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Post by davecisar on Jul 18, 2010 16:58:06 GMT -6
On the HS thread this was discussed.
Im not sure we all need to be in matching gear like the HS guys, my take on it:
What Your Clothes Say About You in Youth Football
What should you wear at practice and games when you are coaching youth football?
Clothes need to be functional but they also say a little about who you are. In youth football you have many audiences, your players, fellow coaches, parents and in games larger groups of fans and referees.
First impressions are vital, what do people think about you when they see you for the very first time? While we probably should not develop long term outlooks based on exterior appearances, most people on this planet do. Most people determine who they think you are in the first few seconds they first lay eyes on you. In youth football MOST of the people you are going to be seeing at games and practices aren’t going to be spending much time with you getting to know you. If you look like Charles Manson and have accumulated 300,000 miles on the local tattoo parlor frequent flyer program, many people are going to dismiss you without bothering to find anything about you.
First impressions are important; they can make or break most youth football coaches. It all goes to credibility, does the person coaching these kids pass the “5 second smell test.” Many people either don’t have the time or won’t make the time to try to determine what’s inside the wrapper if the wrapper is a mess. While we may not like that character flaw in mankind, we can’t ignore that it exists. Individuality and self determination is the cornerstone of our great country, but remember that football is a team game. Think about your appearance, how does it aid or detract from your ability to coach effectively? How does it aid or detract from you developing a positive view from your audience? Remember how important it is to develop trust and buy in from BOTH your players AND parents. Is it helping or detracting from you getting buy in?
In football, do we require that all players wear the same gold and black uniform, but then allow one player to wear a white uniform? How about letting the kids just wear a provocative
t-shirt instead of the uniform? How about that grunge kid, do we let him wear a tattered practice jersey so he can make a “statement.” Do we make parts of the uniform optional? Do we let kids stand out on game day by letting them wear earrings, face paint, wear capes, put on body paint, wear helmets backwards, sag pants and chew tobacco on the sidelines? If we don't allow the kids to do any of this, then why allow the coaches?
Can you be a great coach and a great person and be tatted from head to toe? Sure. The same goes for guys that; sag, wear hats backwards, have piercings, wear tattered shorts, chew or smoke tobacco on the sidelines, wear grillz or wear tattered t-shirts with racy messages on them. But how do all of these things make you a better coach or make your job easier? How does it enhance your YOUTH COACHING reputation or the reputation of your team? What exactly does purposely standing out from the crowd in a team environment say about you?
I have no problem with my coaches doing or wearing any of the above when they are away from our team, but their appearance impacts how people view them and our team. I want my coaches to be taken seriously and respected. I want my coaches to check their ego at the door and do what’s best for the kids and the team, I’m not sure drawing attention to oneself does that.
Some teams coaches wear matching gear, that’s great if you can do it. Uniformity just says you take your job seriously. Other teams ask their coaches to wear the team colors in a polo style shirt and wear khaki style pants. In some areas shorts are acceptable or even preferred. In some areas jeans are looked down upon. It’s up to the head coach to determine what makes the most sense and let the coaching staff know what is acceptable. For my teams all I ask is that we wear a polo style shirt in either of the team colors or a team t-shirt. It doesn’t matter to me if they wear shorts or pants as long as they are clean, not cut off or tattered. Here in Nebraska, clean non tattered bluejeans (not torn, stained or tattered work jeans) are acceptable. Caps are turned face front and no bandanas. Earrings are fine, but not at practice and games and massive full tats need to be covered. I have nothing against tats, my dad had a big snake with a knife through it on his forearm, a souvenir of his Navy days. But tats that cover the entire arm, neck or body or are of a provocative nature, probably need to be covered with long sleeves and long pants. We once had an incredible offensive line coach who had full sleeves on both arms, pretty scary looking guy- but wasn’t. He got such a better reaction once we convinced him to cover up his tats. We don’t allow guys to sag, wear grillz or to smoke or chew tobacco either. In Nebraska it’s not acceptable for them to wear anything but tennis shoes, no flip flops are allowed.
Now are all well dressed coaches good credible guys? Goodness no, but that isn’t the point. The point is you have just one chance to make a first impression and it needs to be a good one. Put the team first, be a team guy when it comes to coaching youth football. There are plenty of other times and places you can flaunt your rebel individualism.
