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Post by flexspread on Aug 18, 2007 8:08:33 GMT -6
Coaches, I am in need of some help. I don't know what to do to get my players to be dedicated and do what it takes to be competitive and win. My situation is this:
My district is very poor and most of our kids come from single parent homes, most of which are not involved. The Juniors have not won a high school football game and the seniors have won three. Last season we only had 19 kids out for football and this season we have 32. I have poured all of my time and energy into trying to turn this program around. This is my second year at the school as well as my second year as a head coach. I am 25 years old but I feel like 35. My kids continue to lack dedication and I feel that it is because they don't know how to win. I remember as a player hating practice but the payoff came on Friday nights where these kids haven't had that payoff, so I feel this may be a major problem. We've been practicing for a week now and we have the first half of our look sharp but the second half is dog crap. On friday we had three kids say they were "sick" (two of which came to practice and it was obvious that they were probably sore and tired but not sick), two kids got "hurt" (dings where they could have kept playing), one had a shoulder seperation (legit dislocation), two left for a trip 35 minutes before practice, and two left for work with 30 minutes left in practice (they did not tell me ahead of time and one of them wasn't sure what time they had to be at work) so we had 19 kids in uniform at the end of practice, couldn't run team D so we just ran gassers. I know that if we can get all 32 of our kids dedicated that we will win some football games, with one of our best chances coming week 1. We are thinking of adopting a new policy where if you miss practice, excused or unexcused you will have to run 5 champions (a champion is a mixture of 50 up-downs and 100 yards of bear crawls) plus the conditioning at the end of practice, if you are hurt and can't finish practice or you have to leave early you will get 2 champions and the conditioning. I am worried that our kids aren't dedicated enough and a lot of them will hang it up giving us the 0-9 results that the team has had the past two seasons but I feel that if we don't do something those results will come again regardless. Selfishly, I am also concerned that if we go 0-9 again and I have a career HC record of 0-18 my career is taking several giant steps backwards. This is the most talent that this school will have for five years. Next year there will still be some talent but then it greatly drops after that. If anyone has any ideas please help me out. Thanks.
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Post by chadp56 on Aug 18, 2007 8:33:08 GMT -6
Coach,
Sounds like a tough situation to be in since the kids are used to losing. I will say that many of us are teaching in poor districts with kids that have one parent, so that can be overcome to an extent. If it were me, I'd be building this program by doing everything I could to get kids in the weightroom and to 7on7's and camps in the offseason. A lot of their success will be determined before they put on the pads.
Practice isn't a ton of fun like a game, but it doesn't have to be terrible. Why would the guys who didn't leave have to run gassers instead of practice your O and D? Shoot, let them play airforce football or something fun since they were actually there! Going half line makes sense doesn't it? I don't think you will get good numbers by creating track practices, and do you get better at running your O and D if you spend all practice doing up-downs? One thing I wouldn't tolerate is missing practice. I'd set up a set of rules, and dismiss the kids from the team who don't come based on what you put in your rules. I have one miss unexcused equals one quarter out. Each one you get builds up. By 3 or 4 unexcused they are gone. Plus, I only excuse if I get a sick call ahead of time, if the kid is at the doctors, if a Dr. tells the kid to stay home by way of a note, or if there is a death or something terrible like that. If the kid has work, weddings, etc. they fall under the unexcused catagory, that is a scheduling conflict and though it can't always be avoided, I can't let that kid play when the kid next to him has been at practice.
Coach, don't be afraid to incorporate some fun stuff. Maybe it is a little airforce at the end of practice once a week, or working on a few trick plays, or something else. I'm not sure that having your kids do a bunch of "champions" will turn into winning championships. Good luck!
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Post by flexspread on Aug 18, 2007 9:53:33 GMT -6
Thanks for the reply coach. We have had the kids in the weightroom and in 7 on 7 passing leagues and team camps put on by us and by a local college this summer. What is airforce?
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Post by chadp56 on Aug 18, 2007 10:34:34 GMT -6
airforce, razzle dazzle, whatever. Basically a game where you can throw the ball as many times forward as you want from anywhere. You see it used a lot at camps after they go through drills as a fun activity. I'm just saying, do something fun once in awhile rather than 100 yard bear crawls. Some coaches don't believe in doing anythign you don't do in a game (I'm not necessarily one of them), but I've never seen a kid bear crawl more than about 2 yards in a game. Hope you have some success this season, that will go a long way towards changing the attitude too. This is just a though as well, some people have been able to get more people out by doing something different like running the spread will get your more basketball player types, as opposed to the double tight single wing where you only throw twice a game. I'm not sure what you are running, but look for an opportunity to create some excitement within your system. Good luck coach.
