Imagine yourself in a performance review with your AD or boss.

• Option 1: Your boss goes through everything that you did wrong in the past year. They go over all your mistakes in detail. They even do this in front of other coaches. They might tell you that you did some good stuff as well, but any real analysis focuses on your shortcomings and how you need to fix them.
• Option 2: Your boss talks about the things that you did well during the past year. They recognize your effort and growth in various areas of your job. They don’t ignore constructive feedback. But, because they know you are a professional who is doing their best, they give it to you in an empathetic way. The focus of this meeting is on what you do well and what they can do to help you in areas of growth. 

Now, think how you would feel walking out of those meetings. Is it the same? I bet not. If you’re like most people, you’d like the first meeting feeling deflated and unmotivated. You’d probably wonder if you were valued and what type of future you have at that school.

You’d probably walk out of the second meeting feeling energized and optimistic. You’d know your AD believes in you and is committed to your development, while recognizing all the good things you bring to the table.

Here’s the question - which one of those meetings do your film sessions resemble? And what impact is that having on your players?

For years, my film sessions resembled the first meeting. There were 2 reasons for this.

First, I thought it was the most effective way to show film. How can they get better if they don’t see their screw ups?

Second, it made me feel better! It was a form of venting my frustrations.

The second reason is clearly a bad one. As for the first, it does hold some truth. But flipping that equation on its head might be even better.

Seeing Is Believing: How Positive Film Can Transform Your Team’s Confidence

‘The film doesn’t lie.” That’s a common refrain among coaches. And it’s true. The film doesn’t lie.

When most coaches say that, they mean it with regards to players’ mistakes. In other words, wait until I show them their mistakes on the film. 

There are times you need to do this . . . most often, in a 1v1 session.

But “the film doesn’t lie,” can also apply to positive film. How many players have you coached who have issues with confidence? I’d be willing to bet it's a lot.

How empowering is it to see yourself doing something well? How motivating?

Many coaches watch film before practice. How is your film session setting them up for practice? Are they going to bound out of their seats with enthusiasm? Or will they have their tails between their legs after seeing everything they did wrong?

What gets rewarded, gets repeated. Recognizing the good things your players do in your film sessions is a great way to see more of them.

But What About The Mistakes?

Am I saying you should gloss over mistakes? Of course not.

But I am saying they should not be the focus of most film sessions.

Now, if we are talking about effort, that might be a different story. That might be something to show in front of the group.

However, in most cases, showing mistakes in a 1v1 setting is going to be more productive. The player doesn’t feel the embarrassment of being singled out in front of the whole team. They are more likely to ask questions and engage with you (rather than just wanting to get it over).

You might even ask them after you show it 1v1 if they are okay with the whole team seeing it (if you think the whole team would benefit). I’d be willing to bet most players would say yes when approached this way. 

One key aspect is stressing that showing mistakes is not personal. It’s a learning tool. You can reinforce that by making sure you separate the action from the player when discussing what they did wrong.

You aren’t glossing over mistakes. You are just addressing them in a better way.

What About When You Lose?

Showing positive film after a loss is hard - I can attest from experience. And yet, it’s most important in those moments.

After a loss, your team’s confidence is fragile. Building them back up by showing the good things they did is crucial.

Pete Carroll started every post-game film session with the good plays from the prior game, win or lose.

Kevin Furtado, creator of The Buzz Defense - A Half Court Trapping Defense, stresses this as well. He tends to be harder on his team after a win, knowing they can take more critical feedback when they are feeling good. Conversely, after a loss, he makes every effort to rebuild their confidence.

I’d encourage you to do the same.

Never underestimate your power to influence the mood and attitude of your team. Think of the attitude you want them to have and align your actions accordingly. Using film to build them up is a great place to start!

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