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Post by touchdownmaker on Mar 25, 2009 8:13:19 GMT -6
As a young and eager coach I spent all of my time working on xs and os and learning offensive and defensive philosophies. Id buy " footballs greatest plays" and "AFCA OFFENSIVE STRATEGIES" etc. I would draw/doodle plays and defenses on anything that I could write on.
I found some ideas I loved and developed my own systems of offense, defense and practice that suited my personality. I had the good fortunate to test my ideas for several years.
as an assistant high school coach I had to learn to put my own philosophies aside to support the vision and program direction of the head coach. I learned several things from a very good man and several things from some very lame duck HC guys too. In some ways I took something from all of them.
as a head coach at the middle school, junior high and freshman levels I learned a lot about how to cope with intrusive parents, under motivated coaches and players and spent a good deal of time recruiting and program building while competing with other sports such as lacrosse and soccer. I learned the value of THE GOOD KID OVER THE GOOD ATHLETE. I learned the value of a GOOD ROLE MODEL COACH over GOOD XS AND OS COACH TOO. I learned how to taper enthusiasm that might interfere with my teaching job.
Now as a varsity head football coach I spend most of my waking hours on MOTIVATION AND COMMUNICATION. Its largely about psychology. I spend a ton of time building relationships with players and parents. I spend time avoiding the negative energy drainer type parents(AND STUDENTS) and more time recruiting coaches and educating them. I spend an awful lot of time trying to build a program where players learn to police each other. I spend an awful lot of time motivating kids to reach new goals and make something more out of their ability. I spend a great deal of time teaching assistant coaches how and why I want things done a certain way.
Another area that I spend a good deal of time on is the depth chart. I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes wondering who will play where as I have a few kids that need to play due to buying in and a few that need to play less due to failing to buy in. I spend more time on PEOPLE than xs or os. I cant recall the last time I actually sat down and drew up a football play for my team. ( November?)
Another thing that is new to me is the need to carry an appointment book with me every where I go. I check my emails in the back end of every class because If I dont keep up with them they will bury me. If I open an email and I dont have my appointment book with me I again can get lost in a hurry.
Every prep period or lunch break involves another trip to my school mail box to deal with the jammed books/letters and memos. Its a paper work extravaganza. Theres an old rule "handle it once" that really applies.
Another thing that has to be mastered is "the polite approach" as I call it. Its simply accepting feedback, criticism or suggestions without any emotional tie to it at all. "hey you should go meet with the middle school track coach today and see if they will time all of the kids in the 40 for you" followed by "you should meet with the middle school baseball coach and see how many of those kids will play touch football after practice" and all of the other many wonderful suggestions that every tom dick and harry has for the header. Some suggestions are great and the dude suggesting it has good intentions but some just cant be jumped on immediately.
I find that the kids, parents or even coaches who sometimes make suggestions due so without a clear understanding of the big picture. Getting angry and spending energy on that isnt going to help anyone. Its a smile and nod situation and that is a skill that I think I have improved upon greatly in my short stint as a head coach. I found out that the skill to HEAR suggestions and MULL THEM OVER is invaluable. Shooting down suggestions rapidly just alienates folks. Theres a tremendous political game that one has to play.
The other thing is that you can not lack confidence. The alpha male must be the alpha male and turn back challengers quickly. There has to be tremendous structure and discipline with clear expectations and clear rapid fair consequences to insubordination. You have to do things your way or you will live with second guessing your decisions. Just because another coach did something one way doesnt mean it was the right way and the best way for you. One has to stick to their own core values and belief system.
Love to hear from any other new head football coaches.
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Post by rcole on Mar 25, 2009 8:29:28 GMT -6
This should go in the articles section. Instant classic!
