Don’t Just Practice — Train on Purpose

How to Run Deliberate Practices That Actually Make Players Better

Every coach has said it. 

👉 “We need to get more reps.” 

👉 “We just have to keep working.” 

👉 “Let’s run it again.”

But here’s the truth: Repetition alone doesn’t build skill. If the reps aren’t targeted, focused, and processed — they don’t transfer.

And what we all want is transfer — skills that show up in competition when it matters most.

That’s where deliberate practice comes in.

🔍 What Is Deliberate Practice?

Deliberate practice isn’t just showing up and working hard. It’s about:

• Focusing on specific weaknesses

• Working just outside your comfort zone

• Getting immediate, useful feedback

• Staying mentally engaged and emotionally invested

• Tracking progress over time

In other words: 💥 Practice with purpose. 💥 Effort with awareness.

🧠 Why Reps Alone Aren’t Enough

Let’s be honest: Most players go through the motions at some point in practice. They’re working, but not necessarily learning.

They get:

• Comfortable in drills

• Distracted by competition

• Focused on surviving practice instead of getting better

As coaches, if we don’t interrupt that cycle, we risk confusing activity with development.

 👉 The key isn’t more reps. 

👉 It’s better reps — with more clarity, more intention, and more focus.

🎯 How to Create Deliberate Practice Moments

Here’s how to design practice that helps players grow, not just sweat:

1. Name the Objective of the Drill

Don’t just say “let’s go through closeouts.” Say: 

💬 “In this drill, the focus is timing your arrival so you don’t overrun the shooter. We’re working on discipline, not speed.”

This tells the athlete:

✅ What to focus on 

✅ What success looks like 

✅ Why it matters

2. Make Reps Small and Specific

Don’t try to fix everything at once. Zoom in.

If a player is struggling to finish under contact, run a 10-minute segment focused only on body control and footwork after contact.

📌 It’s not always about simulating full speed. It’s about targeting one layer of the skill and letting them rep it with attention.

3. Use Feedback Loops — Fast and Frequent

Players improve faster when they get:

• Quick corrections

• Visual cues

• Feedback that’s about the action, not the person

  
  

💬 “You’re fading away — plant stronger on that last step.” 

💬 “Let’s rewind. What did you see on that read?” 

💬 “What could you try differently on the next rep?”

Don’t wait until the end of the drill. Catch moments as they happen. Ask questions that help the athlete reflect — not just receive.

4. Revisit the Skill in Multiple Contexts

Reps don’t stick unless they’re tested under pressure.

Build practice like this:

1. Isolated skill rep

2. Opponent pressure

3. Live game-like play

   
   

For example:

• Start with passing out of a trap →

• Then do it with a defender closing fast →

• Then build it into a live 3v3 decision-making drill

🎯 Transfer lives at the intersection of repetition + pressure.

5. Make Players Mentally Responsible

Deliberate practice trains the mind as much as the body. Ask players to:

• Set a mini-intention for each drill

• Reflect on what worked or didn’t

• Track progress (even just a mental note)

  
  

 💬 “In this round, I want you to focus on keeping your eyes up.” 

💬 “Afterward, tell me what you noticed changed when you slowed your feet.”

The goal is to build self-aware learners — not just compliant athletes.

🔄 Bonus: Teach Players the Difference Between Practice and Training

 Practice = repetition Training = repetition + feedback + accountability + intention

Let them in on the process. Show them that what they put into each rep matters more than how many reps they do.

When players understand how learning actually works, they take more ownership — and improvement accelerates.

Final Words — Slow Down to Speed Up

Great practices aren’t always the loudest. They’re not always the ones where everyone leaves soaked in sweat.

Great practices are the ones where: 

✅ Players learn something new 

✅ Something gets a little sharper 

✅ A mistake gets fixed 

✅ A rep gets internalized 

✅ And you, as a coach, can say: “That skill is more reliable now.”

 That’s deliberate practice. And that’s what turns games into proof of growth — not just hope.

🧠 Take These With You:

 ❤️ “Reps without focus are just cardio.” 

❤️ “Clear is kind — name what matters in every drill.” 

❤️ “Slow it down. Zoom in. Lock in.” 

❤️ “Deliberate practice makes pressure feel familiar.”