Real-world examples of designing a communication plan for team practices

On-field examples of designing a communication plan for team practices

Let’s start on the field, court, or ice, because that’s where communication either clicks or collapses. One of the best examples of designing a communication plan for team practices comes from high school soccer programs that script who talks, when, and how loud for each part of practice.

Instead of just saying, “Communicate out there,” the coach defines roles:

• During warm-up, captains lead all verbal cues.
• During positional drills, only the coach and drill leaders talk.
• During scrimmage, defenders own organizing language, midfielders own transition calls, and the keeper has override authority.

When you study strong teams, their examples of communication plans rarely start with complex tech. They start with simple, repeatable rules like:

• One voice giving instructions, many voices giving support.
• Short phrases only during live play.
• Longer explanations only when the ball is dead.

Research on youth sport communication shows that athletes perform better when they know exactly who is responsible for giving information and encouragement rather than guessing or trying to talk over each other. The Aspen Institute’s Project Play has highlighted how consistent, age-appropriate communication improves both performance and enjoyment for young athletes (https://www.aspenprojectplay.org).

A full practice script: An example of a 90‑minute communication plan

Here’s a detailed example of designing a communication plan for team practices for a 90‑minute basketball session. You can easily translate this to soccer, volleyball, or lacrosse.

0–10 minutes: Arrival and expectations

• Coach greets each player by name at the door or sideline.
• Assistant coach runs a whiteboard with the practice plan and the three key phrases for the day (for example: “early help,” “one more pass,” “next play”).
• Players must repeat those phrases back in a quick huddle before warm-up starts.

Communication focus: relationship-building and clarity. Only coaches speak for instructions; players repeat key phrases as a group.

10–25 minutes: Dynamic warm-up and activation

• Strength coach or designated leader calls out movements: “High knees to half court, go!”
• Teammates must echo the movement once (“High knees!”) and then stay quiet while moving.
• Any correction is given with a name first, then the cue: “Jordan, chest up.”

Why this works: It prevents the classic chaos of everyone yelling different things. This is one of the best examples of how a simple communication rule (echo once, then execute) keeps warm-ups focused.

25–45 minutes: Skill stations
Three stations: shooting, ball-handling, defense.

• Each station has one player leader responsible for calling reps and time.
• Coach gives a single teaching point per station, written on a cone or board.
• Players are allowed to give feedback to partners, but only in a set format: “Name + action + positive cue” (for example: “Chris, wider stance, nice.”)

This is a clear example of designing a communication plan so that feedback is specific and encouraging instead of vague or negative.

45–70 minutes: Small-sided games

• Coach sets one communication goal per game: for example, “all ball screens must be called early” or “every pass must be called by name.”
• If the communication goal isn’t met, the play doesn’t count, even if they score.

This is one of the best examples of using scoring rules to force communication habits. Players quickly learn that talking is part of the skill, not an optional extra.

70–85 minutes: Scrimmage with communication roles

• One player is the “defensive captain” and must call matchups and coverages.
• One player is the “offensive connector,” responsible for calling the set or action.
• Bench players track how many clear, early, and loud calls they hear and report at timeouts.

85–90 minutes: Debrief huddle

• Coach asks three players to share one example of good communication they heard.
• One player shares a moment where communication broke down and how they’d fix it next time.

This full script is one of the most practical examples of examples of designing a communication plan for team practices because it covers the entire session, not just drills.

Position-based examples include clear language rules

In a strong communication plan, every position knows its standard phrases. For instance, in soccer:

• Center backs own organization language: “Step,” “Drop,” “Shift left,” “Mark 10.”
• Defensive mids own transition language: “Turn,” “Man on,” “Back,” “Switch.”
• Wingers own pressure language: “Press,” “Show inside,” “Delay.”

An example of a written communication plan might list those phrases on a laminated card that lives in the equipment bag. Before practice, the coach picks two or three phrases per line to emphasize that day.

This approach mirrors what you see in high-level programs and even national team setups, where shared vocabulary is taught just like tactics. Modern coaching education courses, such as those referenced by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s coaching resources (https://www.teamusa.org/coach), stress that shared language is a trainable skill, not something players magically develop.

Modern 2024–2025 trends: Tech‑assisted communication plans

Recent seasons have brought a wave of tools that can support your communication plan:

• Wearable microphones and speakers in some practice settings (especially football and soccer) allow position coaches to talk directly to units without screaming.
• Practice filming on tablets or phones lets coaches and captains review not just physical mistakes, but silent moments where someone should have spoken up.
• Shared digital playbooks (Google Drive, Hudl, or team apps) now often include a “Language” or “Calls” section so everyone sees the same terminology.

One of the best examples of designing a communication plan for team practices in 2024 is a college volleyball program that records audio during scrimmages. After practice, they review clips with players and ask:

• “Who should have called this?”
• “Was the call early enough?”
• “Did everyone react to the same word?”

By treating communication like film study, they align with broader sports science trends that view mental and verbal skills as performance variables, not soft extras. Sports psychology research from sources like the American Psychological Association and the NCAA’s mental health initiatives highlights how clear, predictable communication reduces anxiety and improves decision-making under pressure (https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2016/7/22/mental-health-best-practices.aspx).

Practice theme examples of communication focus

Another powerful example of designing a communication plan for team practices is to assign a single communication theme to each practice.

