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Post by lions1401 on Dec 23, 2010 22:10:32 GMT -6
Two of the other threads got me thinking. From any program you been a part of, what has been some ideas/programs/rituals that the head coach instituted that you felt benefited the program/school/community in some way.
This can be far reaching; coaches bbq, wives dinner, taking kids to the hospital to work with kids with cancer to etc etc
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Post by Coach Vint on Dec 23, 2010 22:35:43 GMT -6
There wasn't just one thing. It is about having a process in place to develop the culture of the program, which then creates the attitude of the team. A great ice breaking activity is a team cookout with parents, coaches, and players. This can preceed a booster club meeting to encourage parent attendence. Keep it light, but introduce the coaches and the booster club leaders. Circulate booster club sign up forms. After introducing key people the head coach should thank the parents for coming, and transition into the booster club meeting. It would be best to move into the cafeteria or large team meeting room. We also did a community clean up just about everwhere I coached. We helped the infirm and older folks do a yard clean up in March.
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Post by davishfc on Dec 24, 2010 15:04:06 GMT -6
athletic,
I think what lions is asking is:
"What are the Top 5 or Top 10 things you do in your program that you feel like have created an atmosphere of success?"
These are things that you would, without a doubt, institute at a new program you were in charge of. I understand, like you, that there is much more than one factor that contributes to success within a football program, or anything, for that matter. But like lions, I'm interested to here from the coaches on this forum what those specific things are within their programs. I think the more appropriate question is...what is the foundation of your program? I would like to hear about those.
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Post by lions1401 on Dec 24, 2010 22:51:24 GMT -6
Exactly, we hear alot about the on field stuff and the common things. What are some things a coach found worthwhile that added value to a programs culture. Doesnt have to be a head coach just anyone who has been a part of a staff and liked an activity/ritual/program etc. that they were a part of or heard about one on another staff that they wish they were a part of.
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Post by Coach Vint on Dec 26, 2010 0:34:45 GMT -6
Another was an alumni BBQ at the end of spring. It helped us create the program mentality. It also helped us establish an alumni fundraising arm. We gave out spring awards at this function.
We also had a Football For Mom's clinic. This was a lot of fun!
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Post by robbysevier on Dec 26, 2010 0:50:10 GMT -6
I think this year we have a cool program idea going. We are having exit interviews built in with goal setting for offseason, summer and fall of 2011. We are having the kids write a short essay on how they plan to achieve these goals. Once they turn in their essay's we review them and bring each kid in 1 by 1. Give them our input on the last season, what they can improve on from last year, then move into their goals, and discuss their ideas. You will be surprised a lot of kids say the things like work hard, etc, but they don't really know how to put those in actions. Get kids to take ownership of it, if you can get them to buy in to HOW they are going to improve, I think they will realize their potential.
One thing I did last year to improve our toughness and to get the kids to compete more was split the team into 4 groups and had what we called Bermuda games the last 10 minutes of practice every spring game. Some challenges where difficult relay races (using football skills), some where 1 on1's keeping score for teams, some where different drills that are pretty neat based on competition and adding football skills. The kids really got into the games, competed their tails off and took a lot of pride in their teams.
I think what some guys above are talking about which I think is one of the ultimate keys is creating a family like atmosphere for your kids. When you have buy in, and a togetherness from your team, they are willing to sacrifice for each other. They are willing to keep each other accountable because they genuinely care for each other. All those team building types of things you can do without overdoing your budget, and help you should do.
