coachfore
Sophomore Member
[F4:@coachfore]
Posts: 134
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Post by coachfore on May 12, 2012 17:32:13 GMT -6
I've always been a big believer in the summer being for family as well as football. I've been a HC for 8 years. I've always had the same policy: If you miss the entire summer program because you are on vacation with your family, or on a church mission trip, so be it. Have fun, have a great time, get away from town. Enjoy yourself. There will be absolutely no repercussions. But when we start Training Camp in the middle of August, you need to be here, no ifs ands or buts about it. We have always publicized our entire summer calendar in January (except for a few passing leagues.) We build in two weeks for vacations, but if parents can't do that, then we accept that we will miss kids.
Here's the bottom line guys - I don't think that we've ever lossed a game because Johnny was in Africa with his grandparents for a month. I'm sorry but I think that stuff is more important than football.
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Post by throwonfirstdown on May 15, 2012 9:38:34 GMT -6
I agree that commitment and dedication are important, but I think too many coaches get off on dictating a young man's schedule in the summer.
In our state, we usually get cranked up full bore in the last week of July. Four days a week of lifting and 7 on 7's during the summer, except for a dead period around July 4th.
I, personally, like well-rounded athletes, so if they are playing summer hoops, track, or travel baseball, it doesn't bother me.
And I don't think its right for us to dictate a family's vacation schedule in June and July either. Many parents in today's age where the boss has you by the "brass ones", have to take a vacation when they are granted one.
I'm not going to bench a kid for games just because he misses a week of "voluntary" workouts in early June or mid July.
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Post by cqmiller on May 15, 2012 9:42:39 GMT -6
Setting the number at 75% makes sure that if they do go out of town for 2 weeks, they can make the number. Otherwise, you end up with kids saying, "I'm going on vacation in June" and end up eating cheetos and playing madden all summer
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Post by Chris Clement on May 15, 2012 11:13:24 GMT -6
Just a thought, more of a thought-experiment than an actual idea, but why do we care? It's their team, they can be as good as they want to be. Practicing and lifting will make them better. If they don't lift, they'll be surpassed on the depth chart. If none of them lift, they'll lose games. We've finished playing, we merely exist to facilitate theirown efforts.
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Post by fantom on May 15, 2012 11:14:36 GMT -6
Just a thought, more of a thought-experiment than an actual idea, but why do we care? It's their team, they can be as good as they want to be. Practicing and lifting will make them better. If they don't lift, they'll be surpassed on the depth chart. If none of them lift, they'll lose games. We've finished playing, we merely exist to facilitate theirown efforts. Do they fire coaches in Canada?
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Post by Chris Clement on May 15, 2012 11:36:06 GMT -6
Oh right.
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Post by coachcb on May 15, 2012 14:37:00 GMT -6
The best programs in this state run strict weight training programs. So, it's difficult not to take a hard line and establish some sort attendance policy if you want to compete.
And, yes, families schedule vacations. Most families don't schedule three month long vacations that will keep their kids out of town completely. And, chances are the families that do that are probably still wet-nursing their kid so he won't play much anyway. So, it's not a stretch to ask the kids to show up for 75% of the workouts.
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Post by coachcb on May 15, 2012 14:59:38 GMT -6
So, it's not a stretch to ask the kids to show up for 75% of the workouts. And, if kids don't - What then? They don't letter, they don't play, they have extra conditioning during camp, etc...
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Post by blb on May 15, 2012 15:11:07 GMT -6
And, if kids don't - What then? They don't letter, they don't play, they have extra conditioning during camp, etc... So...if kids can't-don't make 75% of Summer stuff before official practice even starts - They know they won't play or earn a letter? And what kind of "extra conditioning" are they going to do after practice? You have kids that are going to agree to the latter to be part of the team? And as head coach are you going to stay out after practice to have them do the "extra conditioning" - especially hoping they don't suffer from heat exhaustion or heat stroke? Or assign it to an assistant? Kids won't play and coaches won't be happy with those conditions. It's HIGH SCHOOL Football, for God's sakes!
