What to do when the HC is wrong?

Is there negligent behavior? If so, then it needs to be addressed to the HC and then if no improvement taken to a higher level.

Losing can build character and can be used as a tool to teach young men that eventhough the outcome isn't what YOU wanted, you still have to perservere. Hard to do when the HC is not modeling this behavior and is acting childish.

Well, I kind of feel the same way this season, I don't say that to the kids, my end of game speech is typically something along the lines of way to fight hard, good job on not giving up, not quitting even when you were down, and then I try to say something positive about each of their performances (which is REALLY hard to do sometimes).

I've coached under HC's that have said similar things. It's just a motivating tool. I remember one situation where our team simply did not get off the bus mentally and we got down 21 points before the 1st Q was done. Our coach took a time out and said, 'he'll throw up the F-in white flag right now and go home if you don't get your heads out your asses'. Now was he really going to do that, most certainly not but he used it as motivation. Some coaches are not always positive and sometimes players dont always respond to positive motivation. Some players respond when their coach lights a fire under their butts.

It's all about the mental makeup of a team and how they respond. If having a positive approach motivates the kids then thats how the coach will motivate them. If the team responds to a coach lighting fires, then the coach will light fires.

I think in the end what it comes down to is this: if you cannot work under the conditions the HC makes then you do the best job you can to make it through the end of the season and then you start looking for someplace else to work.

I disagree, because I lost, I learned to hate losing, thus I worked harder and learnt more and did things differently so that I could win.

Tell him what you think the problems are frankly and professionally. That is the only chance you have to fix the problem. He will either respond in a good way and you guys can move forward or he'll get defensive and upset. In either case what do you have to lose?

Good assistants will tell their HC's these kinds of things even when it might be painful. Its your JOB to express your concerns to the HC but as I said above do it in a professional manner (you and him alone).

I understand where you are coming from, how long has your HC been coaching? The reason I ask is sometimes it is difficult for a old dog to learn new tricks so to speak. The place I am at we have to deal with a lot of similar situations as far as inconsistencies are concerned. It is very frustrating.

what is the relationship like with the kids inside the high school, outside of football? how are his (and all the coaches) interactions with the football players inside the high school building, in class, in the halls, in the lunchroom, at other school functions?

well, that makes it tougher to develop a more personal relationship with the kids, no doubt. sometimes, if you have some type of relationship with the students in a school setting - away from football - they can better understand it if you sometimes lose your cool in regards to their play.

Two kinds of HC´s.
1. HC´s and their little empires, old system, old thinking and luck because their is enough talent that sustains them to win a championship every 5 years.
A.Their Staff changes regularly except one guy who is barley competent and runs the O or the D.
reason being that anyone with a mind for the game charisma with the parents and players is a threat to the Old Boy and is somehow worked out of the program.
B. When he has some talent, enough to get the wins for a championship he fails because not enough work or preparation is done.
Looking for a job , here are the warning signs.
No Coaches meetings in the morning, and if they are he is not their just his guy.
Suggestions are treated with a smile and " Yeah that is great, let me look into that"...and that is the end of it.
In games the headphones are always down on his shoulders and he is always telling you he setting the next play up.
If you are the position coach and speaking to parents or the player about having a look to colleges , he takes over and tells you he is working on it. Ths ends up with a talent and kid going to a bad school or the Army.
Now the other kind.
He surrounds himself with the best staff possible, he allows invention and has both an OC and a DC.
He brings the doughnuts in the morning and helps in the planning but only over rules when he feels it is necessary.
If a Coach is not cutting it he is told and helped. If the Coach does not listen he is done away with quietly and with kindness and truth at the end of the season, by himself the HC, with a list of reasons.
He always seems to win.
He has a program after the season that the players can work with.
He gives up his Stip if something is needed for the benefit of the program, like more weights.
He runs the S and C or is there with the S and C coach.
He writes letters and sets up film for seniors that can benefit.
The important thing is that he never walks away from the kids.

The question was what do you do when the HC is wrong?
Number 1 guy forget it and start looking somewhere else.
Number 2 guy have a sit down with him, explain your reasons and he will give you an answer, or he will fix it.
I have had the opportunity to work with both of these kinds of HC´s...
One taught me and the other {censored} me off.

1. You feel it is an issue, discuss the behavior with him behind closed doors. Walk on egg shells or just lay it all out for him, it doesn't matter. Maybe the behavior will improve, maybe it won't, but at least, when everything is all said and done, he knows where you stand. Maybe, the entire staff needs to dicuss it with him, again behind closed doors.

2. Make an effort not to discuss it with the rest of the staff, even after you or the staff have talked to him about it. It may seem like coming to a consortium on things will help, but in the long run it won't. It will just be viewed as backstabbing.

3. The passive aggressive coaching style is not something I agree with as a motivational tool. When I am most angry with my kids, I am just honest with the kids, without being aggressive. For example, we had a tough loss last week, the HC and the OC were upset about it and they laid it out like this:

"We have a challenge ahead of us for the next two weeks, if we win out, we make the playoffs, if we don't, our season is over. I hope that everyone in this room accepts the challenge, takes it personally and works to get better every day. If you do so,good things will happen. There are those of you who will not to accept the challenge and you will not be able to help us. You need to make sure that your behavior is not destructive with respect to the team, the program and the school."

There you go; honesty with a positive twist and one that also holds a firm warning. An honest statement in it's wording and the coach's tone, but one that holds a firm warning. And, that statement right there is why I will run into a brick wall for the guys that I coach with and coach under. I have gotten a lot more out my kids over the years by being positive and loud when things are going well and by being as honest as possible when things aren't going so well.

4. If the behavior continues and you do not feeling that it is in the best interest of the program, all you can do is resign and make it known to the HC and the powers that-be the reasoning behind your resignation.

I was in a similar situation a few years ago; I had the choice to stay on with the program right out of college or move to my hometown and coach where I am at now. The HC of the program spent more time cursing at the players using the f-bomb than actually coaching. There was nothing positive being sent the kids' way, even when they were playing well and doing the right things.