• “We had our chances there. We just didn’t execute well”
• “We just didn’t execute the way we wanted to”
• “We just didn’t finish off the drives, you know. We had one little thing go wrong. We have to get all eleven on the same page”
• “We tried to battle it out, We had a game plan all week. We just didn’t execute I guess”

So what you ask?  I finally figured out what irritated me about these lines – they sound like excuses.  They remind me of an athlete saying “my bad”.

Saying “We just didn’t execute” is letting yourself and your team off the hook.  The conversation needs to go deeper.  Why didn’t you execute?

Winning in competition is about executing skills at a high level, at high speed, at less than optimal conditions and under pressure.  It requires consistently making the right decision about when, where and how to execute the skill.

If you are coaching at the varsity or collegiate level, it’s doubtful your team suddenly lost their ability to execute (the how to’s).   If they still have the ability to execute, then what got in the way?  Tactical mismatch?  Mindset?  Mental toughness?

Rarely is a team sport athlete going to execute their skills with technical excellence – there are too many variables (opponents, weather, field conditions etc.)

If “poor execution” pops into your mind following a competition, challenge yourself to dig deeper.  Look beyond the scoreboard and stat sheet.  What else was going on?  Why was this game plan beyond their ability to execute on this day?

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