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Post by mhcoach on Jul 18, 2010 19:19:44 GMT -6
DC
I agree with you 100%. We as coaches owe an semblance of professionalism to our teams. No matter what level I am coaching at I always try to appear as a coach should. We insist our players are properly dressed for the game. We need to follow the same code. I understand where teams do not have the funds for coaching gear. That doesn't mean you can't dress to look organized. I always coach in slacks and some type of team shirt. I usually attend practice in sweats & a tee.
I don't wear shorts because I have the ugliest & whitest legs on the planet. In Florida our coaching attire was always fully planned out. Everyone but me wore shorts, I had special dispensation after the HC saw my legs.
Last season I purchased my coaches coaching shirts. We always looked well organized, sometimes the illusion of how you look adds to the perception.
Joe
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Post by Chris Clement on Jul 19, 2010 12:08:54 GMT -6
I had a pretty good beard going for about 6 weeks during the season, but that`s mostly because it was too dangerous to shave on crutches. I did manage to keep it neat. As for clothes, If it wasn`t my army poncho in the pouring rain, it was a T-shirt and shorts, but nothing possibly offensive, like a T-shirt from a triathlon I did or a T-shirt with my university`s logo on it, and shorts because our turf field was poorly conceived and got dangerously hot (I forbade high soccer-style socks and made them take their helmets off when they were on the sidelines.) There was no organized coaching attire because our league is not that big. At practices it was also T-Shirt and shorts, sometimes the T-shirt was older and dirtier, but never anything offensive. I`m not big on everything matching and reasonable tattoos or piercings don`t bother me, as long as everything is kept presentable.
One exception, on championship day I wore a bright pink T-shirt (I mean, flaming, neon, day-glo pink) That I wore to practice once as a joke and the kids got fired up about it. But it was still just the T-shirt from frosh orientation when I was in Gr 12
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Post by Chris Clement on Jul 19, 2010 12:16:25 GMT -6
We don`t wear matching stuff because our league isn`t at that stage yet, but I (and all the other coaches I`ve seen in the league) pretty much wear T-shirts and shorts of an inoffensive variety. Some teams are coached by HS and CEGEP players and they wear matching stuff from THEIR team, but on our team the coaches just dress in our own clothes (When it`s not pouring and I`m in my army poncho, which is often.) I think matching stuff can often look silly if you try to overdo it, and I`m not hugely concerned with looking `Pro,` as long as I look professional (no offense to some of you guys, I get that it`s the way things are done where you are) I figure tats and piercings, as long as they aren`t over-the-top, aren`t the end of the world. The edgiest I got was I wore a pink T-shirt to the finals (as in bright, luminescent, day-glo pink) because I wore it to practice as a jioke and the kids got fired up over it.
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Post by coachdoug on Jul 20, 2010 10:45:00 GMT -6
Back in California our program usually bought the coaches polo shirts and hats for game days (a few years when money was tight they made the coaches pay for them, but the program always arranged them). Here in Arizona it looks like we're on our own, but I'll follow the same plan - baseball style caps and polo shirts which we'll buy as a group and then everyone will be on their own for pants or shorts (I suspect in this heat most will opt for shorts), so long as everyone wears a matching color - probably either black or khaki.
For practice, I really don't care much so long as it's not offensive. I'll be wearing tank tops most nights during August, which is something I've never done before, but I've also never coached in 110 degree heat before either. When it cools down it will be shorts and tee shirts. Again, no offensive or provacative slogan or graphics - I would hope that would be pretty obvious common sense stuff for most coaches - I don't think I've ever had to talk to a coach before (in 16 years) about proper attire. One or even a few tasteful tats is not a big deal - especially for people under about 35, I think the vast majority of them have at least one tat (I have none, but I am a bit older at 44). Yeah, if someone is over tatted, or if the tats are provacative in nature, they should be covered, but again, this should be pretty much common sense and it's never come up for me before.
I have an earring (just a simple gold hoop that my wife gave me) that I wear about half the time and probably over 50% of the coaches I've worked with over the years have had one or more as well. I don't think that is an issue at all unless someone wore something bizzare hanging off his ear or had a bone through his nose, LOL. Again, common sense - it's never been an issue. I don't think an earring is calling attention to oneself any more than say wearing a necklace or a watch is.
