/life-lessons-for-athletes.png?v=1787251309&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [Life Lessons](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/life-lessons/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for athletes, parents and coaches.

**Being an athlete is far more than having physical skills and being able to perform better than an opponent on a given day.** Being an athlete and a great teammate involves choices of effort and attitude — in other words, character. These are the lessons that should be taught by both coaches and parents, and learned by athletes.

If you really look at why we want young people to participate in sports, it is so that they will gain something from the experience that will make them a better adult.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Athletes, parents and coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Compete, 13 Traits of Elite Competitors
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-compete-13-traits-of-elite-competitors/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:04.000Z
![Compete, 13 Traits of Elite Competitors cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/compete-13-traits-of-elite-competitors.png?v=1787251307&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [Compete - Traits of an Elite Competitor](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/compete-traits-of-an-elite-competitor/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for athletes and coaches.

**There is a difference between being competitive and being a competitor.** This booklet identifies thirteen character traits of a true competitor. It will teach young people how to successfully compete in athletics, and then how to carry that competitive fire into school and life.

Strengthening your will — mental toughness — living in the moment — courage — controlling the controllables — fearlessness — commitment — relentlessness, and more.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Self-help & personal development
- **Written for:** Athletes and coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Playing With Confidence
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-playing-with-confidence/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:05.000Z
![Playing With Confidence cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/playing-with-confidence.png?v=1787251308&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [Playing with Confidence](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/playing-with-confidence/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for athletes and coaches.

1. Defining true confidence
2. What are you worried about? Take charge of your fears
3. The confident competitor’s mindset
4. Developing a plan of attack and standing up for yourself
5. Don’t take on the stress of others — release to your best self
6. What confident athletes say

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Self-help & personal development
- **Written for:** Athletes and coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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### Captains, 7 Ways to Lead Your Team
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-captains-7-ways-to-lead-your-team/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:03.000Z
![Captains, 7 Ways to Lead Your Team cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/captains-7-ways-to-lead-your-team.png?v=1787251308&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [Captains - Seven Ways to Lead Your Team](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/captains-seven-ways/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for team leaders and coaches.

This booklet is designed for coaches to give to their athletes who are in leadership positions on their teams. Don’t leave positive leadership to chance. If athletes do not learn how to lead, too often the entire responsibility for leadership falls on the shoulders of the coach. Teach and expect your captains to lead your team in the direction of character.

1. Serve first
2. Be the example
3. Be the lifeline of communication
4. Praise others — be quietly confident
5. Protect and defend your team — be loyal
6. Know your core covenants, confront violations — be a problem solver
7. Be mentally tough

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Athletes and coaches
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

[Buy now](https://shop.proactivecoaching.ai/cart/add?id=50456292851943&quantity=1&ref=proactivecoaching.ai)[← Continue shopping](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/)
### The Impact of Trust
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-the-impact-of-trust/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:04.000Z
![The Impact of Trust cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/the-impact-of-trust.png?v=1787251307&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [The Impact of Trust](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-impact-of-trust/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$8

Written for people who lead teams.

“*Luck favors the team that trusts each other.*”  
— Mike Krzyzewski

High trust teams have a better chance to reach their potential. On high trust teams, energy and effort levels are consistently high, there is a culture of accountability, athletes trust their training, fully commit to team goals, and “WE” is more important than “me”. This booklet focuses on three key reasons why leaders are trusted or mistrusted, and how that trust impacts both individual and team performance.

Trust changes everything.

### Product details

- **Format:** Paperback booklet
- **Genre:** Sports
- **Written for:** Coaches and team leaders
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

[Buy now](https://shop.proactivecoaching.ai/cart/add?id=50456281186535&quantity=1&ref=proactivecoaching.ai)[← Continue shopping](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/)
### Complete Booklet Collection
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/buy-complete-booklet-collection/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:56:03.000Z
![Complete Booklet Collection cover](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0708/6063/6391/files/All_booklets_f22162d0-38f3-4764-a0e3-08b45e5197ad.png?v=1775771646&width=800)

In the digital library

Members read [all 15 booklets](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/booklets/) online — every booklet, article, video and podcast is included in [membership](https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pricing/).

$84.99

The complete collection of all 15 Proactive Coaching booklets, in one set.

1. 4 Keys to a Successful Season
2. Called to Coach and Inspire
3. Captains, 7 Ways to Lead Your Team
4. Compete, 13 Traits of Elite Competitors
5. Equipping and Empowering Team Leaders
6. First Steps to Successful Teams, Core Covenants
7. Great Teams, The Seven Essentials
8. Life Lessons for Athletes
9. Motivational Strategies for Coaches
10. Playing With Confidence
11. Teach Attitude First
12. The 10 Disciplines
13. The Impact of Trust
14. The Role of Parents in Athletics
15. Assessing and Improving Athletic Programs

### Product details

- **Format:** Set of 15 paperback booklets
- **Genre:** Sports; Self-help & personal development; Education
- **Written for:** Coaches, athletes and parents
- **Author:** Bruce E. Brown
- **Publisher:** Proactive Coaching
- **Language:** English

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Buy now saves this set in your [shop cart](https://shop.proactivecoaching.ai/cart?ref=proactivecoaching.ai) — it stays there while you keep browsing.

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### Parents During the Game
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-during-the-game/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:59.000Z
Competition is the part of sports kids love most and often the hardest time for parents. Bruce Brown continues the Role of Parents in Athletics series with what athletes themselves say helps them during games — being there, modeling poise, focusing on the team, and keeping instruction to the coach's single voice. Parents are asked to choose their role before the game: spectator and encourager.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Parents, Releasing Your Athlete
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-releasing-your-athlete/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:05:00.000Z
Part of the Role of Parents in Athletics series, this video shares the practice Bruce Brown's most successful athletes credited for their growth: parents who released them early to the game, the team, and the coach. Brown walks through the red flags — all reported by kids — that signal a parent hasn't fully let go, and why release is such a gift.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Parents After the Game
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-after-the-game/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:58.000Z
Finishing his series on the role of parents in athletics, Bruce Brown covers what athletes need from their parents after the game. Drawing on years of exit interviews in which the car ride home was consistently kids' worst memory, he urges parents to save their analysis, give time and space, and keep the big picture.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Parents Before the Game
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-before-the-game/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:59.000Z
The first in a series of 10-minute topics drawn from The Role of Parents in Athletics, this video shares what athletes themselves would tell the adults in their lives before the game. Bruce Brown walks parents through four questions to ask their athlete — and the discipline of accepting the answers — since nearly all kids say they play for fun and joy.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### New Additions from the Original Presentation
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/new-additions-from-the-original-presentation/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:58.000Z
The hype of today's ESPN culture has changed youth sports, but what parents want has not: kids who reach their athletic potential and have fun. This message on the role of parents in athletics covers the four stages of the athlete, the things that strip joy from the game, and the charge that our job is to help kids find their passion, not determine it.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### I Love Watching You Play
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/i-love-watching-you-play/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:57.000Z
Bruce Brown shares the origin of the now-famous phrase from his Role of Parents in Athletics presentation: a young softball pitcher whose grandparents said the same thing after every game, win or lose. He explains why those five words say everything that needs to be said, giving athletes the freedom to recover after a game. A short message for parents and coaches alike.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### What Drives Your Team
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/what-drives-your-team/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:56.000Z
Drawing on 20 years of watching thousands of high school and college teams, Bruce Brown presents the six things that drive teams as an ascending ladder — from undriven, crisis-driven, and fear-driven teams up through me-driven, we-driven, and finally purpose-driven teams of significance. Leadership determines everything, and which way a team is driven is a choice.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### What Is Your Track Record
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/what-is-your-track-record/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:57.000Z
Bruce Brown reframes what a coach's track record really is in this 10 Minute Topics video. Wins and losses may define the record at the professional and college levels, but below that, the more important piece is the athletes you've worked with and the lessons they carry into their lives. A challenge to build — and seek employers who value — the correct track record.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Walk Away Drill
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/walk-away-drill/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:56.000Z
Coaches preach composure under provocation but rarely practice it — so Bruce Brown shares how he rehearsed it, from a secretly staged shove in football practice to deliberately terrible calls in basketball scrimmages. The result was years without behavior-related penalties. This video challenges coaches to test their kids in practice before they're tested in competition.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Trust on Teams
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/trust-on-teams/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:55.000Z
Trust is so visible that you could watch two teams practice side by side and identify which runs on high trust and which on low. Drawing on The Impact of Trust, Bruce Brown contrasts the traits of low-trust and high-trust teams and shows how trust lets athletes compete fearlessly. His charge to coaches: trust raises a team's ceiling, so be intentional about building it.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Turning Around Athletic Programs
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/turning-around-athletic-programs/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:55.000Z
Working from a hand-drawn U-shaped curve of a program's decline and recovery, Bruce Brown shares a key truth about turnarounds: most coaching jobs open partway down the descent, and the climb back is usually slow. His main point is for the kids who buy in before success arrives — the early believers who are the real heroes of any turnaround.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Thematic Approach to Teaching Character - #1 - Character Traits & Quotes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/thematic-approach-to-teaching-character-1-character-traits-q/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:53.000Z
Sports reveals character but will not teach it unless coaches intentionally build it into their practice plans and team culture. In the first of a three-part series, Bruce Brown shares his blueprint for implementing character into an athletic program — identifying the traits your sport naturally teaches, defining them toward maturity, and reinforcing them daily through motivational quotes.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Thematic Approach to Teaching Character #3 - Spotlighting
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/thematic-approach-to-teaching-character-3-spotlighting/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:53.000Z
The final segment in Bruce Brown's three-part series on teaching character through themes of the week, this video focuses on spotlighting — public praise adapted from Frosty Westering's afterglow tradition. Brown walks through how the practice grows from position groups to a whole-team tradition, and why teammates constantly looking for the good in each other changes a culture. For coaches reinforcing character intentionally.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Thematic Approach to Teaching Character #2 - Presenters
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/thematic-approach-to-teaching-character-2-presenters/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:53.000Z
Second in a three-part series on teaching character through a thematic approach, this message from Bruce Brown focuses on bringing in presenters, voices beyond the coaches, in a strict eight-minute format. He describes the four presenter pools, from current athletes to former players, and tells the story of the most powerful presenter of all: the school custodian whose talk on courage left the room silent.

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### Tale of Two Teams
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/tale-of-two-teams/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:50.000Z
A flat tire on Camano Island gave Bruce Brown a vivid lesson in team culture: two businesses doing the same job in radically different ways. He contrasts the gas station that lost his sale without looking up against the tire shop whose service won a customer for life, then challenges coaches to build a culture so different it is noticeable and appealing.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Stages of Athletes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/stages-of-athletes/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:49.000Z
Bruce Brown outlines the predictable stages every athlete moves through, from the joy stage through the technical, competitive, and mastery stages, and the coach's job to be what each stage needs. He warns that most kids are lost in the competitive years and that great coaches pull the strand of joy through every stage. A short message for anyone coaching young athletes.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Stages of Coaching
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/stages-of-coaching-2/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:50.000Z
Bruce Brown describes the five stages coaches reside in — beginning, burnout, status quo, prove-it, and coaching for significance — stages we largely choose, and which our athletes can identify instantly. This short video challenges coaches to reach and stay in the stage where the word Coach becomes influence beyond the day, beyond the season, and into athletes' lives.

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### Red Shirt Warriors
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/red-shirt-warriors/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:48.000Z
Bruce Brown tells the story of the Lakota Red Shirt Warriors, the leadership group every young man aspired to join — and the final test of endurance and integrity that determined who earned the honor. Drawn from his presentation The Impact of Trust, this short video leaves coaches with a pointed question about the character of the young people they lead.

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### Self-Correct
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/self-correct/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:49.000Z
Great coaches build athletes who do their own thinking, and Bruce Brown shows how self-correction makes that happen. He explains the limits of always providing immediate correction, how to run self-correction in a film session so every player stays locked in, and the prerequisites for using it well. The payoff is athletes who adjust on the move and become more instinctual.

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### Shared Joy
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/shared-joy/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:49.000Z
Bruce Brown draws on the Life Lessons booklet and the Captains and Coaches workshop to contrast two kinds of pride: arrogance, which is ugly on everybody, and the good kind he calls "shared joy" — the locker-room feeling among disciplined teams that have trained, sacrificed, and performed at their best. A short reflection on the culture that creates lifetime friendships.

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### Preparing for a Parent Meeting
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/preparing-for-a-parent-meeting/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:48.000Z
Bruce Brown walks coaches through the pre-season parent meeting, a one-shot first impression worth preparing for as hard as the first practice or game. He details what to do before, during, and after the meeting, from gathering written insights about each athlete to introducing team covenants and handling questions with positive intent. A thorough roadmap for setting the standard for team culture.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Positive Intent
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/positive-intent/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:47.000Z
Bruce Brown shares a communication concept he learned from former player and author Doug Crandall: positive intent. He explains the filter to apply before speaking — does this have positive intent for our team, not for me — and the flip side of assuming positive intent whenever feedback comes your way. Built into a culture, the idea produces clear, honest, sincere communication across a team.

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### Power of Trust with Rob Miller
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/power-of-trust-with-rob-miller-proactive-coaching/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:19.000Z
A short clip featuring Rob Miller on the power of trust. This brief excerpt gives coaches and educators a taste of Proactive Coaching's teaching on why trust matters in working with young people.

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### Overview of Shaping
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/overview-of-shaping/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:46.000Z
In this 10 Minute Topics video, Bruce Brown examines shaping, the third stage of teaching a character trait and the one where coaches start to lose their effectiveness. He covers both sides of shaping: rewarding progress, and caring confrontation, because what we do not confront, we tolerate, and what is tolerated grows. Essential viewing for staffs deciding what they will never compromise.

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### Life Lessons for Athletes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/life-lessons-for-athletes/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:44.000Z
Recorded at the Proactive guest house on Camano Island, Bruce Brown introduces the presentation and companion booklet Life Lessons for Athletes. He covers the ten character traits every kid should learn from the athletic experience, the distinction between being athletic and being an athlete, and the challenge that every trait is a choice. For anyone who wants sport to build better adults.

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### Methods for Selecting Team Leaders
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/methods-for-selecting-team-leaders/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:45.000Z
Drawing from his book Proactive Leadership, Bruce Brown surveys the different methods of choosing team leaders — team election, coach selection, unity councils, all-seniors models, and more — along with the strengths and risks of each. Whatever method a coach chooses, he closes with the requirements that make any of them work, starting with a crystal-clear job description.

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### Life Lessons and Trust
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/life-lessons-and-trust/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:44.000Z
The closing video of a four-part Proactive Coaching mentoring series for teachers, coaches, and school athletic programs, focused on why we teach life lessons and how trust makes that teaching possible. The speaker explores school as the safest place for kids to experience success and failure, and how competence, caring, and character create the trust that lets students engage and grow.

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### Leadership - Leaders Must Be Developed
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/leadership-leaders-must-be-developed/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:43.000Z
A short promotional message from the Proactive Coaching library on the principle that leaders must be developed, not simply appointed. A quick introduction for coaches interested in Proactive's leadership development work.

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### Jackass Farm
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jackass-farm/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:43.000Z
Bruce Brown builds this short message around a memorable line from a crusty old baseball coach: a strong team culture can absorb one challenging athlete, but two will infect the whole team. He challenges every coach to answer honestly how many challenging athletes they can take on without sacrificing the experience of the great kids. A candid look at protecting team culture.

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### Improve Your Team
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/improve-your-team/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:42.000Z
Bruce Brown covers two sides of the same coin: the only six ways to improve any team, and the forces that destroy teams from the inside out — inconsistent standards, lack of trust, drama, and selfishness among them. This 10 Minute Topics video gives coaches and leaders a clear framework for strengthening a team before replacements ever become necessary.

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### Intentional Coaching 1
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/intentional-coaching-1/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:42.000Z
Rob Miller opens a series on intentional coaching with a look at the choices athletes make. He explains why banners and t-shirt slogans fail without clear definitions, using confidence as an example of a term often confused with bravado when it is really built on preparation. Coaches are charged to be clear and never leave athletes' choices to chance.

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### First Rate People Hire First Rate People
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/first-rate-people-hire-first-rate-people/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:41.000Z
Drawn from the Impact of Trust presentation and booklet, Bruce Brown discusses the competence, caring, and character that allow adults to be trusted, and why happy, secure people belong in leadership while insecure people create problems. He closes with a college president's memorable line about why first-rate people hire first-rate people. For coaches and leaders building trustworthy staffs.

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### Every Athlete Has a Story
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/every-athlete-has-a-story/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:40.000Z
Every athlete you coach has a story, and Bruce Brown believes coaches need to know it. Through the account of a Division I player labeled as having a rotten attitude — until one coach learned what was behind the behavior — this video shows how caring enough to ask why transforms relationships and performance. A message for any coach working with challenging kids.

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### Faceless Opponents
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/faceless-opponents/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:40.000Z
Asked to help a successful Division I football team cut down its personal-foul penalties, Bruce Brown introduced the concept of the faceless opponent — locking into your own teammates' faces while looking directly through the opposition. He explains how the idea reconnected the team to its core covenant of discipline and helped drop personal fouls dramatically while celebrations went up.

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### Dad's Home
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/dads-home/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:39.000Z
Bruce Brown passes along advice he received in his forties and wishes he'd had in his twenties: how to transition from coach to family each night. He shares the "Dad's home" sign a wise coach prescribed and the practices he built around it. A personal, practical message for coaches who want to stay in the profession — and present at home — longer.

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### Defining Athletic Attitude
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/defining-athletic-attitude/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:39.000Z
Drawing on the booklet Teach Attitude First, Bruce Brown tackles the word coaches preach most and actually defines it. He offers a succinct definition of an athletic attitude, from modeling the team's core covenants to competing fearlessly and giving the team gratitude. The closing challenge: if you use the word attitude in your program, define it so clearly it cannot be misunderstood.

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### Cutting
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/cutting/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:39.000Z
Cutting players is one of the most difficult parts of coaching, and Bruce Brown offers a better way to do it. Drawing on his own evolution away from posting a list, he describes how to see tryouts from the player's side and deliver cuts face to face with honest, caring feedback. A short message for any coach who has to make roster decisions.

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### Culture Traits of Good Teams with Bruce Brown
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/culture-traits-of-good-teams-with-bruce-brown-proactive-coac/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:10.000Z
A short clip from Bruce Brown of Proactive Coaching on the culture traits of good teams. It offers a quick look at what strong team cultures share, for coaches working to build one.

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### Controlling Your Thermostat
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/controlling-your-thermostat/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:37.000Z
Coaching is an inherently emotional profession, and Bruce Brown addresses the real question about frustration: where it goes. He discusses the fine line with anger, research showing exemplary coaches got angry but never lost control of their behavior or words, and the costs of crossing that line. A brief message for any coach learning to manage their emotional thermostat.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Culture Feedback with Bruce Brown
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/culture-feedback-with-bruce-brown-proactive-coaching/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:10.000Z
A short clip featuring Bruce Brown on culture feedback. It offers a quick look at the topic for coaches building intentional team cultures.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Coaching Against a Vision
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/coaching-against-a-vision/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:36.000Z
Bruce Brown presents a different way of framing who you're really coaching against — not opponents, but a staff vision of how good the team can be. He explains how coaching daily to close the gap between the team and that vision creates consistency and honors athletes. A 10 Minute Topics video for coaches tired of teams playing up and down to their competition.

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### Commitment - The Five Levels
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/commitment-the-five-levels/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:37.000Z
When coaches say they need more commitment from their athletes, Bruce Brown asks the sharper question: commitment to what? This 10 Minute Topics video clarifies what players should actually commit to and describes the five levels of commitment every player and coach occupies, from indifference to being fully in. Coaches leave with questions for assessing where their own team stands.

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### Building Confidence – Believe in Them
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/building-confidence-believe-in-them/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:36.000Z
Bruce Brown shares one strategy for building confidence in athletes: believing in them before they're successful, so they can believe in themselves. He describes the confidence builder versus confidence cutter exercise and the two adults every young person needs, then closes with a charge to become that person for someone else. A short message for coaches and any adult working with kids.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Coach Wooden
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/coach-wooden/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:36.000Z
Bruce Brown tells the story of meeting John Wooden as a 24-year-old coach, and the signed Pyramid of Success that arrived in the mail two weeks later. The story became a lifelong lesson in humility, service, and giving time and attention to athletes, capped decades later by sharing a stage with Wooden himself. A personal reflection on honoring the coaching profession.

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### Best Players, Best Workers
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/best-players-best-workers/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:35.000Z
A short clip from the Proactive Coaching library on best players and best workers. This quick message is aimed at coaches building a culture where talent and work ethic go hand in hand.

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### Building Allegiances
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/building-allegiances/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:35.000Z
Coaching can be a lonely job, and anyone who coaches long enough will face attacks. Bruce Brown walks coaches through the four groups where allies can be built — other coaches, administrators, parents, and players — weighing the pros and cons of each. A powerful story about athletes rallying to defend their coach shows why speaking from a position of strength matters.

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### Additional Questions for Challenging Athletes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/additional-questions-for-challenging-athletes/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:34.000Z
Extending his presentation The Power of Your Words, Bruce Brown goes deeper on working with challenging athletes — including the rare tough-minded kid who denies a problem exists. He shares the caring framing that makes the conversation work and a series of deliberately phrased questions that can't be dismissed or deflected. For coaches committed to helping their most difficult athletes change.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Beliefs on Changing Behavior
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/beliefs-on-changing-behavior/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:34.000Z
Bruce Brown lays out the beliefs coaches should hold about changing athlete behavior, the companion piece to his five-step Power of Your Words process. He explains why athletes will not arrive with every attribute in place, why young people can and will change for a coach, and why accepting that responsibility comes with the decision to coach. A short message on standards, trust, and expectations.

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### 7 Steps to Resolve Team Problems
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/7-steps-to-resolve-team-problems/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:33.000Z
Because every athletic season brings issues — playing time, injuries, behaviors — Bruce Brown lays out a seven-step process for resolving team problems, from anticipating them proactively to following up after a plan is implemented. This 10 Minute Topics video is for coaches and team leaders who care enough to confront problems directly, and who want to teach their athletes to do the same.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 7 Ways to Develop Role Players
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/7-ways-to-develop-role-players/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:34.000Z
Every great team has multiple roles that must all be filled for the team to reach its potential. Bruce Brown offers coaches seven practical ways to build teams where every role is understood, embraced, and celebrated, from clarifying roles with each player to praising and rewarding great role players.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 4 Roles
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/4-roles/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:32.000Z
Drawn from The Role of Parents in Athletics, one of Proactive Coaching's most-requested presentations, Bruce Brown explains that every athletic contest has only four roles — player, coach, spectator, and official — and everyone gets to choose exactly one. A concise reminder for parents, assistant coaches, and athletes that kids perform best when each person simply does their own job.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 5 Steps to Changing Behavior
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/5-steps-to-changing-behavior/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:33.000Z
In this 10 Minute Topics video, Bruce Brown expands on his Power of Your Words presentation with a five-step process for helping athletes change behaviors they did not arrive with. The steps move from naming the behavior precisely to walking through the change alongside the athlete and giving them ownership. A practical guide for coaches facing tough behavioral cases.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 10 Thoughts for When Your Team Is Stuck in Average
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/10-thoughts-for-when-your-team-is-stuck-in-average/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:32.000Z
Bruce Brown offers ten thoughts for leaders whose teams are stuck in average — winning what they should, losing to teams presumed better, and never reaching their potential. Drawing on ideas like returning to core covenants, rebuilding confidence on preparation, and valuing the committed inner circle, this 10 Minute Topics video helps coaches move a team toward excellence.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 10 Traits of Successful Athletic Programs
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/10-traits-of-successful-athletic-programs/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:32.000Z
Bruce Brown distills the common traits he has observed in great athletic programs from working with teams around the country and the world. Presented as a self-assessment for coaches, this 10 Minute Topics video covers ten characteristics ranging from clear and consistent standards to players who treasure the experience enough to carry its lessons into their lives.

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### 10 Thoughts for When Your Team Is Performing Well
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/10-thoughts-for-when-your-team-is-performing-well/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:31.000Z
The companion to Bruce Brown's talks on struggling and average teams, this 10 Minute Topics video covers what leaders must keep doing in the middle of a great run rather than sitting back and hoping it continues. Brown offers ten practices for protecting momentum, watching for slippage, and keeping a successful culture strong.

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### 10 Thoughts for When Your Team Is Struggling
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/10-thoughts-for-when-your-team-is-struggling/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:31.000Z
Bruce Brown offers ten strategies for leaders whose teams are flat-out struggling, including seasons you know will be hard before they start. From bringing tremendous energy every day to communicating hope and celebrating small successes, the message centers on building relationships and holding to core covenants regardless of the scoreboard. A practical encouragement for any coach facing a lean year.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Teachable Spirit
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teachable-spirit/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:30.000Z
Recorded on Camano Island, this short message from Bruce Brown covers the teachable spirit — taking correction as a compliment. He describes how the trait shows up at any practice, why excuses have no place in the mouths of athletes or leaders, and how a team with a teachable spirit has room to grow all season. A foundational character lesson for coaches and athletes alike.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Givers and Takers
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/givers-and-takers/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:29.000Z
Bruce Brown presents the concept of givers and takers, drawn from a talk he delivered to a Division I football team. He walks through how the two show up in words, actions, attitude, and the way people treat teammates, and closes with a challenge to choose your side and your circle. Useful for coaches and athletes examining themselves and the people around them.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Selflessness
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/selflessness/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:30.000Z
A short clip from the Proactive Coaching library on selflessness. It offers a quick, focused look at this team value for coaches and athletes.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Discipline
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/discipline/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:04:29.000Z
Bruce Brown examines discipline as one of the character traits from Life Lessons for Athletes, reframing it not as punishment but as focused attention and focused effort directed toward a goal. He walks through the disciplines athletics can teach, from respecting authority and sportsmanship to personal responsibility and finishing what you start. A short message for coaches teaching character through sport.

