Culture is the accepted behavior of a group. In athletics, the group takes on the identity of a team. A team’s culture is their accepted way of acting, thinking, and communicating. It is shaped by values, beliefs, and ideals.
When I think of elite culture, two organizations come to mind: San Antonio Spurs and New England Patriots. Regardless of the personnel in place, you can expect similar outcomes. They will be detail oriented, methodical, and disciplined.
At Reach Your Potential Training it is our goal to create a detail oriented, methodical, disciplined, hardworking, AND fun environment. We believe that teaching these qualities provides our athletes the best foundation to reach their potential in their sport, and, most importantly, in life. While we do a great job at helping them increase on field performance, our highest goal is to help them become better teammates, students, friends, sons/daughters, and leaders in their community. We strive to improve their ability to perform at every aspect of their lives.
In my personal athletic journey, it was preparing physically, mentally, and emotionally that allowed me to flourish on the field. It’s these same lessons that have contributed to the husband, father and coach I am today.
In the early development of the RYPT system, we identified several factors that were most crucial to helping our athletes succeed. From these factors, the RYPT Commandments were born. The 7 RYPT Commandments are foundational expectations of our athletes and coaches.
They are:
- Change Your Mentality
- You GET to TRAIN here, not workout
- Prepare
- If you’re early, you’re on time
- If you’re on time you’re late
- Believe
- Believe in us
- Believe in our program
- Believe in yourself
- Commit to the PROCESS and TRAIN in the MOMENT
- Little things lead to big things
- Focus on the present
- BE BETTER when YOU’RE FINISHED than when YOU STARTED
- Better athlete
- Better teammate
- Better person
- ELIMINATE NEGATIVE BODY LANGUAGE
- No hands on hips, heads, or knees
- Never show weakness by letting them know
- DON’T BE AFRAID to FAIL or AFRAID to BE GREAT
- Fail forward by learning from each mistake
The RYPT culture is what separates our athletes from athletes that train just to become more athletic. The RYPT culture instills behaviors that transcend the field or court, and carry over into locker rooms, classrooms, homes and communities.
Most importantly: we practice what we preach! This is not mere lip service. Within every RYPT session, the RYPT Commandments come to life. Athletes show up early to foam roll and prepare themselves for the session. They put their phones away and develop relationships with each other. When the session starts its go time. There is a unique energy in the air with an optimal balance of fun, focus, and intent. Everyone pushes each other, and coaches fuel the fire of positive energy and desire to succeed.
As the owner of RYPT, I’ll be the first to admit: our culture is by no means perfect. There are times when athletes come in late, have off days, and just aren’t all there mentally. No matter what age or level of athlete, you will experience this. The key is how we respond to these moments. Do we let them slide, or do we address the situation promptly? Often it is the athlete that shows up late or isn’t focused that needs to know we care. We still discipline them for their actions, but we also are there to have a conversation about what may be causing the issue, and even give a hug if needed.
The RYPT culture is unlike any you will find. Every detail is considered, from the organization of the facility, the music and the language used by the coaching staff, to the relationships we have with our athletes. Simply put, we do things differently. We do them with ferocity and intent; all while enjoying the process. It is the essence of RYPT to develop athletes beyond their sports. We develop the mindset and habits that allow them to thrive as human beings.
The lessons that they will learn from training at RYPT will transcend athletics; they will develop the values that will help shape their life’s path. RYPT isn’t just a gym where they go to train. It’s a family. It’s an identity. It’s a place where they can come and feel supported and inspired. Every season at RYPT the athletes get a new RYPT T-shirt. They are not told to wear them but they do. They wear them to training. They wear them to school. They wear them to the mall. They feel part of something and it is a great feeling. That feeling is the RYPT culture.
Your ability as a leader to create a desired culture is critical.
There is a new course out from Athletes Acceleration with Pat Rigsby, called Complete Culture Blueprint, that covers just that…building YOUR ideal culture.