A New Year or Just Another Year? Defining a Clear Path to Success

Happy Sunday night, Coach. 

Before you dive into another busy week of practices, meetings, recruiting calls, and game prep, let’s take a moment to reflect on the week that just wrapped up—and use those reflections to set yourself up for an even better week ahead. 

Because here’s the truth: If your habits and behaviors don’t change, you won’t have a “new year.” You’ll just have “another year.”  I don’t want that for you.   

So let’s make sure that doesn’t happen. 

I want this week to be one where you move forward—with clarity, focus, and intention. 

The 5 Step Process: Winning Your Week as a Coach 

Most of us think about success in terms of results: wins on the field, milestones reached, or trophies earned. 

But real success comes from the process—the habits and behaviors that build momentum over time. 

Each week is a chance to put your process into action.  

It starts with intention. 

At the beginning of the week, do you have a vision for excellence? Are you prepared to show up, give maximum presence, and put forth your best effort? 

These simple steps—vision, presence, and effort—are what separate good weeks from great ones. 

Step 1: Start with a Vision for Excellence 

Ask yourself this: Am I prepared to approach this week with clarity and purpose, or will I simply react to whatever comes my way? 

It’s easy to fall into the trap of being reactive as a coach. Unexpected challenges pop up all the time—players get injured, schedules change, recruits fall through. But if you’re constantly reacting, you’re not leading with intention. 

Instead, start your week with a clear vision of what success looks like. 

• What kind of leader do you want to be this week? 
• What impact do you want to have on your players? 
• How do you want to show up for your family? 

When you have a vision for excellence, you’re no longer at the mercy of circumstances. You’re in control of your week. 

Step 2: Show Up with Maximum Presence and Effort 

Success doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you commit to showing up with full presence and effort—even when it’s hard. 

There will be days when you don’t feel like giving your best. Maybe you’re tired. Maybe something threw you off your routine. 

But here’s the reality: Presence is a choice. 

In coaching, just like in sports, we talk about “the next play” mindset. It’s about locking into the moment, focusing on what’s right in front of you, and giving your full attention and effort to it. 

Ask yourself: 

• How can I show up for my players this week? 
• How will I stay engaged during meetings, practices, and conversations? 
• How will I give my best effort, even when it’s not easy? 

If you can answer and prep for those questions, you’re already ahead of the game. 

Step 3: Deliver Above Promise 

One of the most powerful ways to build trust and respect is by going beyond what’s expected. 

Think about the commitments you made last week. 

• Did you promise to call a recruit back? 
• Did you tell your players you’d review film or create a new drill? 
• Did you promise your family you’d be home for dinner? 

Now ask yourself: Did you deliver? 

And more importantly, did you go beyond the bare minimum? 

It’s not enough to simply check a box. Great coaches go the extra mile. They turn in high-quality work. They show up when it matters. They follow through on their commitments. 

Step 4: Follow Up 

Here’s a skill that’s becoming increasingly rare in today’s fast-paced world: following up. 

It’s easy to get caught up in the next task, the next message, the next practice. But following up shows you care. It demonstrates professionalism and reliability. 

Again, think about your follow-up from last week: 

• Did you follow up with that recruit you spoke with on Monday? 
• Did you check in with a player who was struggling? 
• Did you circle back with a colleague about a shared project? 

If not, take time asap to follow up. It’s a small step that makes a big impact. 

Step 5: Hand Off to Maintain Momentum 

As coaches, we’re used to taking it all on ourselves. But if you want to maintain momentum week after week, you need to delegate. 

Ask yourself: 

• Is there a task you can hand off to an assistant coach? 
• Can you involve your team captains in leading drills? 
• Can you document a process to make things easier next time? 

Delegating isn’t about doing less—it’s about empowering others and ensuring you can keep your momentum without burning out. 

Reflections for the Week 

As you head into a new week, take a moment to reflect on your previous week. 

Ask yourself these questions: 

1.  Did I have a vision for excellence? 
2.  Did I show up with maximum presence and effort? 
3.  Did I deliver above promise? 
4.  Did I follow up? 
5.  Did I hand off tasks to maintain momentum? 

If you didn’t check every box, that’s okay. The goal is progress, not perfection. 

New Year or Just Another Year? The Choice Is Yours. 

If you want this year to be different, you have to change your process. 

A new year won’t magically change your results. But new habits and behaviors will. 

So, coach, I challenge you to commit to The Process. 

• Start each week with vision and intention. 
• Show up with presence and effort. 
• Go above and beyond in delivering on your promises. 
• Follow up and build stronger relationships. 
• Delegate to maintain momentum. 

You deserve a fulfilling coaching career that doesn’t burn you out. You deserve to make an impact on your players, your family, and yourself. 

Let’s not settle for “another year.” Let’s make it a great year. 

You’ve got what it takes. Now, go win your week. 

Here’s to your continued growth—on and off the field. 

Here’s to 2025—and doing things a little differently.

I am here to help you succeed in 2025,  

Mandy Green

P.S. Here are some ways I can help you this year.   

To leverage your time:  High Performance Coach and Recruiter  

 To leverage your staff: Assistant Coach Accelerator,   

 To leverage your recruiting system: Recruiting Made Simple  

How to stay consistent with social media for recruiting purposes: Social Story Recruiting   

The Busy Coach Planner is something I think every college coach should have on their desk for the start of 2025. Grab one here and start fresh, organized and dialed in next year.