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### Pick One, Play Them All
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/sports-specialization-in-young-athletes/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:31.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast conversation between Lori Thomas and Proactive Coaching speaker Rob Miller about his presentation "Myths and Realities of Specialization." Topics covered: why early sports specialization has become widespread and the perception driving it; the few real pros (roster openings at large schools, age-appropriate strength development) versus the many cons (60% higher dropout/burnout rates, 70% higher overuse injury risk per Dr. James Andrews, the scholarship myth); why 88% of college athletes were multi-sport athletes; games versus practice and the loss of fundamentals; the pressure clubs place on high school programs; gymnastics as a legitimate exception; questions parents should ask (whose passion is it? who profits?); the value of individual sports and learning different roles; the 75-to-1 academic-to-athletic scholarship ratio; and Bruce Brown's line, "Pick one, play them all."

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### Not a Teacher. Seven State Titles.
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/wiley-allred/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:31.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Wiley Allred, head football coach at Royal City High School in Washington — a farmer (not a teacher) leading a small farming-community school of about 400 students that turns out 70–75 football players a year and, in his 20 years, has reached the state championship game nine times and won seven — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: building on Coach Bob Nielsen's culture of high expectations and inclusion in a community that's about 80% Hispanic; a consistent coaching message ("effort and attitude are within your control"); the abnormal path — relentless recruiting of his own hallways, home visits with families (with his Spanish-speaking son), and earning trust; growing kids into commitment through small incentives like names on jerseys for summer workouts; only four head coaches at the school since 1965; turning points (the 2000 state title in his second year, and the 2013 team that was blown out by Zillah, then beat them in the playoffs); choosing captains on influence, example, and commitment; what players remember ("brotherhood"); making it work as a non-teacher coach — and a warning that being a teacher doesn't automatically make you a relationship-builder; his book list (Uncommon, Good to Great, Above the Line, The Slight Edge, Win Forever, Wooden, Training Camp, Culture Defeats Strategy, Leading with the Heart) and clinic habit; and his most important goal — helping others become their very best, with favorites earned by hard work and stories of unlikely heroes trusted in big moments.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Basketball at Its Purest
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/trice-ham-wheelchair-basketball/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:30.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Trice Ham, wheelchair basketball coach — multiple-time national champion at the club and high school levels, adaptive recreation specialist for the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and a staff member for Team USA's gold-medal-winning U25 women's team at the world championships in Thailand — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Probably Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: falling in love with wheelchair basketball ("basketball at its purest") at a tournament at UT Arlington and volunteering with a team two weeks later; the abnormal path — realizing his program's words about developing young people didn't match its results, and rebuilding the culture; what he hopes players remember (how much the program cared, and a culture where it's safe to fail); his two overarching goals (building people of character, and unapologetically teaching young people to compete and win); the Team USA experience under head coach Trooper Johnson; his work in adaptive recreation; books (The Captain Class, Eleven Rings, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People); coach-selected captains who must be communicators, servants, and willing to uphold standards; and advice for young coaches — ask for help, because the turning point of his career was admitting he didn't know what he was doing.

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### I Committed as a Sophomore. I’m Glad the Rules Changed.
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/whitney-jones/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:30.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Whitney Jones, volunteer assistant coach for University of Washington softball — a former Husky pitcher who interned and served as a graduate assistant in strength and conditioning at the University of Tulsa, then led Garfield High School to its first state tournament in her single season as head coach before returning to UW under Heather Tarr — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: her path from Southern California travel ball to UW to Tulsa and back; the club coach (Marty Tyson of the Corona Angels) she once vowed never to play for who became a second father figure; wishing she'd stayed a multi-sport athlete; committing to UW as a sophomore under the old early-recruiting model — calling Coach Tarr weekly at age 13 — and why she's glad the rules changed; the player-to-coach transition and learning to serve ("you go from being served to being the one serving"); her hands-on, relationship-driven coaching style and the staff's growth mindset; UW's abnormal path (culture, environment, and tradition — "Who we are is why we win," culture keepers, and "Mighty are the women"); advice for young coaches who want the college level (save your money, get a graduate assistantship, seek mentors over titles); and her book list (Leaders Eat Last, Developing the Leader Within You 2.0, Relentless, Win Forever).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Building Protectors
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/tim-corbin-developing-humans/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:28.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Tim Corbin, head baseball coach at Vanderbilt University, entering his 15th season and winner of the 2014 College World Series, hosted by Lori Thomas. Topics covered: his path from Division III player to building programs at Presbyterian College and Vanderbilt, what drives him as a coach, Bruce Brown's influence on his teaching, starting every day in the classroom, building "protectors" and working from the inside out, how recruiting and communication have changed, what he looks for in a recruit (team-first competitors), the value of multi-sport athletes, and advice for young coaches to stay students first.

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### Two Rival Schools, One Conversation
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/tom-bendt/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:29.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Tom Bendt, longtime Oregon high school athletic director (Aloha High School, Beaverton) and former coach, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: the "ambassador program" he and Sunset High School AD Pete Lukach built between two rival schools to bring coaches together around their why, the leadership summits they now run for athletic directors across Oregon, the shortage of quality coaches and the decline of the career teacher/coach, building culture as an athletic director, the trend toward combined AD/assistant principal roles, the qualities of great athletic directors (lifelong learners with a teachable spirit), why everybody needs to be coached, feedback as a cultural norm, his sabbatical spent reading and writing, his future book on coaching coaches, his "I'm So Busy" blog, and how to reach him.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Two of My First Four Wins Came in the Mail
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/steve-ridder/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:27.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Steve Ridder, head men's basketball coach at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida — a 30-year program builder closing in on 700 career wins, with roughly 20 straight 20-win seasons, multiple Hall of Fame inductions, numerous Coach of the Year honors, and an NAIA Athletic Director of the Year award from his two decades doubling as AD — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: his abnormal path of never job-hopping — the three Ps (purpose, priorities, protect your priorities) and finding the "sweet spot" at one institution for three decades; inheriting an 0–22 program with no scholarships (and getting two of his four first-year wins by forfeit letters in the mailbox); Embry-Riddle as "the Harvard of the skies"; mentors (his blue-collar dad, his servant-leader mom Joyce with the coffee cart, Kentucky coaches, and Roland Wierwille at Berea College, who taught him to build a program rather than just coach a team); the faculty-senate scholarship vote and the Student-Person-Player promise that athletes would outperform the student body academically (which they have since 2000); growing the department from 5 to 22 sports; the biggest changes in coaching (are you in it for the right reasons, keeping it fun, and social media); the student-athlete experience and preparing players for life after basketball as his singular purpose; his coaching library (Coach K, Wooden, John Maxwell, Jon Gordon, Jeff Janssen) and using Twitter to stay humble; and advice for the next generation — prepare for your moment, build and protect your inner circle, and enjoy the journey, because "it's we, never I."

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Players Haven’t Changed. The Parents Have.
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/sue-doering-building-a-program-of-excellence-and-sustaining/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:28.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Sue Doering, who recently retired after 39 years of volleyball coaching in Washington state — the last 30 at Colfax High School, where her program had a 25-year streak of top-four state finishes — hosted by Lori Thomas. Topics covered: coaching as relationships and communication, being a role model in a small community, goal setting and consistent discipline, balancing coaching with family and faith over four decades, the case for multi-sport athletes (problem-solving, injury prevention, well-rounded development), how parents have changed more than players, and advice for young coaches: know your community, set high but reachable expectations, don't tie success to winning, never conference alone, motivate without demeaning, and hang in there.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Sports Doesn’t Teach Character. People Do.
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/sports-does-not-teach-character-people-do/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:26.000Z
A Proactive Coaching solo podcast episode with Rob Miller, Proactive Coaching speaker and partner, filling in as both host and guest for Lori Thomas. Topics covered: why simply participating in sports does not teach character or life lessons on its own (citing Dr. Sharon Stoll's research at the University of Idaho and studies at West Point), what kids actually learn when bad habits go unaddressed, how coaches should determine what their sport can teach (physical skills versus lifelong character lessons), and the Proactive Coaching model for intentionally teaching life lessons: define, model, shape (confront), and reinforce.

## Introduction

**Narrator:** Proactive Coaching is a business that provides character-based materials and presentations for coaches, athletes, team leaders, parents, and businesses around the world.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Football Isn’t Complicated. People Are.
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/steve-morton/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:27.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Steve Morton, a 40-year college and professional football assistant coach — with stops at Washington State (twice), Washington, Stanford, USC, Iowa State, San Jose State (offensive coordinator), Nevada, Weber State, Portland State, and the CFL — who now coaches high school football, hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Best Coaches You've Probably Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: getting his start as a graduate assistant at Washington State in 1975; the realities of the assistant coaching life ("walking through Hades with gasoline pants on") and the toll of constant moves on family; mentors from freshman coach Dick Seeler at W.F. West to Jim Sweeney, Jim Walden, Don James, and Dick Tomey, and the common trait of being comfortable in their own skin; lessons from 40 years — discover how to be yourself, don't be a carbon copy, and build relationships at every level; friendships with opposing coaches ("iron sharpens iron") and defending their reputations; the biggest changes in athletics (money and the "football arms race," plus the internet, cell phones, and social media); why medical events that ended his college career became a blessing — "I wasn't finished coaching"; college vs. high school in one word (parents — and football only requires counting to four); advice for aspiring college coaches (hard work only guarantees you a chance, and your family must be on board); and a book list (the Bible, John Wooden, Bo's Lasting Lessons, Quiet Strength, What It Takes to Be #1, Undaunted Courage).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Winners Get to Run
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/scott-rosberg-team-building-through-positive-conditioning/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:25.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast conversation between Lori Thomas and Proactive Coaching speaker Scott Rosberg — a 30-plus-year basketball, football, and soccer coach and former athletic director — about the Team Building Through Positive Conditioning presentation and booklet. Topics covered: the contradiction of asking kids to embrace conditioning while punishing them with it; how Bruce Brown's positive conditioning concept reframes conditioning as a privilege; setting it up with athletes on day one; running for your makes instead of your misses; coaches' constant verbal praise of full effort; why timed sprints punish the kids giving the most effort (the sideline-17s and football linemen examples); "winners get to run"; and how to hold kids accountable without using conditioning as punishment.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### If All They Learn Is Baseball, We’ve Failed Them
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/scott-salow/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:26.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Scott Salow, head baseball coach and school superintendent in Homer, Michigan — 27 years without a losing season, an 80%+ win rate, the national-record 75-game winning streak, three state championships including 2019, 12-time district and four-time state coach of the year, and six Hall of Fame inductions shared with his brother Tom — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: how a blue-collar village of 1,800 built a national program ("you win with the help of many"); mentors, especially Spring Arbor's Hank Burbridge, honored by stepping on third base every inning; turning points (taking over from his brother in 2001 and the 1–0 quarterfinal upset of Blissfield in 2004 behind future big-leaguer Josh Collmenter); no captains — 15 captains, everybody accountable; what players remember (alumni game over state titles, the seven-second rule, World Series-level detail, Comerica Park and college trips); preparing kids for life ("if all they learn is baseball, we've failed them"); juggling superintendent and coach (a 50th birthday, a state title, Father's Day, and an evaluation in four days); book studies (The Energy Bus, The Power of Positive Leadership, Proactive Coaching materials); aiming for back-to-back rather than tempering expectations; and advice — adapt to today's learners, but never waver from your beliefs.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Accountability Is a Form of Love
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/scott-centala/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:24.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Scott Centala — former professional baseball player and college coach, now a consultant with the Flippen Group and its sports/military arm Teamalytics, working with Olympic programs, MLB and NFL teams, military special operations units, and corporate clients — hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: the Flippen Group and Teamalytics, turning points in his athletic career including a shoulder injury and identity crisis, what he would tell his adolescent self (take bigger risks), the influence of pitching coach Jim Lawler and unconditional, high-trust relationships, psychological safety and permission to fail, "I got your back" versus "I gotcha" coaching, the best teammates he had (including Jeff Conine), the abnormal path of championship teams, ownership, role clarity, accountability as a form of love, "carefrontation," qualities of the best leaders (trustworthiness, empathy, vulnerability, transparency), Heather Tarr and Tim Corbin, and the book What Got You Here Won't Get You There.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### We Practiced at 9 P.M. in a Warehouse
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/scott-dulin/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:24.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Scott Dulin, head baseball coach and athletic director at Fisher College in Boston — founder of the college's entire athletics program, multiple conference and regional coach of the year, Coach of Character Award recipient, recent 40-win season and 500th career win, and board member of the Roberto Clemente Foundation — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Best Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: building a program from nothing in downtown Boston (no uniforms, equipment, or facilities; warehouse practices at 9 p.m. dodging pillars; not knowing where doubleheaders would be played until two hours before first pitch; and the chance airport-adjacent conversation with a stadium commissioner that landed a 10-year ballpark deal); why he stayed at a small school; mentors (his dad — coach on the field, dad off it — and competing up two years against his brother's age group); the abnormal path (love the game, love to win, embrace the crazy); the 2004 turning point of player-led leadership with defined roles in every class; "one, two, three, Fisher — four, five, six, family"; his purpose (using baseball to build good citizens); studying the '78 Yankees, the '49 pennant race, the '79 Pirates, and Alex Cora's 2018 Red Sox lineup usage; the Clemente legacy and "building nations of good"; and advice for young coaches — be yourself, your first thought is your best thought, and never stop learning (even from T-ball).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### When Cheering Becomes Harassment
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/rob-miller-fan-behavior/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:23.000Z
In this Proactive Coaching podcast, Rob Miller — partner with Bruce and Dana Brown of Proactive Coaching — discusses appropriate fan behavior. After sharing his background (small-college basketball player, college coach, administrator at the NAIA where he met Bruce Brown, and Proactive Coaching partner since 2008), Rob explains the "front porch" concept — how one or two fans' comments reflect on an entire school and program — where the line sits between loud, rowdy, encouraging fans and personal, demeaning attacks, and the escalation story used in presentations to show how harassment progresses from general noise to personal attacks on looks, lifestyle, and race. The conversation then turns to the crisis in game officials: an aging officiating population, harassment driving young officials away, low pay, and the three things needed to keep officials — fan respect, mentoring, and coaches building genuine relationships of respect.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Bigger, Stronger, Faster — and They Don’t Know the Game
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/rob-miller-skills-vs-schemes/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:23.000Z
Skills vs. Schemes – Podcast with Rob Miller (12 minutes)

In this Proactive Coaching podcast, host Lori Thomas talks with Rob Miller — partner with Proactive Coaching founder Bruce Brown — about teaching skills versus teaching schemes in youth sports. Rob explains why today's athletes are bigger, stronger, and faster but less fundamentally sound; why fundamentals must come before offensive and defensive schemes at young ages; the physical and mental realities of age-appropriate training; how too many games (and not enough practice or watching the game) has hurt fundamental development; and why a program-wide, grade-by-grade skills progression sets kids up for long-term success.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Positive Demanding, Never Demeaning
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/rob-miller-4-keys-to-a-successful-season/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:22.000Z
4 Keys to a Successful Season – Podcast with Rob Miller (19 minutes)

In this Proactive Coaching podcast, Rob Miller — partner with Bruce and Dana Brown — walks through the "Four Keys to a Successful Season" presentation and booklet with a focus on youth coaching. He explains why youth coaches are the most important coaches in the country, why 74% of kids leave traditional sport by age 13, and then covers the four keys: committing to and planning the season, teaching skills (define, model, shape, reinforce; skills before schemes; age-appropriate teaching), motivating young athletes (positive demanding without demeaning or embarrassing; correct the mistake, not the person; keep kids active), and building a team (developing all players, valuing every role, and turning slogans into defined action statements).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### We Won State. It Was the Worst Experience of My Life.
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/rob-miller-culture-versus-talent/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:22.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Rob Miller, hosted by Lori Thomas, on building team culture versus relying on talent. Topics covered: why culture outperforms talent, core covenants versus T-shirt slogans, defining covenants like respect in action, giving athletes ownership, intentionally creating leaders, and developing culture through the whole program from the youth level up.

## About Proactive Coaching

**Announcer:** Proactive Coaching is a business that provides character-based materials and presentations for coaches, athletes, team leaders, parents, and businesses around the world.

## Introduction

**Lori:** Hello everyone, this is Lori Thomas with Proactive Coaching, and I am here with Proactive Coaching's partner to Bruce Brown, the founder — Rob Miller. Welcome to the podcast, Rob.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### You Get What You Allow
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/nick-brown/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:21.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Nick Brown (no relation), head basketball coach at Arlington High School in Arlington, Washington, and an award-winning English teacher, hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Best Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: the abnormal path from a winless high school season to learning a winning mentality under Pat Fitterer at Sehome; banning "we should have won," radical honesty in public comments, and the "my bad / good job" routine; "you get what you allow" and taking ownership; building the youth program and family basketball with his wife's personal touches; mentors (his dad, Charles Chapman on Orcas Island, Dean Nicholson at Central, Pat Fitterer, Dan Roush, the old-guard Washington coaches, and Bruce); turning points ("you better work on your gut," the terrifying interim debut at Stanwood, suspending five players in his first year, his wife's cancer and Coaches vs. Cancer, and reaching the Tacoma Dome); a culture built on compete, improve, joy, and family; acknowledging the unacknowledged (tribal appreciation night, custodian night, band night); his purpose (teaching — relating Shakespeare to SpongeBob); a deep book list (The Gold Standard, Patriot Reign, Season of Life, The Inner Game of Tennis, Good to Great, and more); and advice for the next generation — stop worrying what others think, and treat kids well.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### I Joined the Dark Side
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/mike-cashman/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:20.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Mike Cashman — longtime high school basketball coach and Division I assistant who became a basketball official and officials-association leader — hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: how and why he became an official; the national shortage of officials and the verbal abuse driving young officials away; building relationships between coaches and officials (the Norm Lowry Coach of the Year Award and the preseason coaches' social); what makes a great official (communication, preventative officiating, angles, humility, and humor); advice for coaches from an official's perspective (pick your battles, learn the rule book) and for officials from a coach's perspective (learn what teams are running); recruiting the next generation of officials; the playing-time policy that stops parents from yelling at refs; memorable officiating stories; and the story of Scott — the player who called him a liar — and the trust lesson that changed his coaching.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The 0–20 Team They Followed Anyway
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/mike-lowery/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:20.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Mike Lowery, longtime Marysville, Washington high school basketball coach from a coaching family — his father, his brother, and Mike are all in the State Basketball Hall of Fame — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: a family that holds three-on-three tournaments at weddings; his abnormal path (not being a great player, valuing the whole bench, loyalty to seniors, and a strict "level of acceptance" with just two intense hours a day); the beloved 0–20 team that followed years of district championships, the rooter buses that followed them, and the humility it taught; the blank-canvas view of each high school season; turning points (the 2 a.m. decision at Washington State to change his major, and Wheels the manager's "perfect health" perspective lesson); advice to his younger self — be yourself (Al McGuire, not Coach K); his dad's lessons ("if you never lie, you never have to remember what you said"; "you're criticizing their product in public"); relationships first, joy plus intensity; player-voted leadership and Pepperdine team camps; "What's Your Story?"; and his most important goal — every player having a great experience.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### First I Had to Get Over My Own Ego
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/michelle-sabourin-cheer-solidified-a-team-culture-through-th/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:19.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Michelle Sabourin, head cheerleading and stunt coach at Alma College, hosted by Lori Thomas. Topics covered: building a brand-new collegiate cheer program from scratch, discovering Proactive Coaching and bringing Rob Miller to campus, establishing the core covenants of passion, unity, and tenacity, defining covenants in action across practice, the classroom, and the community, redefining success for a young program, and advice for new coaches.

## About Proactive Coaching

**Announcer:** Proactive Coaching is a business that provides character-based materials and presentations for coaches, athletes, team leaders, parents, and businesses around the world.

## Introduction

**Lori:** Welcome to another Proactive Coaching podcast. This is Lori Thomas, and I am a presenter for Proactive Coaching, and I am so glad to be here with all of you. I am excited to be here with Michelle Sabourin. She is in her sixth season as head cheerleading and stunt coach at Alma College in Alma, Michigan. And first, before we get started, I did look you up, and congratulations on being named USA Cheer Stunt Coach of the Year back in 2014.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### We Never Fired a Coach for Losing
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/mick-hoffman/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:19.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Mick Hoffman, newly named executive director of the WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association), former coach, athletic director, and assistant superintendent in the Vancouver (WA) School District, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: how a character-coaching scenario in 2001 changed his trajectory, the Vancouver coaches school, building district-wide core covenants (trust, integrity, excellence) across four high schools and eight middle schools, writing action statements for players, coaches, and ADs, aligning hiring and assessment to the covenants, surveying every athlete, never firing a coach for losing — only for not living the vision, the difference-maker Suzy Adams, the apricot pie lesson about letting people find it for themselves, challenges to anticipate, extending culture work beyond athletics to security and maintenance departments (AJ Panter's transformation), honoring people through awards like the Rolla Mitchell Award, and leadership as humility, resilience, and selflessness.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Permission to Speak Freely
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/matt-kincaid/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:17.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Dr. Matt Kincaid — college professor, former Gonzaga basketball walk-on, partner at the leadership consulting firm Blue Rudder, and co-author with Doug Crandall of Permission to Speak Freely — hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: the "Say Anything" concept and why candid communication drives innovation, engagement, and performance; the three parts of Permission to Speak Freely (what leaders need to hear, why they're not hearing it, and tools to fix it); Blue Rudder's work (leadership programs, keynotes, one-on-one coaching, workshops); how Proactive Coaching concepts translate to business; his playing days at Gonzaga and the best and worst coaches he had; lessons from coaching an AAU girls team (confidence, one focus per week); confidence, discipline, and passion as leadership essentials; coaching girls versus boys and why most kids' last athletic experience matters; turning points in his life (a mentor who breathed life into him, becoming a parent, meeting Doug Crandall); and book recommendations (Range, Farsighted, Permission to Speak Freely).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Three Touches That Changed Columbia
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/michael-aufrichtig-fencing/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:18.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Michael Aufrichtig, head men's and women's fencing coach at Columbia University since 2011 and winner of three NCAA team championships, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: his unusual path from fencing equipment sales and tech sales to NCAA head coach with no prior coaching experience; "always be learning"; rebuilding Columbia after an 18-year championship drought by finding athletes who truly want to be there; the three touches against Harvard that changed Columbia fencing; his Moneyball-style recruiting analytics (the best five-touch fencer beats the highest-ranked fencer); turning an individual sport into a team sport; "customize your communication" — asking athletes how they want to be spoken to; captains as a management team (elections, speeches, weekly meetings, first-year books); a culture where "I love you" is said leaving practice; a purpose that evolved from winning titles to preparing student-athletes to lead the world in 10-20 years; book recommendations (Choke by Sian Beilock; Help the Helper); and advice for the next generation: listen, and quality over quantity.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Coaches From Mars, Players From Venus
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/lori-thomas-coaches-from-mars-and-players-from-venus/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:16.000Z
A Proactive Coaching solo podcast episode with Lori Thomas, drawing on her experience as a multi-sport and professional volleyball athlete and as a coach, about coaching female athletes. Topics covered: why people remember who you are rather than your statistics; the four drivers of today's negative sports culture (instant solutions, lack of accountability, entitlement, blamelessness); what coaches need to know about female athletes (internal pressure, confidence that comes and goes, trust, open communication, team unity, why yelling and scare tactics backfire); professional boundaries for male coaches of female athletes; the six C's paradigm shift, including chemistry and culture (UNC women's soccer core values), clear roles, criticism and correction (Anson Dorrance's lessons), and competition (avoiding one-versus-one punishments, giving simple confidence goals); teaching the difference between internal and external factors and the pressure loop; and Anson Dorrance's senior letter.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Married to the Program
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/maggie-corbin-the-coachs-wife/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:17.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Maggie Corbin — wife of Vanderbilt baseball coach Tim Corbin and an integral part of the Vanderbilt program — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Best Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: the emotion of the College World Series championship in Omaha and the seniors who returned to honor late teammate Donnie Everett; the whirlwind after the title (thank-you notes, appearances, and learning to say no — with Ray Tanner's cautionary advice); her role as a partner who manages life's auxiliary details so Tim can focus on teaching and leading young men; caring for the coaching staff's wives (supper club, Christmas retreat) because "a happy wife allows that coach to better serve our boys"; the Corbins' daily rhythm (morning workouts, watching practice, dinner out every night at 8:30); the ongoing struggle to get Tim away from baseball; health, sleep, and longevity; advice for spouses of young coaches — celebrate his passion, immerse yourself, avoid bitterness — and for coaches: bring her in; the seasons of a coaching wife's life with young children; and a closing laugh about tennis, drop shots, and flying ping-pong paddles.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Can’t, Not Won’t
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/keith-orchard/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:15.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Keith Orchard, mental health specialist for the Coeur d'Alene School District in Idaho — former middle school teacher, Peace Corps volunteer, wilderness therapy guide, and social worker — hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: his path from teaching to social work and back to schools; "staying in the game" with the toughest kid on your team; how trauma and chronic stress change the brain, and why a new explanation for behavior leads to a completely new approach; behavior as communication; building a culture of safety through relationships and knowing a kid's story; staying calm and regulated amid the storm (recognizing your own triggers, rupture and repair); regulation as a practiced skill that must be role-played like free throws; and the difference between can't and won't — why exhausted motivation levers signal a skill that must be taught, with practical examples of teaching poise and positive attitude as skills of the game.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### I Coached Out of Fear of Losing
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/kent-shelley/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:16.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Kent Shelley, head baseball coach at Johnson County Community College in Kansas for over 30 years (1,000+ wins, ABCA Hall of Fame, past president of the ABCA and NJCAA), hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: leaving a sales career to find his purpose in coaching, why he stayed 34 years at the junior college level, turning points in his career, learning from a losing season to recruit for heart over talent, a holistic approach to player development, trusting young players, non-negotiable behaviors of character and integrity, letting players select team captains and using captains as a lifeline, what his teams stood for, his purpose for coaching, recommended books, and advice for the next generation of coaches.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Their Hardest Day, Our Warm-Up
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/josh-stewart/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:14.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Josh Stewart, head boys' basketball coach and athletic director at Lodge Grass High School on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, hosted by Bruce Brown. This episode is told largely as Josh's own story: growing up in Lodge Grass — the Valley of the Chiefs — in a Crow-speaking family, idolizing Coach Gordon Real Bird and Elvis Old Bull, the warrior training and teachings of Chief Plenty Coups, being given the name Twice a Leader, coming to faith at 16, losing his little brother to suicide and turning grief into suicide-prevention service, coaching at Billings Skyview, returning home to coach Lodge Grass, the legacy meeting with past champions, "hero, hardship, and highlight," redefining hard work, "practice isn't over" chores and gratitude, building bridges with rival communities (Love for Lance, Coach Mark Bronger of Huntley Project), the fatherhood conversation, the 2022 state championship run with no timeouts ("their hardest day, our warm-up"), leaving the trophy outside the prayer huddle, and giving God the glory.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### What George Washington Taught Me About Hiring
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jud-damon/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:14.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Jud Damon, athletic director at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: building a department-wide culture of sportsmanship, annual sportsmanship initiatives, core covenants of accountability, integrity, professionalism, sportsmanship, and teamwork, the Flagler College Student Athlete Experience commitment, hiring coaches for character and competence, the biggest changes in college athletics, advice for aspiring athletic administrators, and recommended leadership books.