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Post by davecisar on Aug 18, 2007 11:05:42 GMT -6
Coach,
I may be able to shed some light on why your kids lack sticktoitiveness. This theory was shared with me by a very successful High School inner-city coach last year. This may be a bit contoversial, but Im just repeating what he told me, it may or may not have merit: I came from a lower middle class blue collar area. Most of the people here worked hard, blue collar guys and women about 95% two parent families, lots of Eastern Europeans very well kept homes etc. Now the neighborhood is deteriorating, crime, not kept up like it used to etc Demographics have changed.
Fo the most part, those that have worked hard and made good choices have left the neighborhood, those that have done neither havent. My old High School buddies that were go-getters have all moved to the suburbs. Meanwhile my olds slacker High School buddies are for the most part still in the neighborhood.
This coach beleives that because the kids here now have not seen hard work, good decision making and sacrifice modeled in front of them, they lack much motivation or ability to overcome obstacles. They quit easily and have very little parental support to push them at home. he beleives that the hard working motivated parents have moved on and out and taken these kids that have seen great decisions and hard work with them.
This once proud program fell into a consistent funk of fielding very small squads, 1/3 to 1/5 the number of kids going out for ball at this school vs schools in the very same classification. Now since they have a rep for losing, very few kids come out and with fairly liberal enrollment rules, the good players go elsewhere. We used to draw 6,000-10,000 fans, they now draw about 500.
In a school of 1600 kids I saw this school suit up 14 kids in a Forsh game vs over 55 on the other team. I saw a second game where they suited 13 vs 73.
At the varsity level Omaha South Vs Milllard North, I saw South Suit up 26 kids vs 105 for Millard North. Some pretty wild numbers to have to live with.
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Post by phantom on Aug 18, 2007 12:52:15 GMT -6
I don't subscribe to the theory. Our school is in a similar setting and we have tough, hard working kids and have had success. Now, we don't have a lot of them. We have, I think, something like 45 on varsity (AAA school, largest classification in the state) but they're the RIGHT kids. The wrong ones weed themselves out in the off season or early in 2-a-days.
There has to be consequences to missing practice unexcused. Work is NOT an excuse. Players are NOT trainers. They do not decide for themselves when they're too sick or hurt to go.
Flex's kids have a loser's mentality. I've been there. My first year at another school we had a single-digit turnout for an 8 AM practice on Labor Day. No problem. We made calls and sent out kids with cars to drag their a$$es in. Practice didn't start until 10 but the majority were there and we did practice.
What I'm saying is keep them working. Emphasize the offseason. Work them hard at practice but keep it football. Hold them accountable. While you're doing that give them lessons about work ethic. Put up signs. Talk to them about it constantly. Take time to show them a movie sometimes (preferably during the offseason but, in Flex's case, skipping a practice for this wouldn't be an unpardonable sin)-"Miracle", "Remember the Titans", or "Cinderalla Man" would be good- about the value of work ethic and tenacity.
Flex, you have a chance to change these kids's lives.
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Post by ttowntiger on Aug 18, 2007 12:57:21 GMT -6
I think you need to make it clear that if they don't practice, they won't play. If it happens several times, they're gone. It's tough, but sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and play with fewer players. I'd rather have 19 who are dedicated and have great work ethic and chemistry than 32 when nearly half of them don't care. You will be better off in the long run. There is a team here in Alabama- Pike Co. HS in Brundige that never has more than 18-22 players. But the ones they have can PLAY! They are dominant in 3A and would be good in 5A. Last year, they played a scrimmage game against Charles Henderson of Troy, a good 5A program and beat them. So don't give up just because your numbers are small.
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Post by CoachJohnsonMN on Aug 18, 2007 16:29:46 GMT -6
Flex--you better listen to everything that has been said because this advice is pin-point accurate. Put this advice into action, be persistent, and give it time. I am in year six in a program that suffered through the same garbage you are discussing, and we finally witnessed the attitude conform to our liking last season. We have our lowest numbers this season but there is not one weak link (at least in terms of attitude). It takes time.