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Post by davishfc on Dec 27, 2010 10:44:55 GMT -6
I think this year we have a cool program idea going. We are having exit interviews built in with goal setting for offseason, summer and fall of 2011. We are having the kids write a short essay on how they plan to achieve these goals. Once they turn in their essay's we review them and bring each kid in 1 by 1. Give them our input on the last season, what they can improve on from last year, then move into their goals, and discuss their ideas. You will be surprised a lot of kids say the things like work hard, etc, but they don't really know how to put those in actions. Get kids to take ownership of it, if you can get them to buy in to HOW they are going to improve, I think they will realize their potential. One thing I did last year to improve our toughness and to get the kids to compete more was split the team into 4 groups and had what we called Bermuda games the last 10 minutes of practice every spring game. Some challenges where difficult relay races (using football skills), some where 1 on1's keeping score for teams, some where different drills that are pretty neat based on competition and adding football skills. The kids really got into the games, competed their tails off and took a lot of pride in their teams. I think what some guys above are talking about which I think is one of the ultimate keys is creating a family like atmosphere for your kids. When you have buy in, and a togetherness from your team, they are willing to sacrifice for each other. They are willing to keep each other accountable because they genuinely care for each other. All those team building types of things you can do without overdoing your budget, and help you should do. Coach, I've got a couple questions for you: 1) When do you conduct the interviews? 2) What types of "Bermuda Games" did you devise? Thanks in advance. |
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Post by brophy on Dec 27, 2010 11:52:57 GMT -6
the weight room
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Post by blb on Dec 27, 2010 12:03:33 GMT -6
"Great Expectations" Parents' Meeting in June
"Good bye Dear, Football's here" cookout at head coaches' house Saturday before practice starts
Football Pre-Season media guide or Yearbook
"Meet Your Team" Day Saturday first week of practice - pictures, intrasquad scrimmages, picnic
Football-only booster club
Coaches celebrate or commiserate together after games
Show game films following Monday or Tuesday to boosters
"Mom's Class" during season
Season Summary booklet including game articles, statistics, motoivational quotes-poems, etc.
Banquet outside school - make sure to thank parents for trust of kids
Head coach buys dinner and drinks for staff one night at state clinic
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Post by robbysevier on Dec 27, 2010 18:26:39 GMT -6
I think this year we have a cool program idea going. We are having exit interviews built in with goal setting for offseason, summer and fall of 2011. We are having the kids write a short essay on how they plan to achieve these goals. Once they turn in their essay's we review them and bring each kid in 1 by 1. Give them our input on the last season, what they can improve on from last year, then move into their goals, and discuss their ideas. You will be surprised a lot of kids say the things like work hard, etc, but they don't really know how to put those in actions. Get kids to take ownership of it, if you can get them to buy in to HOW they are going to improve, I think they will realize their potential. One thing I did last year to improve our toughness and to get the kids to compete more was split the team into 4 groups and had what we called Bermuda games the last 10 minutes of practice every spring game. Some challenges where difficult relay races (using football skills), some where 1 on1's keeping score for teams, some where different drills that are pretty neat based on competition and adding football skills. The kids really got into the games, competed their tails off and took a lot of pride in their teams. I think what some guys above are talking about which I think is one of the ultimate keys is creating a family like atmosphere for your kids. When you have buy in, and a togetherness from your team, they are willing to sacrifice for each other. They are willing to keep each other accountable because they genuinely care for each other. All those team building types of things you can do without overdoing your budget, and help you should do. Coach, I've got a couple questions for you: 1) When do you conduct the interviews? 2) What types of "Bermuda Games" did you devise? Thanks in advance. We conducted interviews 2 weeks after the season was over. We began our lifting exercises, gave them 2 weeks of lifting to get their body's back ready and then we had a max lifting week where we got their base lines. During the Max's we had 2 coaches in the weight room gathering those and myself and the HC in the football office. We would bring up 2-3 kids at a time. We gave the handout we devised and gave the kids a week to finish their essay and goal sheet the week prior to max's. The Bermuda Games Were devised of a few things. We were able to get some tug o war, two separate days we had a drill we called finders keepers. Each group would have 1 person go at a time and everybody would turn their back. We had 3 Coaches move bags anywhere on the field, could be right behind them or as much as 50 yards down the field. We say go and they turn around and sprint to perform a proper hit up tackle on the bag as they go down to the ground, and they had to bring the bag back to a coach that was near the bag. It was fun to see this drill because you get to see the kids speed and their will to compete some guys where not as fast but where able to use their body, shield, and some guys attacked bags that where already grabbed to steal the bag, while others gave up. Another drill/Bermuda Game we had was called "Keeper of the Cone". You set up an agility course, we just used 4 agility bags and you have a guy from each team protecting a cone 5 yards behind the agility station. Team A is on one side and Team B has their picked out protector to protect that cone, while Team B goes through the course and Team B has an appointed player to protect their cone. It's a race and the protector has a sheild and it's full go. It can't get physical, you see who the kids respect as their toughest to protect the cone, and you see guys who are able to slip blocks, or just have the attitude that they will run through anybody to get their prize. The guy who hits/touches the cone first wins. We had the kids run knee overs through the course there and back once they got back to the start line that's when they sprinted to get their cone. I hope that explains some fo them. Those where their favorite games. We had tug of war, and a relay race in which they had to tackle bags, bear crawl, back peddle and do other various football skills. We did each game 2 times over a 2 week period. The winning team got a Pizza Party in Summer Camp. |