## Introduction

**Bruce:** Good morning, and welcome to our Proactive Coaching podcast. Our guest today is the athletic director at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida. It's a Division II school in the Peach Belt Conference. Welcome to our show, Jud Damon.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Zone Is a Skill, Not an Accident
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jordan-lewis-keys-to-a-mindful-athlete/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:13.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Jordan Lewis — founder of Headstrong Health, psychology graduate of William Jewell College in Missouri, and former four-year college basketball player — hosted by Lori Thomas. Topics covered: how Rob Miller's Proactive Coaching talks at his high school shaped his approach to leadership; the personal struggles with stress and loved ones' battles with anxiety, addiction, and suicidal thoughts that led him to mindfulness; what mindfulness is (paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment); the connection between mindfulness and peak athletic performance ("the zone"); how coaches can start (their own self-practice, plus team check-in rituals); the three keys to living mindfully (being in tune, being intentional, embracing challenge); why avoiding negative emotions backfires (the "don't think of a tree" effect); and how mindfulness relates to rising mental health struggles in today's youth.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Twelve Words on a Business Card
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/josh-cordell-intentional-coaching/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:13.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Josh Cordell, longtime head boys' tennis coach at Summit High School in Bend, Oregon (seven state championships in nine seasons) and founder of Prep Success Coach, a coaching and mentoring service for young people, hosted by Lori Thomas. Topics covered: how Josh got into coaching, discovering Proactive Coaching through a Bruce Brown presentation, what it means to coach with intention, the "12 words" team-principles exercise (including grit and grind), starting a program culture from scratch, the Prep Success Coach mentoring service, helping kids after being cut from a team, and the combination of passion and compassion in great youth coaches.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Firm Hands and Open Hugs
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jody-sears-core-covenants-and-leadership-principles/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:11.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Jody Sears, head football coach at Sacramento State and the first Sacramento State football coach named Big Sky Coach of the Year, hosted by Lori Thomas. Topics covered: his path from playing at Washington State to coaching stops at Iowa State, St. Ambrose, Army/West Point, Eastern Washington, Washington State, Weber State, and Sacramento State; how he was introduced to Proactive Coaching and Bruce Brown; taking over a talented but "rudderless" team and building identity through core covenants (including loyalty and toughness) and leadership principles (be the first to confront violations of team standards; be the first to encourage, last to become discouraged); how to make culture-building intentional (memorization, post-practice shout-outs, daily training-camp sessions, seniors teaching the young players); being positive and demanding rather than coaching through fear; and recruiting to the covenants — toughness, loyalty, selflessness, and heart.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### After Practice, We Were Dad and Son
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/joe-harris/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:12.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Joe Harris, Hall of Fame Washington high school basketball coach who spent 31 years at two small schools (Bridgeport and Chelan) and father of Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Harris, hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Best Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: the abnormal path of sacrifice — players giving for each other in the unseen moments; hard work as the cornerstone of the program; the turning point of confidence (from a loud, boisterous young coach to a relaxed, fluid one); letting leaders emerge naturally and naming drills after former players; coaching his own son — dad and son after practice, not coach and player — and Joe's journey from Chelan to Virginia under Tony Bennett to the NBA; the authenticity of the Virginia staff and their national title; teams that outwork people and play together; his most important goal (turning out good people — good dads, good coworkers); book recommendations (Raise Your Game, Outliers, Grit, and the small-town hoops novel Blind Your Ponies); and advice for young coaches — be a lifelong learner, sit with the older coaches, and be confident enough to ask for help.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Tell Me Who I Am
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jerry-gaines/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:10.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Jerry Gaines — husband, father, grandfather, athlete, coach, teacher, mentor, follower of Jesus, author of Forty Stories High, Proactive Coaching speaking team member, and Virginia Tech's first African American scholarship athlete — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: turning points where decisions were made for him (integrating the local white high school as a senior, Virginia Tech recruiting its first Black athletes, leaving the Army just as a new high school needed a Spanish teacher and track, football, and cross country coach); earning his keep rather than being given anything; the mentee who broke his long jump record; the philosophy rooted in his father's homemade Little League field and the day his dad refused to play without the team's two white players; "tell me who I am" — kids' deepest need to know they're somebody; loving kids as the most consistent coaching strategy; the stories of Helen and Cliff and the primacy of relationships; "glorious selfishness" and being otherly in your thinking, modeled on God's sacrifice; whether kids have changed (the needs haven't — the environment has); the crying girl at prom with everything but her parents' attention; and his favorite audiences — adolescents and the people who teach them.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### One Rule: Do the Right Thing
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jim-clem/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:11.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Jim Clem — career educator, athletic director, member of six Halls of Fame, winner of over 1,100 baseball games across high school and American Legion ball, and current pitching coach for the Bellingham Bells collegiate summer league team — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: whether the career teacher-coach is a thing of the past, and the survival skill of building a winning culture; his one rule — do the right thing — broken into four trainable areas (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual), including focus on controllables, breathing work for a racing heart, finding your "happy place," and the spirit you bring to every team you're on; players grading themselves after wins and losses; the abnormal path of team-first selflessness ("nobody should care who gets the credit"); intentional versus left-to-chance cultures; his Hall of Fame mentors (Gary Radlet, Frank Osborne, Glen Ricker, Don Leach) and his psychology background; choosing leaders by who the kids respect most — often the hardest workers, not the best players; his most important goal (whole people whose sport doesn't define them); The Mental Game of Baseball; and advice for young coaches — find a mentor, because coaching is a lonely world.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Don’t Call Me Coach
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jeremy-sheetinger/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:10.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Jeremy "Sheets" Sheetinger, head baseball coach at Georgia Gwinnett College and former assistant executive director of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Best Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: his path from Frankfort, Kentucky through unpaid and near-unpaid coaching jobs (Georgetown College, a metal factory by morning, the University of Kentucky in the SEC) to the ABCA and back into coaching; three career turning points, including the sacrifice that cost him a marriage and the decision to leave coaching when his first child was on the way; what he learned from elite coaches — dying to ego daily, telling players he loves them, "hero, highlight, hardship" Fridays; being a teacher above all ("call me Sheets, not Coach"); the coaches who altered his life (Little League coach Bud Ritchie, his high school coaches, and Alan Cox, who's moving from Canada to join his staff); the 2008 Kentucky team and senior leadership; his vision for culture (trust and love, training a tick above World Series speed, attention-span-aware practice design, stepping into failure rather than retreating to safety); the daily 1:30 classroom — coaching the person, then the student, then the player; letting leaders emerge and redefining vocal leadership; and book recommendations (Grit, Help the Helper, Emotional Intelligence 2.0, Linchpin).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### More Than Words on a Wall
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jason-slater-promoting-teamwork-and-core-values-within-schoo/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:09.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Jason Slater, a former teacher and principal who became a school district superintendent in Montana in 2013, hosted by Lori Thomas. Topics covered: his background in the Air Force, teaching, coaching, and administration; how a divisive small-town athletic controversy introduced him to Bruce Brown and Proactive Coaching; applying team-building beyond athletics to teachers, aides, administrators, and school boards; the district's core values initiative (excellence, unity, compassion, respect, integrity); the difference between words on a wall and values that are defined, modeled, and reinforced; the core values declaration created by every stakeholder group; building a common language from kindergarten through seniors; and why the work is ongoing.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### I Thought Winning Would Be the Easy Part
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/jenny-eustice-dance/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:09.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Jenny Eustice, head dance team coach at the University of Iowa, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: her background as a three-time national champion dancer at the University of Minnesota, high school biology teacher, and coach now in her 11th season at Iowa; the turning point of learning that personal success as an athlete doesn't make coaching easy — and learning to coach the person, not just the dancing; the team-as-family culture with high expectations and unconditional love; "Fight for Iowa" and hard work as the program's hallmark; transitioning from elected captains to a senior leadership model and the quiet seniors who became phenomenal leaders; her most important goal (better dancers, but more importantly better people); reading recommendations (Proactive Coaching's The Impact of Trust, Alistair McCaw's 7 Keys to Being a Great Coach, Daniel Coyle's The Culture Code); and advice for beginning coaches on receiving feedback without taking it personally.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Don’t Let This Steal Your Joy
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/donnie-bostwick/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:07.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Donnie Bostwick, head men's basketball coach at Oklahoma Wesleyan University — former assistant at John Brown University (2005 NAIA national champions), national championship-winning head coach at OKWU (2009, with a record 39 consecutive wins) and national finalist at Southwestern Assemblies of God University — hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: his coaching journey, the sudden COVID-19 cancellation of the national tournament and protecting his team's joy, his "why" (faith, family, and two miscarriages that reordered his priorities), his abnormal path (his father's work ethic and his mother's faith), teaching meekness as power under control, taking fear out of play through pressure training and "aggressive mistakes," accountability and offensive rebounding dominance, the Greg Tonagel "fearless" story, mentors including David Griffin and Ken Hayes, what he'll never compromise on, his "Jesus culture," recommended books, advice for young coaches ("make the big time where you're at"), the story of Mikey, and his Spirit Led Coach ministry.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### So What? The Next Pitch Is Coming.
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/heather-tarr-accountability-honesty-trust/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:08.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Heather Tarr, head softball coach at the University of Washington — at the time of recording ranked No. 1 in the country and 23-0 — hosted by Lori Thomas. Topics covered: responding to losing a key player to injury, her path to coaching and Bruce Brown's influence as her junior high PE teacher, building a competitive culture with love and trust, the inner circle and communication triangle, leadership through older players, recruiting advice for student-athletes and parents (finding the right level and fit, asking the right questions), advice for young coaches (know your why, be the best where you are, network), and staying level-headed by playing pitch to pitch.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### You Wouldn’t Be Any Good at It
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/dennis-janzen/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:06.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Dr. Dennis Janzen — founder of Applied Coaching Education; former professor of sport psychology, athletic director, and six-time NAIA national champion volleyball coach at Fresno Pacific University; four-time AVCA National Coach of the Year with an 867–168 career record; US Men's National Team assistant; and recently head coach of Singapore's men's and women's national teams — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: the guidance counselor who told him he'd be no good at coaching, and the college coach who changed his life; mentors (Del Reimer, Chet Roberts, Marv Dunphy, Fred Sturm, John Dunning, Jim McLaughlin, and his dad); building camps and clinics at Fresno Pacific when there was no budget; the abnormal path — a best-in-the-country practice gym, differentiated instruction, "players will do what you train them to do," and the trust-relationship-commitment continuum; the 373–18 final decade and the teammate emphasis ("make the people around you better"); leadership as behavior that influences, and going captain-less with 14 leaders; non-negotiables (how players treat each other, effort) and the entitled Singapore star he nearly left off the team; his faith and "dream dreams big enough to fail"; book recommendations (Legacy, Chop Wood Carry Water); and advice for the next generation — be a student of the game beyond X's and O's, know the why, and define success by influence.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Hire Teachers, Not Yellers
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/don-pellum/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:06.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Don Pellum, college football coach — 30 years at his alma mater, the University of Oregon, as a player, administrator, and assistant coach, now inside linebackers coach at UCLA — hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: how he got started in coaching under Coach Rich Brooks, the value of staff continuity, the public and private realities of being a college assistant coach, mentors, the best teams he was part of and why commitment and communication set them apart, growth in patience and listening, the biggest changes in athletics, recruiting multi-sport athletes, advice for high school coaches who want to move to the college level, what he looks for when hiring coaches, and recommended books.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### I’ll Never Tell You What You Want to Hear
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/dean-lockwood/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:04.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Dean Lockwood, Associate Head Women's Basketball Coach at Michigan State University, with about 37 years of college coaching, including 15 years as an assistant at the University of Tennessee under Coach Pat Summitt (national championships in 2007 and 2008), hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: why he got into coaching, mentors, the realities of being a college assistant coach, what made his college coach special (telling the truth), Pat Summitt's greatest strengths (communication and connection, passion, purpose and humility), the best teams he's been part of, turning points and growth through adversity, reversing the interview to check for alignment of values, the biggest changes in athletics, advice for young coaches (lifelong learning, authenticity, treating people well, learning how to teach), and recommended books.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### They Think the Fight Is Over
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/denise-wescott/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:05.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Denise Wescott, Hall of Fame lacrosse coach, assistant coach at Cal Berkeley after many years of Division I collegiate coaching and service as head coach of the German national and World Cup team, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: starting to coach in seventh grade, turning points from Maryland to Michigan State, mentors including her father, Howie Landa, Sue Tyler, Sue Scheetz, and international lacrosse pioneers, growth as a coach and finding her own style, the biggest changes in athletics (sports becoming too business-oriented, society and parenting changes), living through Title IX as the first female to sign an NLI at Maryland, the decline of women coaching women and the WeCOACH effort, great teams at Maryland, Monmouth, and Delaware (including a transformative European trip), teaching versus born leadership, advice for aspiring college coaches, and recommended books.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Make Where You Are the Big Time
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/danny-miles/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:03.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Danny Miles — 45-year head men's basketball coach at Oregon Institute of Technology, winner of over 1,000 games (1,040), three NAIA Division II national championships, member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, NAIA Champion of Character Award winner, recipient of the Athletes in Action John Wooden Keys to Life Award, and now athletic director at Cascade Christian High School in Medford, Oregon — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Best Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: how an injury and three-sport background landed him at Oregon Tech at 23; learning from losing seasons; mentors from fifth grade through the Evergreen Conference; turning points (committing to his own system after a brief Loyola Marymount-style experiment, redshirting freshmen at a tough academic school, and his faith commitment 18 years before retirement); innovations including his VPS statistical system and an early pack-line defense; the "Oregon Tech guy" culture and what it meant to earn the name; and advice for young coaches — protect your marriage and family, and make where you are the big time.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Front Porch of the Community
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/darin-boysen/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:04.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast conversation between Rob Miller, partner at Proactive Coaching, and Darin Boysen, executive director of the Nebraska Coaches Association, about the Nebraska Sportsmanship and Leadership Summits — held for 18 years, with Proactive Coaching facilitating for the past seven — reaching nearly 1,500 student-athletes and coaches across Nebraska each year. Topics covered: the mission of the Nebraska Coaches Association, the hands-on summit format, current issues facing athletes and coaches (equity and safe environments, culture and standards, athletics as the front porch of the community), Nebraska's three-organization partnership, intentional coaching versus being defined by wins and losses, reaching young coaches, the number one lesson (relationships, without coddling), keeping a learning heart, and the tension between the educational model and the business/club model of athletics.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Put On Your Humility Hat
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/corinne-immel-dance/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:02.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Corinne Immel, Hall of Fame high school dance coach who led the Eastlake High School dance team for 12 years and now lives in San Francisco, hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: taking over her old team at 21 and learning the hard way that coaching isn't just costumes and commands; the captains-and-coaches workshop that changed her view of coaching from winning to building confident leaders; the summer-camp low point that taught her vulnerability; mentorship from Don Bartell; turning points built on team vulnerability and senior legacy (the classes of 2016 and 2017); cultivating leadership as the number one priority; surviving a nine-month season (shorter, efficient practices, real breaks, embracing the inevitable January slump); the abnormal path (outside choreographers, cross-training, technique coaches, knowing her own strengths); a culture of gratitude and hard work; David Goggins' Can't Hurt Me; and advice for young coaches — wear your humility hat, keep traditions until you don't need them, avoid the negativity loop, and focus on the kids who want it.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Everybody Says Culture. Nobody Defines It.
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/craig-doty-building-a-championship-team-culture/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:02.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Craig Doty, NAIA national championship-winning men's basketball head coach at Graceland University, hosted by Lori Thomas. Topics covered: why he coaches and the impact of basketball camps, what culture really means and building a relationship-based program, establishing standards from day one, professional social media habits for athletes, what he looks for in recruits, advice to sports parents, developing student assistants into future coaches, and respecting and building relationships with game officials.

## About Proactive Coaching

**Announcer:** Proactive Coaching is a business that provides character-based materials and presentations for coaches, athletes, team leaders, parents, and businesses around the world.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### From the Sidelines to the Sidewalk
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/bob-wilson/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:00.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Bob Wilson, former college basketball coach and Hall of Fame athletic director at Vanguard University, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: implementing the NAIA Champions of Character program with intentionality, building Vanguard's Gold Pride initiative, the freshman character class and character captains, competing for significance beyond the scoreboard, using expectations to create teachable moments, small-group character development, and the Proactive Coaching parent presentation.

## Introduction

**Bruce:** Good morning, and welcome to our Proactive Coaching podcast series. Today we're gonna be speaking with Bob Wilson. Bob has been a friend for a long time. He's a former college basketball coach and Hall of Fame athletic director at Vanguard University in Southern California, and he's also recently joined our Proactive Coaching speaking team as a regional speaker down in the Southern California area. So Bob, welcome to our show.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Not as They Are, but as Who They’ll Become
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/bruce-brown-great-teams-coach-inspire-10-disciplines/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:01.000Z
A short Proactive Coaching podcast segment in which founder Bruce Brown introduces three new Proactive Coaching booklets: Great Teams: The Seven Essentials, The 10 Disciplines, and Call to Coach and Inspire. Topics covered: what each booklet contains and who it's for; how Call to Coach and Inspire grew out of conversations with highly successful people who almost always credited a single individual — often a teacher or coach — as the difference-maker in their lives; and two of its seven motivational concepts: visualizing success (seeing kids not as they are, but as who they will become) and conduct flows out of character (standing up for what you believe teaches young people to decide what they stand for).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Capable, Not Comfortable
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/billie-moore/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:59.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Coach Billie Moore, the first coach in women's basketball history to lead two different schools (Cal State Fullerton and UCLA) to national championships, and head coach of the first USA women's Olympic basketball team in Montreal in 1976 — whose captain was Pat Summitt — hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: how she got started in coaching, mentors including Charlotte West and John Wooden, the AIAW era and the early history of women's basketball, Title IX and the growth of the women's game, coaching players on what they're capable of rather than what they're comfortable with, her mentoring relationship with Pat Summitt, recruiting on attitude, academics, and athletic ability, becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable, advice for young coaches, recommended books, and lessons from Coach Wooden on details and fundamentals.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### I Will Never Forget How Hard This Game Is to Play
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/blake-hawksworth/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:55:00.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Blake Hawksworth, former Major League pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers, later pitching coach at Cal State Fullerton and now a scout/advisor with the Boras Corporation, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: being drafted out of high school and choosing Bellevue College after falling short academically; lessons from injuries (shoulder and elbow surgeries, leaning into rehab one day at a time, choosing your response); transitioning from pro player to college pitching coach and earning a staff's trust; what strong character looks like when evaluating amateur players; the coaches he trusted (JT D'Amico's standards at Eastlake, Derek Lilliquist's simple teaching, Don Mattingly's "I will never forget how hard this game is to play"); Adam Wainwright as the best teammate he ever had; recommended books (The Mental Game of Baseball, The Prodigal God); and advice for young athletes on dreaming, vision, and editing your life to stay on the narrow path.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Cutting a Player Is an Act of Care
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/becky-carlson-rugby/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:58.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Becky Carlson of Fearless Coach LLC, head rugby coach at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: why letting players go has become so difficult for coaches, five reasons the process is harder today (lack of administrative support, inconsistent leadership messaging, society's discomfort with endings, over-identification with sport, and the collision of mental health awareness with accountability), reframing being cut as an act of care, gateway questions for parents and athletes, neutral questions parents can ask after a child is cut, "curious over furious," and endings in sport as a dress rehearsal for life.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Champions Act a Certain Way
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/bill-brosseau/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:59.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Bill Brosseau, a pioneer of the lacrosse movement in the Pacific Northwest, hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Greatest Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: falling in love with lacrosse after moving to West Point in 1963; growing up surrounded by legendary coaches (Jim "Ace" Adams, Jack Riley, Paul Dietzel, a young Bobby Knight) and World War II heroes as neighbors; his coaching style of treating everyone with dignity and respect ("They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care"); whether coaches are born or made; the turning point of defining champions by how they act rather than trophies (Eastside Catholic's 0–10 team that played for a state title two years later); the abnormal path of preparation ("if you're doing a lot of coaching during the game, you didn't do it during the week"); teaching athletes to say thank you — including thanking 91-year-old Ace Adams for his first lacrosse stick; Scholastic Coach and learning by watching; and advice for young coaches: learn, listen, lead, build a program you believe in, and measure success decades down the road.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Talent Sets the Floor, Character Sets the Ceiling
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/angus-reid/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:57.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Angus Reid — 13-year Canadian Football League center for the BC Lions, fourth overall pick in the 2001 CFL draft, two-time Grey Cup champion, author of Thank You, Coach: Learning How to Live by Being Taught How to Play, and TED Talk speaker on why we need high school football — hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: the purpose of the book (thanking his coach and reminding all coaches of their impact); "How good do you want to be?" and the accountability that comes with answering it; talent sets the floor, character sets the ceiling; the two characteristics of greatness — durability and dependability; how his coach built trust (knowing the person before the player, objective standards with subjective coaching, consistency and patterns); his first-round-pick-to-cut rookie year and a coach he didn't trust; the handwritten game-day letters and why he kept all 200-plus of them; and a closing challenge — coaches may be the last people who can get a teenager's undivided attention, so teach something that matters.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### There Is No Bench
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/becky-acra-cheer/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:58.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Becky Acra, championship-winning cheer coach from a small gym in Great Falls, Montana, hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Best Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: how a small-gym program wins national championships (hard work, showing up for each other, a culture built before skills); the abnormal path of a two-year break and rebuilding on an old foundation; her journey from a professional basketball family to falling in love with cheer ("no bench — every size and shape is valuable"); turning points (becoming a mom and gaining compassion for parents; a Bruce Brown culture-and-trust seminar at the University of Great Falls; realizing "it's not about me"); a relationship-first coaching style built on knowing each athlete's story; setting athletes up for success by training through failure and teaching emotional control for two-and-a-half-minute routines; letting leaders emerge and leading through accountability; a team culture that means family; her "why" (being the coach kids remember as adults); reading recommendations (Next Level Thinking by Joel Osteen, Varsity and USASF resources); and her advice to young coaches: lead with love.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Don’t Tell Them How Good You Are. Show Them.
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/playing-with-confidence-2/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:56.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast conversation between Lori Thomas and Proactive Coaching partner Rob Miller about the Playing with Confidence presentation and booklet. Topics covered: defining confidence (knowing you're prepared, focusing on performance over results); the difference between pressure and stress (Mark Dantonio's line); what low confidence and overconfidence look like; quiet inner confidence ("don't tell them — show them"); identifying what athletes worry about (fear of failure and fear of success); knowing your strengths and weaknesses (the Milwaukee Bucks camp left-hand story); Belief + Knowledge − Action = Nothing; controlling the controllables and avoiding external-factor excuses; self-talk swaps; confidence builders versus confidence cutters; the coach's and parents' roles in modeling poise; and confidence as a daily habit.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### We Will Not Have a Bad Day
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/andy-affholter/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:56.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview with Andy Affholter — recently retired girls basketball coach at Granger High School and former boys basketball coach at Mabton High School in Washington's Yakima Valley — hosted by Bruce Brown as part of the "Best Coaches You've Never Heard Of" series. Topics covered: growing up the son of a coach and learning by observation (Dean Smith as a long-distance mentor); focusing on the process over the product; the poverty poster and "we will not have a bad day"; the turning point of inheriting a good team at Mabton and the power of being believed in; advice to his younger self about work-life balance; wanting basketball to be the thing players remember first about high school; EWPA and a near-spotless technical-foul record; building player-led teams where seniors serve the younger kids; Sports Illustrated features as his reading habit; advice for the next generation ("lose the battle to win the war" — youth basketball is too focused on winning); and his most important goal: relationships with his players after basketball.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Confidence: A Parent’s Guide
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/confidence-parents/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:55.000Z
01Chapter 1

## 1 – Understanding Athletic Confidence

---

As I travel and speak around the country, one of the biggest concerns many parents and coaches talk to me about is their child's or athlete's lack of confidence. They see lack of confidence (fear, hesitation, worry, doubt) as one of the most important factors and are not quite sure how to help. It is very difficult for parents of athletes to watch their sons and daughters not perform to their potential, or to try to compete without truly believing in themselves, or play fearfully. They want them to succeed in sport and confidence is obviously important for athletic success. It is helpful to have confidence as an athlete but even more important for them to be able to carry that over into adult life. A lot of who we are is woven in childhood by people who should really care. We all want to raise confident kids and I believe that parents, coaches and athletes are all capable of doing things that are necessary to build self confidence.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Role of Parents
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-role-of-parents/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:55.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Introduction

---

The involvement of parents in the athletic experience of their children is a given. Without question, all parents should be part of this area of their children's growth. Their involvement affects their own child, the coach, the rest of the team, the other parents and the officials. How they choose to be involved is a choice they have. This booklet focuses on the parent's role from the perspective of the athlete. For more than three decades I frequently asked the players on my teams a series of questions about the role of adults in their experience. In this process, I learned many things that helped me as a coach. I also learned many things that young people would like to tell their parents but probably never will. This booklet is a way of giving back to three decades of great young people on my teams.

