Bobby Hurley, one of the country’s most successful high school basketball coaches, spoke about practice at the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association’s weekend clinic in Des Moines, Iowa.

Hurley, head of the legendary St. Anthony’s program in New Jersey, mentioned what we’ll call the 20-minute rule, namely, to compliment every player on the team in the first 20 minutes of practice.

Besides boosting confidence and keeping open the lines of communication, this practice cushions the tough coaching that may become necessary later in the day.

But complimenting each player on the team within the first 20 minutes requires more effort and care than might be first apparent.

For one thing, if you’ve got 12 players on your team, 20 minutes is not a lot of time — just 100 seconds per player. Second, you’ve got to be in tune with each player and what they’re working on. If you suggest an area of improvement, and then recognize the player for following up, your player gains skill and your coaching gains power.

Like anything else, the 20-minute rule will require practice on your part. But it will bring great rewards in terms of motivation, communication, and skill.