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Post by bigm0073 on Mar 25, 2009 8:34:19 GMT -6
All of the above are right on..  You are basically the CEO of an organization. You account for everything in the program. You map out the course and you are in charge of the "big picture"... The actually Football / Friday night part of it probably makes up under 15 % of what you do 365 days out of the year. |
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Post by coachbiggers on Mar 25, 2009 8:49:18 GMT -6
Thanks for that coach! I really need to hear i'm not the only one who is going through some of the things you mentioned. I truly believe in the x's and o's of the game, but the way I see it is there are 11 on o and 11 on d. And at some point it's not about x's and o's it's about winning your indiviual match up. And that comes from how you prepare how you motivate your team how they motivate themselves. I like to call it personal pride!! Although, i'm not a varsity HC yet, i'm a QB coach and I have a pretty huge role on the staff. I am however learning a lot about what to do and what not to do.
Just yesterday I was debating why the 3-5 with one of my coaches. I'm not big on doing something because Tony Franklin or Mike Leach or whoever else said so. So his repsonse was "It is used because WE have a small defense and we want to give ourselves hope against larger teams." Well that wasn't sitting to well with me because ALL the teams we play including us are small. Well before I went ballistic I had to simply find a pc respone although, I was thoroughly unhappy with the answer. So i'm learning it's just really hard sometimes!
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Post by coachorr on Mar 25, 2009 8:51:54 GMT -6
Instant classic for sure. thanks Coach.
This article did two things for me. 1) Am I on the right path...after reading this, yes I am. 2) Where can I improve as an HC... using the right approach, accepting feedback, but not reacting "it doesn't help anyone; and not trying to do that every Tom and Harry propose, because they may not have a inroad into the "big picture".
You just did a million times help for me as a coach, thanks!
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Post by jgordon1 on Mar 25, 2009 8:52:36 GMT -6
TDMaker: Excellent post, since I am not a HC.. i can only guess.....It appears to me that many HC's have a hard time hiring AND really trusting other coaches. I think this is becoming even more prevelant at the higher levels where you'd think you be able to bget the best assistants possible...Just the other day, I was reading where Chip Kelly is going to be "very involved" with his offense. I also read where Charlie Weis is going to be calling the plays next year at ND... This is my biggest worry (sticking my arrogant nose in everything) and I think sometimg I might struggle with.....if I were to ever become a HC
ps. Any job openings? LOL
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Post by FlexboneOne on Mar 25, 2009 9:25:34 GMT -6
TDMaker: Excellent post, since I am not a HC.. i can only guess.....It appears to me that many HC's have a hard time hiring AND really trusting other coaches. I think this is becoming even more prevelant at the higher levels where you'd think you be able to bget the best assistants possible...Just the other day, I was reading where Chip Kelly is going to be "very involved" with his offense. I also read where Charlie Weis is going to be calling the plays next year at ND... This is my biggest worry (sticking my arrogant nose in everything) and I think sometimg I might struggle with.....if I were to ever become a HC ps. Any job openings? LOL It is very difficult today to find an entire staff of LOYAL guys...at least it was for me. Not so much now, but it took awhile, and for me to get burned a few times to figure that out. Ego has to be checked at the door...I gave up my OC role and am now just doing what I believe a true HC should do...Overview of everything, input when needed...for some coaches, ego won't let them do what is most efficient for their program |
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Post by bigm0073 on Mar 25, 2009 9:27:27 GMT -6
At both of my schools staff continuity and togerthness was my FIRST priority...
It has paid dividends.
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Post by touchdownmaker on Mar 25, 2009 9:32:36 GMT -6
I did not hire two guys who wanted to "help"
One of them was a know it all who started his conversation with me with "I dont think yall are going to states"- his son completely lacks discipline in school so no way was I going to let him near my team.
the other sent his son to probe and his son says " he wants to add a few things to your system"
I hire guys who listen first and talk last.
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Post by Coach Bennett on Mar 25, 2009 10:05:46 GMT -6
Question is, how do you gauge loyalty? It's so easy to have someone say "program first" but then you hear one of your "loyalists" trash talking a colleague or coworker or boss and wonder, do they do the same when I'm not around?
Ultimately, I agree...relationships and great people make your life not easy but easier.
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Post by bigm0073 on Mar 25, 2009 10:06:26 GMT -6
Touchdown Maker -
I have had a few parents snif around.. Some have been good others not so much...
