Galen Harkness • November 13, 2025
Standards Over Everything: How High School Players Win
Standards Over Everything
How Champions Build Their Season
You’re not in youth basketball anymore.
Everyone is talented now.
Everyone can dribble, shoot, lift, and “work hard.”
So what separates the players who actually rise?
Standards.
Leadership.
Ownership.
Culture.
And the Virginia football story proves it.
Champions Choose Standards Before They Win
Inside their facility is a Bill Walsh quote your season should be built on:
“Champions behave like champions before they're champions;
they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners.”
Read that again.
Champions decide who they are before the scoreboard ever validates them.
That’s your blueprint.
If You Want Bigger Roles… Bigger Minutes… Bigger Confidence…
You don’t wait until:
- You “feel ready”
- Coach calls your name
- Shots fall
- Things go your way
You set your standard now.
Before anyone else sees it.
Before anyone claps for you.
Standards create confidence.
Confidence creates opportunity.
Not the other way around.
Talent Isn’t the Separator at This Level
Habits are.
Virginia didn’t magically improve.
They built it through things most losing teams never do:
- Film
- Extra reps
- Communication
- Unity
- Consistent energy
- Real accountability
The same is true in high school basketball.
You don’t rise to your dreams.
You rise to your daily behaviors.
Own Your Season
Or Someone Else Will
Their quarterback didn’t transfer in to blend in.
He walked into the room and said:
“I came here to win a conference championship.”
That’s ownership.
Ownership is:
- Saying your goals out loud
- Showing up early
- Leading without needing a title
- Showing teammates the standard
- Elevating the gym the moment you walk in
You want to be “the guy”?
Act like “the guy” now.
Not later.
Not after you get minutes.
Now.
Teams That Win Stay Connected
Virginia faced tragedy.
It bonded them.
Your team will hit adversity too:
- Losing streaks
- Injuries
- Bad games
- Disagreements
- Role battles
Winners stay connected.
Quitters divide.
If you want to win in February or March…
You build the connection now.
This Season Will Reveal Who You Really Are
Not your social media.
Not your highlight reels.
Not your “potential.”
The real you will show up in:
- Your habits
- Your response to adversity
- Your consistency
- Your leadership
- Your body language
- Your energy
- Your standards
Those things decide your season.
Not talent.
Not hype.
Not hope.
Standards > Everything.
Set yours now.
Live them every day.
EYG is here to help you become the player your team needs this season
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