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Post by tiger46 on Aug 18, 2007 16:49:17 GMT -6
"....so we had 19 kids in uniform at the end of practice, couldn't run team D so we just ran gassers."
Coach, I coach youth football in a poor neighborhood. I, also, have to deal with kids missing practices more than they should. I'm sure coaching HS kids is more difficult. In this case, you may want to take a different approach with the players that stayed at practice. You made the kids that stayed at practice and stayed in uniform to the end go through something that they find to be grueling and monotonous. And, when the kids that missed practice or, didn't finish the practice, ask, "What did I miss?"
Your players that stick it out to the end can only answer with, "Gassers." That's not going to make the kids that stayed continue to want to stay. And, it's not going to make the kids that skipped want to start showing up.
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Post by tiger46 on Aug 18, 2007 22:50:46 GMT -6
I have no doubts that HS football is different than youth football. I have no inkling about the amount of time and effort it takes to run a HS football program. I have much respect for those that do it.
What I'm talking about is targeting the right players to correct a problem.
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Post by dacoachmo on Aug 19, 2007 19:27:05 GMT -6
players must make up conditioning for missed practice...excused is make-up...unexcused is DOUBLE!
never run the kids that stayed...19 is enough to work 7 on 7 OR inside run...heavy on lineman do inside run...heavy on skinnys run 7 on 7.
I have been there done that. the only thing that I would have changed was to run more option football.
Listen to this guys they know their s$%^.
Lastly I would say run the ball,shorten the game and keep the score down. if the games are not blow outs then hopefully you keep your job.
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Post by gacoach on Aug 20, 2007 12:31:14 GMT -6
I Heck we've even got one kid who's mother was a prostitute, who's doing life without parole, has no clue who his father is, lives with grandma on federal child support, has 4 shirts, 2 pairs of pants, 1 pair of shoes and sometimes doesn't get to eat. You think that kid's life is going to be benefitted by us letting him coast? He needs to take the "IF IT'S TO BE, IT'S UP TO ME" saying to heart because he is 100% on his own. Coach, it sounds like this young man is not on his own because he's part of a team......your team. |
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Post by gacoach on Aug 21, 2007 7:23:46 GMT -6
I Heck we've even got one kid who's mother was a prostitute, who's doing life without parole, has no clue who his father is, lives with grandma on federal child support, has 4 shirts, 2 pairs of pants, 1 pair of shoes and sometimes doesn't get to eat. You think that kid's life is going to be benefitted by us letting him coast? He needs to take the "IF IT'S TO BE, IT'S UP TO ME" saying to heart because he is 100% on his own./quote] Coach, it sounds like this young man is not on his own because he's part of a team......your team. True, and we do look out for him. Perhaps I should add into that whole story about that particular kid...he is a 4.0 student, great great kid, never misses weights or practice. He was voted by his teammates to be a Captain as a Junior. and even though we have quite a few kids who are coming from some pretty bad situations, when he speaks they listen and if they don't listen it's going to be confrontational. I agree with what you said, he isn't "on his own" we look out for him, coaches take him to eat, bring him lunch during 2-A-Days, will take him to the Mall and buy him clothes and shoes, we will get him into school somewhere and we'll make sure it's paid for. He's not a D1 kid, but he's a good enough football player to get a D2 or at least a NAIA scholarship, plus his grades are good enough to go academic if it comes down to it. But there is NO guidance or push from the home side of things. Coach, it sounds like the kid has a BIG family and you guys are doing great work with him. He also sounds like one of those kids who is succeeding in spite of......... Good luck to your team this year. |
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Post by fbcoach33 on Aug 21, 2007 8:24:30 GMT -6
I will say this, it will be a test of wills, yours vs the slacker kids, you cannot give in to it or the slacking crew will grow, you will have to cut some kids loose, but once you loose a couple most of the rest will fall in line, remember, what good does it do to have 32 kids if 10 can come and go as they please, maybe you only have 25 but they are all there for the right reason, you will turn things around much quicker. You cannot let them see you frustration, build with the positive kids, cut the weak loose.
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Post by deaux68 on Aug 21, 2007 8:53:56 GMT -6
I will also add this to all the great advice you are getting.....