I break assistants down to this -
a. He REALLY LOVES football... Eats, sleeps, breaths it... Clinics, spring practice, books, magazines, TIVO games on TV.... ALways has a pen and paper and is trying to get better... Anytime you do 7 on 7, team camp, lineman camp, passing camp.... That person is ABOUT it!!
OR....
b. The guy who is a "babysitter" and just wants to collect his stipend... Rarely comes to off-season activities, complains about off-season meetings or meeting on the weekend... Those guys just do not have a passion for the game. That passion in my opinion rubs off on your players.
If the players see that the coaches are there for workouts, camps, tournaments, 7 on 7.... The kids get on board as well.
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Post by bigm0073 on Mar 25, 2009 10:13:49 GMT -6
On my current staff I have the following:
1. OC
2. DC / Strength & Conditioning Coach / Assistant head coach
3. Special Teams Coordinator
4. JV head coach
5. 9th Grade head coach
I coach the OL/DL and all of the administrative stuff...
I map out exactly what we want to do and the five above coaches follow through and take the ownership of it. All of these coaches are really, really into coaching.
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Post by pantherpride91 on Mar 25, 2009 10:31:49 GMT -6
Great stuff touchdown....
I am finding that I doing all the early things you talked about. I am still in the "young assistant coach" phase and trying to learn about my identity as a coach, along with the Xs and Os.
One statement that I could not agree with more was about taking away soemthing from each coach. In my three years of coaching, all on the varsity level, I have worked for two coaches. The first one was a great guy but more of a hobby coach and did not want to put in the total effort. To be honest, I did not learn much of anything from him football wise (thank god I discovered this site). Last year, we got a new coach who is the total opposite as far as commitment. I have learned 3 times as much in one year as I did my first two years combined. He is a great guy as well but I have also began to understand what it means to run a team and develop a program.
So as I continue in my coaching I will take both these experiences and have a better understanding of the Do's and Dont's
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Post by barr602000 on Mar 25, 2009 10:39:58 GMT -6
This is the truth. As a Head Coach it is 80% non football and 20% football. I am trying to get everything done early so I can start coaching again. Lots of truth to all of these.
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Post by ajreaper on Mar 25, 2009 10:56:28 GMT -6
I had coached high school ball for 22 years before becoming the HC. I spent time as the frosh or JV head coach was a varsity assistant at various times (but never an OC or DC) and thought I had a pretty good idea of what the job entailed/required and I was not even close.
X's and O's are 1) a very small part of it and 2) not even in the top three things that matter the most IMO. There is literally never really a down time where you are not doing, working on or thinking about something program related- for me it really is 24/7 365, be it fund raising, off season program, hiring, firing or reassigning staff, setting up clinics for the local youth football organizations, equipment inventory, ordering of new equipment, reconditioning of equipment, setting up summer camp, 7 on 7, sending out hi lite and game DVD's (stack burner was down for a few days last week and it was like the world was coming to an end) and organizing community service projects. I've learned there's no question football coaches have far greater expectations placed upon them and thier program then any other coach or program on campus (any of you have principles or Sups who say "how the football season goes is how the school year goes"?) Our track coaches had no practices at all during spring break- just told the kids "run on your own"- anyone imagine a football coach cancelling practices so he/they can be relieved of the burden of showing up and coaching and it be all right with anyone? Our basketball program has won less then 6 games in two seasons and has not won a region game over that time and no one talks about firing the coach and our local sports reporter, who often questions coaching decisions made during football games openly in his articles offers constant praise about the "effort" of the b-ball team regardless of the pounding they take (B-balls off season program is "open gym" roll out the ball play and leave when you like) none of them look like an athlete because they have no idea where he weightroom is and they recieve no encouragement to participate in off season speed and agility- if I ran my program in a similar way I'd have been gone within a year.
All in all however I love the game and what I do but {censored} some days the football gods just make you hate life in general.
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Post by cjamerson on Mar 25, 2009 12:47:07 GMT -6
That was awesome! Very insightful! Anytime I can get some type of direction, I take it...well, I've taken this, printed it, and hung it beside my computer. Something for everyone aspiring to be their best right here...gives a good picture into what the HC is going through. Sometimes everyone on staff just doesn't understand.