Coaches frequently ask me how much the kids changed during my coaching career. My response is always the same: "The athletes have changed very little, but the parents have changed dramatically." While some current parental reactions can undoubtedly be traced to either the professional model of sport or the media, most problems with parents and sport are self-generated. As a result, too many households overemphasize sports at the expense of sportsmanship and support. The number of parents who cross the appropriate line of support or encouragement to intolerable interference has increased. In a similar display of misplaced priorities, too many parents seem to be more concerned with attracting the attention of college scouts than just enjoying their child's high school years and letting their child's advancement to college take its own path. With athletes focusing on a single sport year round (many at a very early age), the pressure for success in that sport mounts. Parents are making large financial investments in private tutors, conditioning coaches and doing whatever is necessary to give their kids the opportunity to participate on "select" out-of-season teams to ensure that their kids get as much of an advantage as possible.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Impact of Trust
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-impact-of-trust/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:53.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Value of Trust on a Team – High Trust/Low Trust?

---

Teamwork: "There comes a moment on great crews that transcends anything the individual could have ever accomplished on their own. When most men talk about their perfect moments in a boat, they refer not so much to winning a race as to the feel of the boat, all eight oars in the water together… the synchronization almost perfect. In moments like that, the boat seems to lift right out of the water. Oarsmen call that the moment of swing. Olympics contender John Bigelow loved that moment, but what he liked most about it was that it allowed you to trust the other men in the boat… A boat did not have swing unless everyone was putting out in exact timing. Because of that, and only because of that, there was the possibility of trust among the team. That moment of 'swing' is what happens when all the members of your team are working together as one – when every member is pulling for every other member, and the thoughts of 'we' have become the most important thing. There must be a conscious effort to blend all the skills and strengths, setting aside 'what's good for me – personal glory' and embracing 'what's good for the team – collective accomplishment'. This is never easy." — David Halberstam, The Amateurs

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Youth Coaching - 4 Keys to a Successful Season
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/youth-coaching-4-keys-to-a-successful-season/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:54.000Z
Plan – Teach – Motivate – Build a Team

Not long ago after speaking at a coaching clinic, I was asked by a local coach if I would visit basketball practice for his team of eleven-year old boys. It was an eye-opening experience. When I arrived, there were two teams of the same age and abilities practicing at the same time on opposite ends of the floor. The difference between the two teams was amazing. Here are some general observations.

## Start of practice

**Team A**

Players sat on the floor as the coach talked to them for 15 minutes, within 3 to 4 minutes the players were lying down and had completely lost focus. Three players arrived late after the coach had begun.

**Team B**

Most players arrived early and practiced shooting. At the starting time, the whole team stretched for about 10 minutes while the coach walked around and met quickly with each player, welcoming each of them by name with a smile and asking if they had reached their shooting goals at home since the last practice. He used the stretching time as teaching time and reminded the team of what they had learned last practice and what the new skills would be for today. He ended with a quick huddle and reminder of the emphasis of the day and their team values (Concentrate – Do your best – Be a great teammate).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The 10 Disciplines
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-10-disciplines/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:52.000Z
01Chapter 1

## What Discipline Is and Why It Matters

---

Discipline is essential in successful team cultures. It provides structure, order, direction, purpose, and focus. Excellence is never an accident.

Discipline is not the same as regimentation, blind obedience, or adhering to bureaucratic rules. It is having the inner strength to reject pressures or shortcuts that are in violation of your core covenants, performance standards, and relationship commitments — self-discipline to relentlessly stay the course and do what it takes to create a great outcome.

Discipline is a form of love. Nothing is more harmful to the team than the neglect of discipline. Discipline is more important than athleticism. When two teams near the same level of talent are competing, the advantage always goes to the most disciplined. A collection of talented individuals without personal discipline or an intentional team culture will get beaten when they eventually meet a team almost as talented with the discipline and culture in place.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Teach Attitude First
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teach-attitude-first/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:51.000Z
01Chapter 1

## **A positive athletic attitude can be taught and it is contagious**

---

Positive attitudes come from positive experiences. Having a good athletic attitude means having positive belief and action about the game, the team and themselves. Attitude is a choice, but often one that has to be taught and molded. Once taught, players at any age can be held accountable for the attitudes they choose to display. Most young players will enter your team without a clear understanding of what a “good athletic attitude” is. An athletic attitude must be clearly defined, taught, expected, and assessed. As a rule, attitudes are much more within the coach’s control than the talent level of his athletes and therefore should be an area of focus throughout the year. Sports are voluntary (both to play and to coach) and no one should be forced into playing. Effort and attitude are also voluntary. They are choices that only the individual can commit to on their own. At the conclusion of the athletic experience, a good attitude will be more helpful than any physical skill.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Team Stories
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/team-stories/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:52.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Seize the Season

---

There have been many stories from history that can help us build teams for today. When members of a team understand how teams are built and can see the same vision as their leadership does, great things can happen.

The purpose of this booklet is to provide coaches with messages to inspire young people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to focus on the importance and power of teamwork in their lives. The best compliment any athlete can receive is that they are a great teammate. The best times of our lives are when we are part of something bigger than ourselves, and the best use of our energies and talents is to contribute to others – to create a team.

Coaches and athletes in leadership positions should do everything they can to create a great team experience. Your opportunities are limited. Don't miss your chance.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Motivational Strategies for Coaches
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/motivational-strategies-for-coaches/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:50.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Overview – What Does Motivation Look Like?

---

The purpose of this booklet is to describe attributes that develop a coaching style that produces motivated athletes and teams; a style that propels players into action, a style that activates the hearts, minds and behaviors of the players. This type of coach understands that motivation is much more than the verbal pre game or half time "pep talk" that many people recognize as "motivation" in coaching.

Motivation is defined as a force that propels people into action. It is the "motive to act", an inner drive. What kind of "action" do you want your coaching to inspire? The ultimate goal in motivation is to get people to do all they are capable of and enjoy it. Leaders who understand and produce a motivating climate get people to go beyond their own perceived limits.

In sport, as in life, either the hope of achieving a particular result or fear of experiencing a specific consequence triggers most internal motivation. As a rule, it is true that most individuals begin coaching as they were coached as athletes. For example, if a person grew up with coaches who used fear as the primary motivator, they typically begin their coaching career using the same tactic.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Positive Conditioning
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/positive-conditioning/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:50.000Z
"The coach's most powerful tool is love." — John Wooden

01Chapter 1

## Conditioning

---

#### Here is what I wanted:

1. To be in better game condition than any of our opponents.
2. To have our condition be a source of pride.
3. To not have to be upset to get them to run.

Here are the steps I used to change the way players looked at conditioning. I introduced the theory by verbally asking them if they believed the following premises, which lead to the conclusion at the end. First Premise – Being in great condition will make you a better player. Being a better individual player will make us a better team. Second Premise – Conditioning will allow us to have more success. Conditioning is something the best teams at any level always have. Conclusion: Therefore, conditioning should be looked at as a privilege. Once they accept the conclusion, I was able to adapt the following ideas:

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Daily Character Lessons - Youth Coaches
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/daily-character-lessons-youth-coaches/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:48.000Z
Daily Character Lessons for Youth Coaches (NAIA Champions of Character)

01Chapter 1

## Overview

---

This booklet is designed for coaches who want to incorporate lessons of character into their daily practice plans. Coaches can take the character lessons into as much depth as the age of their teams and time allow. Part of every team's practice should include how to become an athlete of character. Character can be taught, learned, and improved at almost any age; coaches need to identify the level of lessons that best fit their age group. The lessons are divided into the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character Program. Each trait is divided into sections: (1) a definition — teach one sentence or one concept at a time; (2) choices to which the athlete can commit; and (3) questions for the athlete or team to discuss.

Coaches need to make their expectations and values clear — articulate, teach, practice, model, and praise these values daily, to provide an experience where athletes can learn and demonstrate exactly what it means to be a person of character. Young athletes should be able to learn and demonstrate how to:

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Great Teams - The Seven Essentials
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/great-teams-the-seven-essentials/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:49.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Introduction

---

> "Teamwork makes the dream work."

If you have ever experienced the miracle of a great team as either a player or a coach, it is something that you will always remember. Making a team a great team involves choices that are in the control of the participants. Building that team involves believing, becoming, and belonging. It is bringing together a group of people with diverse skills, beliefs, and destinies in a way that they wholeheartedly give themselves to the team in order that both the individual and the group may reach their full potential. Few experiences can be as powerful in the growth of a young athlete as being part of a selfless team working toward a common goal.

Many coaches look at team spirit as an intangible thing that some teams have and others do not. It's the leaders' job to teach, promote, and build this attitude, and not leave it to chance. The coach must use every bit of his creative energy to develop team spirit within his or her players. He or she must find opportunities to encourage teamwork and unselfishness every day. Though many life-long relationships are fostered through athletics, some of the greatest memories an individual ever experiences are those that are discovered when he or she is a member of a "special" team. These are the teams that learned the lessons the coach was trying to teach, and which accomplished goals together that they could have never done by themselves. By correctly applying all the essentials for team building, a coach can enhance the worth of the team many times over the total sum of its parts.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Called to Coach and Inspire - 7 Motivational Concepts
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/called-to-coach-and-inspire-7-motivational-concepts/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:47.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Introduction: "There Was This Coach…"

---

When you ask successful adults what it was that brought them to the success in their lives, they often begin with these four words: "There was this coach…"

Write the first name that comes to mind outside of your family, and try to have four different ones:

- Are you a confident person? If so, who gave you that confidence?
- Who taught you to trust yourself and to be willing to take a risk?
- Who inspired you to become what you are? Who influenced you to choose this profession? Who provided a vision?
- Who believed in you when you were young?

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Core Covenants - Building Great Teams
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/core-covenants-building-great-teams/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:48.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Introduction

---

The steps to building great teams are consistent and predictable, regardless of age or sport. Leadership has the ability and the responsibility to create a positive culture within their teams. I believe that most coaches have a vision in their mind of what they want their team to resemble, but most coaches do not take the intentional steps necessary to build that team.

As a coach and builder of teams, I want to encourage you to not focus on winning games, but on building great teams, and then let the outcome speak for itself. The scoreboard does not determine good teams — you can win and not have a real team, and you can lose on the scoreboard and have a great team.

02Chapter 2

## Definition of Covenant

---

The best term I have come up with to describe guiding principles for an athletic team is "core covenant." A covenant is a strong word — it is more than a promise. A promise is a statement made with every intention of seeing it through sometime in the future. A covenant goes far beyond a promise or having a "slogan" or "theme" for the season. The word covenant has two parts to its meaning: a binding agreement, and an agreement where action is physically visible. Part one talks about an agreement made in advance that holds you together in good times and in bad — something you can rely on or fall back on to ground you and hold you to preset standards. The descriptive words used to define the covenants create a vision that teams can hold onto — to ground them, to keep them together — that your team can voluntarily commit to. The second part of the definition is what gives the word "covenant" real power: your actions are visible. This takes the agreement beyond words to an actual vision of performance. It says, "This is what we believe, so therefore, this is what you will see."

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Athletic Traditions: Round Two
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/athletic-traditions-round-two/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:46.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Introduction

---

There are some common traits in consistently successful programs, one of which is the positive traditions they have intentionally instituted to celebrate each part of their season. This booklet is a follow-up to a book I wrote several years ago entitled 101 Positive Athletic Traditions. At the end of that book, I asked readers who had other traditions they would be willing to share to write to me. This is a compilation of the best of the traditions I have received from coaches, athletic directors, and athletes from around the country. Hopefully they will be adjustable for coaches and teams to use regardless of sport or age.

Positive traditions exist to bond teammates and coaches, to reward behaviors that will make you a better team, to support your core covenants, and to have fun.

02Chapter 2

## Bucket of Water

---

Contributed by Fritz Schumur (NFL). Purpose: Accountability — every day your personal decisions and effort are either making your team better or worse.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Playing with Confidence
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/playing-with-confidence/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:45.000Z
01Chapter 1

## 1 – Defining True Confidence

---

Athletic confidence is simply a feeling that you are prepared to perform well and to reach your potential. You cannot purchase, wish or hope for self confidence; it comes from demonstrated skill and previous success. Confidence allows you to relax, focus and trust yourself.

Every athlete hopes to win and if you can consistently compete with confidence it will allow you to play at an optimum level, which obviously gives you the best chance to succeed. Reaching your potential is all anyone can ask of themselves and all that is required to walk through life confidently.

If you find yourself lacking confidence, faking confidence, having your confidence levels depend on other people, or going up and down on the confidence scale, this booklet can help you.

### The Impact of Low Confidence

Low confidence athletes are usually afraid that the competition will require things that they are not capable of doing. This can cause them to play cautiously, nervously and fearfully. They constantly need validation from others just to keep going. They are impacted by what others think and say which makes them fragile and overly sensitive. All these things lead to poor or inconsistent performance which leads to less success and lower confidence.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Assessing and Improving Athletic Programs
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/assessing-and-improving-athletic-programs/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:46.000Z
01Chapter 1

## A Roadmap for Successful Athletic Programs

---

The Role of Coaches, Athletic Directors, Administrators, and Communities.

I have had the opportunity to travel North America to speak to hundreds of high school and college athletic programs and meet with great coaches who have turned programs around. It is amazing how different athletic programs can be. I have come to believe that almost every athletic program (or team) falls into one of three levels of competence. Almost every school has the same ingredients but very different levels of ability or interest.

This booklet is written to help the key people see why some programs are successful and what can be done to turn the others around. Like any great team, these key leaders (administration, athletic director, coaches, and community) must each fulfill their roles for the program to reach its potential.

The following is a checklist for people in each of these leadership roles to assess where they are strong and where they need to improve. Identify the level you are in and the areas where progress needs to be made in order to attack the problem and make the necessary changes. Check the boxes that describe your existing program.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Life Lessons
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/life-lessons/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:29:03.000Z
01Chapter 1

## 1\. Choose to Become an Athlete

---

As a coach or a player, how many times have you heard or said, "He/she is really a good athlete"? Whatever you reward or recognize as being an athlete will be what your young people will live up to. Too often, this comment is directed toward a person who has a high level of physical skill, moves fluently, scores goals, or defeats an opponent on the scoreboard. Coaches refer to this person as an "athlete" while overlooking their less-than-best effort or attitude, and by doing so are settling for less than the young person is capable of and doing them a lifelong disservice. Young people in our care will meet any standards we set for being an athlete (high or low).

Being an athlete is more than having physical skills and more than happening to be better than an opponent on a certain day. These traits are God-given gifts that you have no control over. Being an athlete has nothing to do with gender, age, or sport. Being an athlete (great teammate) involves choices you make on the things you do have control over — effort and attitude — in other words, character issues. Choices versus accidental characteristics. Please do not consider yourself an "athlete" just because you have been blessed with some skill. Talent is something that can be developed or squandered — it is something you are lucky enough to have, not something you have "earned."

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Equipping and Empowering Team Leaders
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/equipping-and-empowering-team-leaders/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:44.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Introduction

---

This booklet is designed to support people who are intentionally teaching leadership using the Captains booklet and the Captains & Coaches Workshop DVD, and to take leadership to the next level. Most of the thoughts pertain to leaders at all levels, and others are specifically for leaders of athletic teams.

There are eight sections in this booklet. The first is General Leadership Thoughts, followed by the seven ways to lead your team described in the Captains booklet:

1. Be the first to serve and the last to be served.
2. Be the first to lead by example and the last to violate team standards.
3. Be the lifeline of communication between the coach and the team.
4. Be the first to praise others and the last to brag or draw attention to yourself.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Compete - Traits of an Elite Competitor
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/compete-traits-of-an-elite-competitor/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:43.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Introduction

---

Being a competitor is not dependent on your gender, your sport, or your genetics. Being a competitor is a choice; it is a decision, and it becomes a lifestyle.

Competition tests and measures people, but it also helps them grow and expand their vision of what is possible. A true competitor elevates the performance of everyone around them and the entire culture of a team. When a team has an example of competitiveness, it allows everyone to work harder, set standards, and therefore reach more challenging goals.

If a person becomes more competitive, they will improve faster than those who don't compete. Competitors look forward to every challenge and individual duel in games or practice. They don't accept mediocrity, they push themselves, and they lift others to heights they didn't believe possible. Competition demands the best that they've got. They learn to prepare for the challenges and attack them with a vengeance. Competitors anticipate the great feelings that come with succeeding by having that be their focus; they enjoy the journey as much as the result. Enjoying the journey allows them to be successful more often.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Vision
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/vision/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:42.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons #1 collection, presents the championship principle of vision under the title "Keep your eyes on the prize." Using stories from a construction site and Winston Churchill's WWII speech to coal miners, it explains why every successful team needs a clearly defined, challenging, shared vision, and closes with parting questions for teams.

## Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

Three people are at work on a construction site. All were doing the same job but when asked what the job was, the answers varied. "Breaking rocks," the first replied. "Earning a living," the second said. "Helping build a cathedral," said the third. Peter Schultz

Every successful team needs a direction that is provided by a clearly defined, challenging vision. While vision usually starts with a single person, great teams are capable of creating a shared vision. It helps them keep their focus and constantly visualize the finished product. Teams like this are not deterred, distracted or derailed by insignificant details or bumps along the road. A challenging vision will transcend circumstances.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Championship Standards - A Team Study
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/championship-standards-a-team-study/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:42.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Championship Standard: Work

---

Title: "Most battles are won before they are fought." — Sun Tzu, 450 BC

Center piece of the story: Work gives you confidence, it is a choice, and the game and your teammates deserve your best.

> "Before I get in the ring, I'd have already won or lost it on the road. The real fight is won or lost somewhere away from the crowd. You've got to win it in the gym and on the road before you dance under those lights." — Muhammad Ali

Great teams are comprised of athletes and coaches that have learned how to work and prepare. Great work habits show an investment in yourself and demonstrate respect for your teammates. Success is always a direct by-product of the work habits of your team. At some point, hard work becomes a standard and expectation of the team.

> "Do more than is required of you." — General George S. Patton

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Ethics in Action
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/ethics-in-action/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:41.000Z
The theme is "Ethics in Action" — application, not just theory. When people are on a list applying for a job, or in competition with others for advancement, in most cases when everything else is even, people select someone they think they can trust.

## The Impact of Trust on Teams

African proverb: Four brave and strong hunters who do not trust each other will not dare attack the lion; four less brave and less talented men who know and trust each other will attack, and attack resolutely. This is the strength of teams.

- "Trust men and they will be true to you. Treat them greatly and they will show themselves to be great." — Ralph Waldo Emerson
- "Mistrust doubles the cost of doing business." — John Whitney, Columbia Business School
- "In leadership, there is no word more important than trust." — Mike Krzyzewski

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Team Covenants Bracket 2
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/team-covenants-bracket-2/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:41.000Z
A word bank for identifying a team's core covenants. Teams use it to brainstorm and then narrow down (for example, from 10–12 values down to 8, 4, 3, 2, and finally 1 or 2) the standards and commitments they will live by. The words fall into two categories: performance standards and relationship commitments.

## Performance Standards

Discipline, mentally tough, coachable, commitment, accountable, courage, energy, prepared, work habits, confident, no excuses, focused, intensity, excellence, toughness, determination, competitive, consistent, relentless, sportsmanship, scholarship, desire, improvement, attitude, perseverance, drive, tenacious, effort, and others.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Partnering With Officials Athletes And Parents
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/partnering-with-officials-athletes-and-parents/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:40.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by Mike Morgan of Proactive Coaching LLC, discusses the vital role officials play as "Guardians of the Sport" and the educational impact they have on student athletes. It shares statistics on why officials quit, describes the four roles at any sporting event, and advises spectators to focus on encouraging athletes rather than criticizing officiating.

## Introduction

Partnering with Officials, Coaches, Athletes and Parents

Mike Morgan, Proactive Coaching LLC

I have been blessed to have had so many experiences in my short 49 years of life. I have been a principal, vice principal, athletic director, coach, teacher, parent and fan. In college I was a basketball official and in high school, I played three sports a year during my four years. I have coached youth to college level athletes and have found in my journey's that it is all of us collectively, that makes sports what it is today.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Seven Tips for a Successful Year in Sports
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/seven-tips-for-a-successful-year-in-sports/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:40.000Z
Seven Things You Can Do to Help Your Athlete Have a Successful Educational Experience in Athletics This School Year

Athletics are a very valuable part of the educational process. Parents can be an important part of making participation in sports a worthwhile experience for their child. However, they also have the power to take away from the value. Following are some tips from a coach who is on the inside looking out into the stands.

1. Remember that it's a game and kids are playing it. Let them have fun. Many players feel that they have to live up to unrealistic standards of other people. This creates unnecessary pressure that often makes them perform worse, not better. It also takes away from the fun. Often, the player's athletic achievement is more important to the parent than it is to the child. There is something wrong with that picture. You should not be angry or disappointed in your child for playing poorly, any more than you should be happy with them for doing well. Their sense of self-worth should not come from how good a player they are. It should come from how good a person they are.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Parents Role In Athletics
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-role-in-athletics/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:39.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown, from the Proactive Coaching "Parents and Coaches Working Together" collection, is the first in a series on the parent's role in athletics, drawn from excerpts of the booklet and DVD of the same name. Based on 35 years of coaching and decades of athlete feedback, it explains how parents and coaches are attempting to teach the same life lessons, and shares athletes' own answers about what parents do during games that makes them feel good.

## Introduction

Excerpts from the booklet – The Parent's Role in Athletics – and from the DVD – The Parent's Role in Athletics.

The involvement of parents in the athletic experience of their children is a given. Without question, all parents should be part of this area of potential growth. But it is often a larger responsibility than realized. Their involvement affects their own child, the coach, the rest of the team, the other parents and the officials. How they choose to be involved often will become the reflective memories their son or daughter have of the whole athletic experience.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Parents Role In Athletics 2
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-role-in-athletics-2/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:39.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, excerpted from the booklet and DVD "The Parent's Role in Athletics," examines the parent's role in their child's athletic experience from the athlete's perspective. It focuses on "releasing" the athlete to the game, the coach, and the team, lists ten red flags that indicate a parent has not released their athlete, and outlines the parent's role before, during, and after the game. It is from the Parents and Coaches Working Together Proactive Coaching collection.

## Introduction

> "We started the season with a booster club and by the end of the year we had a terrorist group." One of the largest problems high school athletic directors across the nation face is the parent-coach relationship. It is even starting to be felt at the collegiate level.

The involvement of parents in the athletic experience of their children is a given. Without question, all parents should be part of this area of potential growth. Their involvement affects their own child, the coach, the rest of the team, the other parents and the officials. How they choose to be involved often will become the reflective memories their son or daughter have of the whole athletic experience. There is a thin line between involvement and interference.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Parent's Role Additions
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-role-additions/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:37.000Z
Parent's Role Additions

## Additions to the Parent's Role

- When you ask permission, you validate their uniqueness and maturity, and you also offer them honor. When you are willing to share from your experience, you offer them a seat at the table of adulthood, treating them like a peer. If you want your adult children to honor your advice, you must honor them first by asking permission to share.
- Quote from an athlete: "I had domineering parents who tried to build my confidence by telling me that I was better than everyone. No coach was ever good enough and my teammates weren't worthy. What that resulted in was poisoned relationships with teammates and no relationships with any coaches until I got away from home."
- Adult-run organized sport for children, which dominates contemporary youth sport, leaves children out of the decision making. It is rule-centered rather than action-centered — adults divide players into teams and assign them to major and minor leagues. The play is serious, with the outcome being more important than the process. Some parents and coaches are too demanding, making sport work instead of fun — something to be dreaded rather than enjoyed.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Parents And Confidence
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-and-confidence/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:38.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the "Parents and Coaches Working Together" collection, is an excerpt from the booklet "Confidence – How Parents Can Help Build a Confident Athlete." It explains how confidence builders know when and how to let go, covering topics such as encouraging healthy risk taking, not protecting athletes from failure, teaching them to stand up for themselves, and releasing them to the care of the coach.

