We’re deep into summer mode now—7v7s, weight room wars, and playbook installs. But before we get lost in scheme and drills, let’s talk about something more foundational than any blitz package or red zone install: Culture.

What Is Culture, Really? 🤔

Culture is more than rules on a whiteboard or slogans on a t-shirt. It’s what happens every day, whether coaches are watching or not. It’s the way your players carry themselves in the hallway. It’s how assistant coaches handle disagreements. It’s whether your team shows up early, late—or not at all.

Strong culture isn’t built overnight. It’s established over years of consistency. That’s why teams with long-tenured coaching staffs often find success. Everyone—from parents to teachers, to girlfriends and guidance counselors—knows what to expect. When culture is locked in, you don’t waste time laying a foundation every August.

What Bad Culture Looks Like 👎

We’ve all seen it. Coaches pointing fingers after losses. Players barking at each other in the huddle. Missed lifts. Skipped class. Excuses.

Maybe players break team rules and face no consequences. Maybe nobody really knows who to talk to about what. Is it okay for a parent to ask about playing time after practice? During games? What’s the chain of command?

If there’s no system, no protocol—then that’s your culture. And it’s holding you back.

Building a Program (Not Just a Team)

There’s a big difference between a team and a program.

A team comes and goes each season. A program leaves a legacy. A program has standards—standards that don’t change with the talent pool or the transfer portal.

Culture shows up in discipline. In the classroom. In how players handle adversity. If you’re building something special, it should take at least four years to bake in. That’s how long it takes to raise a class from freshmen to seniors who live and breathe the standard.

And by that fourth year, you’ll know what kind of program you have. That senior class will either reflect your vision—or expose your blind spots.

Culture = All 3 Phases, All Year

We love to say “three phases win football games.” But culture? That’s the fourth phase. It’s what holds the other three together.

Culture doesn’t care if you’re running a 3-4 or a spread. Doesn’t care if you’ve got a five-star QB or a banged-up O-line. Culture keeps your train on the tracks. It builds trust, cohesion, and accountability. It’s how you build a machine.

Questions for You and Your Squad 🧠

• Are you running a team or building a program?
• What unshakable standards will your current freshmen live by as seniors?
• When a coach leaves, does your culture stay behind?

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When culture is right, everything else becomes easier. Execution improves. Conflicts reduce. Growth accelerates.

It’s bigger than football. But it sure makes football better.

See y’all at camp soon. Let’s build something worth passing down.

✊ –Coach Chill