'Three Rules' - Pete Carroll - Win Forever

The following article was taken from Pete Carroll's book, Win Forever.  

At USC  Pete Carroll introduced "Three Rules," which became foundational elements for our program.

Rule 1:  Always protect the team

Rule 2:  No whining, No complaining, No Excuses

Rule 3:  Be Early

Rule 1: Protecting the Team

This rule is about each individuals conscience and it holds everybody in the program accountable to the program and to each other.  Every decision is important and every decision can either hurt or help you, your teammates, and the team.

Rule 2:  You Either Do or You Don't - There Are No Excuses

Self-talk can be powerful and ultimately can create anticipated outcomes.  The language of the culture reflects the attitude of the culture.  If you're a culture of complaining and excuses, your actions and performance will reflect it.

Rule 3:  Being Early Requires Being Prepared

Being early is all about being disciplined, being prepared, being organized, and showing respect.  To be early, you must have your priorities in order and you must be organized to the point where you have a plan and can execute it effectively.  

Part of teaching players to execute on the field is teaching them to execute off the field as well.  Limiting themselves to three rules was a very conscious choice.  It started with a player's conscience and holding him accountable, it dealt with his language and self-talk, and ended with the discipline and respect it took to do things right.