Building Elite Programs: Build the culture. Develop champions.

Building Elite Programs — Amazon book descriptionYou don't need a bigger budget, better facilities, or more talented players to build an elite program. You need clarity, systems, and culture. That's it.In 2024, Brad Sparling returned to coach the Dublin Jerome boys golf team. The program had been struggling. Two seasons later, his players had won the OHSAA State Championship, set all-time state records for team scoring, and finished ranked #1 in the country. But ask Brad what mattered most about that team, and he won't talk about the trophies. He'll talk about the culture.Building Elite Programs is the practical guide he wrote for coaches who want to build the same thing — at any level, in any sport. Drawing from twenty years of coaching, including time at Duke and Ohio State, sixteen years running PGIC and placing more than 165 players into college golf, and three children of his own who played Division I, Brad shares what actually works."There is no one better at building team culture than Brad Sparling." — David Woodmansee, Former Head Golf Coach, Dublin Coffman High SchoolInside the book:A clear definition of what "elite" really means — and why budget, facilities, and talent are not part of itThe first-meeting structure that aligns every player and parent six months before the season startsFrameworks for expectations, accountability, and consequences applied calmly and consistentlyCommunication systems for players, parents, assistant coaches, and athletic directorsPractice formats that work across mixed skill levelsConflict-resolution scripts, documentation tools, and parent communication templatesHow to coach during competition without creating indecision or pressureHonest lessons from twenty years of coaching, including the mistakes and what they taughtForty-one chapters and nine appendices cover program architecture, tryouts and lineups, tournament scheduling, leadership development, mental performance, the coach's inner game, building your staff, fundraising, alumni traditions, taking over a program, and the long view that separates programs that last from those that don't.This book is for you if:You're a high school coach who wants to build something that survives bad seasons, graduating classes, and the pressures every program facesYou're new to coaching and want a structure to follow rather than reinventYou're a veteran looking to sharpen your systems and reduce frictionYou believe winning and player development are complementary, not opposing goalsThe examples are drawn from golf because that's where Brad has built his career. The principles transfer to any team sport. Take what fits, leave what doesn't, and build something that reflects your environment and your values.If you care about your players as much as you care about results — and you suspect there's a better way to build a program than the one you're using now — this is the book. Read more