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Post by coachcb on Mar 4, 2011 19:12:11 GMT -6
Our boys baskteball team has been friggin rolling through the play-offs. They've been winning by 30+ points a game and are the only team in the state to put up three digit scores. Obviously, basketball is king down here; we're looking at a state title this year and that's no small feat given that we're the class we play in has the most basketball teams in the state.
I'm proud of our boys but I am also a little concerned. I am worried that their success in basketball will drive them away from football. We struggled wirth numbers last year and a few guys didn't want to come out because it's been beat into their heads that they'll get hurt and won't be able to play basketball.
I've been trying to use basketball as a selling point for the football program. I've told the guys that they'll be in awesome shape for basketball and that it'll just improve their game. We play two teams that have outstanding football programs and I have been pushing that too. I keep telling them that they'll see the same guys out on the football field and that we can beat them there too..
But, I am starting to wonder if this won't fall on deaf ears because of how well they're playing in basketball. Thoughts?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2011 19:38:08 GMT -6
I've been an assistant coach for four different programs and honestly all of them are probably considered basketball schools although at the first one that's probably more perception than reality. Anyway, I kind of do what you do and sell how football can help them in other sports, using the weightroom as my main point in that discussion.
I don't have exact stats but I'm pretty sure I read somewhat recently that the majority of D1 scholarship athletes were multi-sport athletes in high school, so that's a selling point as well. That despite some people selling the need to specialize.
That being said, if you are at a basketball school, you WILL have kids who feel the need to specialize. Keep building the program and working on depth so losing those kids isn't a killer. My current program faces this next season. I'm pretty sure we'll lose a TE because his parents will want him to focus on other sports. It will hurt, but through player development and good luck in genetics, TE is our deepest position.
But, in that kid's case, at least he's a darn good basketball player. It actually frustrates me more when a decent football player leaves the sport after his sophomore year to focus on basketball...and then as a senior he averages about two minutes a game.
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Post by groundchuck on Mar 4, 2011 20:12:22 GMT -6
Yep, majority of scholarship athletes played more than one sport in high school. LeBron James was an all-state TE/WR wasn't he? Allen Iverson was Virginia football player of the year. Joe Mauer was a 3-sport star at Cretin Derham Hall in MN. The best play three.
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Post by coachbdud on Mar 4, 2011 20:55:12 GMT -6
beat up the basketball coach
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Post by phantom on Mar 4, 2011 21:22:44 GMT -6
beat up the basketball coach On the contrary, have a talk with him. Make sure that he's keeping his kids away. He doesn't have to encourage his guys to play football but try to make sure he's not getting in the way. Keep it friendly. Be the b-ball team's biggest fan unless he turns out to be a complete a$$hole. |
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Post by coachbdud on Mar 4, 2011 21:46:38 GMT -6
beat up the basketball coach On the contrary, have a talk with him. Make sure that he's keeping his kids away. He doesn't have to encourage his guys to play football but try to make sure he's not getting in the way. Keep it friendly. Be the b-ball team's biggest fan unless he turns out to be a complete a$$hole. i was joking about that of course, I agree, I am a big basketball fan, I actually play basketball quite often. I try to support the kids and hope that me showing support will give me some cred when I go up to them to recruit them. We had a good team this year, first league championship in school history. I already got one tall WR type to come out. If you can get BBall coach on your side you got it made, it has just been my experience than a lot of them flat out tell kids not to play, and that just is not right I also try to sell the kids on how much lifting with football team can improve their basketball skills. The kid I just got out is close to dunking now, easily grabbing rim, but he has never touched a weight. I know that if he squats and cleans with us from now until the end of football season, he will dunking next season. I told him this and his face lit up. You have to find a way to get them to warm up with you, I will play with them sometimes I have actually bet the kids in basketball... I will see an athlete who says they only do basketball, thats their future, but I know they have FB potential. I do NOT look like a good basketball player, I am all of 5'8" and white and not very athletic, so I challenge them to 1 on 1. If I win, they come out to a couple practices, if they win, then I will stop bugging them about playing. I almost always win, and even if I lose they often still come out for at least 1 practice. I give them the old white man cant jump technique and hustle them |
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Post by kcbazooka on Mar 5, 2011 6:36:22 GMT -6
try to get the basketball coach on your football staff
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Post by coachcb on Mar 5, 2011 8:02:20 GMT -6
try to get the basketball coach on your football staff One of the assistants might be on board for next year but that's hit or miss. I do need to sit down with the basketball HC and have a chat. But, I seriously doubt he's pushing kids away from football. It's tough though; he's a business man from about 30 miles away; he doesn't work in the school and he's tough to get a hold of. |
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Post by coachjd on Mar 5, 2011 8:22:26 GMT -6
We have seen it hurt other sports in the short term, but in the long run it may come back and hurt the sport that is winning now. Our basketball team won 3 conference championships in a row, so all kids wanted to be 1 sport athletes and focus on basketball. Well 4 years after their last conference championship, they still have a lot of 1 sport wonders, and we are lucky to be .500 and the team is soft, non competitors, excuse makers etc... It has been a gradual down hill slide.
I was the same way with our baseball program and now they barely have enough kids to have 3 teams (9th grade, 10th grade and varsity) The boys track team this year will have 40+ kids for the first time in 8 years. As I look at our track roster almost 2/3's of them are football players. We preach multi-sport athletics and by the looks of it our kids are listening.
