Everything happens as a function of action. That’s not a startling statement. However, I’m not talking about just moving around. I am not talking about “kinda” running the coach’s system either, or even telling the hitter to watch the ball. So, what DO I mean? In the baseball analogy, it is watching the seam of the ball. In other words, PRECISION.

The key to impacting performance is execution. Not “get by” execution. Again, precision. Maximum effort, exact movement, i.e., attention to detail. It is not just the fundamentals, although that’s a start. It isn’t about a particular style of play being the optimum way to perform. It is the ability to perform at a high level regardless of the circumstances.

When you choose to use the parts of what you do best, you give yourself leverage against your opponent. Eliminating what your opponent does best works the same way. This may be how you use certain personnel. It is doing so, despite lack of early success. Sometimes we just need to be water “dripping on the rock.”

When we are consistent, our execution can become predictable. We don’t want to create “dance partners.” Because our execution is solid, it allows us to create from that. It starts by asking ourselves “what else is possible?”

Finding out what else we can add without disrupting our high level of execution takes away a lot of our predictability. Remember, changing something or adding something that confuses you damages our execution. It could simply be a change of your substitution pattern to raise the consistency of your overall performance, not an attempt to “fool” our opponent.

Coach, you need to be the leader in innovation without outsmarting yourself and your team. Don’t change just to change.

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