Something that really caught my attention:
"I spend an awful lot of time trying to build a program where players learn to police each other. I spend an awful lot of time motivating kids to reach new goals and make something more out of their ability."
Especially the work to build a program where players learn to police themselves. Touchdownmaker or anyone willing to offer insight, what do you do to help instill this principle into your kids?
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Post by touchdownmaker on Mar 25, 2009 12:55:02 GMT -6
TDMaker: Excellent post, since I am not a HC.. i can only guess.....It appears to me that many HC's have a hard time hiring AND really trusting other coaches. I think this is becoming even more prevelant at the higher levels where you'd think you be able to bget the best assistants possible...Just the other day, I was reading where Chip Kelly is going to be "very involved" with his offense. I also read where Charlie Weis is going to be calling the plays next year at ND... This is my biggest worry (sticking my arrogant nose in everything) and I think sometimg I might struggle with.....if I were to ever become a HC ps. Any job openings? LOL You can have the best and most loyal staff around. It takes some time to develop the kind of chemistry needed to have not only trust but effective coach-player communication when the header is not around. What I mean by that is WHAT ARE THE ASSISTANTS TELLING THE KIDS? IS IT ACCURATE? IS IT ON THE MARK WITH THE PROGRAM PHILOSOPHIES? If I have an assistant coach in a players ear telling him "why you should be our tightend" when I know the kid is NEVER going to play tight end, then that assistant isnt on the same page with me and that is a problem. Is it a huge problem that results in a lack of trust? Probably not. Not unless its a "If I were head coach youd be a star tightend" kind of thing. Sometimes a coach just has not been around the header enough to READ HIM and understand his philosophies well. heres an example of how a staff that has been together for years "gets" their head coach: I once went to a game to trade film with a team - I tried coach A, he wouldnt touch the film, I tried coach B, he wouldnt touch the film , I tried coach C and he wouldnt touch the film and he directed me LOUDLY to coach F because clearly the header had his expectations made to his staff on who deals with the film trade. * he literally ran away with his arms up in the air like "get the phork away from me" that kind of thing takes some time and experience. (just one example) Let me add an example of being a header and dealing with people. Its March. Track and Baseball season are starting. I push all of my football players to run track as SPRINTERS as I believe in the benefits of track to football. The head track coach might have other ideas for some of the football kids. He might want to make milers or long distance runners out of some of the football players who go out for track. The football players have been taught to avoid long distance running during bulking/building muscle for football. If he pushes the issue they may well quit - Handling a relationship like that can get sticky. Same thing with baseball. NO doubt some of the baseball coaches will discourage lifting during the season. I will always push the football guys to keep lifting as we all know the benefits, baseball, basketball or golf, lifting helps. How we deal with these other coaches is a much bigger part of our days during the spring than youd ever imagine. |
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Post by touchdownmaker on Mar 25, 2009 14:00:01 GMT -6
That was awesome! Very insightful! Anytime I can get some type of direction, I take it...well, I've taken this, printed it, and hung it beside my computer. Something for everyone aspiring to be their best right here...gives a good picture into what the HC is going through. Sometimes everyone on staff just doesn't understand. Something that really caught my attention: "I spend an awful lot of time trying to build a program where players learn to police each other. I spend an awful lot of time motivating kids to reach new goals and make something more out of their ability."Especially the work to build a program where players learn to police themselves. Touchdownmaker or anyone willing to offer insight, what do you do to help instill this principle into your kids? Thanks- I really wasnt thinking 'article" in any way, just sort of thinking through typing. I probably would have rambled on a bit more with another cup of coffee. Back to this question about policing each other. I promote the word PASSION as it relates to our program. I ask my kids what it means to be passionate about football and the way we do things at our school within the football team and program. I ask them what they think about the kids who seem to tug on the other end of the rope? Then I ask them what they are doing about it. Today, as a perfect example, a soph did a set of squats. I watched and was impressed enough to look down at my depth chart again. I saw