The Power of Post-Practice Observations

It's 5:30 PM. Practice just ended, athletes are heading home, and you noticed three important things: Sarah looked tired today, Marcus crushed his intervals, and the freshmen are struggling with the warm-up routine.

By tomorrow morning, will you remember these observations? By next week's practice? Probably not.

Why Coaches Don't Take Notes (And Why They Should)

Most coaches skip post-practice notes for understandable reasons:

• "I'm exhausted after practice"
• "I'll remember the important stuff"
• "I don't have time for paperwork"
• "I don't know what to write"

Here's the thing: you won't remember the important stuff. Human memory is unreliable, especially for the small details that add up over time.

What to Capture

Effective practice notes don't need to be lengthy. Focus on:

Individual Athletes

• Unusual behavior: Athlete seems off, distracted, unusually quiet
• Physical signs: Limping, favoring a side, excessive fatigue
• Breakthroughs: PRs in workouts, mastering a technique, mental toughness
• Concerns: Missing practices, attitude issues, declining performance

Training Response

• Workout quality: How did the team handle today's session?
• Energy levels: Were athletes fresh or fatigued?
• Weather impact: How did heat, cold, or wind affect performance?
• Adjustments needed: What would you change next time?

Team Dynamics

• Leadership moments: Athletes helping each other
• Conflicts: Tension between teammates
• Morale indicators: Enthusiasm, complaints, overall vibe

The 60-Second Method

You don't need to write essays. Try this approach:

1. Immediately after practice (in your car, walking to your office, wherever)
2. Speak your observations into your phone's voice recorder
3. Later, a tool can transcribe these into text notes attached to specific athletes or the team

This captures information while it's fresh without requiring you to sit down and type.

The Compounding Value of Observations

One day's notes might seem trivial. But over a season, patterns emerge:

• "Sarah has looked tired at every Tuesday practice for a month" suggests she might need more recovery or has something going on outside of running
• "Marcus consistently exceeds pace targets in workouts" means it might be time to move him to a faster training group
• "The freshmen have struggled with warm-up drills all season" indicates a systematic issue worth addressing

Using Notes for Conversations

Post-practice observations become powerful tools for athlete meetings:

"I noticed you've been quieter than usual the last couple weeks. Everything okay?"

"Looking back at my notes, your workout times have improved every week this month. The consistency is paying off."

"I've observed that you tend to go out too fast in tempo runs. Let's work on that."

These data-backed conversations carry more weight than vague impressions.

Notes for Injury Prevention

Many injuries develop gradually. Regular observations can catch warning signs:

• Slight favoring of one leg (could indicate developing strain)
• Decreased range of motion in warm-up drills
• Dropping pace late in workouts (possible overtraining)
• Changes in running form

When you review notes regularly, you can intervene before small issues become season-ending injuries.

Digital vs. Paper Notes

Paper notebooks have charm, but digital notes offer significant advantages:

• Searchable: Find all notes about a specific athlete instantly
• Linked: Connect observations to specific workouts or dates
• Shareable: Collaborate with assistant coaches
• Backed up: No risk of losing years of observations

Modern coaching tools can even transcribe voice notes automatically, reducing friction to nearly zero.

Making It a Habit

The best note-taking system is the one you'll actually use. Tips for consistency:

• Same time daily: Right after practice, before you leave the facility
• Low barrier: Use voice recording if typing feels tedious
• Quick format: Bullet points, not paragraphs
• Reminder: Set a phone alarm for post-practice notes

Conclusion

Post-practice observations are one of the highest-leverage activities a coach can do. In just 60 seconds, you capture information that would otherwise be lost, building a database of insights that compounds over time.

The coaches who consistently document what they observe are the coaches who catch problems early, recognize patterns others miss, and have data to guide their decisions. Start today: practice ends, observations recorded. Your future self will thank you.