One of the biggest challenges facing every coach is trying to convince their team that they can still improve.  It’s something that every coach, regardless of record, deals with on a regular basis.  But often overlooked is the ability to convey that message to a team that is already doing exceptionally well.

Take coaches like Mike Krzyzewski and Roy Williams. Every season their programs are among the top ranked teams in America.

Their teams always play well from November through January, but they get even better in February and March.

Success is often short-lived and in the world of college basketball is -- at best -- a temporary thing. Even Mike and Roy will tell you that the yesterdays are ancient history. It’s always a matter of the now and the immediate future.

During a recent conversation with a friend I was reminded of how John Thompson’s Georgetown teams always seemed to elevate to a higher level in February. Coach Thompson’s teams, which were among the nation’s elite in the early-to-mid-1980’s, always took it to another level down the stretch. That is what made them so special.

John, Mike and Roy may vary in their approaches, but there is a common thread. The goal was to make the players believe that as good as they are today they can still be much better tomorrow.

I have always believed that it begins with effort and maintaining that through practice. It’s relatively simple -- You don’t negotiate effort.

There is such a thin red line between being good and being great that something as elementary as effort is often the difference.

Think about those old Georgetown teams. Can you ever remember one of John Thompson’s teams losing because of a lack of effort? When was the last time you heard someone say that a Mike Krzyzewski coached team didn’t play hard? And I got a close look at Roy Williams’ teams -- when he was at Kansas -- so I can tell you that effort was never an issue.

A lot of things -- both good and bad -- can happen in February and March. As coaches we deal with the bad because it’s part of the process. Sometimes you are going to lose. It’s part of the game. What we can’t deal with is a lack of effort.

As I alluded to above, approaches to maintaining that level and convincing a team they can improve vary. This time of year I have always tried to create more upbeat and intense practice environments. It’s a long season so it’s important to not wear your team out, but you also don’t want them to become complacent.

In February we will engaged in highly competitive practices that will last from ninety to an hour-and-forty-five minutes, rather than an extended three-hour practice. Sometimes less is more.

Six months is a long season. From the first workout to the final game, the goal is to improve. For everyone it’s a constant battle, always fighting to move forward. The methods are different, but the ultimate goal is the same.

Championships are never won in January, but they can certainly be lost before the calendar turns to February.

Effort is what is often the degree of separation. Everyone has talent so it is quite often a matter of who has more effort in that possession, that game, that month and that entire season.

Effort is absolutely non-negotiable.

This Better Basketball Online Magazine feature was created with the assistance of CollegeInsider.com.