the senior ahead of him on the depth chart, a kid who tugs on the other end of the rope and drains me of energy (and got me into trouble last year when he came to practice on a day he had skipped school- I was unaware and hadnt looked over the attendance sheet) and I thought " time for a youth movement" Heres an incumant starter, complacent and absent. He is disrespecting his coach, his team, school and my program because hes not part of it in the off season. What is he doing to secure my position as head football coach here? nothing. So I have to make a tough choice. Do I do what is best for the program and replace an unmotivated selfish senior with a hard working sophomore (possibly costing us a few games now but reinforcing my expectations and securing a brighter future ) or do I find another way to police the situation? Well - I gathered my seniors who were in the weight room and I pointed out the sophs progress. I then pointed at the depth chart and made it clear that there was only one senior in our program who still wasnt WITH US. I talked breifly about him being against us if he didnt start to sweat with us in the off season. I made it clear that if it was my senior season Id not only have every other senior in here but all of the under classmen as well. I then said "I might as well make a youth movement and do what is best FOR THE PROGRAM IN THE FUTURE if this group isnt going to get it done" We took a TEACHABLE MOMENT to explain what SENIOR LEADERSHIP is all about. SENIOR LEADERSHIP is about the senior group securing a memorable season for themselves. The kids are expected to stay on this kid. Peer pressure can be a positive thing too. Simple ways to do that sort of thing can also be with simple posted rules and consequences for example "NO CLEATS IN THE BUILDING- ONE PLAYER WEARS CLEATS IN THE BUILDING, WE ALL RUN" - the kids police the situation and it keeps the janitors and athletic director off my back. So instead of worrying about cleats in the hall, I can go back to considering how we are going to defend the team that has two scholarship athletes in its backfield. Another example - IF YOU ARE LATE ONCE, YOU RUN, YOU ARE LATE TWICE, EVERYONE RUNS. IF YOU ARE LATE AGAIN, WE RUN YOU OFF. I have seen kids dress other players to keep them from being late. |
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Post by touchdownmaker on Mar 25, 2009 14:33:05 GMT -6
Let me add a part 2 to this: As an assistant coach, at this time after spring ball, I would probably be dropping suggestions to the header on schemes and practice strategies to help our kids. I would also be discussing my opinions on the depth chart probably at least a little biased depending on if I "liked" a kid or not. Id probably make one more "suggestion" that we consider THE FACE MELTER DEFENSE Then Id leave to go get my workout in and play with my kids and take my wife out to dinner. Id watch the NCAA March Madness tournament. As a head coach at this time I am trying my darndest to make time AND DONT FORGET to celebrate my wifes birthday, get my daugther to ballet lessons and still make sure I dont forget to clear my schedule for taxes and the all star game meetings. I would feel too guilty to watch March Madness and take more time away from my wife. I am terrified to discuss anything with my bride without my appointment book in front of me and NFL NETWORK turn to mute. As my wife is talking my brain filters her words only partially and other things trickle in...."did I order helmet stripes??? did I order skull caps??? did i remember to get new stat books??? did I??? did I??? did I ever get approval for the new shocker pads before I ordered them? did  did I??? the track coach cant get into the equipment room because all of those heavy weights are in the way... I have to call Johnsons college coach, did I turn in the player of the year ballot? oh crap I think the deadline passed , grades have to be turned in tomorrow for health class " and then my wifes voice sounds in my head again " ....so thats the date when we have dinner with my folks" - tomorrow Ill have to go through the process of contacting all of my assistants to arrange another meeting at a time when the planets align and everyone can be there. I love it all of course. |
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Post by td4tc on Mar 25, 2009 14:36:18 GMT -6
kind of like playing quarterback. when you win you get 50% of the credit.when you lose you get 100% of the credit. actually it's an honorable profession that i could do forever. if you find a job you love, you'll never work a day in your life.
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Post by gpoulin76 on Mar 25, 2009 14:46:53 GMT -6
In my experience as a player and as a coach, the best HC's I've either played for or coached with were more leaders than coaches. As strange as that sounds.
Now, don't get me wrong. They new their X's and O's. But their main goal was creating a vision, getting everyone to buy in to that vision, and find ways of accomplishing that vision. They were the CEO's of the program.