Regarding hair, facial hair, etc, I really don't care so long as someone looks respectable. If someone looks homeless or dangerous, we might have to have a talk, but again, it's never come up for me. Maybe I've just been lucky over the years to work with some people with reasonable common sense - are coaches across the country really showing up at practices and games dressed and groomed inappropriately?
BTW, you mentioned "wearing grillz' - what is that? I've never heard that term before.
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Post by mhcoach on Jul 20, 2010 11:11:58 GMT -6
Doug
I am assuming Grillz is referring to wearing gold on the teeth.
Joe
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Post by eickst on Jul 20, 2010 11:25:51 GMT -6
I wish they made "Grillz" mouth pieces. That would be freaking sweet! I'd buy them for my whole team! Anyway, on to the topic of attire, I plan on wearing slacks/khakis and a polo for games this season. In the past I've worn jeans and Polo's, but jeans may be too casual for where I am coaching now and I don't wear shorts so khakis or slacks it is. I still won't tuck in the polo, though  I hate it when coaches wear bandannas, sideways hats, gold chains over their shirts, SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT!!! (saw that in the CIF championship game), wife beaters (YES I HAVE SEEN IT!!!), anything sleeveless, and CROCS on GAMEDAY! |
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Post by mhcoach on Jul 20, 2010 11:34:29 GMT -6
Eickest
They do! My daughters senior year in HS, her whole LAX team had custom made mouth pieces. One of the girl's father was a dentist. He made every girl a red and black striped mouth piece with the team name in the front. Strangest looking thing you ever saw.
Joe
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Post by CatsCoach on Jul 20, 2010 13:17:00 GMT -6
Yes, I agree also 100%. I hate seeing coaches that look unprofessional during games. At practice it doesn't matter to me.
In our league at pracitce we wear short and T-shirts in the summer pants in the winter. Our league also gives us 1 new polo shirt at the start of each season. Many of also have other shirt and pullover, pants with our team colors and logo for either coaching at the HS or from parent gift at the end of the season. So during games we all match or at least have on team colors.
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Post by bigdog2003 on Jul 20, 2010 13:24:59 GMT -6
The youth league here gives the coaches shirts to wear. They have the team name on the front and some poem about coaches on the back. They mostly wear gym shorts. One team has coaching polo shirts that the coaches had made with team hats.
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Post by daveinsarasota on Jul 21, 2010 9:51:21 GMT -6
I am known in our conference, by the refs and others, as the flip-flop guy. Flip-flops are my trademark, that's just the way it goes.
I wear a red polo, with our logo and my name (we are the Bucaneers), and black under armour shorts. I wear a black under-armour hat (backwards), with sunglasses, and...of course, flip flips.
The remaining coaches on my staff wear matching polo's (like me), and either khaki cargo shorts or black shorts of some kind. One guy wears a big floppy hat to protect his bald head from the sun. Another wears the same hat as me, but frontwards. Another coach wears a visor, and another goes without a hat.
There is a reason for the backwards hat and the flip flops. It is a constant reminder for me to relax and not get uptight. Too many coaches are just so damned uptight. Of course one could ask why I need a constant reminder to relax. To each his own...
I used to be one of those guys who thought he was the second coming of Vince Lombardi. As the years have gone by, I have become more mellow. Most describe me a a Tony Dungy type of coach. I do not do a lot of ranting and raving. I stay calm, but work the boys to exhaustion.
The first impression my boys get from me is from the free football camps I do in their neighborhoods all throughout the summer. They see me, with my backwards baseball cap, t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops patrolling what most consider a dangerous or bad area. I am an overweight 42 year old white guy, handing out flyers in black neighborhoods, providing kids an opportunity to do somethign productive and not run the streets.
When they show up to my camps, I let them have fun, while at the same time, demand that they pay attention. I create competitions, and fun drills to keep them focused.
By the time we have our first practice, my team will have spent a total of 20 or so days of camp with me during the summer.
I say all of that to say this...first impressions are important...but the most important thing is what you do, not what you wear.
