“Do the Little Things Right”: Lessons in Leadership from Coach Skip Townsend

Skip Townsend is more than just a legendary Texas high school basketball coach with over 1,000 wins and nine state championships — he's a master at crafting culture, defining roles, and developing gritty, team-first players. In this powerful and personal interview, Coach Skip breaks down decades of wisdom from the hardwood.

Key Quote:

“You don’t have to score to be on this team. You can be a great defensive player. You can be a great assist player. You can be a ball handler. You can be the vocal person. There’s so many things you can do besides score.”

Core Takeaways:

1. Role Definition is the Foundation of Team Success

Coach Skip emphasizes the importance of clearly defining roles early—and helping players embrace those roles. At the start of each season, his teams meet to build their own culture and define team goals. Players trust the staff to place them in positions where they’ll help the team the most.

2. Defense is Non-Negotiable

Defense is not just a priority—it’s a lifestyle in Townsend’s program. He devoted most of his practice time to defensive principles, accountability, and competition. In his words: "We probably spent an hour of a 90-minute practice on defense."

3. Culture Starts in 7th Grade

Townsend’s culture-building began long before players reached varsity. At Argyle, he coached junior high athletes and built their understanding of roles, expectations, and team-first mentality from the bottom up.

4. The Value of Competition in Practice

Whether it’s 3-on-3 or 4-on-4 drills with point deductions for offensive rebounds, every drill has a competitive angle. He rewards doing the little things—taking charges, rebounding, defensive stops—with points that build pride and accountability.

5. Simple Systems, Deep Execution

He ran the same systems—man-to-man defense, a half-court 2-2-1 trap, and inside-out offense—for decades. “Do what you do well, and do it every time.” Repetition builds confidence and execution.

Action Steps for Coaches:

✅ Define Roles Early – Start the year by involving players in setting team culture and clearly define what each role looks like.

✅ Track and Grade Film – Use film as a tool to evaluate and hold players accountable with specific scoring systems for effort plays, mistakes, and hustle.

✅ Use Competitive Practice Games – Incorporate point systems into practice that reward defense, hustle, and team-oriented play.

✅ Develop All Year Long – If possible, start investing in your program from junior high up. Townsend’s long-term approach yielded consistent excellence.

✅ Limit Your Playbook, Master the Fundamentals – Focus on doing a few things extremely well. Practice them until they’re automatic.

Closing Thought:

Coach Skip Townsend’s approach is a masterclass in building a winning culture without shortcuts. It’s about trust, toughness, and the beauty of doing the basics better than anyone else.

“You're going to play the way you practice. So we practice hard, and we practice smart.”