“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” — John Wooden
Values are the compass that determines everything from culture to game-day choices. For a football coach — whether at youth, high school, college, or pro level — defining your values is not a feel-good branding exercise; it’s a competitive necessity. Values clarify what matters when pressure squeezes choices down to seconds. They simplify selection, shape behaviors, guide discipline, and help teams navigate wins, losses and the gray areas in between.
Why values matter for a football program
Football is equal parts X's & O's and human systems. Coaches spend thousands of hours installing schemes; the hidden multiplier is the culture those schemes live in.
When values are clear:
-
Decision-making becomes faster. In tight moments you and your players revert to agreed principles instead of panic.
-
Recruitment and retention align with identity. Players and staff who match your values are easier to recruit and harder to lose.
-
Behavior is normalized. Discipline, accountability, and daily habits are anchored to a common story rather than ad-hoc punishments.
-
Trust deepens. Players who know the team has consistent values trust leadership more; trust is the soil where peak performance grows.
Vince Lombardi put it plainly: “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” Values create the pursuit — the daily standard that defines what “chasing” means.
Core principles for defining values (coach’s checklist)
Before you run an exercise, adopt these guardrails:
-
Keep them few — 3–7 values. Too many and nothing sticks.
-
Make them behavioral — “Respect” is fine, but say what it looks like: “Respect = always arrive early to meetings; use teammates’ names; clean your locker.”
-
Anchor them in your why — Values should reflect the program’s mission (development, wins, character, community).
-
Co-create where possible — Involving players and staff increases ownership.
-
Model relentlessly — Coaches are the primary signal. Words without consistent behavior are worse than no words.
-
Measure and reward — Track adherence and celebrate role models publicly.
Defining values is like installing a new formation — initial work is heavy, then practice makes it automatic. The most successful programs understand that values are not inspirational wall art, but a living playbook: they guide daily micro-decisions, line up your staff and players, and turn personality into collective power.
Values will not replace preparation, scheme, or skill development; they will multiply their effect. When the whistle blows and decisions speed up, values are the shorthand that lets your program act as one organism rather than a collection of individuals. That is the secret of sustained excellence.
Go define what you stand for — then practice it until it’s the first thing that shows up on the field.
In next part about we will go through the methods how to define your values, implement them in practice and make others accountable to them.
Mario Jovic
Get your FREE coach manual:
https://www.coachescareerhub.com/get-your-free-coach-manual