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Post by bigspicy on May 28, 2015 9:29:37 GMT -6
IMHO, quitters could be more on you as a coach and not the athletes.
1. Are they quitting bc you're the a-hole on the staff and you are going above and beyond to make sure that they know who you are and what you are capable of?
or...
2. are they quitting bc they do not like all of the newly enforced rules which they were allowed to get by with in the past and are no longer allowed to do so?
or...
3. are they quitting bc workouts are too "hard"?
some things to think about, I have been at a program where coaches were the problem and I have also been at a program where the kids were the problem. If 1, is the situation then you might wanna cool it a lil so you do not loose some of your top athletes. if 2, then make sure you hold strong and consistent with punishments issued. if 3, then do not necessarily change the "hard" workouts but think about breaking up the same routine with something that is still challenging but maybe seen as more "fun" by the athletes.
BTW, I have also been part of a program in which the HC lost coaching spots bc there were not enough kids to justify needing that many coaches.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on May 28, 2015 10:24:50 GMT -6
I posted earlier on this thread, but gathered some more thoughts on this:
I feel that if kids are quitting during the season then I haven't really set the tone well enough in the offseason. IMO our offseason should be WAY more demanding than our actual season from a physical standpoint. Someone pointed out the concept of "common suffering builds a team" and I truly believe in that. To me, football is not suffering- no part of football is suffering; drills are making me better, conditioning is giving me an edge on my opponent, film study is making me sharper etc... If a kid quits because our off-season stuff is too demanding then I just need to question whether he really wanted to do this thing or not. That is neither a reflection (good or bad) on our program or myself.
I don't keep anything secret from the kids- they know what we're going to do and how we're going to do it. They are either on board with that or they leave. Hopefully they leave in the offseason so I don't have to chase them down for equipment/obligations etc...
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Post by fantom on May 28, 2015 10:54:12 GMT -6
I posted earlier on this thread, but gathered some more thoughts on this: I feel that if kids are quitting during the season then I haven't really set the tone well enough in the offseason. IMO our offseason should be WAY more demanding than our actual season from a physical standpoint. Someone pointed out the concept of "common suffering builds a team" and I truly believe in that. To me, football is not suffering- no part of football is suffering; drills are making me better, conditioning is giving me an edge on my opponent, film study is making me sharper etc... If a kid quits because our off-season stuff is too demanding then I just need to question whether he really wanted to do this thing or not. That is neither a reflection (good or bad) on our program or myself. I don't keep anything secret from the kids- they know what we're going to do and how we're going to do it. They are either on board with that or they leave. Hopefully they leave in the offseason so I don't have to chase them down for equipment/obligations etc... I agree with this. If a kid quits because of the offseason program is too hard that's on him. I believe in easing into the offseason starting easy and getting progressively harder. When you start out (And I'm saying that you do this. It's just a general comment.) with Crossfit stuff or mat drills or killer "finsihers" the new kids, especially the young kids, who are on the fence may wonder what the hell they're getting into. I believe that progressively increasing the "degree of difficulty" does two things: 1. The new guys are in better shape and can handle the tough stuff better. 2. As the newbies get to know the guys and start seeing results they're more invested and less likely to walk away.
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Post by eaglemountie on May 28, 2015 11:12:09 GMT -6
I just told all "prospects" at our football meeting that football is hard and not for everyone but the rewards are more than worth it. If it isn't for you then that is fine just don't drag out a lie to coaching staff or the players. No hard feelings.
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Post by windigo on May 28, 2015 13:46:45 GMT -6
Classic last words of average football coaches.
'My best players .... '
Your best players are natural athletes. They really don't need you. Your success or failure as a coach is measured by how you develop the guys who aren't your best players.
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Post by coachd5085 on May 28, 2015 19:14:15 GMT -6
Classic last words of average football coaches. 'My best players .... ' Your best players are natural athletes. They really don't need you. Your success or failure as a coach is measured by how you develop the guys who aren't your best players. It is a solid point. You can win your district/league/1st tier championship by having really good "best players". If the expectations of your program are greater than that, you need to ensure you have pretty darn good players who are your "worst" players.
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Post by coachmonkey on May 28, 2015 20:22:55 GMT -6
It is human nature to look for the easy way in all that we do. We are constantly seeking an easier or "better" way to do things. It is the rare individual who will go against the grain and put in the time and effort to be great.
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