Best Practices for Game Film Review with Athletes

Most coaches film games. Few coaches use that film effectively.

Why? Because traditional film review is:
- Time-consuming
- Boring for athletes
- Hard to make actionable

Here's how to make game film review actually work.

When to Review Film

TIMING MATTERS

Best: Within 24 hours of the game

The game is still fresh. Athletes remember plays. Emotions haven't faded.

Good: 24-48 hours after

Still recent enough to be relevant.

Bad: A week later

Athletes have moved on mentally. The moment is lost.

The Tournament Exception

Between tournament rounds? THAT'S the golden moment.

You have 30 minutes to an hour. Film from the previous match is immediately relevant.

Quick review. 2-3 key teaching points. Next match: immediate application.

Individual vs. Group Review

Individual Review (Best for Most Situations)

Pros:
- Personalized coaching
- Athletes stay engaged (it's about THEM)
- Can address specific weaknesses privately
- Faster (5-10 minutes per athlete vs. 45 minutes for team)

How to do it:
Record the game. Add timestamped feedback for each athlete. They watch on their own time.

Come to next practice having already studied their film.

This is the Coach Feedback method: Record. Timestamp. Athletes review individually.

Group Review (Best for Team Concepts)

Pros:
- Everyone learns from each player's mistakes and successes
- Builds team culture and understanding
- Good for teaching systems and schemes

How to do it:
Pick 5-10 KEY teaching moments that apply to everyone.

"Watch this. See how our help defense rotated? That's the standard."

Keep it SHORT. 15-20 minutes max. Athletes check out after that.

Don't do play-by-play. Pick the highlights.

What to Focus On

Don't Try to Coach Everything

You filmed a 60-minute game. You found 47 teaching moments.

Don't show all 47.

Pick 5-7 KEY moments per athlete. That's enough for a week of focused improvement.

The 3-2-1 Method

For each athlete:
- 3 things they did well (positive reinforcement)
- 2 things to improve (coaching focus)
- 1 key focus for the next game (their mission)

This keeps feedback balanced, focused, and actionable.

Focus on Patterns, Not One-Offs

One missed tackle? Could be a fluke.

Three missed tackles with the same technical flaw? That's a pattern. THAT'S what you coach.

Making Film Review Engaging

Problem: Athletes Zone Out

You're showing film. They're on their phones. They're bored.

Why?
- Too long
- Not about them specifically
- No clear action steps

Solution: Make It Interactive

Ask questions:
"What do you see at 12:34?"
"What should you have done here?"
"Why did that play work?"

Athletes stay engaged when they're thinking, not just watching.

Use Video Timestamping

Instead of scrubbing through a full game, jump straight to key moments.

"Let's look at your stance at 0:47."
Boom. There it is.

No wasted time. Athletes stay focused.

Individual Film Review Workflow

Here's the workflow I used with wrestlers at Point Loma:

Saturday: Film the Match

Record on my phone during the tournament.

Saturday Night: Add Timestamps (15 minutes)

Review the footage. Add 5-7 timestamps per wrestler:
- What they did well
- What needs work
- Key focus for next match

Sunday: Athletes Watch on Their Own

They get notified. They watch their match. They study the key moments.

Monday Practice: Quick Check-In

"Did you watch your film?"
"What's your focus this week?"

They already know. Practice is more productive.

Result

Athletes come to practice having already reviewed their performance. They know what to work on. Practice time is used for DOING, not explaining.

Common Mistakes in Film Review

Mistake #1: Making It Too Long

60-minute film sessions lose athletes after 15 minutes.

Fix: Keep it short. 10-15 minutes for group. 5 minutes per athlete for individual.

Mistake #2: Only Showing Mistakes

Constant criticism crushes confidence.

Fix: 2:1 positive-to-corrective ratio. Celebrate good plays.

Mistake #3: No Clear Takeaways

You show film. Then what? What should athletes DO with this information?

Fix: End every review with clear action steps.

"This week, we're working on keeping hands up in the clinch. I'll be watching for it in practice."

Mistake #4: Watching Full Games

Nobody wants to sit through 60 minutes of game footage.

Fix: Highlight key moments only. Use timestamps.

Mistake #5: Inconsistent Follow-Through

You review film once. Then never mention it again.

Fix: Reference film review during practice.

"Remember what we saw on film? That's what we're fixing right now."

Tools You Need

To make film review effective, you need:

1. Easy filming (your phone works)
2. Quick access to footage (not buried in camera roll)
3. Timestamping ability (jump to key moments)
4. Easy sharing (athletes can watch on their devices)

This is why Coach Feedback exists.

Record. Timestamp. Share. Athletes watch.

No upload. No editing. No complexity.

Real Example: Wrestling Team Film Review

Here's what worked with my wrestling team:

Friday Night: Dual Meet

Filmed all matches on my phone.

Saturday Morning: Timestamping (30 minutes)

Reviewed footage. Added timestamps for all wrestlers:
- Good technique moments
- Breakdowns to fix
- Match strategy points

Saturday Afternoon: Athletes Watch

They got notifications. Watched their matches. Studied key moments.

Monday Practice: Application

Athletes already knew what to work on. We jumped straight into drilling the corrections.

Result:

Faster improvement. More engaged athletes. Better use of practice time.

For Youth Sports Coaches

Film review with young athletes is different.

Keep It VERY Short

5 minutes max. Their attention span is limited.

Focus on 1-2 Things Only

Don't overload them. One clear focus per game.

Make It Fun

"Who wants to see their best play from Saturday?"

Kids love seeing themselves. Use that.

Show Them Improvement

Film Week 1. Film Week 8.

Show them side-by-side. "Look how much better your form is now!"

Visual proof of improvement motivates kids.

Conclusion

Game film is useless if athletes don't watch it, understand it, and apply it.

Make film review:
- Timely (within 24 hours)
- Focused (5-7 key moments, not everything)
- Balanced (positives AND corrections)
- Actionable (clear next steps)
- Engaging (interactive, not passive)

The right tools make this easy. Timestamped video feedback lets athletes review individually, stay engaged, and come to practice ready to improve.

That's how film review drives real improvement.

Want better film review?
→ Download Coach Feedback
→ Learn More

Record games. Add timestamps. Athletes watch and improve.

Athletes use it FREE. Coaches start at $14.99/month.

Record. Review. Improve.