Coaching: How long should post-game talks last?

Win or lose, it’s best to keep post-game talks brief. After a win, Ken Eriksen suggests keeping talks under 10 minutes. Allow your players to celebrate and feel good about their performance, and reserve discussions about what needs work for your next practice.

After a loss, keep talks even shorter at 5 minutes or less. Your players are likely feeling down already, and they don’t need you to rehash everything they did wrong. Instead, address any problem areas at your next practice after emotions have calmed down. At that point, they will be more open to hearing what you have to say, allowing you to address the aspects your team needs to work on with greater success.