Practice should prepare players for the emotional demands of competition - not just the technical demands.
Distill coaching lessons from books, videos, podcasts, or lectures. AI can and did help (and I edited heavily):
1. Competition is a skill.
This may be his central idea.
Most coaches teach skills. Lingenfelter says we also need to teach: Competing.
Not everyone knows:
- how to respond after losing three points,
- how to play from ahead,
- how to finish,
- how to recover from mistakes.
Competition itself deserves practice.
2. Cooperative versus Combative
Every drill should answer:
What is today's objective?
Cooperative
Emphasize technique with lots of repetitions, confidence, ball control or placement.
Combative
Pressure, decision-making, scoring, winning, and emotion.
He's saying: Know why you're doing each. That reminds me of basketball thought: Every drill should have a purpose...to impact winning.
3. "You haven't taught until they've learned."
This may be my favorite quote from the clinic. It humbles.
Teaching isn't measured by:
- explanations
- PowerPoint
- demonstrations.
Teaching is measured by: Changed behavior. That's medicine, coaching, parenting.
4. Be concise
He asks: "Why stop eleven players to coach one?" If a player made one mistake...can you fix it later?
5. Score everything
This is one of his biggest themes. Keep score to emphasize:
- urgency
- accountability
- engagement
6. Win the first ten minutes
I love it. He calls the opening of practice the rudder. That applies in matches, too.
Fast starts, early communication, find answers out of the gate. He stamps the same idea to practice.
7. Teach failure
Lingenfelter repeatedly says: Fail. Fail often. Fail forward. That fits a favorite concept: Don't miss twice.
Mistakes aren't the enemy. Failure to learn from mistakes is.
8. Small-sided games
This aligns perfectly with modern motor learning.
Smaller games mean: More touches, decisions, communication, and less standing.
9. "Win the gym"
This one conjured Pete Carroll. The objective is to become the hardest-working, most connected team in the building. That's identity.
Coach Scott Celli and I discussed the video. Coaches have to love practice, the process, seeing players improve. Yes, winning matters and adds additional motivation. Winning without playing well doesn't provide the same feedback, the why?
Are you looking for a unique way to end your team/staff meetings on a high note?
— Alan Stein, Jr. (@AlanSteinJr) July 14, 2026
A way to conclude that will increase cohesion and camaraderie?
Try an exercise called You, Me, We.
INSTRUCTIONS: Select a member of your team to acknowledge something that a teammate did well… pic.twitter.com/QXa4r09M9U
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