One of my favorite quotes is “A journey of 1000 miles starts with that first step”. As in life, getting started is the one of the hardest things to do. A quick start with your team is always good, however, more important is starting with a plan for the season. Setting those expectations early and planning the season will help ensure that you start the season off right. See “Starting the Season” for other articles…..

The first practice needs to cover a few basic goals.

• Introductions of players and coach(es)
• Team rules
• Goals for the season
• Practice plan

Introductions of players and coach(es)

That first practice needs to start the chemistry going for the players. Introductions is a great way to start. In my article “Introductions, Building a Strong Team” I go into depth on the importance and how it can really jump start a season in the right direction. It is always a great idea to get to know your players on that first practice and a good trick to have is during their introduction to name their favorite food, movie or candy. This could be very revealing and help you remember everyone’s name.

Team rules

Every we go there are rules, but the majority of them are unwritten rules. Such as no hitting in the dugout or headshots with the basketball. However, as I discuss in Team Rules 101, having some of your most important rules written down and communicated to your team is critical for success. As the phrase goes “you only have one chance to make a good impression”, so make sure you do that with your rules for the team.

Goals for the season

Having the end in mind is how to relay your team around common goals and get their buy in. Setting goals of course is easy, Setting the Right Goals is a much harder tasks. You can set goals after that first practice or go into the first practice knowing what and where you want to team to be in the future. You can always adjust those goals right before the season starts, but stay away from adjusting them after the season has started.

Practice plan

Having a practice plan is one of the important things to have for every practice because it sets the expectations that you have for your players, coaches and team. Your athletics will understand that you mean business and they in turn will need to be prepared for every practice. All athletics want structure and guidance, so Practice with a Purpose.

Use the tools here to set up a very successful first practice and it will help you set the tone for the rest of the season. While the journey may seem far, the effort to get there will be well worth it.

Changing Lives Everyday, 

Neftali Ortiz