## Introduction

Excerpt from Confidence – How Parents Can Help Build a Confident Athlete, available on our site.

## Confidence Builders Know When and How to Let Go

Your athlete will grow and learn more when it becomes their experience. Self confidence increases when the athlete feels in control.

If you want them to be confident, don't do things for your kids that they can do for themselves. It is essential for confidence building that the athlete learns to take care of and stand up for themselves. In order to be confident, the athlete has to take responsibility for their own actions and choices. They need to learn to be decisive and the only way to do that it is to let them make decisions for themselves. Stop trying to help make all their decisions or win the game for them from the stands.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Parents Confidence Builder
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/parents-confidence-builder/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:38.000Z
Raising a Confident Athlete (Parents)

For 35 years, one of my main goals was to try to instill confidence in every player. Most young children start out feeling confident, but as they age, they are more and more influenced by what others think and say. Which way their confidence goes often depends on the teaching and modeling of the most important adults in their lives. Confidence is learned in many areas other than athletics. It shouldn't be reserved for just the most talented players — an athlete shouldn't have to be the best player to gain confidence. Confidence is something we believe should be learned even if they seldom get off the bench, sometimes by overcoming difficult times.

## Spotting Low-Confidence Athletes

Visible traits that may indicate low confidence:

- Shy, little eye contact, submissive.
- Low energy, no visible passion.
- Sensitive to correction, fragile, embarrassed easily.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Father's Day Message
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/fathers-day-message/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:36.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, titled "A Father's Promise," presents a Father's Day message on parenting an athlete. It shares excerpts from an article by college soccer coach John Keating entitled "A Father's Covenant," in which he writes fourteen public promises to his young children about how he will behave as a soccer dad as they begin their sport experience.

## Introduction

We are going to take a break from the qualities of great coaches to present an insightful perspective on parenting an athlete. One of our most requested presentations is The Role of Parents In Athletics – from the perspective of the athlete.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Over Involved Stressed Parent
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/over-involved-stressed-parent/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:36.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching LLC, from the Parents and Coaches Working Together collection, illustrates how over involved, stressed parents produce stressed out, poor performing athletes. Through the story of a father coaching his son from the bleachers at a youth baseball game, it identifies the damaging messages such behavior sends to young athletes and why parents should leave the instructional voice to the coach.

## Introduction

Over Involved, Stressed Parent = Stressed Out, Poor Performing Athlete

On a speaking trip this summer, I arrived several hours early and was taking a walk near the school when I came upon a baseball game at a local field. The boys were probably 13 or 14 years old. I sat down to watch an inning or two. There were probably only about 30 people in attendance but one man got my attention immediately. He was sitting in the front row of the bleachers looking extremely intense and tense. He was watching the game and his team was ahead 3 to 1 but he seemed to be totally focused on his son.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Do Competitive Sports Competitive Parents
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/do-competitive-sports-competitive-parents/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:35.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, from the Parents and Coaches Working Together collection, examines how youth sports have become more intense and adult-controlled, and how parents can become over-invested in their children's athletics. Featuring insights from Bruce Brown of Proactive Coaching and author Rick Wolff, it covers parental investment, the loss of joy in youth sports, over-identification, sideline coaching, dealing with failure, and practical tips for sports parents.

## Introduction

One of my husband's fondest childhood memories is when he was 12 years old and his Little League team won the town championship. He can recall every player on that team, their field position and every play that occurred leading up to their big victory. His best memory of that day is sharing it with his dad who was also the team coach.

For decades, sports have been an important part of the lives of teens and their parents. But a lot has changed since my husband's team won their pennant race. Rick Wolff, a sports commentator for WFAN and author of the book, Good Sports: A Concerned Parent's Guide to Little League and Other Competitive Youth Sports, says, "In the past 20 years the intensity of youth sports around the country has revved up." Sports have gotten more competitive with many kids playing on elite travel teams and working with personal trainers. Years ago, kids played different sports based on the season. Now there is a push by coaches and parents to specialize in one sport early and play year round.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Excellence Not Perfection
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/excellence-not-perfection/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:35.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching shares the story of a father helping his perfectionist daughter learn to strive for excellence instead of perfection in her high school basketball season. It centers on the father's follow-up email describing the "teachable moment" he found with his daughter and how she responded by playing fearlessly and confidently that same night.

## Introduction

I had a father call me after reading one of our recent newsletters. He was concerned because his daughter was very frustrated with her high school basketball season. I asked several questions and he agreed that she was a high achieving, perfectionist (those are positive traits if channeled correctly). We discussed some strategies and he ordered the Compete and Playing with Confidence booklets for her. Several days later I got this email. Great job Dad!!

## The Father's Email: Dad to Daughter

Bruce,

The post on your Proactive Coaching Facebook page about striving for excellence instead of perfection really hit home with me about my daughter and led to our phone conversation.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Building A Culture In Your Family
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/building-a-culture-in-your-family/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:34.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, introduced by Bruce E. Brown, was written by his late friend and colleague Tim Driver. It applies the Proactive Coaching culture-building model – Define, Model, Shape, and Reinforce – to building a culture within a family, showing how agreeing on core values, living them, correcting positively, and rewarding effort can shape the way things are done in a home.

## Introduction

Not a day goes by that I don't think about our friend and colleague Tim Driver who passed away last fall at age 45\. Tim had the gift of wisdom and humor. I continually run across things that Tim wrote in my files. He often contributed to a great blog his sister Teri writes for home school parents entitled, Tommy Mom. In this article he addressed the Proactive Coaching approach to building a culture within a family. Happy Father's Day!!

> "Today I am happy to discuss culture and the complexities that can surround it. My desire is to try and simplify the concept, making it a skill to be used in your coping toolbox! Let's dig in!

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Building Confidence in Athletes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/building-confidence-in-athletes/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:34.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown helps parents recognize where their child sits on the confidence spectrum and understand their role in building it. It describes the low-confidence, perfectionist, fear-of-failure, overconfident, and high-confidence athlete profiles, explains that true confidence is based on preparation and carried quietly, contrasts confidence builders with confidence cutters, lays out six ways parents can "release" their athlete, and shares athletes' own words about where their confidence came from.

## Recognizing Confidence Levels

Low-confidence athletes: submissive; low energy; sensitive to correction; worried about what others think; doubt their ability; hesitant to trust; anxious; more worried than excited; tentative and careful; negative self-talk.

The perfectionist athlete: anxious; tense; worried; seldom looks like they are having fun; motivated by fear; focused on avoiding mistakes.

The fear-of-failure athlete: guarded; pretends they don't care; constantly comparing themselves to others; ties their value to the outcome.

The overconfident / arrogant athlete: bragging; disrespectful body language; an "I'm better than you and I'm going to let you know" attitude; a front-runner.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Be The Parent Who Is Part Of Their Good Athletic Memories
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/be-the-parent-who-is-part-of-their-good-athletic-memories/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:33.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Parents and Coaches Working Together collection, gives sports parents practical guidance on being part of their child's good athletic memories. It covers releasing your child to the whole experience, modeling the behaviors you expect, being aware of your words and body language, resisting the urge to hover and rescue, and choosing one of the four roles at every competition.

## Release Your Child to the Whole Experience as Soon as Possible

We learned this from our athletes who have gone the furthest. One of the things they attributed to their success was that they had parents who "released" them to the team, the sport and the coach. As soon as you know that your child is physically and emotionally safe, one of the best gifts you can give them is to let the activity become theirs by taking small shifts of responsibility. Releasing is trusting their athletic destiny to them instead of trying to control it. All the successes and all the struggles that come with sport participation are theirs. Be there to support and encourage but by taking a step back, it allows athletes to take more responsibility and accountability for their experience. Developing healthy and positive relationships with other adults outside your family helps their growth and confidence. Be thankful for those adults outside our families who walk along side of our kids with us.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Black Belt Mom
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/black-belt-mom/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:33.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by guest contributor Teri Helms and included in the Parents and Coaches Working Together collection, offers a parent's perspective on raising motivated young athletes. Drawing on more than 13 years as the mother of five sons in karate, Helms explains how parents can define and model their role, stay out of the coach's way, and create an environment where children develop personal power and accountability for their own goals.

## Introduction

By Guest Contributor, Teri Helms

Teri Helms is the full time mother of five great young men (three have earned black belts and two more are on track) and a home educator who writes a homeschool blog entitled "Tommy Mom" - www.TommyMom.com

> "Personal power comes from development of trust, respect, rapport, significance and personal investment in each other. They inspire belief, commitment and teamwork. The truly strong leader doesn't have to rely on their position or power to lead. Everyone is usually aware of both their position and their power but the leader keeps it restrained and out of the process. They get people to willingly follow by choice. They relate on a personal level and are approachable. They connect with and empower their followers. The personal power style gets individuals and teams to accomplish at a much higher level because they WANT to do it. The team is much more likely to develop a culture of trust and respect. Personal power requires more time to develop but the results make it worth the time and effort. It is strong and sustainable." Bruce Brown, "Proactive Leadership: Empowering Team Leaders", emphasis mine

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### A Senior Athlete
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/a-senior-athlete/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:32.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, shared by Bruce E. Brown and written by Times reader Frank Workman, imagines a letter a senior high-school athlete might write to his or her parents. It offers parents advice on how to make the final prep sports season truly special, covering topics such as seeing the season from the athlete's point of view, cheering for teammates, supporting the coach, and giving the athlete time to regroup after games.

## Introduction

The letter serves as a primer for how to make the prep experience truly special.

Editor's note: Parents always offer their sons and daughters advice — some sound, all of it well-intentioned — as their young athletes navigate their high-school sports careers. Times reader Frank Workman imagines the advice a senior might give to parents in a letter that serves as a primer for how to make the prep experience truly special.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Are You A Pushover
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/are-you-a-pushover/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:32.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by Tim Driver, addresses parents who may be pushovers with their children. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience working with both at-risk youth and honors students, it lists key warning signs of pushover parenting — no absolutes, no "no's", and popularity seeking — and explains how recognizing these symptoms can help parents stop being pushovers. It is from the Proactive Coaching Intentional Coaching #2 collection.

## Introduction

Tim Driver was a former student, athlete, co-coach and one of our partners in Proactive Coaching. Tim passed away at age 45\. He was a wise, caring, insightful, hilarious, visionary man. We are thankful for the time we got to spend with Tim and for the difference he made in so many lives.

Having worked with at-risk youth as well as honors students for over 20 years, I have seen the full spectrum of parents, and regardless of how successful or unsuccessful children are. Parents can be potential pushovers for any type of child.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 5 Things Athletes Would Like Their Parents To Know And Do
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/5-things-athletes-would-like-their-parents-to-know-and-do/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:31.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching LLC, from the Parents and Coaches Working Together collection, is drawn from the presentation "The Role of Parents in Athletics." Based on what athletes themselves told Brown over 30+ years of coaching, it presents five things athletes want from their parents: share their goals and expectations, be there and be positive, see the big picture, focus on the most important lessons sport can teach, and release your child to the whole experience.

## Introduction

The following information is from Proactive Coaching's presentation to parents called The Role of Parents in Athletics (also on DVD and in booklet form). Contact Proactive Coaching at www.proactivecoaching.ai to find out how you can schedule a speaker to do the entire presentation for your organization.

The involvement of parents in the athletic experience of their children is a given. Without question, all parents should be part of this area of potential growth. But it is often a larger responsibility than realized. Their involvement affects their own child, the coach, the rest of the team, the other parents and the officials. How they choose to be involved often will become the reflective memories their sons or daughters have of the whole athletic experience. Athletics are a very valuable part of the educational process. Parents can be an important part of making participation in sports a worthwhile experience for their child. However, they also have the power to take away from the value. Following are some tips from a coach who is on the inside looking out into the stands.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### A Parent's Wish
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/a-parents-wish/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:31.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the "Parents and Coaches Working Together" collection, is a letter written in the voice of parents to a young athlete beginning their first sports experience. It expresses the hopes and expectations parents should hold for their child in athletics – joy in playing, love of the sport, resilience, sportsmanship, honor and respect – and closes with a reminder of parental pride.

## A Parent's Wish: An Athlete's First Experience

I hope you get the opportunity to experience both winning and losing and can do so with equal grace, but I want you to understand that the real purpose of sports is the joy and satisfaction of playing.

I hope you develop a true love for the sport so you can have fun, feel good about yourself and learn the essential life lessons regardless of the outcome.

I hope you learn to set goals and work hard to improve but when things do not go well, I want you to be determined, persistent and resilient, never giving up or giving in.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Work With The Living
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/work-with-the-living/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:30.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller, from the Proactive Coaching Leadership collection, explains how leaders trying to change or improve a team culture should choose the people they bring along to facilitate the process. It describes the kinds of people who make change succeed – committed workers with vision, security and passion – and those who slow or block progress, concluding with the advice to move forward with those who are invested and motivated.

## Introduction

We are getting more and more groups who want to follow the Proactive Coaching path of changing or improving a team culture. We have had individual athletic teams, entire athletic departments, schools, businesses, and even school districts who are trying to make positive changes. They want to change who they are and what they stand for and there have been many success stories.

Working with them, we have learned a lot. One of the critical steps is for the person who is leading the change to know who to bring along to facilitate the process. On the first visit, we usually ask the team leader to bring a few of the "most influential people". I am not sure that has been enough clarification. Some people are influential change agents and other "influencers" can slow or even block progress.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 21 Rules Of This House
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/21-rules-of-this-house/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:30.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by guest author Gregg Harris, presents a list of 21 household rules for families. The rules cover obedience, honesty, kindness, forgiveness, responsibility, and accountability, offering parents a simple framework of standards for the home. It is from the Proactive Coaching Parents and Coaches Working Together collection.

## The 21 Rules of This House

- 1\. We obey God.
- 2\. We love, honor and pray for one another.
- 3\. We tell the truth.
- 4\. We consider one another's interests ahead of our own.
- 5\. We speak quietly and respectfully with one another.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### When Good Coaches Get Attacked
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/when-good-coaches-get-attacked/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:28.000Z
This article by Bruce Brown, Mike Morgan and Randy Bates of Proactive Coaching, from the Intentional Coaching collection, examines how upset parents attempt to undermine and remove good coaches. It describes the tactics parents use, identifies which coaches and sports are most vulnerable, and provides a detailed preparation checklist for coaches to protect themselves, their families and their programs when attacked.

## Introduction

When Good Coaches Get Attacked

Bruce Brown / Mike Morgan / Randy Bates

Currently on our facebook page (Proactive Coaching LLC) we have coaches, athletic directors and parents discussing: 1) FAQ from parents and 2) Interview questions that reveal who you are hiring.

> "I once received some advice from a Hall of Fame basketball coach who said you will make two mortal enemies every year you coach. I believe the same could be said for being an athletic director. In my career, I have been hailed as the greatest and worst coach/AD on the planet by the same parents, all in a span of a week. The only difference... their kids playing time or whether they had to be disciplined by me."

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Who Is In Your Team Picture
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/who-is-in-your-team-picture/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:29.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown, from the Proactive Coaching Intentional Coaching collection, reflects on looking back at old team pictures and realizing he was coaching not just "kids" but future parents, leaders and difference makers. It encourages coaches to see beyond today in their players' lives and believe in them before they are successful, and closes with a reflection on thankfulness and a humorous story about perspective.

## Introduction

Looking back at team pictures I find it interesting how I can go right back to the moment with each group. When I was coaching them, they were great young men and women but they were "kids". Some were lacking confidence just learning to compete, and others extremely confident. Some who had reached the peak of their physical gifts and some who were years away. They had roles on the team – some had large roles and some had smaller roles but they were all important. Some had the gift of physical talent and others had to work hard for everything. Some were very popular and outgoing while others were shy and reserved. They were kids, trying to figure out who they were.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Whatever It Takes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/whatever-it-takes/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:28.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching LLC cautions leaders about telling athletes to "do whatever it takes to win." It explains how the phrase, though usually well intended, can be misinterpreted to justify unethical or unsafe behavior, and urges leaders to clearly define their words when motivating impressionable followers. It is from the Proactive Coaching Odds and Ends collection.

## Introduction

I was recently speaking at a coaching clinic and heard another speaker tell the audience that they need to teach their athletes to "do whatever it takes to win". I know this coach and how he intended that statement. Like most people who use that phrase, I believe that he meant it in a positive manner. That the players should focus, practice, work hard, lift to give themselves the best chance to succeed – in other words, do everything possible to prepare themselves and not leave anything to chance.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Turning Your Program Around
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/turning-your-program-around/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:27.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by Rob Miller and included in the Leadership collection, tells the story of how the McPherson High School volleyball program in Kansas turned itself around by instilling leadership and commitment through core covenants. Over four years the program went from drama and mediocrity to a state championship, and the article shares reflections from athletic director Shane Backhus and coach Christy Doile on how the covenants changed their culture.

## Introduction

Seeing a variety of programs around the nation is fun, the different approaches, methods and styles that coaches use to achieve success. One of the great things we get to do is go back to a school 2-3 times and see how a coach will implement the materials and presentations and then watch the results. As Coach Urban Meyer said earlier this year, "when you got talent you can be good but when you have leadership and commitment that is when special things happen".

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Welcoming New Team Members
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/welcoming-new-team-members/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:27.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching builds on the five predictable stages teams go through and focuses on a key leadership responsibility in the Getting Started Stage: reaching out and welcoming new team members. It contrasts intentional welcoming and socialization into the team culture with the dangers of hazing, and explains how sharing team history and core covenants brings new members into the inner circle. It is from the Culture #2 Proactive Coaching collection.

## Introduction

In our last newsletter we discussed that teams go through predictable stages. The more coaches and team leaders can understand these stages and how they help bring their team through each one, the better chance the team has for success.

- Getting Started Stage – When teams are first getting together – Preseason meeting and first few practices
- Getting into a Routine Stage – Consistency in practices
- Getting to Commitment Stage – Learning who you can trust, building your inner circle

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Transitioning Athletes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/transitioning-athletes/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:25.000Z
What the HS coach owes the feeder coach, and what the feeder coach owes the HS coach.

## What the HS Coach Can Do to Help the Feeder Coach

Identify the coaches you are working with. Any feeder situation (junior high, middle school, select) comes with a different agenda. Which type are you dealing with? A frustrated HS coach? A select coach who is very successful? Someone just filling the position (no one else to do the job)? A father? A new coach? In the feeder position by choice? Make your contact based on the type of coach and with their agenda in mind (don't get caught by surprise).

**They deserve:**

- First responsibility: build an allegiance — make them your ally; if not friendship, at least mutual respect.
- Acknowledge the value of what the feeder coach(es) have done to prepare your kids for HS — not a "they didn't know anything until I got them" mentality.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Trust Assessment
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/trust-assessment/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:26.000Z
From The Impact of Trust booklet and presentation.

## Low Trust Teams

- Feeling of no influence = disengagement.
- Clearly divided camps — subgroups.
- Looking out for yourself; getting individual credit is important.
- Wasted time — teaching requires so much repetition; players are slow to believe; new ideas are resisted.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Trust Climbing
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/trust-climbing/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:26.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching is a letter written to Bruce E. Brown by Jason Camp, a mountain climber who attended one of Bruce's presentations at York House in Vancouver, BC. In it, Camp reflects on how Bruce's message about trust resonated with his experience on major climbing expeditions in Alaska and the Yukon, including Mount Logan, where the level of commitment required makes complete trust in one's climbing partners essential.

## Introduction

Hi Bruce,

I spoke to you after your first presentation on our Pro-D day at York House (Vancouver, BC) regarding trust and climbing. You asked if I would write you a short summary of what I was talking about, so here it is (although quite some time has passed since your presentation):

## Commitment on the Mountain

Your message about trust struck a chord with me on a number of levels, but perhaps the most telling for me was through my experience as a climber. I have been a part of 3 expeditions to climb among the largest mountains on the continent in both Alaska and the Yukon. In all three cases, my climbing party brought enough supplies for about 4 weeks, as there is no way of getting re-supplied when out on the vast glaciers that make up those ranges. The last expedition I was a part of was to climb the east ridge of Mount Logan (Canada's highest mountain and second highest in North America – 5956m or about 19,500 feet). I went to climb the east ridge with a very accomplished climber, but more importantly, a good friend. You see, the technical difficulties that we expected to encounter on such an expedition will never be more than we can solve. Up in the Alaskan and Yukon ranges, the mountains are 'graded' for difficulty not so much by measuring the hardest part of the mountain to climb, rather it is a measure of commitment required to climb it. Therefore, when you get to the Alaskan grades of 4 or 5 you can be certain that while there may be difficult parts to climb (steep ice/rock pitches) the real measure of the difficult grade will be the understanding that once you begin climbing such a route, retreat may be very difficult if not logistically impossible. That is to say, that at some point when you are high on such a route, to 'retreat' from the route might require you to continue going upwards as the descent would prove more difficult than going up. An example of this was the very first assent of the 'hummingbird ridge' on Mount Logan was undertaken by a group of young American university students who, while having experience climbing rock and mountains in the lower 48, were completely unprepared for what they were to encounter on such a high and remote mountain such as Mount Logan. As a result, high on the ridge when they realized with absolute certainty that they were in way over their heads, they began the famous 'forward retreat' which involved them finishing off the hummingbird ridge to the top of the mountain, and then descending the east ridge before walking 40 – 50 km to get back to their original camp.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### There Was This Coach
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/there-was-this-coach/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:24.000Z
There Was This Coach: 6 Motivational Concepts for Great Coaches

**Opening reflection:**

- Be yourself — besides, everyone else is already taken.
- Write the first name that comes to mind (outside your family); try to have four different ones. Are you a confident person? If so, who gave you that confidence? Who taught you to trust yourself and to be willing to take a risk? Who inspired you to become what you are? Who influenced you to choose this profession? Who provided a vision? Who believed in you when you were young? Have you ever personally thanked those people?

How many successful adults, when you ask what brought them to success, begin with these four words: "There was this coach…"? How many adults still feel like they can't do something because some coach said they couldn't 25 years ago? To change the level of confidence changes the level of success. The ability to motivate is one of the key differences between good coaches and great coaches. Good coaches can encourage and motivate; great coaches motivate through love and modeling and therefore get every ounce of attention and energy from their athletes — they can get people to do all they are capable of and enjoy it. In other words, life changers. Coaches who can motivate have learned how to take a negative and turn it into a positive, how to keep a positive string going, how to reach all kinds of personalities, how to avoid the pitfalls of defeatism, and how to use their personality and the natural influence of this profession to effectively and consistently activate athletes.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Traditions
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/traditions/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:25.000Z
101 Positive Athletic Traditions: Building Team Legacies, Eliminating Hazing

## Why Write This Book?

Traditions are part of a coach's legacy. Many times the memories of athletics are left to chance based on winning or losing. This book provides some meaningful methods for bringing your teams together and creating positive lessons that can be passed on year to year. As I travel the country and talk to student-athletes, one of the questions I ask upperclassmen is, "What is your most vivid memory of a senior when you were a freshman?" Too often it is a memory about the senior who threatened to shave their head, tie them to the goal posts, or "turn them into a mummy." Why does hazing exist? From the kids' perspective, it is simple; they think, "This is what was done to me, and now it is my turn and my right to do it to someone else, and I am going to add on a little bit." Actions tend to quickly cross the line from something that might be considered harmless to something that is harmful, hurtful, or illegal. This has to change. Coaches need to lead the way by providing an alternative path. There are many great ways to welcome people onto your team and create good and lasting memories on a daily basis. Correctly building positive traditions will culminate in seniors who understand and model real leadership, and will fill these graduates from your program with the good kind of pride — shared joy of the inner circle, known as TEAM.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Multi Sport Athlete
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-multi-sport-athlete/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:23.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by guest writer Stephanie Hauser, Athletic Director at Stevens Point Area High School in Wisconsin, examines the decline of the three-sport high school athlete. Drawing on her experience as both an athletic director and the mother of a tri-sport athlete, she offers practical suggestions for parents, coaches, and athletic directors to support and encourage multi-sport participation.

## Introduction

In our high school last year, 6% of our athlete population participated in three-sports. This number has been consistent over the five years that I have been at our school. I'm confident that our school is not alone and that state-wide and nation-wide, the number of three-sport athletes is likely in the single digits or on the decline.

There are many studies that discuss the benefits of being a multi-sport athlete, so why does it appear that the three-sport athlete is a dying breed? Of course many reasons come quickly to mind – year-round club sports, extended high school seasons, additional summer contact, parents that believe their son or daughter is a scholarship athlete, the costs of recruiting services, the costs of 1 on 1 training…the list could go on and on.