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Post by coachcb on Mar 5, 2011 8:52:06 GMT -6
We have seen it hurt other sports in the short term, but in the long run it may come back and hurt the sport that is winning now. Our basketball team won 3 conference championships in a row, so all kids wanted to be 1 sport athletes and focus on basketball. Well 4 years after their last conference championship, they still have a lot of 1 sport wonders, and we are lucky to be .500 and the team is soft, non competitors, excuse makers etc... It has been a gradual down hill slide. I was the same way with our baseball program and now they barely have enough kids to have 3 teams (9th grade, 10th grade and varsity) The boys track team this year will have 40+ kids for the first time in 8 years. As I look at our track roster almost 2/3's of them are football players. We preach multi-sport athletics and by the looks of it our kids are listening. Yeah, boss, I don't think that's going to happen down here. I work/coach at a private Catholic school that's on a reservation and has 95% Native American students. Basketball isn't just popular; it's a part of the culture. And, it's a very small school which compounds the issue. I am working on a really short time line here. I HAVE to get numbers up by next year or we may not have a football program in the near future. So, a state championship in basketball this year could seriously damage the future of football. |
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Post by blb on Mar 5, 2011 8:54:45 GMT -6
This is something that probably exists to one degree or another in most schools.
I coached at a suburban school where most popular sports were Soccer, Cross Country, Hockey, and Baseball. Yet my last year there we had the largest turnout for Football in school history despite district implementing Pay to Play.
I encourage our players to go out for as many sports as they have interest in because it's the right thing to do - it's HS, they should experience as many things as possible.
Our school is 477 kids and going down - we have to share athletes to have a chance to compete. Can't expect Basketball, Baseball, etc. coaches to cooperate if I don't support them.
Form a team of winners - surround yourself with people to whom Football means something. And don't waste time worrying about who's not playing, or why.
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Post by phantom on Mar 5, 2011 10:12:25 GMT -6
On the contrary, have a talk with him. Make sure that he's keeping his kids away. He doesn't have to encourage his guys to play football but try to make sure he's not getting in the way. Keep it friendly. Be the b-ball team's biggest fan unless he turns out to be a complete a$$hole. i was joking about that of course, No need to apologize. I've known some who needed hitting. |
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Post by airman on Mar 5, 2011 10:37:25 GMT -6
I think it all depends on the coach to be honest. I know a place where all the sports are average or below average except the football team, track and baseball team.
the football team has several state championships in the last 24 years since the head coach arrived and brought with him two friends. the head football coach is also the head baseball coach and the OC and DC are co track head coaches.
conversely, the head coaches on the other teams complain about the success these guys have as the baseball team has one state championships and the track & field has done the same.
I think it has more to do with coaching then anything
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newhc
Sophomore Member
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Post by newhc on Mar 5, 2011 13:11:35 GMT -6
I have been at a school, where it was hard pressed to get kids to play both Basketball Football. Of course I talked with the Basketball HC. I attended every Basketball Game that I could, both Home and Away.
When speaking with the Basketball Coach he said he was pushing kids to Football. What I was hearing from the kids is that He was telling that if they Played they would be a JV Player or Cut. (JV for a Juniors, or Cut if your Senior.) I do know that the AD was constantly telling me that the Basketball Coach and him were pushing kids to play football.
Every kid that he said he spoke with "decided" to stick with Basketball. HMMM!
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Post by jgordon1 on Mar 5, 2011 15:59:27 GMT -6
beat up the basketball coach On the contrary, have a talk with him. Make sure that he's keeping his kids away. He doesn't have to encourage his guys to play football but try to make sure he's not getting in the way. Keep it friendly. Be the b-ball team's biggest fan unless he turns out to be a complete a$$hole. EXACTLY...we are in the fortunate situation in the fact we are starting fom scratch...new school w/ no seniors...we have a unified lifting program and ALL the coaches..even the golf coach and the girls BB coach help out in...We have 30 FB players playing LAX...there is no way I would be able to tell them they couldn't..I spoke to the lax coach who is not a teacher in our school..he is letting me run a morning lifting program for his whole team..lot of work for me but what is the alternative?..Like JFK says..a rising tide raises all ships |
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Post by coachcb on Mar 5, 2011 21:26:49 GMT -6
Well, I have a few things on my side:
1. A lot of guys quit under my predecessor. But that's what you get when two-a-day practices look more like a cross country meet than anything else. All of those guys that quit have shown a lot of genuine interest in coming out next year. Nobody talks about the a-- whoopings we took at times; they're all about how physical our guys played which is a huge compliment for the program.
2. I have a good reputation at the school; the kids seem to understand that I know a little bit about football but, more importantly, it's fun to play for me.
3. There's the stigma about "not being able to coach Native kids". Every white coach down here (including my AD) has taken that hit, except for me. The kids REALLY don't take well to be hollered at; more so than any other group I've worked with. They won't just shut down on you if you jump them; they'll walk off of the field. No kid wants to get chewed out but it's very true in this situation. It's just not my coaching style; I stay as positive and upbeat as I can. The kids know I'm p-ssed off when I'm quiet and that seems to go a long way. My tone goes flat and they fall in line quick.
4. We have got some athletes at this school.. They're involved in athletics year round (except for the fall..). They play basketball all winter and AAU basketball or run track all spring. They stomp very good teams on the basketball court but the same teams return the favor in football. If we can build the enthusiasm, we could be an excellent football program.
5. The track HC is all about weight training during the season and she's left me in charge of it. This is a Godsend because our isolation and bus schedule makes it difficult to run off-season workouts.
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