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Post by nltdiego on Dec 8, 2013 21:47:09 GMT -6
Coaches,
I will be conducting my first banquet as a HC this year. I have been part of two programs and have seen two different coaches run a banquet differently:
Coach A - Freshman, JV and Varsity together. All parents listen to each program and kids. Varsity goes longer as each kid is spoken about at varsity level. This is usually a long time and I noticed parents seemed bored.
Coach B- All levels but HC of each level talk briefly and hands out award. Quick and to the point. Parents complained that each kid should be spoken about.
Coaches: what is you philosophy on running a banquet? Tips? Words of advice?
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Post by coachjps on Dec 8, 2013 22:56:42 GMT -6
Ours is A: JV and Freshman, get called up for the school's participation award, but no talking about each individual kid. Varsity, each player get's called up, and a coach presents a brief highlight of player's accomplishment/benefit to the team. We like this approach trying to keep the entire team as part of the football family.
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Post by bleefb on Dec 9, 2013 0:54:04 GMT -6
Both teams together (no frosh team) no talking about each kid with JV, introduced varsity team with a slideshow set to music instead of talking about each kid, did various team awards, finished with 15 minute HUDL Highlight video. We just had cake afterwards, no dinner. Both teams done in about one hour and fifteen minutes not counting lingering for cake and small talk. Haven't heard of any complaints.
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Post by realdawg on Dec 9, 2013 5:13:07 GMT -6
All teams together. JV get names called out to get certificate. Then underclass man varsity get called out to get certificate and a few words. Then seniors get called out get certificate and mini helmet we give them. Then we do awards.
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Post by mrjvi on Dec 9, 2013 5:45:20 GMT -6
We have our banquet during the week before our last scheduled game. It makes it more of a pep rally rather than a saddish atmosphere. It's worked great for the last 3 years. Got some resistance at 1st but the kids loved it. When you have the kids convinced of stuff, you are set.
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Post by jlenwood on Dec 9, 2013 7:28:27 GMT -6
Keep it short, only speak about the seniors. The reality is that 90% of the kids and probably 99% of the parents don't want to be there, (unless you just won a state championship or came really close!).
Every year I have had to go watch one of my kids awards banquet I have dreaded it, even when I was coaching my kids. And my kids have dreaded them also. I think schools would be better off if they gave a coach a couple of hundred bucks to go buy pizza and tell the parents they can show up if they want, but it is mostly for the players, and we are going to eat some pie, pass out your letters and what not, and then be done.
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Post by s73 on Dec 9, 2013 7:37:46 GMT -6
We meet together for refreshments first and then I talk about each TEAM briefly and introduce the staff. Then we split up after that. I figure that way I can talk about all levels and reinsert our goals, philosophy etc.
Then we give out numerous awards to the varsity, then call each individual up w/o really talking about each one but introduce them at the end as a team. Conclude w/ a high light video.
Only complaint I got this year was no dinner. However, we did dinner last year & it cost us $500. Not looking to do that when we're still working on affording essentials.
Out of curiosity, how many of you serve food and what type? Dessert, dinner, ice cream social?
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Post by coachphillip on Dec 9, 2013 14:47:48 GMT -6
Frosh/Soph: very casual BBQ where we pass out awards, position coaches talk about each kid, and eat while watching a highlight tape. Our varsity head coach came and spoke at the beginning.
Var: banquet is far more formal. Highlight tape and slide show while we eat a restaurant. Each kid gets talked about and awards are given out. Varsity players, coaches, and family only.
I like having the split approach for our situation. In Northern California kids only play on either the JV or the varsity and once the kid plays varsity then he can't play JV again. Our JV parents don't care about the varsity and vice versa.
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Post by cqmiller on Dec 9, 2013 15:51:41 GMT -6
Neither...
We get it catered, eat food, then we hand out team awards to individuals who earned them, followed by all players having their names read to come up and pickup their certificate of participation or varsity letter. One big round of applause for the "2013 Team", then we play the HL Video.
Less than 2 hours total, food takes about 45 minutes, HL video about 30 minutes, and everything else done in less than 45.
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Post by coachjm on Dec 9, 2013 19:33:22 GMT -6
Our parents organize the entire function, video's, pictures, food, ect. We (coaches) set up the awards presentation. We tell the parents it is entirely up to them on how formal or informal they want the event to be that we will handle the awards in the same manner either way. We have 7-12th grade football and cheerleading there. We inform everyone at the beginning that the night is about honoring our seniors and that when the your son has earned this they will be honored in a special light as well. We have each HC 7th, 8th, JV, and me for Underclassman on the varsity come up talk briefly about their season then hand out award by calling up the whole team and then each individual name. Then for Seniors each position coach introduces and honors each senior, the Senior then does a Senior speech 1-2 minute presentation about their experience. This is by far the best part of the whole thing, kids take pride in it, parents want to hear their children talk not the coaches, and coaches get to relive some fine memories from the kids perspective...