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Post by coachcb on May 15, 2012 15:26:50 GMT -6
They don't letter, they don't play, they have extra conditioning during camp, etc... So...if kids can't-don't make 75% of Summer stuff before official practice even starts - They know they won't play or earn a letter? And what kind of "extra conditioning" are they going to do after practice? You have kids that are going to agree to the latter to be part of the team? And as head coach are you going to stay out after practice to have them do the "extra conditioning" - especially hoping they don't suffer from heat exhaustion or heat stroke? Or assign it to an assistant? Kids won't play and coaches won't be happy with those conditions. It's HIGH SCHOOL Football, for God's sakes! We have had this discussion countless times on countless threads and everyone has differing opinions. If you want to compete around here, year in and year out, you need participation in the weight training program. This is especially true at the lower classifications where you don't have a lot of kids out for football. Their 20 kids have been lifting all year, your 20 haven't and you get your a-- kicked. Plus, I don't see the issue in asking the kids to come in 3 out of 4 days a week for an hour to an hour a half during the summer to lift. So, yes, those kids that didn't get their 75% in can do extra conditioning. Or those that did participate get out of conditioning.
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Post by blb on May 15, 2012 16:17:49 GMT -6
I don't see the issue in asking the kids to come in 3 out of 4 days a week for an hour to an hour a half during the summer to lift. So, yes, those kids that didn't get their 75% in can do extra conditioning. Or those that did participate get out of conditioning. The issue is you first posted that the kids that don't do 75% of off-season don't play or don't letter. Perhaps that's not what you meant. I need a little more help than you originally gave - I failed that "Mind Reading" class. And, "around here" - we get a lot more done (Warm-up, Modified Plyos, Agilities, Speed Training-Sprints, Strength Training) in an hour or less than just lifting. We manage to do a little better than "compete," too. Maybe that would be worth looking at as far as your attendance, or lack thereof.
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Post by Chris Clement on May 15, 2012 16:30:54 GMT -6
OK guys, let's all reign it in here.
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Post by blb on May 15, 2012 16:40:42 GMT -6
OK guys, let's all reign it in here. Why-in what way?
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Post by coachd5085 on May 16, 2012 6:21:55 GMT -6
blb-- I think the biggest issue is the environment in which you are expected to compete (something you have often stated). In some places, a .666 winning percentage (2 wins to every loss) may be considered successful. In others, if you are competing against someone like Don Shows of West Monroe High School (Career record approximately 327 wins 68 losses) or JT Curtis (506 wins 54 losses) the standards may be a little bit different.
HOWEVER---I do think it is important to realize that those programs organically developed and sustained success through what could be likened as a "crucible" type environment. The players that REMAIN are plentiful enough to field vastly superior teams. Trying to impart the same demands to a different environments in a copycat style probably don't lead to the same success.
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Post by mrjvi on May 16, 2012 6:38:27 GMT -6
My 2 cents. The correlation of wins to adequate off season strength training is unmistakable in my 30 years. Other coaches always say that strength training isn't everything. The best teams around here are absolutely the strongest pound for pound. It is a "pre-requisite" that allows the other skills to flourish. Also, i cannot as an educator not push the kids to strength train and accept it if they don't. I expect 18 out of 25 workouts attended in the summer. If not, they have to make it up after doubles or score high enough on our pre-season test. This allows a week of vacation and a few days missed as well. Anyone who can't do that, at this point in my career, I don't want.
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Post by coachcb on May 16, 2012 7:28:18 GMT -6
I don't see the issue in asking the kids to come in 3 out of 4 days a week for an hour to an hour a half during the summer to lift. So, yes, those kids that didn't get their 75% in can do extra conditioning. Or those that did participate get out of conditioning. The issue is you first posted that the kids that don't do 75% of off-season don't play or don't letter. Perhaps that's not what you meant. I need a little more help than you originally gave - I failed that "Mind Reading" class. And, "around here" - we get a lot more done (Warm-up, Modified Plyos, Agilities, Speed Training-Sprints, Strength Training) in an hour or less than just lifting. We manage to do a little better than "compete," too. Maybe that would be worth looking at as far as your attendance, or lack thereof. I'm not going to waste my time arguing with you. This has been rehashed and rehashed time and again.
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Post by blb on May 16, 2012 7:34:41 GMT -6
I'm not going to waste my time arguing with you. This has been rehashed and rehashed time and again. Fair enough.
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Post by silkyice on May 16, 2012 8:08:08 GMT -6
We go twice a week during the summer. Tuesday and Thursday
8am-9am Basketball fundamentals 9-10:30 Weights, agilities, plyos, speed training 10:30-11:30 Football 11:30 - 12 Baseball
So if you play all three, we need you 8-12 twice a week. Done.
Our rule is you have to be there unless you are out of town. You have to let us know ahead of time.
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Post by blb on May 16, 2012 8:18:18 GMT -6
I know of a Football coach at an "inner city" school who improved his Summer weight room attendance by opening up gym for kids to play Basketball after wards.
Only kids who lifted were allowed to play at that time.
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