"Young" coach and calling it a day...

Phantom...good stuff.

The spot I'm in..I'm really in control of everything.

I teach the media class at my school. I have 8 student filmers. My goal this year is to have them set up everything and be 100% in control of the filming situation. That is a lot to ask of these kids...but I expect them to follow through. That being said. My #1 end zone camera kid wasn't at school Friday and subsequently not at the game (he communicated beautifully with me...so I wasn't left in a bind). My #1 wide shot kid.....had to work, but told me he'd be at the game. He is also my #1 set up kid. He sets up everything. So all of my main students were out. I have a sideline filmer that only films away games (cuz he wants to yuck it up with this friends at home games) that is also a set up kid. He set up the end zone shot. That saved me. I am training 4 new sophomore filmers that have limited set up capabilities. I also threw a sophomore girl into the fire Friday and had her film the end zone shot (first game ever...some practice with last weeks JV game). My main pressbox filmer showed up 5 minutes before kickoff......and all things went well. I have the students trained to start loading the games into my computer while I talk with players/coaches. Pretty sweet set up. Kids are learning a lot.

That made Friday extra crazy.

As for football. Again, I can do pretty much what I want? Self scout?...sure. Really get to know our opponent.....even better. I pick the time I want to do this. The only team commitment on the weekend is a Sunday meeting.

As time has gone on I am filling my hours/minutes with a lot more stuff. My school load has also increased tremendously and I think that is where a lot of the stress is coming from. Friday night...on the field....was really peaceful. That is probably the reason I couldn't give this up. It's a great stress reliever. It's funny...I don't get nervous for games....at all. That is because my week is so busy that I use football games to relax.

Coach - That is a funny thing. I'm 37...been here 11 seasons....and I'm still the youngest coach. This worries me about the programs future.

I feel like I do 3 more time the work than any other coach on the staff (besides the HC). I am not complaining....because guys give what they can give. I choose to do all the stuff that I do. Nobody would take on the job that I do.

After games....I put all three angles into our server at school. I make the trade DVD (unless we trade online). I left the school Saturday morning at 2am. I enjoy my routine.

I guess my rant is more about burning myself out. I felt way burned this weekend. I don't want to be negative about this, because it's fun.

I'm a 2nd year full-time teacher, sixth year coach. I got a lecture and meeting with my principal for 2 hrs today about me "sucking" at teaching when I came in after 4 weeks at another school, this is my 3rd position this year already, and I'm using my planning time to get grades in for interim reports since the short-term couldn't do grades. I had real lessons with real assignments and real objectives, he just has a bad feeling about me because I coach football at a high school that's an hour away and in his mind I'm more dedicated to football than teaching because I don't stay after school. I wonder why I do it but then I remember, it's really damn hard to coach if I don't teach, and I can't just "let it go" on teaching because, like most of us on here, we're quality people who care about the kids... if only our principals could notice that!

Brad, you've got it good, nice location, solid program, END ZONE CAMERA!!! Wide/tight Sideline angles.....LOL.....I know what your saying on time though, it can be a grind, but pursuing excellence takes time....go to little league tired and cut film at night.

My strategy to maximize family time in season:
I start working on teaching a coaching stuff when my kids go to bed...that means I never hit the bed before midnight, usually later, sometimes 1:00 am and pop right back up at 5:30 am to do it all again...but at least I"m not missing my kids. I give my family all day Saturday although I sneak in grading film and watching our opponents film, usually when they are sleeping. Sunday we meet all day after church. What kills me is paint nights on home game weeks and long road trips for JV games. Honestly I look forward to playing varsity on the road, no paint and home for JV's gives me more family time. It wears you out but it goes quick once the games start, we are already on game week 4.

Honestly most people I know drag in at 7 pm every night and don't get the kind of time off I get. I think it balances out over the course of the year. Think about all of the things you DO get to do with your family because you ARE a teacher/coach. We have 10 to 15 very intense weeks, but the rest of the year we have more family time than "normal" people do. And I agree with what phantom said about not watching a lot of TV games. Coaching is my job/calling and hobby, my coaches are my friends, when I am not at work I am at home and focused...no TV games with friends, no golfing, no bars (as much as I might like to do those things), that just does not fit. I live football all week, I can skip some TV games for my family.

rcole - I think we are the same human being. That is darn near exactly what I do.

castleman - Yes...my main filmer decided to start the "Sport Filmers" club. Yes...SPORT FILMERS. I have 10 members in the club. They want to film sports on our campus. Not just football, but everything. There are stipulations like...nobody uses my classroom equipment. The sports team has to provide all the equipment. I'm just providing the filmer.

For football...I sell the students on the awesomeness that is helping with football. It helps that we have 3-5000 people at our home games and that we win games. The students are jacked to help me.

Just today...I have a sophomore girl who filmed with the endzone camera for the first time ever last Friday. She comes into class today....no kidding...says, "COACH. CAN I WATCH THE FILM TO SEE HOW I DID?" I have multiple newbies who have asked to watch the film to see how they did. I have a senior kid (my main dude) who has filmed all 4 years. He quit the band last year and comes to me...."I quit the band....so all I can do now is film football". I hugged him....not really...but I could have. I have a junior kid who is darn near better than my other main guy. Solid solid filmer. I have a meeting with all the filmers...they are treated well. We talk about all the positives and negatives (no quitting...in through December or don't join, giving up Friday nights, etc.) I got a ton of buy in. We have our first away game this week and I have to leave some people home. They are going to be disappointed for sure.

These things make it fun, but also stressful. That is why I'm training the filmers hard so I can relieve myself of filming duties 100%. Here is another one...my main film kid....calls all the other filmers and says, "we're meeting after school Thursday to go over how to set up and take down the endzone tripod. Plan on being there at least an hour". This was his idea!!!! Dedicated kids. I love it.

tothehouse

"I teach the media class at my school. I have 8 student filmers. My goal this year is to have them set up everything and be 100% in control of the filming situation. That is a lot to ask of these kids...but I expect them to follow through......"

Is there any way that you can set it up as a course- or, part of a course- and, give out grades as part of the class?

Well said DC.