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Post by mhcoach on Jul 21, 2010 10:08:45 GMT -6
D I S
Lol....... To think a guy from the south thought he was a NY italian, & the NY italian guy(me) wanted to be like a great coach from the south(Bear Bryant).
In all seriousness, having coached in Florida it's a different animal there. Mainly it's about the weather, so in no way would flip flops be inappriopriate there. Any other State they probably would be. A dear friend & great coach I worked with in Florida would wear this huge Bahamian sun hat to practice because he had some cancer tags on his skin. It was outrageous, the players & I would call him Bahama Mama. Imagine a 6'2" surly Black man wearing a straw garbage can on his head. When he would get excited(which was often) he would toss the hat. It looked like a UFO comming to earth.
Joe
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Post by daveinsarasota on Jul 21, 2010 10:21:00 GMT -6
D I S Lol....... To think a guy from the south thought he was a NY italian, & the NY italian guy(me) wanted to be like a great coach from the south(Bear Bryant). In all seriousness, having coached in Florida it's a different animal there. Mainly it's about the weather, so in no way would flip flops be inappriopriate there. Any other State they probably would be. A dear friend & great coach I worked with in Florida would wear this huge Bahamian sun hat to practice because he had some cancer tags on his skin. It was outrageous, the players & I would call him Bahama Mama. Imagine a 6'2" surly Black man wearing a straw garbage can on his head. When he would get excited(which was often) he would toss the hat. It looked like a UFO comming to earth. Joe Joe, You are absolutely right about coaching in Florida. Its normal to see people wearing flip-flops, but you don't see a lot of coaches wearing them. Usually they will wear running shoes, with the "no-see-um" socks. Funny thing happened to me last year. We traveled to play the team I used to coach. When I got to the field, I was greeted by all of my former assistants, wearing flips flops. They also had all of my former players wear flip slops to weigh in... We lost the game by one touchdown, but it was my favorite game of the year. Sort of like a homecoming. I am seriously considering a Bahama mama hat...lol...those things make a HUGE difference! |
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Post by coachwwharrell on Jul 21, 2010 11:15:46 GMT -6
What I have found interesting is the reaction to a coach dressing too professionally; let me explain.
A few years ago, I got my first HC opportunity at a middle school. I had always liked the old school coaches back in the 50s and 60s and how they were in suits on the sidelines. I had always said that when I became a HC that I would wear suits to the game to look professional and because I had heard from principals and ADs that said they would like to see their own coach come out in that attire.
Well, long story short, I caught a ton of flak for being dressed up on the sidelines. It was ridiculous. I ended up going to polo shirts and khakis because the crap that parents and co-workers kept bringing up was becoming a distraction to the players. I never thought that being dressed professionally would be criticized. Boy, was I wrong.
I didn't help matters in running the SW and the Gap-Man Pressure defense. Even with being successful, it was still not enough to gain support.
Haven't worn a suit since to a game.
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Post by Chris Clement on Jul 21, 2010 11:26:13 GMT -6
It`s a good thing you didn`t wear a fedora, or the grandparents might have thought they were stuck in some sort of flashback.
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Post by davecisar on Jul 21, 2010 11:49:44 GMT -6
The key IMO is NOT to attract attention to yourself or detract from the game "Look at me" type guys often have so many personal problems- they eventually reveal themselves at some point in the season. When I coached in the inner city projects I had over 400 kids- did free clinics and kids played for free on my dime- never charged them a cent. Clinics with over 200 kids, free punt pass and kick with 9 free bikes as prizes etc Never had a problem relating to them or getting them to come out wearing what I did. While I didnt want to dress like the bozo arrested development types in the hood, wearing a suit and tie wouldnt have been appropriate either. In the hood where we practiced back then - guy shot 5 times observing our practice- he died. Been threatened there before on a few rare occaisions etc. Lots of broken glass, needles etc had to be cleared from the field every day- I want to be able to run fast if need be there- flip flop wouldnt have made any sense at all from a survival standpoint |
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Post by mhcoach on Jul 21, 2010 13:02:53 GMT -6
DC
Lol...... I hear exactly what you are saying. Coaching in the Inner City is it's own thing just like Florida. When I coached in NYC it was very similar. I had a tradition when my Youth Team would travel to play for the State Championship (13 out of 14 seasons) I would require my players to wear jackets & ties. Parents would actually complain, of course I over ruled that. We would make sure every player owned a jacket & tie(often the players from the rougher neighborhoods wouldn't). Those that didn't have one borrowed one. It made the day special, Coaches would also wear a jacket & tie & change in the locker room. I always wanted to wear it to coach the game but I guess i was too superstitious & had to wear my game attire.