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Post by davishfc on Dec 28, 2010 23:57:16 GMT -6
We conducted interviews 2 weeks after the season was over. We began our lifting exercises, gave them 2 weeks of lifting to get their body's back ready and then we had a max lifting week where we got their base lines. During the Max's we had 2 coaches in the weight room gathering those and myself and the HC in the football office. We would bring up 2-3 kids at a time. We gave the handout we devised and gave the kids a week to finish their essay and goal sheet the week prior to max's. Coach, Did you meet with the players again to go over what they write on your specific handout and in their essay? This seems to be the biggest challenge for me and my staff, gaining access to players to make a legitimate goal development and monitoring program. I want to know what their goals are. I want to have time to communicate with them about their goals. Basically I want to make sure we don't get back a half finished handout or an essay thrown together last second. Not that we'd get this from all of our players but I know, that without some supervision, that I would get that from some our kids. It's a shame I know but a reality nonetheless. How do you and your staff handle this issue? Finally, I want to have time to monitor and communicate with them on their progress. This is a realistic and meaningful goal process but it requires time. Do you feel you have enough time to make your goal process what it should truly be? Thanks again for your help on this Coach. |
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Post by robbysevier on Dec 29, 2010 11:32:16 GMT -6
We have access to them daily. We have them in a period of Advanced Football PE class, and everyday at Lunch I am out at lunch speaking to kids. The kids wrote some pretty good essays. Most kids where very serious about it, but we have laid that kind of work with our kids where the HC is a strict disciplinarian and few kids want to push his buttons.
I feel like there will be plenty of opportunity to speak to these kids about their progress. It will take consistency and commitment from myself and others but I feel like we have the time and access to do it.
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Post by davishfc on Dec 29, 2010 12:13:35 GMT -6
We have access to them daily. We have them in a period of Advanced Football PE class, and everyday at Lunch I am out at lunch speaking to kids. The kids wrote some pretty good essays. Most kids where very serious about it, but we have laid that kind of work with our kids where the HC is a strict disciplinarian and few kids want to push his buttons. I feel like there will be plenty of opportunity to speak to these kids about their progress. It will take consistency and commitment from myself and others but I feel like we have the time and access to do it. The Advanced Football class is real nice. We don't have access to our players everyday which makes this process a huge challenge. Lunch is a possibility because I have a half hour each day. If I met with two kids each day I could get through our returners and the prospective recruits in about 8 weeks (80 kids...2 per day means 40 days total divided by 5 Monday-Friday = 8 weeks). That may be possible but by the time I got done with those. I would have to start the cycle all over again for a progress check-in with each of them. I will continue to brainstorm ways to make this goal development process much more viable. Thanks for your help. |
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Post by groundchuck on Dec 29, 2010 14:54:34 GMT -6
Ditto. Has been the biggest program builder for us. Now there are all the other things we do like.... -Moms program -Study Table and grade checks -making freshmen a priority -development of youth program and head coach being seen/varsity players helping out in the program Etc Etc But the single biggest thing is the wt rooom and creating a culture that revolves around hard work. |
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Post by lions1401 on Dec 30, 2010 21:13:09 GMT -6
Groundchuck,
What specifically have you done with your youth program?
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Post by davishfc on Dec 30, 2010 21:33:49 GMT -6
"Great Expectations" Parents' Meeting in June "Good bye Dear, Football's here" cookout at head coaches' house Saturday before practice starts Football Pre-Season media guide or Yearbook "Meet Your Team" Day Saturday first week of practice - pictures, intrasquad scrimmages, picnic Football-only booster club Coaches celebrate or commiserate together after games Show game films following Monday or Tuesday to boosters "Mom's Class" during season Season Summary booklet including game articles, statistics, motoivational quotes-poems, etc. Banquet outside school - make sure to thank parents for trust of kids Head coach buys dinner and drinks for staff one night at state clinic Building a program happens because of factors like these. Thanks for the worthwhile input Coach. Any other coaches have aspects of your program that are similar to these? Thanks. |
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Post by jpdaley25 on Dec 31, 2010 10:15:24 GMT -6
We aren't allowed to make off-season lifting mandatory, so our biggest problem was getting the kids to come regularly- attendance.
So we base all rewards, from the order in the food line to where you start on the depth chart to who gets to be game captains, on attendance. If you want to be a game captain you have to come to more than 100% of all workouts and practices.
