Yesterday I overheard a conversation between coaches who were setting up a program.

Of all the things they discussed, what really shone forth was a reverence for each minute of practice. One coach emphasized that there must be a reason for everything that the team does. The time can be put to maximum use.

For instance, during the warmup jog, some teams simply go through the motions. On this coach’s teams, the athletes accomplish at least two important things.

First, they show their unity and pride by how well they approach the activity. Second, they actually learn how to run. “It’s amazing how many kids do not even know how to run,” one coach said.

They even got down to a minute-by-minute look at how best to spend the time. How long does the jog take? Three minutes? Five? How long should they stretch? Five minutes? Seven? Or should there even be stretching? Perhaps there should be dynamic warmup — wherein the athletes do game-like activities at increasingly high intensity.

If you do not currently lay out your practice minute-by-minute, you might find it valuable to try. After all, you are spending these moments and you will be getting result in return. Wouldn’t you want the result to be worth what you spent to get it?

Think of it this way: Would you ever go into a store and start throwing money around, without wondering whether you are getting value? Time is worth more than money, because you can always go to the bank and get more money. You can never get time back.

It will certainly be fun to watch the progress of this program, where each minute is valued.