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### The Power of Your Words - Additional Questions
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-power-of-your-words-additional-questions/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:24.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown is a companion piece to his presentation "The Power of Your Words," which examines how the language coaches use shapes their athletes. It supplies additional questions a coach can ask a struggling or misbehaving athlete — built around the theme "be an active participant in your own rescue" — to uncover hidden obstacles, check that expectations are clear, and place ownership of the problem and its solution with the athlete.

Theme: Be an active participant in your own rescue.

## Questions

- Is there anything going on in your life that would be helpful for me to know?
- Are there any obstacles that are beyond your control that I need to know about?
- Is it clear what the coach wants you to do?
- Do you know how to do it?

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### The Difference A Team Leader Can Make
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-difference-a-team-leader-can-make/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:22.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown, from the Proactive Coaching Leadership collection, shares a letter from Josie Price, a senior soccer captain at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. It describes how her team used Proactive Coaching leadership materials, team covenants and a leadership council to transform a disappointing season into an undefeated, conference-championship year, illustrating the difference intentional team leadership and culture can make.

## Introduction

Coach Brown,

My name is Josie Price and I am a senior soccer player for Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). This is my fourth year playing for SWOSU, I have had quite the journey. Many lessons have been learned, obstacles have been overcome, and history is finally in the making! I wanted to share with you this journey because you and your Proactive Coaching principles have been a huge part of this journey the past 2 years.

I have had the privilege of being the Captain for the soccer team the past 2 years and all I can say is wow, what a learning experience! I absolutely love the responsibilities that come with being a captain and the influence you can have as a leader.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Last Kid On Your Bench
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-last-kid-on-your-bench/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:23.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching celebrates the least talented players on a team – those who practice hard, make other players better and seldom play. It explains why these athletes deserve special treatment and offers coaches practical ways to show them admiration, give them roles and leadership responsibilities, and support their development.

## Introduction

We all enjoy coaching our most talented, competitive, hard working, coachable athletes. But often the players I most admire are the ones that are the least talented. Those players, who are on the team, practice hard, make other players better and seldom play. In this era of over controlled and self entitled players, we have all seen kids quit the team or transfer schools if they can't start.

It requires a lot of personal courage to be part of a team when you know that you are not only not going to start but you will spend most of your time on the bench. Many of my favorite athletes were those players who found and embraced a small role, became great encouragers, and enjoyed being part of something bigger than themselves. Players who can be this selfless and still have great work habits often become the most successful in life with careers and families because they can put others first and make them better.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The 7 Essentials Of Great Teams Part 1
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-7-essentials-of-great-teams-part-1/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:21.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, drawn from The Seven Essentials of Great Teams, Proactive Leadership – Empowering Team Leaders, and First Steps to Successful Teams, covers the first three of seven essentials for building great teams. It explains Leadership, Guiding Principles (core covenants), and Pride, and notes that Part 2 covers communication, motivation, persistence, and a positive team first attitude.

## Introduction

This article is information from the following books available on our site: The Seven Essentials of Great Teams – Another 1001 Proactive Leadership – Empowering Team Leaders Booklet: First Steps to Successful Teams – Core covenants

The steps to building great teams are consistent and predictable and are an exercise of passion for coaches who love the profession. The essentials for great teams are applicable for sport, business, schools, coaching staffs, and family. Many coaches look at team spirit as an intangible thing that some teams have and others automatically do not. But the truth is, one of the jobs of leadership to teach, promote and build a team first attitude. Coaches need to use every bit of their creative energy to develop team spirit within their players. By understanding and correctly applying all the essentials for team building, a coach can enhance the worth of the team many times over the total sum of its Parts.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### The Coach
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/the-coach/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:22.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching is a tribute piece reflecting on the true role of a coach. It argues that while any team can lose, a coach never really loses, because the coach's major task is not teaching skills but making men out of boys – teaching attitude, implanting character, and helping young people live up to their potential. It is from the Intentional Coaching #2 Proactive Coaching collection.

## The Coach

A team can lose. Any team can lose. But in a sense, a coach never loses.

For the job of a coach is over and finished once the starting whistle blows. He knows he has won or lost before the play starts.

For a coach has two tasks. The minor one is to teach skills: To teach a boy how to run faster, hit harder, block better, kick further, jump higher.

The second task – the major task is to make men out of boys.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Teamwork - The Seven Essentials of Great Teams (Business)
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teamwork-the-seven-essentials-of-great-teams-business/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:20.000Z
Teamwork — Business — The Seven Essentials of Great Teams

The best leaders of business teams would be successful athletic coaches — you are all coaches. There is a big difference between leaders and managers: do you have a team, or just a group of people who report to the same person? Think of the best team you were ever part of, as a player or coach. Why was it special? Was it good because you won, or did you win because you had built a good team?

Two things to admit: (1) teams are not for everyone, and (2) most teams happen by accident — there is no plan, no roadmap, no shared vision. People wander into the season, and the team develops an identity from the experience instead of establishing its own identity beforehand. The steps to building teams are consistent and predictable; teams do not happen by chance — they happen by design. Most leaders talk about having a good team but don't take the action. Teamwork is the one sustainable competitive advantage that is largely untapped — you can get more done, in less time, with less cost. It is worth it.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Ten Traits of Successful Programs
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/ten-traits-of-successful-programs/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:20.000Z
For over 20 years of traveling and working with teams and coaches, one of the biggest benefits is witnessing greatness when you are around it. One thing we have looked for when working with exceptional programs is the common traits. These are not the only ones, but here are 10 that separate athletic programs. My goal is to both challenge and encourage you as leaders of your athletic program. The most successful programs have the most intentional coaches and department leadership — "intentional" is the key word. The best programs have coaches who are intentional about everything; very little is left to chance. Here are 10 things that are not left to chance.

## 1\. An Overriding Purpose — What Is Your Why?

Challenging question: Why does your athletic program exist?

These programs see beyond the day-to-day duties and responsibilities to a larger picture. This is usually a result of an Athletic Director who sees a bigger picture, has a clear vision, and can articulate exactly why athletics exists in the school. The stronger and clearer the "why," the quicker you are believed, the more players commit, and the more likely the success.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Team Stages
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/team-stages/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:19.000Z
Team Stages (Captains and Coaches Workshop)

This information is one section of a four-hour Captains and Coaches Workshop provided by Proactive Coaching. The goals of the workshop are:

- To prepare coaches and team leaders to coordinate their efforts for the upcoming season.
- Establishing the first steps to great teams — Core Covenants and an Inner Circle.
- To understand the stages that teams go through to reach their potential.
- Understanding and clarifying the role of the captains.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Team Stages Captains And Coaches Workshop
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/team-stages-captains-and-coaches-workshop/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:19.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown presents the "Team Stages" section of Proactive Coaching's four-hour Captains and Coaches Workshop. It describes the five stages teams go through to reach their potential – Getting Started, Getting Together, Commitment, Getting Tested, and the Championship Stage – and what coaches and team leaders must do to advance from each stage.

## Introduction

The following information is one section of a four hour Captains and Coaches Workshop provided by Proactive Coaching.

**The goals of this workshop are:**

- To prepare coaches and team leaders to coordinate their efforts for the upcoming season
- Establishing the first steps to great teams – Core Covenants and an Inner Circle
- To understand the stages that teams go through to reach their potential

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Teaching Character Courage
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teaching-character-courage-2010/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:18.000Z
## Beliefs: Character-Based Coaching

1. Coaching is one of the most important professions in this country, regardless of the age or ability level of the players.
2. The athletic experience should provide an opportunity for character growth.
3. Anything done to improve the character of individual athletes and your team improves your chances for success in every way.
4. It is OK for coaches to teach values.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Team Crisis Management
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/team-crisis-management/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:18.000Z
This article, compiled by Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching, guides coaches through handling a team crisis — such as players caught drinking, drug use, academic ineligibility, cheating, or social media incidents. It lays out three goals (keep the coach out of trouble, protect the team, do the best you can for the individual) and covers what to expect, do's and don'ts for handling the coach's response, the team, and the athletes involved, plus proactive prevention practices and the best team deterrents: relationships, trust, and team leadership.

## Introduction

> "Hey Coach, 3 of your players were caught drinking this weekend." Sooner or later coaches will be faced with a team crisis. When it hits, you need to understand how to do the right things, protect your team, protect yourself and your staff, and do what is best for the individuals involved. Be prepared, be proactive and lead.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Take The Job Or Not
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/take-the-job-or-not/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:16.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching offers warning signs for young coaches deciding whether to accept a head coaching position. It contrasts how coaching careers developed a generation ago with today's faster path to head jobs and weaker administrative support, then lists specific "red flags" that signal a bad job and "green flags" that signal a program worth joining.

## Introduction

Take the job or not? Warning signs for young coaches.

Coaching has changed dramatically in the last few decades. It used to be that coaches came out of college with a degree in education and an interest in coaching. They most often started as an assistant for at least 5-7 years before head coaching opportunities became available. Most coaches were career, (30 year) coaches so head positions were something you "grew into". During that time as an assistant, the young coach got to watch and learn. They saw things that worked and what didn't work. They developed a coaching philosophy by observing and gradually gaining more and more responsibility within the established structure. I think many young coaches in that generation were frustrated by how long it took for them to get their own head coaching chance. But the reality was that it probably saved many careers. By the time the opportunities were available, they were more than prepared for everything they were going to face.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Talent
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/talent/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:17.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by Tim Driver of Proactive Coaching LLC, examines how our culture handles talent. It identifies two cultural pitfalls — equating talent with accomplishment and overlooking true talent — and encourages coaches and mentors to separate talent from accomplishment, match talent with tasks, and seek out hidden or undeveloped talent on their teams. It is from the Proactive Coaching Odds and Ends collection.

## Introduction

Tim Driver was a former student and athlete. He joined our speaking team several years ago. Tim passed away at age 45 last fall. At the time of his death he was a principal of an online school and a high school coach. Tim had the gift of vision and clarity. He also had a huge heart for at-risk kids. We miss him everyday.

Bruce

## Two Cultural Pitfalls Regarding Talent

Our culture has two potential pitfalls where talent is concerned.

1. There is a tendency to equate talent with accomplishment. If someone shows "potential" and has enough hype through the media, business or political channels, they are treated as though they have "arrived" or truly accomplished something.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Strong Program Assessment
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/strong-program-assessment/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:15.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, taken from the booklet "Turning Around Athletic Programs," presents an assessment checklist for Level 1 Strong Programs. It describes what administrators, athletic directors, coaches, athletes, and the community will notice in a successful athletic program, so key leaders can see why some programs succeed and fine tune what is working.

## Introduction

The following article was taken from the Proactive Coaching booklet entitled, Turning Around Athletic Programs.

I have had the opportunity to travel North America to speak to hundreds of high school and college athletic programs and meet with great coaches who have turned programs around. It is amazing how different athletic programs can be. I have come to believe that almost every athletic program (or team) falls into one of three levels of competence. Almost every school has the same ingredients but very different levels of ability or interest.

This booklet is written to help the key people see why some programs are successful and what can be done to turn the others around. Like any great team, these key leaders (Administration, Athletic Director, Coaches, and Community) must each fulfill their roles for the program to reach its potential.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Surviving A Tough Loss
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/surviving-a-tough-loss/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:16.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching addresses how coaches can recover from devastating losses. Prompted by an email from a young Colorado coach struggling days after a tough defeat, it shares the Proactive Coaching team's response on keeping perspective, protecting family life, and using losses to grow, and closes with reflections on the real-life loss of speaking team member Tim Driver and a passage from Joseph Marshall III's book Keep Going.

## Introduction

Anyone who has coached for more than a season has experienced one of those losses that stays with you. You are awake at night. You keep replaying situations or decisions that may have contributed to the outcome. You have a hard time letting go.

We had an email from a young coach in Colorado who described those exact sentiments about a loss his team had suffered after leading for almost the entire game. It happens every single day in the competitive arena.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Sportsmanship
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/sportsmanship/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:14.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons collection, explains how coaches can teach sportsmanship using the same principles they use to teach a physical skill: Define, Model, Practice, Shape and Reinforce. It walks through each step, from developing an exact blueprint of expected behaviors to reinforcing correct actions with specific, named praise.

## Introduction

Define, Model, Shape and Reinforce

I encourage coaches to follow the same principles to teach character and sportsmanship that they use to teach a physical skill. Define, Model, Practice, Shape and Reinforce.

## Define Sportsmanship

It is not a passive activity of acceptance, but rather a positive statement that an individual athlete or team is disciplined enough to maintain perspective and poise, and is willing to do what is best for his teammates.

Identify all the potential problem areas involved in your particular sport (e.g., line calls, striking out, language, referee's calls or non calls, rough play, winning, losing, being substituted for, taunting by your opponents, etc.). For example, if you are a baseball coach, how do you want your players to act when they strike out with the bases loaded in the last inning? How do you want them to respond when they hit a home run in the same situation?

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Stages of Coaching
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/stages-of-coaching/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:15.000Z
## Beginning Stage

Description: "Yahoo, this is going to be so fun! I get to teach these kids all I know, they are going to love me, I am going to love them, we are going to win every game, and all is going to be well."

- Positive: bring enthusiasm to the practices and games; bring wonder and uninhibited thinking to the games.
- Neutral: begin to realize the challenges of the sport, the age, and balancing discipline and fun; have to decide if you are going to work at coaching and really be a coach who has the knowledge and understands teaching, just be a manager who organizes, or not continue coaching.
- Crossroads / Negative: the time, energy, and emotions required — become overwhelmed; the relationships — players, parents, other coaches, and officials.
- How do I advance? Find a mentor coach; work as an assistant with a great staff; don't be in a hurry to be a head coach; develop a strong coaching philosophy (why am I doing this, what is important) that gets you through good times and bad.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Servant Leadership
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/servant-leadership/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:13.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, excerpted from his books "Teaching Character Through Sport" and "The Seven Essentials of Great Teams," describes the qualities of the servant leader: serving first, self-confidence, self-discipline, selflessness, and being a positive role model. It also explores how servant leadership enables athletes to accept and embrace roles within a team, building team identity and confidence. It is from the Leadership Proactive Coaching collection.

## Introduction

> "I don't know what your destiny will be, but this I know: The only ones among you who will be truly happy are those who will have sought and found, how to serve." – Albert Schweitzer

The best of leaders are the first to serve, putting others before themselves. The servant leader is the one who is the first to volunteer to help, never too proud to do work, even the difficult or unpopular jobs in order for the team to succeed. Those jobs are often done without anyone knowing because there is no complaining or comparing. The servant leader is reliably and consistently a servant for the others.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Seven Essentials of Great Teams
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/seven-essentials-of-great-teams/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:13.000Z
Seven Essentials of Great Teams (Business)

An outline of the seven essentials of great teams, framed for a business audience.

## 1\. Leadership

- Relaxed aggressiveness
- Loyalty
- Cover every detail — know your business
- Vision

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Recruiting Red Flags
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/recruiting-red-flags/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:12.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching LLC explains how the most successful coaches look beyond talent when recruiting athletes. It details the small warning signs — during interviews, practices, and competition — that reveal an athlete's character and whether they will fit into a team culture with high standards, and lists the people around an athlete whom coaches should talk to.

## Introduction

A recent conversation with a division one coach reminded me of the small things that make or break a recruiting visit for a potential team member. In general, coaches are the kind of leaders who are always looking for the good in people. But the most successful coaches are very careful who they bring to their team. They are choosing from thousands of talented high school players that are available all over the country. Talent is easy to see but great coaches also look beyond talent. They look for small things that indicate whether a talented player is going to fit into their intentionally established culture. They look for small things that reveal the character of the athlete. They need to look for the small things that allow big things to happen.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Role Of Coach
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/role-of-coach/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:12.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Intentional Coaching #2 collection, is an excerpt from the booklet Youth Coaching, 4 Keys to a Successful Season on being a competent and credible coach. It describes the coach's role in four parts — be professional, be an educator, be a motivator, and be a leader — and lists the roadblocks that undermine a coach's credibility.

## Introduction

Role of Coach: Be Competent and Credible

This article is an excerpt from the Proactive Coaching booklet, Youth Coaching, 4 Keys to a Successful Season available on our site.

## Be Professional

If you are going to coach, do your best to be as good as possible. Be prepared, punctual, ethical, and honest, demonstrate class - honesty and fairness are the foundation for success - communicate effectively with parents and students – develop a philosophy and expectations in writing – attend clinics and workshops consistently with the idea of improvement – see the big picture and realize they are part of total program – the league, the community - consistently communicate and enforce league policies/rules and standards to parents and players - fulfill league requirements in a timely fashion, before, during and after games - stay current with first aid and safety practices so you are providing a safe environment for athletes and coaches

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Protecting Yourself From Problem Parents
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/protecting-yourself-from-problem-parents/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:11.000Z
Fine line between support, encouragement, involvement and interference – need to identify and confront interference EARLY – almost all adults mean well, very few are really sure how to really help

First of all - see their side…

- When they start out in athletics it is a "joint venture" (we are doing this together, and they need us to be involved) it is a tie, a level of communication, something to you are supposed to do –
- the parents who have kids that aren't interested or aren't good enough gradually find other things –
- the parents that have kids who have some success see athletics as maybe their best link with their kids, and it is because of their "expertise" and their self image –

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Questions For The Essence Of Coaching
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/questions-for-the-essence-of-coaching/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:11.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Intentional Coaching collection, is a reflection tool subtitled "The Power of Your Words." It presents a list of self-examination questions for coaches covering their purpose, philosophy, legacy, character, confidence building, communication and relationships with athletes.

## Questions for Reflection

- Name a coach who made a positive difference in your life.
- Describe a negative experience or memory with a coach.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Preparing for a Tough Conversation with an Angry Parent
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/preparing-for-a-tough-conversation-with-an-angry-parent/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:10.000Z
## Be Safe

- Choose your time and place
- Choose who else is there - Always have another person sit in on the meeting – just to verify and to not let the conversation get off the true purpose – keep the focus on the student
- Have backup on hand. This type of "buddy system" is just as important as any other, as it could save you in more ways than one.
- Never in public, on the court or field, always in private – no scenes and no chance to enlist support on the spot
- "I am here to listen to the message, not the inappropriate language and angry outbursts"
- Do not meet with a parent that could potentially hurt you physically.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Program Is In Trouble Assessment
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/program-is-in-trouble-assessment/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:10.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, an excerpt from the booklet Turning Around Athletic Programs, is an assessment describing Level 3 programs — programs in trouble that need to turn it around. It lists the warning signs that administration, the Athletic Director, coaches, athletes, and the community will each notice when an athletic program is in trouble.

## Introduction

Program Assessment: Program Is In Trouble

Level 3 – Programs in trouble – Goal: Need to turn it around

## Administration Will Notice

- Parent complaints about coaches or not winning
- Parents feel free to question coaches
- Coaches mistrust parents

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Planning and Coaching – Coach as a Professional
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/planning-and-coaching-coach-as-a-professional/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:08.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown is an excerpt from the Proactive Coaching booklet "Youth Coaching: 4 Keys to a Successful Season." It argues that a coach's success is in direct proportion to planning and teaching ability, identifies eight critical points during a season, and gives detailed principles for planning effective practices — from establishing the best learning environment and sequencing drills, to making drills competitive and purposeful, to a coach's own planning checklist for continued learning.

## Planning

The most important factors in team improvement are attention, effort, your teaching ability and use of practice time.

Your success or failure as a coach will be in direct proportion to planning and teaching ability. Good coaches plan – great coaches plan every detail.

## Eight Critical Points During the Season

- Making a commitment to coaching for the season
- The first meeting with your team and parents
- The first practice

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Playing With Confidence (To Coaches)
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/playing-with-confidence-to-coaches/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:09.000Z
For 35 years, one of my main goals was to try to instill confidence in every player. Most young children start out feeling confident, but as they age, they are more and more influenced by what others think and say. Which way their confidence goes often depends on the teaching and modeling of the most important adults in their lives.

## True Confidence

Confidence is learned in many areas other than athletics. There is a feeling that confidence is reserved for just the most talented players — the easiest way to be confident is to be very talented, and those kids are fun to coach. But think what a difference you can make on your team if you can raise the confidence level of every kid: every player who develops more confidence helps your team incrementally. An athlete shouldn't have to be the best player to gain confidence. Confidence is something we believe should be learned even if they seldom get off the bench.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### One Small Change
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/one-small-change/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:07.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching encourages coaches and Athletic Directors, whose schedules often take them away from their own families, to make one simple change: regularly eating dinner with their children. It cites research from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University linking family dinners to lower rates of substance abuse and other risks, and suggests helping athletes with poor family situations find that same hour of stability.

## Introduction

Being a coach or Athletic Director can be hard on families. The schedule never seems to stop or even slow down. Too many of us sacrifice time with our families to be with the children of other adults. We all love our families and want them to succeed and if someone gave you just one simple thing you could do to give your kids a better chance for success wouldn't you jump at it.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Planning For A Parent Meeting
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/planning-for-a-parent-meeting/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:08.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, an excerpt from the booklet Youth Coaching, 4 Keys to a Successful Season, explains how coaches should prepare for and run the preseason parent meeting. It provides checklists of what to send out before the meeting and what to cover during the meeting to set the correct tone with parents. It is from the Proactive Coaching Intentional Coaching #2 collection.

## Introduction

This article is an excerpt from the Proactive Coaching booklet entitled Youth Coaching, 4 Keys to a Successful Season available on our site.

Parents are part of the whole team. The younger the athlete, the more parental involvement is needed. Anticipate the questions that could be asked by parents. Your preseason parent meeting is one of the critical points of the season. If you have a bad practice, you get another chance, but this is usually the only chance to set the correct tone with the parents. Be prepared.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### No Good Way To Cut Players
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/no-good-way-to-cut-players/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:06.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching addresses one of the worst responsibilities of coaching: cutting players. Drawing on decades of experience, it traces how Brown's own approach evolved from posting impersonal lists to holding personal conversations with each player throughout tryouts, and offers a process for handling cuts with respect and dignity, ending with the no-cut morning program he later built for junior high players.

## Introduction

Cutting players is one of the worst responsibilities of being a coach. No coach who cares likes telling a young athlete that they will not be on the team.

We can all remember “cut day” and recall exactly how we felt when we made it or when we or our friends didn’t. There is no right or easy way to tell a young athlete who has enough courage to try out that he will not be part of a team. Thankfully there are sports that don’t require cutting – track, wrestling, cross country, swimming, etc. Even in the sports that do have limited squad size, cutting has gotten simpler in the last 15 years because not as many kids turn out. When I was a beginning coach we might have 70-80 students turn out for the varsity team and we kept two teams of twelve. Today, largely because of sport specialization and 9 year old “select travel teams” the sad truth is most kids get “cut” long before high school. (That is a different newsletter).

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### No Refs Now What
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/no-refs-now-what/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:07.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching tells the story of a college volleyball match between Wayland Baptist University and Tarleton State University that was played without referees when the officials failed to show up. It describes how the players from both teams agreed to make their own calls and accept their opponents' calls, and challenges coaches to ask whether their own team culture and leadership would allow the same.

## Introduction

Bruce E. Brown & Rob Miller, Proactive Coaching LLC

A few years ago, Wayland Baptist University, an NAIA school in Plainview Texas was scheduled to play NCAA Division II Tarleton State University in a volleyball match. The two schools have had a good rivalry in the past; playing some good matches despite the obvious difference in the sizes of the schools.

As it got closer to the 7 PM start time everything was in place to begin, except for one complication. "It got to be about 6:30 and there were no referees," said WBU Athletic Director, Dr. Greg Feris. The two referees who were commissioned from Amarillo about 80 miles away were not coming. It was the first time in eight years that referees failed to show up to a WBU athletic event.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Motivation for Business Teams
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/motivation-for-business-teams/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:05.000Z
## Motivation as a Leadership Style

Motivation is a force that propels people into action. This is not about a motivational "pep" talk before a game or at halftime — it is about a leadership style that produces motivated workers and teams. Most of the time in life, the person you are trying to motivate is yourself; but to be a successful leader, you have to be not only self-motivated but also take on the larger challenge of motivating others. As a coach, you could wait 30 years for that ultimate team filled with highly motivated players — motivated teams are not going to happen without your help. One high-profile football coach said, "If you want a motivated team, only keep motivated people." That is one method, but not a luxury most of us have. A better way is to become a leader who can consistently and effectively encourage and motivate people to a high level of performance.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### No Excuses
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/no-excuses/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:06.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, taken from the booklet "Turning Around Athletic Programs," argues that eliminating excuses is a common trait of successful athletic programs. It works through the most common excuses heard from coaches, administrators and parents – from "it is hard to find coaches" to "we've always done it this way" – and offers a practical response to each, showing how great coaches find a way to succeed regardless of circumstances.

## Introduction

One of the common traits of successful athletic programs is that they have eliminated excuses.

To step up and change a losing culture, everyone must eliminate all excuses. The following are examples of excuses I have heard from coaches, administration and parents. I am not saying the suggestions are easy, but great coaches find a way to succeed regardless of circumstances.

## Common Excuses and How to Answer Them

- "It is hard to find coaches" – If you find it difficult to attract experienced, successful coaches then administrators must be able to identify people with potential. Then they must focus on training, supporting and mentoring them through the growing process. Administrators cannot settle for people just filling the job. They must constantly be looking for potential coaches and recruit them. There is a district in California who constantly searches for great coaches, recruits them hard and then offers them transitional housing when they move.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Mentor Coaches
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/mentor-coaches/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:04.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown, from the Proactive Coaching Intentional Coaching collection, makes the case for intentional mentoring programs for athletic coaches. It explains how coaching has changed, why mentoring keeps young coaches in the profession and speeds their learning curve, what successful mentoring programs look like, the qualities good mentors possess, key questions districts must answer, and suggestions for building a program.