D I S
Charlie got his in the Bahama's but I'm sure you can one in South Florida!
Joe
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Post by 19delta on Jul 21, 2010 21:28:02 GMT -6
I agree with Dave. You don't need to show up to practice in a polo and Dockers, but your dress should communicate the message that you are a responsible adult and not some guy on work release. For me, practice attire is usually a school/team t-shirt and a pair of workout shorts. Depending on the amount of sun, I will wear a cap, visor, or boonie hat and sunglasses. Game attire is a coaching polo, khaki shorts, and a hat or visor.
I further agree that the guys with whom I have worked in the past who demanded to be able to wear their earrings on the field, show their tats off, or wear clothing that wasn't appropriate almost always have been "I/Me" guys. For the majority of those guys, they coached mainly because they wanted to be seen on the sidelines...they didn't do it for the kids. They did it to feed their own egos.
Big thing I am working on is my weight. I've always been a big guy, but I put on a lot of weight over the past 18 months. I had gotten so fat that it was actually difficult for me to get into a good stance and there were quite a few things that I couldn't even demonstrate anymore because of my physical condition. I also feel that being fit gives you more credibility with parents and players in regards to talking about weight training and nutrition.
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Post by mhcoach on Jul 22, 2010 5:46:28 GMT -6
19 Delta
Be glad the 80's are over, the polyester sansabelt coaching pants we wore back then were really rough on big guys. I look back at game tape & cringe.
My wife swears all of my clothes have some teams logo on them. Having coached so long I have shirts pants & shoes from many different teams. My players get a kick out of what shirt I will wear to practice. Florida was the only place you had to wear specific attire for practice. Normally for practice I wear a team shirt(tee or polo) & workout pants. I am always in coaching shoes, perhaps work boots if I am running late. I haven't worn a hat since the mid 90's, I have a large head so if I do I look like MR Potato Head.
Joe
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Post by coachbrek on Jul 22, 2010 6:24:21 GMT -6
Big thing I am working on is my weight. I've always been a big guy, but I put on a lot of weight over the past 18 months. I had gotten so fat that it was actually difficult for me to get into a good stance and there were quite a few things that I couldn't even demonstrate anymore because of my physical condition. I also feel that being fit gives you more credibility with parents and players in regards to talking about weight training and nutrition. I totally agree, I used to lift like a mad man in the off season, I remember not having much respect for over weight coaches in my playing days. Now age is creeping up on me and I have not lifted seriously since 2006, I am out of shape and it bugs me. If feel just like you that is does give coaches more credibility if they are in shape. |
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Post by utchuckd on Jul 22, 2010 6:46:36 GMT -6
So I'm guessing the 'Gold Nugget Gentlemen's Club: Panama City Beach' T-shirt one assistant showed up to practice in on Monday isn't quite appropriate? I didn't notice it til practice was over and I don't think anybody else noticed it at all, but I laughed my butt off when I realized what it was.
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Post by davecisar on Jul 22, 2010 9:43:41 GMT -6
So I'm guessing the 'Gold Nugget Gentlemen's Club: Panama City Beach' T-shirt one assistant showed up to practice in on Monday isn't quite appropriate? I didn't notice it til practice was over and I don't think anybody else noticed it at all, but I laughed my butt off when I realized what it was. Yep I want to hang out with the guy that would spend the $$$ and proudly advertise to the world (children and parents) he's spending time at that joint  |
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Post by Chris Clement on Jul 22, 2010 11:51:14 GMT -6
What`s wrong with a gentleman`s club, I mean, sitting around in armchairs wearing brocade smoking jackets with pipes or cigars, a snifter of brandy the size of a fish bowl, reading newspapers on big sticks and discussing the markets. That`s what goes on in there, right.
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