It ain't going to get great over night. We took a stand last year before a big region game. A kid smarted off to a coach, decided he was done for the day, all that good stuff. Well we played a freshman at corner that Friday and he got torched twice.
The point was made though. The kid that smarted off never stepped on the field that night. The next Sunday he came in to talk to us. He aplogized to the coach and to us, but the hardest thing he had to do was apologize to the team. As big a turd as he was the kids on the team looked up to him. He broke down crying in front of them and apologized it was really more than we could ask for.
Things have been a lot better since that butt whipping we took that night. This summer was great. We had 6 am workouts during the spring semester before school and 80 percent of the kids came to it. We had 6 am and 8 am workouts during the summer and we ran the turds off, most of them anyway.
It won't happen overnight, but somewhere down the road you will see it all come together and have a great sense of pride and joy.
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Post by lukethadrifter on Aug 22, 2007 18:28:07 GMT -6
Your offseason program is a great way to build confidence in players when they improve in certain lifts and agility drills that you test in. There is nothing like winning to build confidence in kids. You start having some success, and the kids will start to believe in the program and their coaches big time. Third, kids will be motivated and will practice and play harder when they have coaches who are highly motivated and organized. Luke
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Post by coachjim on Aug 24, 2007 0:03:14 GMT -6
I like Luke's point of view. Here are a few things that worked for us:
*Don't fall into the discipline harder to motivate trap. Try incentives. Turn problem individuals into leaders by giving them more responsibility and leadership over others (I know it sounds crazy but it works.)
*Personalize plays to some of your personnel, such as the Dave Pass or Steward 29 Sweep. It will give them another reason that they have to be there, some more responsibility, and some ownership into the team.
*Do not punish as a team, rather punish the individual. In normal conditions, this might not always be advisable. In a situation such as yours, with such a small team, the only two things you have going for you (hopefully) are heart and team. You can't have that if one or two kids are ruining it for the others.
*You can't be both the good cop and the bad cop. It can't be done. If a disciplinary approach is hard, and for some types of individuals it is, than bring in a DC that is balls to the walls mad dog mean. I don't mean that he makes them do bear crawls all day, I mean someone they will listen to and respect. Then come up with some great new offense, be prepared, and talk it up. They will respect you as a HC for other reasons, including your expertise.
*Cut out the things that they screw up all the time that gets them yelled at. We had a Oline that always ran to the fence for going off sides. What did I do, got rid of fancy cadences and now they haven't ran to the fence once; saves practice time. Pick your battles. I have only one battle that I wage: Execution and effort. If the huddle isn't perfect, than the huddle isn't perfect. But the plays must be! One step at a time. One thing at a time.
*Praise, game balls, practice balls for the best effort, tags, pizza... all great incentives. If they are as down and out as you say, football needs to be different; a place to go to get away from the streets, where there is respect, praise, reward, and good values.
*Instill in them a sense of team pride. I spelled out the word football and asked the players to tell me what each letter stands for. When we got to the last "L" one of the kids answered, honestly and correctly, "Legends." I couldn't believe he had gotten that one right. This isn't the pros and i'm not sure if you are HS or youth but regardless, now is the time that they can make legends of themselves on the field. It is something only they can do and strive for (to be the best) it can't be beaten into them but it can be beaten out of them. Stories of past running backs with great records, kids named bus or tank, team history facts, and other stuff will give them all a sense of team but more importantly, that they can make a difference and perhaps even go down in the youth history books (at least among their peers or HS chat rooms) This seems to appeal to youth now-adays; living forever, especially inner city kids that don't think they will live to twenty.
Will your team run all over you if you do some of the things we have done? I doubt it. From day one we have instilled in them heart, team, and effort. Because of these things, discipline is no longer a factor. Xbox is just too fun to compete with these days. We excersize and drill to get down the fundamentals and keep them safe and fit. Otherwise, it's all about them wanting to be there so the focus is more on repping the O and D plays over and over.
The only advice that I can give (which seems drastically different than most other posts) is get them to want to be there. Try some Spread Offense or throw in a couple really cool looking plays. Incentives, praise, team spirit and FUN = effort = heart = winning, the last necessary ingredient. Don't be inconsistent or change a plan you have already set forth, but other things can be added and built around it to make it work.
Just my two cents.
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