## Benefits of Mentoring Program

Coaching has changed dramatically – One of the biggest changes to our profession is how few people are career coaches. Instead of lasting 30 years, many are out of the profession before they reach double digits. There are many reasons for the current revolving door of coaches but one of them comes from people being hired as head coaches too early. It used to be that you worked as an assistant for 8 – 10 years before your head coaching opportunity came. Now young people walk right out of college into head coaching positions. The pool available for our coaching positions is getting smaller, younger and less experienced. Recently in our state, one of the largest schools had one applicant for the head boys basketball job and he had never coached beyond the youth club level. This brings up another major change… the number of non-teacher, walk on coaches. Whether it is right or wrong, there is tremendous emphasis and importance placed on the high school athletic programs and the lack of preparation is often astounding.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Missing Dad
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/missing-dad/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:04.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, written shortly after the death of his 96-year-old father, reflects on the blessing of a lifelong father and the staggering number of young people growing up without one. Citing research on fatherless homes, it challenges coaches to be difference makers and models of significance for athletes who are missing a father figure. It is from the Parents and Coaches Working Together Proactive Coaching collection.

## Introduction

It has been a little over a month since my dad passed away. He had 96 years of happy, healthy, productive, faithful living and only one week of pain. He was in the house that he built and lived in for most of the 71 years he and my mom were married. He never spent a day in a care facility or hospital and died in his own bed with my oldest brother there. We should all be so fortunate.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Lessons Of The Legends
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/lessons-of-the-legends/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:02.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by John McCarthy and included in the Intentional Coaching #2 collection, shares lessons drawn from an in-depth study of legendary, highly successful coaches such as John Wooden, Don Meyer, Bill Snyder, Jim Steen, and Joe Ehrmann. It examines how these coaches sustained success for long periods, highlighting their decisions to stay at their schools, their personal character, their focus on process rather than winning, their attention to detail, and their commitment to transformational coaching and lifelong learning.

## Introduction

Over my career in collegiate athletics, I've been intrigued with highly successful coaches. In recent years, I've focused my thoughts and questions into a more narrow focus: How do we define and measure success? How do coaches consistently achieve success with their programs for long periods of time? Can their successes be replicated? What can we learn from these highly successful coaches?

With these thoughts in mind, I began to identify and study multiple coaches in great detail. The result has become a detailed presentation and a booklet. With the popularity of the presentation, I am in the process of turning the Lessons of the Legends into a book and DVD.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Look Within And Find A Way
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/look-within-and-find-a-way/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:03.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Leadership collection, shares a two-step approach to handling challenges that a wise person learned from her high school coach. When facing any roadblock or problem, first "Look Within" to examine your own attitude and perspective, and second, "Find a Way" by focusing on solutions instead of excuses or complaints.

## Introduction

Look Within – Find a Way

Listened to a wise person on Saturday talk about how she has learned to deal with challenges. She said she learned it as a high school athlete from her coach. Every time she faces a roadblock, problem or challenge she says she first "Looks Within" and second, "Find a Way".

## Look Within…

Whenever faced with a situation that is not what you want or expect it to be, first, look at yourself to see if you can change your attitude or perspective. See if the way you are looking at things is part of the problem. Being willing to do a "style check" and examine your own motives or mindset is the first step to improving anything.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Loyalty Story Of Old Man And His Dog
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/loyalty-story-of-old-man-and-his-dog/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:03.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching tells the story of an old man and his dog walking a country road after death, used as a lesson on loyalty. The man encounters two very different versions of "heaven" – one with pearly gates that refuses his dog, and one that welcomes them both – revealing a powerful message about never leaving your best friends behind. It is from the Intentional Coaching #2 Proactive Coaching collection.

## The Story

An old man and his dog were walking along a country road, enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to the man that he had died. He remembered dying, and realized, too, that the dog had been dead for many years. He wondered where the road would lead them, and continued onward.

After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill, it was broken by a tall, white arch that gleamed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother of pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He was pleased that he had finally arrived at heaven, and the man and his dog walked toward the gate. As he got closer, he saw someone sitting at a beautifully carved desk off to one side.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Job Openings
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/job-openings/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:01.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching presents a satirical job posting for a high school basketball coach to illustrate the demands, pressures, and low pay of the coaching profession. It lists the realities of the job description and closes with a veteran coach's heartfelt response about why coaches keep doing it anyway.

## Introduction

Great job opportunity (lots of openings)… High School Basketball Coach (could be the same for many other sports or activities in high school)…

## Job Description

- Main work time from November through March, but also minimum of spring league, summer league, summer team camp, put on a summer camp and fall league.
- Need to be prepared to have your team be tested against another team in a competitive, public arena once or twice a week.
- Every time someone talks to you about "success" they mean, "winning".
- You are responsible for their success (winning) or failure (losing) and it will be reported in the paper and local TV each time.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Key Phrases Life Lessons
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/key-phrases-life-lessons/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:02.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown collects the key phrases from Proactive Coaching's Life Lessons presentation, delivered to athletes and coaches together. It defines the character traits that separate an "athlete" (a great teammate) from someone who is merely athletic — a teachable spirit, pride, discipline, accountability, mental toughness, integrity, and selflessness — and gives coaches the exact language for defining and teaching each one.

## Intro

- Why teach these traits? It comes down to beliefs: put two evenly matched teams on the same playing field, and the team with character and discipline wins.

## How

- Focus on the steps to teaching character — follow the rules of motor learning: define, model, shape, and reinforce. There are presentations on all four, but this one focuses on "defining."
- Standards, not rules — the clearer you can define what you want, the more likely you are to get it.
- Challenge and encourage; never try to break a kid's spirit.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Integrity Justice And Honor
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/integrity-justice-and-honor/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:00.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, subtitled "Live and Lead with Honor," explores integrity as a choice of behaviors displayed in everyday decisions. Drawing excerpts from his books "Teaching Character Through Sport - Developing a Positive Coaching Legacy" and "Great Teams, the Seven Essentials," it covers leading with integrity, living the truth, and communicating the truth and embracing justice.

## Introduction

> "The greatest truths are the simplest, so likewise, the greatest men." Unknown

Integrity is a simple concept, and for the person of integrity life may not be any easier, but it is simpler. It is not always easy to do what is ethically correct, but it is simple to know which path is most ethical and then exercise that option. Integrity is a choice of behaviors displayed in everyone's small daily decisions. People of integrity engage in actions that follow their words and beliefs. Their "yes" means yes and their "no," means no. The person of integrity says what he means and follows that exact path. His word is good; his handshake seals the deal, and his signature is worth something.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Job Career Or Calling
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/job-career-or-calling/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:54:01.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown, from the Proactive Coaching Intentional Coaching #2 collection, challenges coaches to be the coach they would have liked to play for and to examine whether coaching is a job, a career, or a calling for them. It outlines what it means to be professional, a master teacher, an example, a confidence builder, and a team builder, contrasts the mindsets of a job, career, and calling, and closes with a tribute to the "lifetime coach" and the poem "The Coach."

## Be The Coach You Would Have Liked To Play For

Be Professional. When you make the commitment to coach, be the best you can be. Develop a foundational philosophy on which you base all your decisions and choices. Know why you are coaching - for the love of the game and the love of the athletes. Choose athletes above winning. Build trust by being an expert with the use of your words in this public, emotional competitive arena. Constantly work to improve your knowledge and ability to teach the game and motivate players. Go watch and learn from the best people in this profession.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Greet Your Players
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/greet-your-players/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:59.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from his Motivational Strategies for Coaches series, urges coaches to take time at the start of every practice or class to welcome their players, because greetings show value and increase trust. Brown illustrates the lifelong impact of this simple habit through the story of Rex Davis, his elementary school PE teacher, who made him want to become a teacher and stayed connected with him for decades.

## Introduction

Motivational Strategies for Coaches

At the start of every practice or class, take the time to welcome people. Greetings are simple. It can be a word, a pat on the back or just a look in your eyes that says to your players, I am glad you are here. Greetings show value. It says to the player, "I am known", "being here is important". It increases trust.

The message a coach sends when they don't greet players is, "you are not worthy of my attention".

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Growth Stages of Coaching
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/growth-stages-of-coaching/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:59.000Z
This note describes the stages a coach moves through over a career. The goal is to shorten the first two stages, reach significance, and stay away from the last two.

## First Years

This is going to be so fun — I loved playing this game and I can't wait to teach the players all I know. Whoa — what have I gotten into? There are so many things to deal with. I thought I knew everything; now I am not sure I know anything — different personalities, dealing with parents, how come everyone doesn't like me? Referees. I thought everyone wanted to be part of a team. How do I keep them all happy? No, you do not get equal playing time. I know he was an all-star in Little League. New practice plans every day — how come they aren't all motivated like I was? Parents can't see beyond their own kids. Survival — why am I so tired when the season ends? What are we going to do in the off-season? Some survive by being too close to players, not demanding enough, not leading; some survive by being overly forceful, confusing demanding with demeaning — forced control.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Game Coaching
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/game-coaching/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:58.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching LLC, an excerpt from the booklet "Youth Coaching, 4 Keys to a Successful Season," offers general principles for coaching behavior during competition. It covers keeping games simple, modeling confidence and poise, keeping athletes the main focus, and handling post-game communication.

## Introduction

This article is an excerpt from the Proactive Coaching booklet entitled, Youth Coaching, 4 Keys to a Successful Season available on our site.

## Game Coaching – Style Check

General principles to incorporate into your style:

- Keep the games simple – look at what happens a lot in the game and level you coach and get good at them – be careful how much teaching you try to do during the game itself – keep notes that will help you in the next practice
- Identify and use only coaching behaviors that will help team performance during competition
- Model to provide confidence, concentration and poise – this is the single most important contribution that you can make

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Game Coaching Thoughts
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/game-coaching-thoughts/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:58.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown is an excerpt from the Proactive Coaching booklet "Youth Coaching: 4 Keys to a Successful Season." It presents general principles for a coach's game-day style, emphasizing simplicity, modeling poise and confidence, keeping the focus on the athletes rather than the coach, taking responsibility rather than making excuses, and giving athletes time and space after games.

## Game Coaching – Style Check: General Principles to Incorporate Into Your Style

- Keep the games simple – look at what happens a lot in the game and level you coach and get good at them. Be careful how much teaching you try to do during the game itself. Keep notes that will help you in the next practice.
- Identify and use only coaching behaviors that will help team performance during competition.
- Model to provide confidence, concentration and poise – this is the single most important contribution that you can make.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Five Common Traits for Successful Youth Coaching
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/five-common-traits-for-successful-youth-coaching/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:57.000Z
Coaching is not a natural way of earning a living — not many people can do it; your victories and losses are too clear-cut. (Exercise: in groups of 4–5, brainstorm a list of what makes coaches credible; list the top five and prioritize.)

## The Role of the Coach

- Educator — teaches interscholastic athletics within the educational setting; models an educational philosophy; understands the game and the athletes and knows how to teach both (rules of motor learning).
- Professional — prepared, punctual, ethical, and honest; demonstrates class.
- Leader — confidence to stand alone, courage to make tough decisions, and compassion to listen to the needs of others. (See the leadership section of the Great Teams book.)
- Expert — knowledgeable; current in trends, training, tactics, and technique.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Followers Creed
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/followers-creed/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:57.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, part of its Coaching for Significance materials, shares The Followers Creed, a piece of unknown authorship. It lists what players need from the coaches they are asked to follow — respect, vision, teaching, tolerance of mistakes, availability, honesty, and courage of conviction.

## Introduction

Coaching for Significance

The following is entitled, The Followers Creed (unknown). But it applies so closely to what players need from the coaches they are asked to follow.

## The Followers Creed

> "I will follow you, if you….

- Treat me with respect
- Inspire me with your vision

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Field Marshall
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/field-marshall/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:56.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, from the Leadership collection, was written by Tim Driver, a former student of Bruce E. Brown who became a coaching colleague, teaching partner and friend before his death at age 44\. Using his Myers-Briggs "Field Marshal" (ENTJ) personality type, quotes from Napoleon and Patton, and a story about a cautious dentist who passed on investing in Microsoft, Driver argues that working with kids is an all-in commitment that demands decision and action rather than "paralysis by analysis."

## Introduction

Tim Driver was a former student who became coaching colleague, teaching partner and friend. Tim tragically died at the age of 45 and it was a loss I still feel. He had a gift and a heart for the underdog and the "at risk". His humor, perspective and wisdom influenced everyone he came in contact with.

## The Field Marshal Personality

When I was in a grad level psychology class, one of the exercises we had to do was to take the Meyers Briggs personality assessment; and from that construct our leadership style and "blueprint" for how we make decisions. (As counselors begin to take notes on Tim…) I was the "lucky" one who came out ENTJ, which has the nickname "Field Marshal." The title itself is rather scary, and I made the dreaded mistake of sharing that categorization with my sister, who now constantly envisions me in a tank with goggles and a riding crop, looking to run over fluffy bunnies at every opportunity. From that day forward, every time I make a decision that she found "logic based", she reminds me it is because I am a field marshal.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Finish What You Start
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/finish-what-you-start/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:56.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller, from the Proactive Coaching Life Lessons #1 collection, makes the case that finishing what you start is one of the most valuable character lessons athletics can teach. It draws on insights from college admissions experts about the value of long-term commitment and positive contribution over stardom, and shares one athletic program's strict standard on quitting, followed by a collection of recent Proactive Coaching Facebook posts for parents, coaches, competitors and team leaders.

## Introduction

I was listening to a program where three "experts" on college entrance were discussing things that help high school students be selected for schools where acceptance is very competitive. One comment really hit home. The question was; "does it help for the student candidate to play sports". The answer was, "any team activity is helpful whether it is music, drama, athletics etc. But the two key things we look for are, "1) Did the person make a positive difference on the team and 2) did they see it through and stay with it for the long term?"

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Coaching Your Own Child
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/coaching-your-own-child/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:55.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown is an excerpt from the Proactive Coaching booklet "Youth Coaching: 4 Keys to a Successful Season." With an estimated 80% of volunteer youth coaches having their own sons or daughters on the team, it offers practical guidance for making the coach/parent/athlete/child relationship successful: defining and separating the roles of coach and parent, honest questions to ask yourself before taking the job, talking with your child first, guardrails to follow during the season, and knowing when to step aside.

## Introduction

It is estimated that about 80% of volunteer youth coaches have their own sons or daughters on the team. So one of the factors in deciding if you really want to coach is understanding how to deal with coaching your own child. Here are some suggestions for making the coach/parent/athlete/child relationship successful. It is difficult to parent and it is difficult to coach, so when you combine the two, you need to be prepared.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Core Covenant Interview Questions
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/core-covenant-interview-questions/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:55.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown, from the Proactive Coaching Leadership collection, provides a set of interview questions built around core covenants and core values. The questions are designed to help organizations, departments, schools and teams evaluate candidates on values such as team-first attitude, integrity, commitment, and willingness to be held accountable to the group's covenants.

## Interview Questions

- What are your personal core values?
- Who are your life mentors?
- Tell us about the best team you have ever been part of.
- It is our goal as a company (department/school) to be a great team. What does that mean to you?
- Our department's (teams) core values are work habits, enthusiasm and team first attitude. What would those values look like in your behavior at work?

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Celebrate Small Successes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/celebrate-small-successes/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:54.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown explains that celebrating small successes does not mean being satisfied – it means recognizing progress and movement in the right direction. It provides an extensive checklist of small successes coaches can celebrate rather than waiting until kids have "arrived" to tell them good job.

## Introduction

Doesn't mean you are satisfied – just means making progress and going the right direction. Don't wait until kids have arrived to tell them good job.

## Small Successes to Celebrate

- Being ready to practice on time
- Turning out
- Increase in the number of participants
- Accomplishing small goals

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Coach Interview
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/coach-interview/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:54.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Leadership collection, is an athletic department assessment tool for coaches interviewing for a job. It provides questions to ask about leadership, culture, professional development, facilities, sharing athletes, booster clubs, community, coaching longevity, success, and teaching staff, with each answer rating the job a Green, Yellow, or Red Light for a coach's chance of success.

## Introduction

At the end of most interviews the applicant gets asked, "Do you have any questions for us?" Before you take a job, it is very important that you understand as much as possible your chances for success at that school. Here are a few questions that will assist you in your decision. The answers to each question will give you a Green Light (good to great job), a Yellow Light (be cautious and ask yourself the question, "can I change this or if I can't change this, can I live with it?") or a Red Light (be very careful and ask the committee this question, "what plans do you have to change this?")

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Can You Really Change A Culture
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/can-you-really-change-a-culture/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:53.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching, titled "The Difference Team Covenants Make – Building a Team in an Individual Sport," answers the question of whether a culture can really be changed. It shares a letter from high school tennis coach Ron Gorr of Air Academy in Colorado Springs describing how team covenants and the Four Cornerstones of Kadet Tennis transformed a troubled program into a state sportsmanship award winner.

## Introduction

Can you really change a culture? The answer comes from the many success stories we receive like the one below. I believe that our presentations and written materials really help leaders understand the process but the most important thing is what leaders do after they have the information. As the old saying goes… nothing works if you don't. We love it when we have people in leadership positions make the investment and follow through. It is not easy, but it works… if you do.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Captains And Coaches Workshops Turning Point Of Our Season
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/captains-and-coaches-workshops-turning-point-of-our-season/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:53.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching shares feedback from the Captains and Coaches Workshop, a half day workshop designed to get coaches and their leadership athletes on the path to reaching their potential. It centers on the story of a first-year 16u select softball program whose season turned around after adopting three Core Covenants at the workshop, followed by representative comments from team leaders and coaches, both immediately after workshops and looking back after the season. It is from the Culture #1 Proactive Coaching collection.

## Introduction

Our DVD of the Full Captains and Coaches Workshop is from a half day workshop designed to get coaches and their leadership athletes on the path to reaching their potential. The DVD was done at the request of many coaches and athletic directors who wanted to be able to do the workshop on their own time schedule.

The following is an example of the feedback we get from these workshops.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Be The Coach You Would Have Liked To Play For
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/be-the-coach-you-would-have-liked-to-play-for/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:52.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown, from the Proactive Coaching Intentional Coaching collection, challenges coaches to become the kind of coach they would have wanted to play for. It outlines five commitments: being professional, being a master teacher, being an example, being a confidence builder, and being a team builder.

## Be Professional

When you make the commitment to coach, be the best you can be. Develop a foundational philosophy on which you base all your decisions and choices. Know why you are coaching - for the love of the game and the love of the athletes. Choose athletes above winning. Build trust by being an expert with the use of your words in this public, emotional competitive arena. Constantly work to improve your knowledge and ability to teach the game and motivate players. Go watch and learn from the best people in this profession.

## Be a Master Teacher

Teaching ability gives you credibility. Understand the game, the athletes and how to teach both. When working with beginning players, teach them to love the game first and then teach them how to play it. The best coaches at every level are organized and prepared. Instructions are simple, clear and cannot be misunderstood. Activity and attention are high. They understand and use proper practice organization concepts and the rules of motor learning (how to teach physical skills). They can motivate using both praise and confrontation. Your success with athletes will be in direct proportion to your ability to plan, organize, teach and motivate.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Boys, Guys and Men
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/boys-guys-and-men/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:52.000Z
## Boys

- Cute but dumb.
- Puppies — slop their food around and whiz on the floor: "Was that wrong?"
- Play a lot, get dirty a lot.
- Seldom think about anyone other than themselves — immature.
- Positive side: adventurous and free-spirited — always good to have that part with you.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Athletics School Climate And Promoting A Psychology Of Success
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/athletics-school-climate-and-promoting-a-psychology-of-succe/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:51.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by guest writer John Shindler, a professor at CSULA and former player of Bruce Brown's, explains how athletics shapes overall school climate and achievement. It presents the "psychology of success" framework built on three factors – growth versus fixed-ability orientation, acceptance and belonging versus alienation, and internal versus external locus of control – with practical coaching practices that promote or undermine each.

## Introduction

By Guest Writer, John Shindler

Those of us who work in and around school athletics know intuitively that what we do makes a big difference to the school as a whole, and affects the broader school climate. As a former athlete, coach and now school researcher/consultant, I will tell you that your instincts are supported by growing research. What and how we do our jobs as coaches, athletic directors, trainers and athletes will have a profound effect on the entire school.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Avoiding Leadership Voids
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/avoiding-leadership-voids/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:51.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching by Rob Miller, from the Leadership collection, addresses what coaches can do when team leaders get little or no response from their teammates, creating a leadership void. It covers four key issues — selecting the right leaders, giving them a real job description, giving them authority, and mentoring them — so coaches can vastly reduce the possibility of a void in their program.

## Introduction

In a recent article in the Sporting News, Shabazz Napier from UCONN discusses how he feels that he is getting no response from his teammates as the leader and it is hurting his team's chances to get better and frankly, win more games. He comments that he does not think his teammates dislike him and he does not dislike them, just that they do not listen. Thus a leadership void has been created.

Ever have that happen in your program? You have athletes looking to lead but they get little or no response from the other members of the team. As a coach, how can you do all you can to make sure that void does not happen? Let's look at some key issues that can help you avoid this from rearing its head with your program. Support materials for all these concepts can be found in two of our publications – Booklet, Captains – 7 Ways to Lead Your Team and our book, Proactive Leadership – Empowering Team Leaders.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Athlete Questions
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/athlete-questions/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:49.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching provides coaches with specific questions to ask their athletes throughout the year as a way to prepare to coach them and to continue getting feedback. It includes preseason questions, mid season questions, and post season questions for both returning and graduating players. It is from the Leadership Proactive Coaching collection.

## Introduction

One of the best way for coaches to prepare to coach their athletes and continue to get feedback is to ask specific questions.

## Preseason Questions

- List three reasons why you play
- What words would you like to describe our team?
- What words would best describe the kind of player you are?
- What experience in this sport gave you a great feeling? What was that feeling?

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Athlete and Coaching Stages
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/athlete-and-coaching-stages/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:49.000Z
## Stages of Being an Athlete

## Joy Stage

- Positive: just love to play; play without supervision or direction; make up own games; looks forward to both practices and games.
- Neutral: I need to learn how to be part of a team — expectations and lessons.
- Negative: nothing.

## Technical Stage

- Positive: feel the need to learn more about the game; start learning strategies, more advanced skills, team play; enjoy learning.
- Neutral (a fact of life at this level): the score of games begins to become more important. The technical stage of coaching/being an athlete — the initial process of improvement, requiring practice and correction — requires that the athletes are willing to make choices different from what they "feel like doing" at the moment.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### AIM When Looking for Leaders
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/aim-when-looking-for-leaders/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:48.000Z
When Looking for Leaders: What You See in Natural Leaders

## What You See in Natural Leaders

- People with excellent character
- People who are good listeners
- People who are both thoughtful and bold with their words — clear, concise, direct
- People who are creative
- People who are problem solvers

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### At Risk Athletes
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/at-risk-athletes/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:48.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by Tim Driver, addresses dealing effectively with at-risk personalities in your environment, whether you are a teacher, coach, business owner or parent. Drawing on more than 20 years of work with at-risk populations, it explains the "outside thinker" mindset of at-risk personalities and offers strategies for connecting outcomes to specific actions and efforts. It is from the Intentional Coaching #2 Proactive Coaching collection.

## Introduction

Regardless of whether you're a teacher, coach, business owner or parent, all of us have encountered "at risk" personalities at some point. How we handle these interactions can greatly affect the success of teams, companies, schools, and individuals we care about. Having developed and run an at-risk program for 12 years, and working closely with that population for over 20 years, there are some definite strategies that prove themselves more successful with these personality types. Here is one example:

## Outside Thinkers

At-Risk personalities tend to be "outside thinkers", meaning they have a mindset that things "just happen to them." The reasons for this approach are quite revealing. First, they see no direct correlation between their actions or level of effort, and results. This is why when things go poorly, they blame or make excuses, and when things go well they often say things like, "I got lucky." According to studies, children of poverty have developed the belief that nothing they do can influence outcomes, by the age of 5 years old. Wow. So, if you don't interact with these ARP's (At-Risk Personalities) until they are in their teens or later, they have had many years to become entrenched in this belief system.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### A Thematic Approach to Teaching Character
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/a-thematic-approach-to-teaching-character/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:47.000Z
Athletics offer the best opportunity in a young person's life to learn honesty, positive discipline, good work habits, confidence, teamwork, and accountability.

## Which Standards Do You Follow?

In every program, athletes will learn one side or the other:

- Obeying rules, or how to cheat.
- Positive discipline, or disrespect of authority.
- Good work habits, or shortcuts.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### A Unique Team Covenant
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/a-unique-team-covenant/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:47.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown describes a team that chose gratitude as one of its core covenants during a leadership retreat. It explains what core covenants are, why gratitude is a powerful team value that shifts focus from the individual to others and the team, and how selecting values must be followed by committed actions and behaviors. It closes with coach feedback on the Captains and Coaches Workshop.

