Visual Cues, Signs, and More
A few subtle ways to get your point across
A few weeks ago, the grassy area near where I live was a disaster zone. A minefield, really.
Everyone’s dog used it...to take care of their business. And next to nobody cleaned up. It was gross.
Then something happened.
Signs went up. About half a dozen of them surrounding the area: “Please clean up after your pet”.
Nothing fancy. No enforcement or threats. Just a “gentle” reminder.
And almost overnight, it changed. That nasty grass patch turned into something closer to Augusta National. People started acting differently.
All because of a sign.
Why Visual Cues Work
The brain is wired for efficiency. We all default to habits, routines, autopilot. Visual reminders interrupt that.
Take men’s bathrooms at airports, for example.
Ever wonder why some urinals have little black dots that look like bees inside them?
They’re not decoration.
They're strategically placed to give men something to aim at — and they work.
One study at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport found that adding the bee graphic reduced “spillage” by 80% —just by giving people something to focus on and aim at.
It’s not that people wanted to be messy — they just didn’t have a clear target.
So What’s That Got to Do With Coaching?
Your players are just like the rest of us. They’re moving fast, juggling a million things, distracted, and mostly running on autopilot.
You can talk about your culture until you’re blue in the face…
You can make effort and unselfishness your identity…
But if the only place those values live is in your preseason meeting or some dusty handbook?
They’ll fade. Especially when things get difficult.
That’s where visual reminders come in.
They reinforce, reset, and recenter your players every day.
“Top Shooter”
For a while, I ran a group of drills called Top Shooter for the program I was coaching.
We picked four shooting drills. Every player in the program — from varsity to freshman — did the same ones.
We tracked their scores, ranked them from top to bottom, and posted the leaderboard every single day. On the wall. In the locker room. And we texted it to the players too.
Guys were showing up early to get extra reps. Asking to redo drills. Watching each other. Competing like crazy. Calling each other out if they thought someone was cheating their numbers.
The leaderboard wasn’t about punishment. It was a reminder: You control your improvement. And we’re all watching.
How to Use Visual Cues to Reinforce Your Culture
Here are a few other ways you might use visual cues or reminders in your program:
🏀 Locker Room Slogans – Choose 2-3 short, memorable phrases that embody your culture. Plaster them where players can’t miss them.
🏀 Practice Court Reminders – Tape signs on the scorers' table, the back of chairs, or wherever else eyes drift to. Banners in the rafters can also count for this.
🏀 Gear – Give players gear that literally keeps the reminders on their body.
🏀 Cue Words on Whiteboards – Start every practice with a focus word or thought of the day on the board. Or let a player pick one for the team. Keep it visible. Keep it actionable.
🏀 Leaderboards & Charts – Track things that matter to your culture. Effort stats. Charges taken. Shooting drills. Post them. Celebrate progress.
🏀 Coach-Only Cues – Use a clipboard sticker or a phone lock screen with your reminders. Help yourself stay aligned.
Figure out what matters.
Figure out how to chart it and hold people accountable.
Figure out how they can see it or hear it as much possible.
Final Thought
Culture (and program building and leadership) is like grass.
You can’t just plant it and walk away.
It needs sunlight, watering, and yes — the occasional “pick up after your dog” sign.
Don't assume your team remembers what matters. Remind them. Visually. Constantly. Subtly.
And watch your program start to look and feel a whole lot more like that clean, green golf course outside my door.
It goes without saying that simply posting words here and there around your program is NOT enough to change your culture in a meaningful way.
However, it’s a good place to start.
Until next time…keep the faith!
P.S. - Whenever you’re ready, there are a few ways I can help you as a coach!
Hoops Companion Master Playbook/Drill Book with over 600 pages of plays and drills
2025 March Madness Playbook - 3 video clips and 3 diagrams from all 68 teams (that’s 408 pieces of winning content)
Join Hoops Companion Extra - for $5/month, you can get 10 links in your inbox EVERY weekend…and a bunch of other great perks.