We break it down like this:
Leaders - More than 100% attendance (They have to do more than is expected)
Champions - 90-100%
Contributers -70-89%
Members - 50-69%
Prospects - 0-49%
This effectively puts an end to seniority. We had 9 leaders this year - one freshman, two sophomores, one junior, and five seniors. We had seven seniors that did not make the leader group - They didn't get to go first in the food lines and they had to watch as younger guys got the honor of being the game captains and leading the team onto the field. There's always some heat from the parents, but everyone is made fully aware of the policy (I make them take it home and have it signed by their parents) and if they don't live up to it, it's their fault, and I will not bend on this. In 2009, I had two juniors make 100% and another make 99% and I did not let them be leaders. In 2010, those same kids made sure that they made the leader group.
My first full year here, we had 40% attendance in the weight room and we went 0-10. The first year I implemented this system we had 79% attendance and we went 7-5. Last year we had 93% attendance and went 10-2.
So, for us, that was the single biggest program building idea, proven to work, and the idea came from my reading on the Coach Huey Website in 2008.
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Post by 42falcon on Dec 31, 2010 13:33:57 GMT -6
Wow, talk about changing the culture of a program.
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Post by shocktroop34 on Dec 31, 2010 15:15:54 GMT -6
Two things:
1)Develop or buy weight room goal boards. Your off season competition will be incredible. (In 2009 we had only three kids that could squat over 400. 2010 we had seven, with three hitting the 500 mark). They wanted their name at the top of that board, period.
2) Also post a year round depth chart. Even in the off season, kids will talk about where they are on it.
There is no question, that we won states this year in the off season. Sometimes it's the simple things that can make the biggest difference.
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Post by gunrun on Jan 1, 2011 11:44:20 GMT -6
We aren't allowed to make off-season lifting mandatory, so our biggest problem was getting the kids to come regularly- attendance. So we base all rewards, from the order in the food line to where you start on the depth chart to who gets to be game captains, on attendance. If you want to be a game captain you have to come to more than 100% of all workouts and practices. We break it down like this: Leaders - More than 100% attendance (They have to do more than is expected) Champions - 90-100% Contributers -70-89% Members - 50-69% Prospects - 0-49% This effectively puts an end to seniority. We had 9 leaders this year - one freshman, two sophomores, one junior, and five seniors. We had seven seniors that did not make the leader group - They didn't get to go first in the food lines and they had to watch as younger guys got the honor of being the game captains and leading the team onto the field. There's always some heat from the parents, but everyone is made fully aware of the policy (I make them take it home and have it signed by their parents) and if they don't live up to it, it's their fault, and I will not bend on this. In 2009, I had two juniors make 100% and another make 99% and I did not let them be leaders. In 2010, those same kids made sure that they made the leader group. My first full year here, we had 40% attendance in the weight room and we went 0-10. The first year I implemented this system we had 79% attendance and we went 7-5. Last year we had 93% attendance and went 10-2. So, for us, that was the single biggest program building idea, proven to work, and the idea came from my reading on the Coach Huey Website in 2008. Good idea. I was at a school that went from 2-8 to state runners-up in 2 years and the biggest reason was the strength program. |
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Post by lions1401 on Jan 1, 2011 16:14:45 GMT -6
Guys this is great stuff. I really like the "secondary" culture builders that programs do. What do you do with the youth program coaches to encourage them to buy in to the idea of one unified program? Some places have trouble with the youth coaches because there is a disconnect in the programs younger than 7th grade.
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Post by groundchuck on Jan 2, 2011 8:14:07 GMT -6
Groundchuck, What specifically have you done with your youth program? The league our youth teams play in does not keep score. No scoreboards. Just a clock. Coaches are on the field. It's a glorified scrimmage and everyone plays. I make it a priority to get to half (at least) of the games and so do several of my "more visible" varsity players. We have a camp for the youth kids. Bring them in. Varsity kids and coaches coach them up. Play games, make it fundamentals camp and then we have fun. It has been well attended. I am not too concerned with what offense and defense they run. I had a meeting when I first took over as the head coach and showed them a few things I wanted. I didn't want them running the spread or something we would not be running at the high school. They understood and run a nice "I backs/wishbone" offense. We run the option, they don't, but they do ride the FB. Hope this helps. |
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Post by highball007 on Jan 2, 2011 9:34:43 GMT -6
I am in 100% agreement that the weight room is the #1 Program Builder!
A little off topic, but, how do some of you get kids to compete to be the best in the league or the state? We have some kids that stop getting better once they know they are the best at the school. Our Sophomores don't want to compete to play varsity and half the juniors are content splitting time between JV and Varsity. How do you change that?