They also delegated the details of the program to the rest of the staff. They did not micromanage (a flaw I see too often with HFC's).
Moreover, they were not the OC or DC.
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Post by splitricky5 on Mar 25, 2009 23:08:33 GMT -6
Isn't this the natural progression?? I mean we start as low men on the totem pole learning the game. People can say whatever they want about Xs and Os, but that is what got me interested in coaching and what keeps me interested. I love trying to figure out what the best blocking is for us/ what they are trying to do to us/ the best thing for our team to do. I don't ignore the "jimmys and the joes", but to say I don't love the strategy (or to say that all of you ignore it) would be a complete lie.
The more authority (for lack of a better word) that I get, the less I try to focus on coming up with new plays/defenses and the more I focus on how our kids fit into what we're running.
I would think that if I ever become a head coach, I will really focus on getting kids out, building team unity, organizing everything, getting all of that crap taken care of so that my assistants can coach the game. I think this is the natural progression for coaches to go through. I don't think that makes young guys silly or naive for focusing on the Xs and Os. I think that is what they are supposed to focus on. I think it's those guys higher up on the totem pole's responsibility to remind everybody of the importance of players, people, program, etc.
A seargant worries about his job, a lieutenant worries about his job, a major worries about his job, and a general worries about everybody's job. This is how I look at it, right or wrong, I guess.
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Post by outlawjoseywales on Mar 25, 2009 23:17:19 GMT -6
 In some ways, it kinda' reminds me of this nice little picture. No I don't know who John Agar is. OJW |
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Post by touchdownmaker on Mar 26, 2009 3:35:31 GMT -6
I think it is a natural progression. You do need a good grasp on the xs and os in order to be effective or youd better surround yourself with some assistants who are xs and os wizards. I worked for a great head coach who never really considered himself as a good xs and os guy and he let his assistants hash a lot of that out. He called the offense but always too suggestions from others.
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Post by shortpunter on Mar 26, 2009 5:10:23 GMT -6
I walked a similar route. You are right on with the Jimmys and joes not the X's and O's approach. My biggest pain was parents reliving Glory Days and constantly getting in the way of progress.
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Post by touchdownmaker on Mar 26, 2009 5:15:10 GMT -6
I think there comes a point when coach has to be realistic. Its high school football and high school xs and os cant be too overwhelming for the kids you have. Every crop of kids is different in what they can handle. We will always pretty much run the same 10-12 plays then a few more things added based on the talent we have. Once a staff has a grasp on the xs and os its time to focus on making the jimmies and joes better people. that job is much easier by the way if the coaches on staff are good people themselves and can lead by example. Its much harder to get kids to stop cursing, fighting and spitting on walls when the coaches do it themselves.
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Post by cjamerson on Mar 26, 2009 8:24:52 GMT -6
Thanks for the insightful replies and I have to agree that for us to expect kids to police each other, we coaches have to police ourselves...it all trickles down.
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Post by PIGSKIN11 on Mar 26, 2009 9:21:54 GMT -6
being a head coach is 5% x's and o's and 95% management
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Post by robinhood on Mar 26, 2009 13:38:43 GMT -6
It was a royal pain in the a$$, and I loved every second of it!
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Post by dubber on Mar 26, 2009 13:46:36 GMT -6
I am 23.
And I already KNOW, I do not want to be a Head Coach.
I've found a home, and that's all I need. My energy (and patience) runs out on anything non-football related like fundraising or why Billy isn't starting.
Football is my only hobby, I'm going to let someone else worry about it's administration.
In return, they'll get a guy that will WORK FOR THEM.
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did I??? the track coach cant get into the equipment room because all of those heavy weights are in the way... I have to call Johnsons college coach, did I turn in the player of the year ballot? oh crap I think the deadline passed , grades have to be turned in tomorrow for health class " and then my wifes voice sounds in my head again " ....so thats the date when we have dinner with my folks" - tomorrow Ill have to go through the process of contacting all of my assistants to arrange another meeting at a time when the planets align and everyone can be there. I love it all of course. 