For example, a week of preseason might look like this:

• Day 1: Names and directions – Every call must include a name and a direction: “Alex, left,” “Sam, back,” “Jess, you.”
• Day 2: Early calls only – Emphasis on calling screens, runs, or rotations before they happen: “Screen right,” “Overlap coming,” “Cut baseline.”
• Day 3: Positive response – After every instruction, teammates must respond with a quick “Got it,” “Mine,” or “I’m here.”
• Day 4: Quiet eye, loud call – Players practice scanning first, then making one clear call instead of constant chatter.

These are real examples of how coaches build communication skills in layers. Instead of trying to fix everything at once, each day has a narrow target. Over a season, those themes stack into a strong communication culture.

Sideline, timeout, and huddle communication examples

A communication plan that only covers live play is half-finished. The best examples of examples of designing a communication plan for team practices also script how the sideline talks.

Here’s how a typical huddle might be organized in a well-coached high school football program:

• Coach’s 30 seconds: One key adjustment, one reminder, one encouragement.
• Captain’s 15 seconds: Restate the adjustment in player language, add one emotional spark.
• Unit’s 15 seconds: Position groups quickly repeat their assignment out loud.

In practice, this is rehearsed just like any drill. The coach might blow the whistle, call a “practice timeout,” and everyone runs to their spots. If someone talks out of turn or the message gets muddy, they reset and try again.

An example of a communication rule for the bench in basketball:

• Closest player to the coach repeats the play call down the bench.
• One assistant coach is responsible for defensive reminders (“Match up,” “Box out,” “No fouls”).
• One player on the bench is the “energy captain,” responsible for positive, loud support.

These examples include clear, repeatable jobs so players don’t default to random chatter or go silent.

Safety and health communication: An often-overlooked example

A smart communication plan doesn’t just cover tactics; it also covers health and safety language. With growing awareness of concussion protocols and heat-related illness, 2024–2025 teams are building safety phrases into their practice communication.

For example:

• Players are taught specific words and hand signals to report dizziness, headaches, or vision issues without feeling weak.
• Teammates are encouraged to speak up if they notice a peer stumbling, holding their head, or acting confused.
• Coaches and athletic trainers agree on trigger phrases like “Check him,” “Trainer now,” or “Shut it down.”

The CDC’s HEADS UP program for concussion safety (https://www.cdc.gov/headsup) recommends clear, repeated education so athletes know how to report symptoms. Building this into your examples of designing a communication plan for team practices is not just smart coaching; it’s responsible leadership.

Putting it all together: A simple template you can copy

If you want a quick starting point, here’s how many coaches now structure their written practice communication plan:

• Section 1 – Goals for the day: One tactical goal, one communication goal (for example, “Improve weak-side help; emphasize early, loud help calls”).
• Section 2 – Vocabulary focus: List 5–10 phrases that should be heard constantly.
• Section 3 – Roles: Who leads warm-up talk, who calls sets, who organizes defense, who leads post-practice debrief.
• Section 4 – Drills and rules: For each drill, write the specific communication rule (for example, “no silent passes,” “screen calls must be one second early,” “only captains may talk to referees in scrimmage”).
• Section 5 – Review questions: Two or three prompts for the end of practice: “When did we talk well? When were we quiet? What will we say differently tomorrow?”

This template can generate multiple examples of examples of designing a communication plan for team practices across different sports and age levels. Over time, you’ll collect your own best examples that fit your athletes and your coaching voice.

FAQ: Real examples of practice communication plans

Q1: What are some simple examples of communication rules I can use tomorrow?
Some easy starters include: every pass must be called by name; every screen must be called early and loud; no one is allowed to say “my bad” without adding what they’ll do differently next time. Another example of a rule is that only one person gives instructions during a drill, while everyone else uses short support phrases like “I’m here” or “You got this.”

Q2: Can you give an example of a communication plan for youth teams (ages 10–13)?
For younger athletes, keep it playful and simple. Pick three words for the day (for example, “ball,” “help,” “back”) and reward teams when you hear those words used correctly. Use call-and-response in warm-ups (“Coach: Who’s got the ball? Team: I do!”). Limit feedback to one short, positive cue per rep. These lighter, clearer examples of communication plans help kids learn without feeling overwhelmed.

Q3: How often should I update my communication plan during the season?
Many coaches review their plan every 2–4 weeks. Early in the season, you might adjust more often as you learn what your group responds to. As the year goes on, you’ll mostly tweak vocabulary, roles, or tech use. Watching practice film and asking captains for real examples of what they hear (or don’t hear) is one of the fastest ways to know what needs to change.

Q4: Do elite teams really script communication, or is it more natural at that level?
Elite teams absolutely script and rehearse communication. The difference is that they’ve done it for so long it looks natural. College and pro programs use detailed playbooks, hand signals, and standard phrases for almost every situation. Their best examples of communication plans are often built over years, but the foundation is the same: clear roles, shared language, and consistent practice.

Q5: Where can I learn more about teaching effective communication to athletes?
Look for coaching education resources from trusted organizations. For example, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s coaching tools, the NCAA’s mental health and sport environment guidelines, and sport psychology information from the National Institutes of Health (https://www.nih.gov) all touch on how clear, supportive communication improves performance and well-being. Pair those resources with the real examples in this article, and you’ll have a strong starting point for your own practice plans.