Top 7 Common Coaching Errors and How to Avoid Them
June 17, 2025
Here are the 7 most important things Bud Wilkinson said in Common Coaching Errors and How to Avoid Them.
1- “The best coach is the one who makes the fewest mistakes.”
— Coaching success comes down to efficient organization, effective teaching, and limiting errors.
2- “Hold to a time schedule. When boredom comes in, learning goes out.”
— Time efficiency in practice is critical; short attention spans require sharp, purposeful sessions.
3- “Explain WHY, then show HOW.”
— Players perform better when they understand the purpose behind a drill or concept.
4- “You get very few victories on tactics. Victories come from fundamentals.”
— Winning consistently requires superior blocking, tackling, and execution—not fancy play design.
5- “Subtract the plays you used from what you practiced. If the number is too big—cut plays.”
— Streamline your playbook; fewer plays executed well beats too many run poorly.
6- “Morale is to the physical as 4 is to 1.”
— A team’s mental state multiplies their physical ability; morale is foundational to performance.”
7- “Don’t copy—coach in your own way.”
— Authentic leadership is more effective than imitation; be organized, teach well, and stay true to yourself.