## Introduction

We have been fortunate to work with a program for the last 3 years and recently we hosted two coaches and their team leaders at a Camano Island Retreat. One of their goals was to develop the core covenants for this season. Core Covenants – a binding agreement where you can witness the difference – a pact and pledge to each other to commit with actions to their team values. Covenants are the behaviors we commit to do all the time and are willing to hold each other accountable to. The team was coming off two straight state championships and had experienced the power of having clear and consistent team standards. (Proactive Coaching booklet – First Steps to Successful Teams, Core Covenants and book, Proactive Leadership, Empowering Team Leaders)

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 5 Reasons Kids Lose Their Love Of Sport
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/5-reasons-kids-lose-their-love-of-sport/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:45.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching is an excerpt from the booklet Youth Coaching, Four Keys to Successful Season. It identifies the five factors besides ability that cause young athletes to lose their natural love of playing a game: consistent defeats, negative coaching, mental or physical tiredness, making the game too complex, and outside pressure.

## Introduction

This article is an excerpt from the Proactive Coaching booklet, Youth Coaching, Four Keys to Successful Season available on our site.

One of the realities of sports is that everyone who plays eventually reaches a level where they do not have the physical ability to compete. Even the pros eventually get to an age or level where their skills do not allow them to continue. But when working with young athletes we have found that there are five things that cause them to lose their natural love of playing a game besides ability.

## 1\. Consistent Defeats

The best coaches have learned how to create victories in practice allowing young athletes to experience success. Small successes lead to more aggressive, confident, fearless athletes.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 7 Ways To Help Develop Role Players
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/7-ways-to-help-develop-role-players/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:45.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching explains that the best teams are made up of multiple roles and offers seven ways coaches can help develop role players, from determining and explaining necessary roles to giving individuals freedom to grow within them. It also collects related thoughts on roles from the Proactive Coaching Facebook page, with messages for coaches, parents, and athletes on valuing every role.

## The Best Teams Are Made Up of Multiple Roles

1. Determine the roles that are necessary for the team to succeed. List every job that must be done for your team to perform at their peak potential.
2. Explain what the roles are and why they are all important to the team. Teams involve many roles, for example in basketball there are a few… perimeter scorer, interior scorer, rebounder, screener, passer, decision maker, defensive stopper, encourager, leader, follower, etc. Let your team know how they all are needed and how they compliment each other.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 8 Actions That Make a Championship Culture Change Successful
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/8-actions-that-make-a-championship-culture-change-successful/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:46.000Z
This list is for coaches, ADs, teachers, and business leaders who have gone through the Captains and Coaches Workshop (whether in person or with the DVD). We have tried to discover why some teams struggle to make changes while so many others successfully develop a championship culture. The successful programs do all eight of these things.

## The Eight Actions

1. Coaches really focus on the whole process, realize it is not going to be easy, and put in the work, not looking for any shortcuts. They are intentional (not casual) about every step of the process and take full responsibility for implementation. They have a strong plan for how they are going to introduce the concepts to the team — it isn't somebody else's job. The culture is NOT optional.
2. The covenants are defined and taught with extreme clarity to prevent individuals from having their own definitions and interpretations.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 3 Things To Eliminate
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/3-things-to-eliminate/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:44.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching, from the Intentional Coaching collection, addresses the power of words for coaches, parents, teachers and leaders. It identifies three things adults should eliminate when working with young people — sarcasm, demeaning messages and motivation using fear — and explains why each one damages trust and performance.

## Introduction

The Power of Your Words (for coaches, parents, teachers, leaders). All of us who have chosen to coach young people need to become experts with the use of our words. We need to become experts with those words in a public, emotional setting where score is being kept. That is where we have chosen to work. We constantly need to ask ourselves if our words are serving us or serving others. Words that only serve us eliminate the possibility of trust and negatively impact performance.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 4 Kinds Of Cheering
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/4-kinds-of-cheering/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:44.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching describes the four kinds of cheering he has observed as a spectator at high school sporting events: negative cheering, positive cheering, look at me cheering, and spontaneous cheering. It challenges readers to watch for each type at their next game and consider what their school, athletic department, and community represent.

## Introduction

I attend a lot of high school sporting events. When you are coaching, you really don't notice anything except the game on the court or the field. But as a spectator you realize that there is a lot going on. I have noticed at these games there are several types of cheering:

## Negative Cheering

First… there is Negative Cheering – It usually involves making fun of or taunting the opponents or the opposing crowd. I have seen a lot of this at schools where there is little focus or effort on crowd control or where the administration is not respected. Negative cheering might be effective and even intimidating against weak minded opponents (your team would probably win the game without it). But when it is done to mentally tough, well prepared opponents, it only motivates, focuses and makes them more determined to beat your team. Sometimes negative cheering begins as fairly innocent teasing but it can quickly cross the line and become mean spirited. As has been proven, this escalation can lead to altercations between schools and communities.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 15 Traits Of Natural Leaders
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/15-traits-of-natural-leaders/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:42.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, subtitled "Find Them – Hire Them – Train Them – Empower Them," argues that the best team cultures do not leave leadership to chance – they teach it. It presents fifteen indicators of natural leadership ability, from strong character and courage to a teachable spirit, emotional control, perseverance, and appreciation of all team roles, useful for developing student leaders, hiring coaches, or self-evaluation. It is from the Leadership Proactive Coaching collection.

## Introduction

At the end of successful seasons we often hear coaches attribute the success to "we had great team leadership and chemistry". We also hear many coaches on unsuccessful teams mutter to themselves, "We just didn't have any team leaders". The best team cultures don't leave leadership to chance – they teach it. The same is true of Athletic Directors hiring coaches as leaders. Not everyone can be a leader. But we do believe that if people have some natural leadership ability and you can provide them with a clear path and job description, they can become strong leaders and those teams will become more successful.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 28 Success Rate
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/28-success-rate/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:43.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Mike Morgan of Proactive Coaching LLC, an excerpt from the booklet Youth Coaching, Four Keys to Successful Season, addresses the statistic that 72% of athletes in America drop out of organized athletics by age 13\. It examines what a 28% retention rate means and identifies five reasons beyond ability that young athletes lose their natural love of playing. It is from the Proactive Coaching Odds and Ends collection.

## Introduction

This is an excerpt from the Proactive Coaching booklet, Youth Coaching, Four Keys to Successful Season available on our site.

We were recently asked the following questions: If the statistics are true that 72% of athletes in America drop out of organized athletics by the age of 13, then why are we focusing so hard on HS and college coaches? Shouldn't we be focusing on all youth, AAU and JH coaches as well as their parents?

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 10 Thoughts On Character Building
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/10-thoughts-on-character-building/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:41.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons #1 collection, gathers ten thoughts on character building drawn from recent posts on the Proactive Coaching Facebook page. Topics include John Wooden's nurturing of character, the role of discipline and accountability in team cultures, a letter from athletes to their coach, coaching for significance, and clearly defining what an athlete looks like in your team culture.

## Ten Thoughts on Character Building

1. Ken Washington on Coach Wooden... "Coach didn't teach character; he nurtured it. He nurtured values just like he nurtured your talent. Honesty, being unselfish, caring about your teammates, a good work ethic were all stressed constantly. He gave respect even when discipline was doled out."
2. Discipline is essential in successful team cultures. It provides structure, order, direction, purpose, and focus. Coaches and team leaders must respond to any teammate or coach's undisciplined behavior by holding them accountable. If you do not confront poor behavior then the message is that accountability is not part of the team's values or that it doesn't apply to everyone.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Work
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/work/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:40.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown, from the Proactive Coaching Life Lessons collection, presents "Work" as a championship principle. It explains that work gives athletes confidence, that great work habits are a choice and an investment in yourself and your teammates, and it uses quotes from Sun Tzu, Muhammad Ali, Patton, Truman and George Brett to illustrate why the game deserves your best effort.

## Championship Principle: Work

Title: "Most battles are won before they are fought." Sun Tzu 450 BC

Center Piece of the Story: Work gives you confidence, it is a choice and the game and your teammates deserve your best.

## The Real Fight Is Won Away from the Crowd

> "Before I get in the ring, I'd have already won or lost it on the road. The real fight is won or lost somewhere away from the crowd. You've to win it in the gym and on the road before you dance under those lights." Muhammad Ali

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### 10 Things To Improve Your Team
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/10-things-to-improve-your-team/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:41.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching, from their booklet Turning Around Athletic Programs, gives leaders ten actions to improve their team at each of three stages. It covers what the leader must do if the team is struggling, if the team is stuck in average, and if the team is strong and successful.

## Introduction

From our booklet, Turning Around Athletic Programs…

## If Your Team Is Struggling, the Leader Must…

- 1\. Have a tremendous amount of energy everyday
- 2\. Be able to create energy within the team
- 3\. Be strong enough to put everyone on his/her shoulders

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Stand Strong
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/stand-strong/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:39.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Leadership collection, shares an extended passage from author Joseph Marshall III in which a Lakota grandfather teaches his grandson about strength. The passage explains that life's storms are not trying to knock you down but to teach you to be strong, and that we only need to be strong enough to stand.

## Introduction

From one of my favorite authors, Joseph Marshall III

A Lacota grandfather talking to his grandson:

## The Grandfather's Words

> "Life gives an opportunity to gain strength. Strength comes from facing the storms of life, from knowing loss, feeling sadness and heartache, from falling into the depths of grief. You must stand up in the storm. You must face the wind and the cold and the darkness. When the storm blows hard, you must stand firm, for it is not trying to knock you down, it is trying to teach you to be strong.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Teamwork
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/teamwork/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:40.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons collection, presents the Championship Principle of Teamwork under Kipling's line "The strength of the wolf is in the pack, and the strength of the pack is in the wolf." It explains how the power of WE is greater than the power of me, covering selflessness, cohesion and full commitment to team standards, and closes with a parting question about being remembered as a great teammate.

## Introduction

Championship Principles: Teamwork

Bruce E. Brown, Proactive Coaching LLC

Championship Principle: Teamwork

Title: "The strength of the wolf is in the pack, and the strength of the pack is in the wolf." Kipling

Center Piece of the Story: The power of WE is greater than the power of me. Trust

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Scenarios For Captains
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/scenarios-for-captains/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:38.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown, from the Proactive Coaching Leadership collection, presents a set of common scenarios that team captains should be prepared to face during a season. It challenges captains to think ahead about whether they will be ready, what action they will take, and what their coach expects from them when these situations arise.

## Introduction

You may or may not have some "serious" issues on your team, but all of you will face some challenges this year. There are some things that happen on almost every team – when they happen,

- Will you be ready?
- What action will you take?
- What does your coach expect from you?

## Common Scenarios

- Teammate slacking off

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Service
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/service/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:39.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching LLC presents the championship principle of service. It shares Swen Nater's story about 92-year-old Coach John Wooden cleaning his own hotel room and UCLA teams leaving locker rooms cleaner than they found them, illustrating that serving others builds a team. It is from the Proactive Coaching Life Lessons #2 collection.

## Introduction

Championship Principle: Service

Title: The Coach of the Century

Center Piece of the Story: Be the first to serve – by serving others you are building a team

Written by: Bruce Brown

## The Coach of the Century

Swen Nater played for the UCLA basketball team during its glory days. He recently shared this story with me about the greatest coach of our lifetime.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Purpose
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/purpose/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:37.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons collection, presents the Championship Principle of Purpose under the title "Simplify your life to the essentials." It explains how knowing your purpose focuses your life and effort, how a shared purpose allows common people to obtain uncommon results, and closes with parting questions for players and teams.

## Introduction

Championship Principles: Purpose

Bruce E. Brown, Proactive Coaching LLC

Championship Principle: Purpose

Title: Simplify your life to the essentials

Center Piece of the Story: Playing with a purpose

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Risks
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/risks/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:37.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons collection, presents the Championship Standard of Risks under the title "Let it Fly." It explains that competitors are intelligent risk-takers who play to win rather than to avoid failing, describes how trust on a team creates the freedom to take risks and make mistakes, and closes with parting questions about risk-taking and fearlessness.

## Introduction

> "Let it Fly"

Center Piece of the Story: If you aren't willing to take risks you can't play.

> "Never be afraid to fail. Experience is just mistakes you don't make any more." Joe Garagiola

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Opponents
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/opponents/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:36.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching is part of the Championship Principles series and addresses the principle of opponents under the title "Respect all and fear none." It teaches that preparing for opponents demonstrates respect, that prepared teams should compete fearlessly, and that great teams ultimately compete against their own potential and against the game itself. It is from the Life Lessons #2 Proactive Coaching collection.

## Introduction

## Know Yourself and Know Your Opponent

> "Avoid what is strong and attack what is weak. Water shapes it course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows. The warrior works out his victory in relation to the foe he is facing." – Sun Tzu

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Pride
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/pride/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:36.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching LLC, from the Life Lessons collection, explores the championship principle of pride, titled "Shared Joy of the Inner Circle." Using the stories of Lakota warrior Crazy Horse and Buffalo Bills receiver Don Beebe's famous Super Bowl hustle play, it contrasts ego-driven, arrogant pride with the good kind of pride — a shared feeling between committed teammates.

## Introduction

Championship Principle: Pride

Title: "Shared Joy of the Inner Circle"

Center Piece of the Story: The Right Kind of Pride

Written by: Excerpts from Life Lessons booklet - Bruce Brown

## The Right Kind of Pride

Pride doesn't mean being boastful or loud. Crazy Horse was the greatest of the Lakota warriors. He was known for his daring behavior in combat but also for his ability to stay calm and make good tactical decisions in the midst of chaos. Though he was entitled to wear the symbols of his many achievements on the battlefield, he was known to dress plainly and live a quiet life. If he wore any decoration at all, it was usually a single feather. The Lakota loved and admired him and would follow him anywhere into any battle.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Mental Toughness
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/mental-toughness/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:35.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching presents the championship principle of mental toughness, drawing on excerpts from Compete – 13 Traits of Elite Competitors. It explains why mentally tough competitors are priceless to teams, how to recover from mistakes, and what body language communicates to teammates and opponents. It is from the Proactive Coaching Life Lessons #2 collection.

## Introduction

Championship Principle: Mental Toughness

Title: "Show no weakness"

Center Piece of the Story: Unbreakable Spirit, overcoming mistakes, body language

Written by: Excerpts from Compete – 13 Traits of Elite Competitors - Bruce Brown

> "Mental toughness is spartanism with the qualities of sacrifice, self denial, and dedication. It is fearlessness and it is love." Vince Lombardi

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Motivation
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/motivation/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:35.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons #2 collection, is part of the Championship Principles series and focuses on motivation – "put your heart in your work." It explains motivation as an inner drive, describes how self-motivated competitors who can start their own engine ignite the fire of the whole team, and challenges athletes to consider whether their level of motivation raises or lowers the team's level.

## Put Your Heart in Your Work

Motivation is defined as a force that propels people into action. It is a "motive to act", an inner drive. The ultimate goal is to get people to do all they are capable of and to enjoy it. The best competitors can literally start their own engine. Teams that are consistently motivated have high expectations and standards. The clearer the mission and focus are within the team, the easier it is for team members to be motivated toward a united purpose. High morale magnifies all the positives that a team experiences. Teams will seldom exceed the shared expectations or level of motivation of the group.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Endurance
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/endurance/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:33.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons collection, explores endurance as a character trait required to achieve almost anything worthwhile. Drawing excerpts from his books "Teaching Character Through Sport" and "Another 1001 The Seven Essentials of Great Teams," it covers mental toughness, perseverance through adversity, what endurance means for different people, and how endurance is built one day and one challenge at a time.

## Introduction

> "In the realm of ideas, everything depends on enthusiasm; in the real world, all rests on perseverance." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Endurance is required to achieve almost anything worthwhile. Success is a marathon, not a sprint. The people who succeed are normally the ones who have learned not to give up easily. Setbacks and failures are part of the learning process, and mistakes are the lifeblood of learning and improvement. People who are so afraid of failure that they do not attempt anything of significance are sentenced to a life of little value. Too often people only try things that they know they can already be successful in; if they never challenge themselves, they will never know their true limits or abilities. People who can endure are dreamers, believers and achievers – they may be the only people who truly reach their potential.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Loyalty
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/loyalty/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:34.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons #2 collection, presents the championship principle of loyalty, with excerpts from Seven Essentials of Great Teams. Using the story of Pee Wee Reese standing by Jackie Robinson, it explains what loyalty demands of teammates, what loyalty is and is not, and closes with reflection questions on who you are loyal to and who you can count on.

## Introduction

Championship Principle: Learning Loyalty

Excerpts from Seven Essentials of Great Teams - Bruce Brown

When Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball, Pee Wee Reese the captain of the Dodgers was the first teammate to walk across the field and shake his hand. "I had grown up in a segregated world and it was the first time I'd shaken the hand of a black man." When the season began, Robinson endured vicious abuse from opposing teams and fans, from beanballs and spikings to racial slurs and spitting. Robinson had promised Branch Rickey, the owner and GM of the Dodgers, that for at least his first two years in the majors, he would hold his tongue and fists and not respond no matter how bad it got. One day the attack got so nasty that teammate Pee Wee Reese realized that he needed to take action. He simply walked over to Robinson and put his hand on the black man's shoulder. "Pee Wee sensed the sort of hopeless, dead feeling in me and came over and stood beside me for a while," Robinson recalled. "He didn't say a word but he looked over at the people who were yelling at me and just stared. He was standing by me, I could tell you that." The hecklers ceased their attack. "I will never forget it," Robinson said.

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### Captains Loyalty
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/captains-loyalty/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:32.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, adapted from the booklet Captains – 7 Ways to Lead Your Team, covers leadership concept #5 for team captains: be the first to protect and defend your team and the last to be critical. It explains what loyalty means for team leaders, how loyalty is tested, admitting mistakes, and lists the other six leadership concepts from the booklet. It is from the Proactive Coaching Leadership collection.

## Introduction

This article was adapted from the booklet Captains – 7 Ways to Lead Your Team - the booklet was written for team leaders and is one of the four topics covered at the Captains and Coaches Workshops.

The seven concepts of leadership in the booklet are a job description for captains. Don't leave leadership to chance – give your leaders the responsibility and a blueprint for success.

Leadership Concept #5: Be the first to PROTECT AND DEFEND your team and be the last to criticize.

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### Compete
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/compete/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:33.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Life Lessons #2 collection, is drawn from the Proactive Coaching booklet "Compete – Thirteen Traits of Elite Competitors." It explains that being a competitor is a choice and a lifestyle rather than a matter of gender, sport or genetics, describes how competition tests, measures and grows people, and lists the thirteen traits of a true competitor.

## Introduction

Bruce E. Brown, Proactive Coaching LLC

From the Proactive Coaching booklet entitled, "Compete – Thirteen Traits of Elite Competitors"

Being a competitor is not dependent on your gender, your sport or your genetics. Being a competitor is a choice; it is a decision, and it becomes a lifestyle.

Competition tests and measures people but it also helps them grow and expand their vision of what is possible. A true competitor elevates the performance of everyone around them and the entire culture of a team. When a team has an example of competitiveness, it allows everyone to work harder and set standards and therefore, reach more challenging goals.

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### Captains ABCA - Seven Ways to Lead Your Team
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/captains-abca-seven-ways-to-lead-your-team/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:32.000Z
## Seven Ways to Lead Your Team

1. Be the first to lead by example and the last to violate team standards.
2. Be the first to be a lifeline of communication between coach and team, and the last to withhold information.
3. Be the first to praise others and the last to brag or draw attention to yourself.

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### Captains - Seven Ways to Lead Your Team
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/captains-seven-ways/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:31.000Z
*Be First…Be Last*

01Chapter 1

## **Introduction**

---

Congratulations on being a leader on your team. Don’t leave this season, or this experience to chance. You only have a few opportunities like the one you are about to begin. Do everything within your power to work with coaches and teammates to create a great experience. Being a great leader or captain will still not ensure a winning season on the scoreboard, but leading your team correctly can guarantee great memories and friendships and give you a better chance for victories.

There are lots of ways to lead a team. You may already have a positive blueprint of how to lead from the captains of past teams, but if you don’t this booklet contains seven keys to team leadership. As you will see, sometimes you lead by being in front, and at other times the most effective leadership happens when you are supporting others and staying out of the spotlight. The first step to leading others is to know yourself. You need to identify and use your natural gifts as well as identify and build on your leadership weaknesses. You may not have ever been comfortable taking a stand or talking in front of people, but you have been chosen to lead and you need to assess your abilities and learn strategies of leadership. There may be some parts of leadership where you are going to need growth and others where you may need to delegate to others who have those natural gifts. To lead a team effectively, not all the leaders have to have the same strengths; you only need to have them all collectively between those on your leadership team. The partnership and communication with your coach may be the most important key to your success. Coaches and captains who are communicating on the same page from the beginning to the end of the season provide one of the main keys to success. Never hesitate to ask for help from your coach. Constantly be searching for ways to be a better leader.

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### Culture Keepers
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/culture-keepers/
Last updated: 2026-08-07T00:02:59.000Z
Bruce Brown shares the next step some of the most successful high school and college programs take after building a strong culture: developing "culture keepers," trusted alumni invited back to observe and report where the program is improving and where it's slipping. A valuable watch for coaches who have sustained a team culture for years and want to guard it against fraying.

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### The Most Powerful Thing I’ve Ever Seen a Team Do
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/dan-teeter/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:30.000Z
A Proactive Coaching podcast interview in the "best coaches you've never heard of" series with Dan Teeter, football coach and teacher at Lakewood High School in Washington State, hosted by Bruce Brown. Topics covered: getting started in coaching through service-minded callings, turning points including Bruce Brown's "power of words" message and Tony Dungy's Quiet Strength, mentors near and far, lessons from his first head coaching job in softball (closed practices and poor parent communication), turning around a struggling football program through consistency, care, and presence, building a staff of people who care about kids, the "crosstalk" exercise on how teammates treat each other, exit interviews and a "we over me" family culture, the LACE acronym (love, attitude, commitment, effort), his purpose for coaching, his "Listen, Learn, Love, Lead" interview series on race, the importance of listening, recommended books, and advice for the next generation of coaches.

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### Daily Lessons
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/daily-lessons/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:28.000Z
01Chapter 1

## Overview

---

This booklet is designed for coaches who want to incorporate lessons of character into their daily practice plans. Coaches can take the character lessons into as much depth as the age of their teams and time allow. Part of every team's practice should include how to become an athlete of character. Character can be taught, learned and improved at almost any age. Coaches need to identify the level of lessons that best fit their age group. The lessons are based on the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character program. Each trait is divided into sections: (1) definition – teach one sentence or one concept at a time, (2) choices to which the athlete can commit, and (3) questions for the athlete or team to discuss.

Coaches need to make their expectations and values clear. Articulate, teach, practice, model and praise these values on a daily basis in order to provide an experience where athletes can learn and demonstrate exactly what it means to be an athlete and a person of character.

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### Confrontation
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/confrontation/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:27.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by Tim Driver and included in the Leadership collection, addresses what to do when people refuse to buy in or intentionally sabotage a culture. Using humor and everyday parenting scenarios, it lays out a two-pronged approach: preventing defiance by establishing consistent, positively-stated absolutes, and disarming defiant behavior through choices between the absolute and its consequence.

## Introduction

Tim Driver was a former student who became coaching colleague, teaching partner and friend. Tim tragically died at the age of 45 and it was a loss I still feel. He had a gift and a heart for the underdog and the "at risk". His humor, perspective and wisdom influenced everyone he came in contact with.

Last time we chatted, the discussion centered around Define, Model, Shape, Reinforce…and clay snakes. Admittedly it looks great on paper… and when dealing with a majority of the population… it actually works in real life, too. As Yogi Berra once said, "In theory, theory and reality are the same. In reality, they're not."

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### Sharing Leadership
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/sharing-leadership/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:27.000Z
This article from Proactive Coaching, written by guest contributor Nancy O'Neil, Director of Athletics/Wellness/Activities at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Massachusetts, makes the case for shared leadership in interscholastic athletics. It explains how to redefine leadership as working well with others, describes captains council models used by teams at her school, and addresses the barriers to moving away from the traditional captain model. It is from the Proactive Coaching Leadership collection.

## Introduction

Excellence is never an accident. It requires a clear, intelligent vision, intentional action, sincere effort and choosing the hard right over the easy shortcut. The culture of your program is the leader's personal signature. It tells people who you are and what your stand for. Our guest writer, Nancy O'Neil leads an athletic department that stands for excellence.

Since 1994, Nancy has been the Director of Athletics/Wellness/Activities at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Sudbury, Massachusetts. The National Federation of State High School Associations has named Nancy O'Neil of Massachusetts as the recipient of the 2012 NFHS Coach Educator of the Year Award.

_This post is for paying subscribers only._
### Selecting Captains
URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/selecting-captains/
Last updated: 2026-08-20T22:53:26.000Z
This article by Bruce E. Brown of Proactive Coaching, from the Leadership collection, answers one of the most frequent questions from Captains and Coaches Workshops: what is the best way to choose team captains? It reviews a variety of methods — tryout and vote, letting leadership emerge, applying for the job, the Unity Council model, and expecting all seniors to be leaders — with the advice to design team leadership rather than leave it to chance.

## Introduction

We have done a large number of Captains and Coaches Workshops across the country and one of the questions we frequently get asked is, "what is the best way to choose team captains?" We are not sure that there is a "best way" but rather a variety of methods. Hopefully you will find some help from the following ideas on selecting and developing leadership within your teams.

## Tryout and Vote

Many teams follow the old path of having try outs and as soon as the team is chosen, they sit down and vote for a captain. It usually turns out to be a popularity contest or simply selecting who the team views as the most talented player. This is seldom effective as the season progresses.

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