Culture Isn’t What You Say—It’s What You Reward

Culture was never a slogan.

It’s not a mission statement or a set of values listed on a website. It’s not what gets talked about in pregame speeches or hung on the walls of the locker room.

Culture is what actually happens.

It’s the stories that get celebrated. The behaviors that get praised. The standards that get upheld—not because a coach enforces them, but because the team owns them.

Culture is the shared understanding of “this is how we do it here.”

And here’s the thing—this kind of culture doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built on purpose. Not with rules, but with clarity. Not with authority, but with buy-in.

So how do you build this? Start by answering: What will we celebrate?

Culture is what gets noticed, valued, and reinforced. Building a strong culture means knowing–no matter who’s on the roster, no matter how the season unfolds—this is what gets rewarded here?

It turns out, if you get this right, you won’t have to beg players to stay. They’ll stay not just because of the pay, they'll stay because they belong. Because this team isn’t just a pit stop on their way to something bigger.

Because this team means something.

Culture.

Define it. Defend it. Live it.