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Post by shocktroop34 on Dec 9, 2013 19:50:17 GMT -6
In college we had a table for the seniors in front and parallel to where the coaches were sitting (wedding style). Seniors said a few words. It was always the most special time of the night. I haven't held a banquet in a few years, but when I do I will make sure to let the seniors have their moment.
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Post by jg78 on Dec 10, 2013 7:20:27 GMT -6
Our banquet includes volleyball, XC, and cheerleading, so that's all the more reason for me to keep it short and sweet. What I do is talk for a couple of minutes about the team's accomplishments, then I pass out the certificates (I don't say anything about the players), and then hand out awards - in which I do say something about the players receiving the awards.
I think what someone else said earlier about most people generally not wanting to be there is true. I don't like banquets. They're just a necessary part of the job as a coach. So I just try to get to the point and get us all out there, especially since I'm the last one up and everyone's already been there a while.
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Post by joboo59 on Dec 10, 2013 7:33:18 GMT -6
We went wish version B this year and loved it. HC did speak about each senior, they earned that respect. Nevertheless, it was still plenty long after the awards and video.
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Post by carookie on Dec 10, 2013 10:02:08 GMT -6
I think it depends on the size of your program and the interaction between the levels. If you have 100+ kids in your frosh program, and they never seven step on the same practice field as varsity then it wouldnt make too much sense to have their banquet combined with the varsity. Conversely if you are at a small school where you only have 40 kids all told and they all work together then I think you combine it.
I think the same principle applies to how much you say about the kids. Personally I just like saying things about award winners and seniors, but if you have the time and the desire you can talk about each kid.
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Post by fcboiler87 on Dec 10, 2013 10:35:46 GMT -6
At a couple places I have been we have turned on the highlight video while we are eating so that saves time from having a separate place for it in the banquet. It made things go a little more quickly.
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tackle
Sophomore Member
Posts: 129
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Post by tackle on Dec 10, 2013 21:09:13 GMT -6
When I was in high school, booster club had a fall sports banquet. Booster club sold bbq plates in the cafeteria. Meal was for all fall sports. It drew a big crowd. Coaches had nothing to do but eat. At a given time, AD would send all sports to a designated spot on campus for awards. Awards went fairly quick.
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Post by tmtfootball on Dec 11, 2013 8:20:16 GMT -6
We are a small school but our banquet is all levels 7-12 (about 90-100 football players). We normally have our junior coaches present a few small awards like leadership, most improved, and most dedicated. Each junior high player is given a small gift (t-shirt, shorts, etc.) Then the HC recognizes the underclassmen. Same deal presentation of a small gift along with varsity letter(if they earned one). Don't normally talk much about the underclassmen, unless there is a funny story to tell. The seniors each get personally recognized and receive gifts from our booster club (hoodie and mini football helmet). Then awards are presented to the varsity players. After that closing remarks from HC and the highlight video is put on while the food is served. Presentation takes 45-60 minutes and meal is 45 minutes. In and out in 2 hours.
We feel it is important to honor our seniors at the banquet because the have put the time in and deserve it.
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nhs40
Freshmen Member
Posts: 64
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Post by nhs40 on Dec 11, 2013 8:59:44 GMT -6
I just finished my 4th season as HC and I have been part of 3 different banquet philosophies in my time at this school. I have had good success with the following banquet format. We have a dessert only banquet. As parents and players arrive, I have our highlight DVD playing. At the "set" start time, I pause the DVD and invite everyone to get something to eat. While people are in line and eating, I continue the DVD for about 15 to 30 minutes (based on how long it takes everyone to get through the line). While people are eating, I begin the presentation of awards. We give all awards as a large group. By that I mean that I will call up each athlete by name, but ask everyone to hold their applause until all athletes are present. We go through participation awards, first year letters, second year awards, third year awards, and if applicable, fourth year awards. I make general statements about the group, sometimes sharing a funny story about several of them, or the group as a whole. Finally, we end with our league, district, and coaches association awards followed by our team "special" awards (this is the time where I get to single out individuals and discuss their impact on our team and recognize what they have done). I thank everyone for coming, and we are done. From inviting everyone to eat to me being completely done talking is about an hour and forty-five minutes (we had 44 athletes this year). I talked for about 45 minutes of this year's banquet, the remaining hour was waiting on people to eat and watching the highlight DVD. I understand people want to see their sons, but nobody wants it to be a marathon.
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