Thanks,
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Post by gunrun on Jan 3, 2011 12:30:25 GMT -6
I like to take kids to a 7 on 7 or team camp during the summer to open their eyes that they are not the best thing since sliced bread and that they better work if they want to be as good as some of the top players and earn a scholarship. I would try to limit the Jr's playing time at the jv level to maybe just 1 qtr. Any other perks you have should help to try to discourage this (earning a letter, clothes, etc.). Getting Sophs to play Varsity is hard if they are scared. Try to put them into situations where they can get on the field and experience success. Most coaches (from experience and on this site) just let them have their yr on JV if they are not mentally ready.
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Post by lukethadrifter on Jan 3, 2011 14:48:19 GMT -6
1) as a head coach, surround yourself with the best possible staff that you can get
2) have an offense/defense that is flexible enough to be successful year in and year out, regardless of personnel
3) have a great offseason program
4) set high expectations
5) have kids set goals
6) always keep the focus on mastering fundamentals
7) have great discipline
8) the jr. high program and lower levels are ran just like the high school program
9) celebrate the accomplishments of your athletes publicly
10) build and reinforce great character traits with athletes
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Post by calkayne on Jan 3, 2011 15:22:13 GMT -6
Leaders - More than 100% attendance (They have to do more than is expected) Champions - 90-100% Contributers -70-89% Members - 50-69% Prospects - 0-49% I am not flaming, but I always find the notion of more than 100%...well odd. How do judge more than 100% attendance? What criteria are you validating? Last year I wrote up a player contract as a way of having players buy in to a system. Effectively rewarding those that go beyound what is expected of a player and rewarding those that might fail to achieve but still show above than standard commitment to the team. Unfortunately it was viewed as being alienating to those that could not commit as much to the team. So the idea got canned. But this sounds along the same lines. Would be very interested to here how you rate your players input/commitment. |
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Post by shocktroop34 on Jan 5, 2011 13:57:38 GMT -6
lions1401...IMO sometimes getting grown men to buy in is often more difficult than a 16 year old kid who thinks he knows it all. So when it comes to youth coaches, you have to sell them on certain things as well
Whether we admit it or not, we like relationships. Even with each other. So create some bonds with the youth coaches with that in mind.
1) Invite a couple guys out for a beverage/beer/lunch.
2) Open your home for a bowl game or super bowl party (even if only one or two come, it will spread through the youth community in a positive way)
3) Let them and their kids into your games for free (our AD set it up that if they wear their jersey, they get in free)
4) Reach out to them and ask if you can speak to the kids before they start their season
5) See if you can give them a pre game speech
6) Also, don't insist but hint that it would be nice if they ran a couple of your concepts (even if the terminology is different) the kids will have a good grasp of the concept when they get to you.
I've been there and know what that "disconnect" you refered to feels like. It can be done, but only by way of establishing a true and respectful relationship first. Good luck.
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Post by jpdaley25 on Jan 5, 2011 17:18:29 GMT -6
I expect all of the players to come to all of the workouts. Coming to 100% is what is expected. I demand that my leaders do more than is expected, and I set it up in a way that they can achieve that, but I don't make it easy for them. I have 4 workout times a day that can accomodate all work and other sports schedules so they can't use that as an excuse. If they have to miss for legitamite reasons, they can build ahead or make up by coming to more than one workout per day, and I have multiple workout routines that can be beneficial if done in the same day - in other words, they aren't going to do the same workout twice. I also schedule workouts over Christmas and spring break to make it just a little bit tougher to see who is really dedicated.
Last year, from December until we started mandatory practice in July, we had 120 workouts and I count the 10 days of spring practice in with that. Anyone at that time who has more than 120 workouts is in the leader group, and I then calculate the percentages for all of the other groups, and they then reap the harvest that they have planted. (By the way, two of my leaders last year played both basketball and baseball, and they still logged more than 140 workouts each)
And then I start the count all over again. If you want to become a leader for the playoffs, come to more than 100% of practices and workouts during the pre-season and the regular season. I had a senior this year who fell way short of expectations and ended up in the Members group. He started at the bottom of the depth chart, lost his starting position at A back, had to battle hard to win back his job at will LB, came to more than 100% from July to November, and made the leader group for the playoffs.
If a player is determined to be a leader here, he can do it, but it won't be easy and it won't happen by accident.
They say necessity is the mother of invention, and believe me, necessity is what we had the most of when I got here. I had to do something, and luckily, this worked.
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