Attendance & Effort: Making It Measurable

#62 - Strength & Speed Coaching - Pursuing Your Best ⚡️

Consistency is the foundation of progress—and if you don’t measure it, students assume it doesn’t matter.
If students don’t show up—or if they show up but go through the motions—it doesn’t matter how good your program looks on paper.

The challenge for Strength & Speed coaches in a school setting is turning attendance and effort into something measurable, fair, and repeatable. Too often, it’s either:

• Everyone gets points for being present (no accountability for effort), or

• Effort becomes subjective—rewarded for “favorites” and missed by others.

Neither builds trust or culture. Done well, grading attendance and effort becomes a system that:

• Keeps students accountable,

• Shows parents and admins this is real learning, and

• Reinforces the habits that actually lead to growth.

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Why Consistency Matters

Every coach knows it: consistency beats intensity.

Missing days adds up: one to two absences a week over a semester = 15-30+ lost training sessions. That’s the difference between progress and plateau.

Your grading system should make that crystal clear: Attendance is non-negotiable because progress is built session by session.

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Making Effort Visible

Effort is harder to measure than attendance—but not impossible. The key is clarity:

• Readiness Checks – Water bottle? Workout folder? Dressed appropriately? That’s preparation.

• Engagement – On time, in the rack, following directions.

• Execution – Using proper technique and completing sets, not coasting.

By naming these behaviors and checking them daily, “effort” stops being a vibe and starts being a standard. Reminder: Effort isn’t maxing out every day. It’s showing focus and quality in the reps assigned.

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Tools That Work

You don’t need fancy tech (though it could help). A few simple systems make consistency and effort trackable:

• Punch Cards – Athletes earn marks for attendance/effort. Visible, tangible, motivating.

• Coach Checklists – Quick daily rubrics for readiness, engagement, execution.

• Attendance Dashboards – Digital trackers (Google Sheets, AMS application) that log participation and effort over time.

• Peer Accountability – Rack partners or squads check each other off before starting.

Whatever you use, the goal is the same: remove subjectivity, create clarity, and keep athletes engaged.

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Why This Matters for Culture

When athletes know attendance and effort count toward their grade:

• They show up on time.

• They prepare the right way.

• They realize “going through the motions” doesn’t cut it.

And when parents and administrators see data (dashboards, reports, rubrics), they see a professional program, not just a weight room.

Need help building a system like this?
I work with schools to design grading frameworks, tracking tools, and communication systems that fit their unique setting. If your program could benefit from hands-on consulting, reply to this email or reach out here to start the conversation.

Keep pursuing excellence,
Preston ⚡️

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This Week’s Paid Subscriber Resource

Upgrade your subscription to Pursuit PE to unlock this tool ⤵

🔒 Attendance & Effort Tracking Template
A ready-to-use tool with both coach and student-facing versions. Includes:

• Daily readiness & effort checks,

• Semester attendance tracking,

• Space for coach notes,

• Visual progress dashboards.

Not a paid subscriber yet? Upgrade today to unlock this and all upcoming resources.