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# How do I plan a practice that doesn't waste anyone's time?
- URL: https://www.proactivecoaching.ai/plan-an-effective-practice/
- Published: 2026-08-07T03:10:03.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-07T04:44:55.000Z
- Description: Give every drill a purpose, write and post your plan, and sequence new skills early and fundamentals late — Bruce Brown's practice planning principles.
- Author: Bruce Brown
- Tags: qa, Coaching Craft

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/).