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Post by hunhdisciple on Jul 16, 2015 9:18:15 GMT -6
I'm a position coach at a rural high school, and we have never really had much history. I mean, in around 50 years of playing there has been 1 good season and 1 great season. That's it.
However, our great season was last year. We've built up a program that was actually being talked about just doing away with it as few as 6 years ago.
I say that to say this, a kid moved in town over the winter from a fairly large major city in the state. His team wasn't bad, and he's extremely talented. He started immediately. Actually, as soon as I saw his Hudl film, I went ahead and thought of him as a starter at something.
He's the fastest kid on the team, has some of the best hands on the team and oozes swagger and confidence. He is a very type A person. I love kids with confidence and who are vocal about things.
He talks trash and gets in the defenders head. He lines up, tells him he's going to beat him deep and then burns him. Bad. In our level of competition that we will face, he's almost uncoverable by any corner we will see all season. But, no one likes him.
As I said, we don't have a history of winning, so we don't have kids with a ton of confidence (our current seniors didn't have a winning record at any level until they were sophomores). His confidence comes from the success he has known on teams and individually.
But, none of his teammates like him. They block for him, he'll get the ball, but they hate him. I hear this at least twice every day "Coach, he's just toooooo arrugunt! Thurs a line tween coffidense nn airguns. I ont like em. N I ont like his mouth he got on em."
How do I handle this problem? I'm on the loud kids side. He out works everyone every day and is one of our best players. He makes us worlds better and stretches the field beyond belief. I try and let the other players know that there isn't anything wrong with confidence bordering on arrogance when you can back it up, and that every great player has that confidence. They love Richard Sherman, but not my guy. How do I fix this?
How do I keep this from getting to be a bigger problem? I don't want to temper his attitude, I want it to rub off on everyone else. After 3 months, I'm seeking help from somebody. Thanks.
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Post by rsmith627 on Jul 16, 2015 9:28:41 GMT -6
You can't force them to like him. I don't think it's a big problem as long as they'll block for him. I don't really know how to deal with this honestly. The kid has a winner's attitude. I don't know if I like all the trash talking though.
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Post by natenator on Jul 16, 2015 9:38:17 GMT -6
Here's the only thing those kids need to know:
Does he show up to practice?
Is he in the weight room with them?
Does he give 100%?
Does he listen to his coaches?
Does he respect his team?
Does he respect his teammates?
Does he respect the coaches.
If yes to those questions then that's ALL I would care about and WOULD make it a point to highlight these things over his perceived 'arrogance' when talking to these other players.
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Post by kcbazooka on Jul 16, 2015 9:51:58 GMT -6
i would agree with rsmith - why would you allow the kid to trash talk. If he doesn't mouth off to his teammates and he acknowledges that the game isnt all about him - i don't see much problem.
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Post by fantom on Jul 16, 2015 9:55:43 GMT -6
I played high school, college, semi-pro football, and club rugby. I've coached for 35 years. All of that means that I've been a part of a lot of teams. I've never been a part of one where everybody liked each other. Sometimes the best player has been the least popular. As others have said, as long as they block for him it doesn't matter.
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Post by 42falcon on Jul 16, 2015 10:00:31 GMT -6
Teammates don't need to like each other they just need to respect each other & understand they have a need for that person. Even if that need is catching a football. Hence why this game is so important at developing young boys into men.
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Post by hunhdisciple on Jul 16, 2015 10:34:16 GMT -6
Clarification: It's not negative trash talking or anything derogatory. He lines up, points at his corner and tell him "Don't let me beat you deep. Don't let me burn you. I've got a hitch and go, don't bite on it. I know you can't cover me, so I'm trying to help you out." And then he beats his man on what he just told him. Then he smiles, gives him a pat on the back and says something friendly or positive. He's never said anything that I would feel is hurtful, and he doesn't pick on kids.
And, I guess I'm not really trying to get them to like him more than I'm just trying to get them to BE like him. Our kids have a tendency to emulate the people they like on the team more than those they dislike.
Maybe I'm making too big a deal out of this, but I've always had kids who get along and don't openly hate somebody. But I've also never had talented kids like this.
And I appreciate the feed back from everybody.
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Post by kcbazooka on Jul 16, 2015 10:49:57 GMT -6
My preference is that I don't want my players to talk to the opponents. Agreed that is great if the players like each other but not a necessity.
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Post by shocktroop34 on Jul 16, 2015 11:47:49 GMT -6
First of all, congrats on inheriting an impact player. Not all of us can say something like that has ever happened. I have, and know what a good feeling it is.
Second, I know, and don't mind the kind of trash talk you have referred to. In fact, it is much more positive in its intent than many might realize.
Forgive me if I'm incorrect, and I'm just making an inference, but I think that player might sense that his teammates lack mental toughness or confidence (in a general fashion). So, his "trash talk" is a way to keep them mentally in-tune. Just my thought.
In regard to the OP, the fact of the matter is that he is not going to play any less just because his teammates don't like him. I would approach things in a few different ways:
1) Talk to the player (you may have already done this). Is he aware of how they feel about him? If so, what is his reaction? If he knows this, you may want to find some ways where he can endear himself to his teammates.
2) Do they smile in his face in school, and talk bad about him regarding football? If so, this is an issue the team needs to reflect on. It does not reflect a team with very much character (again, if this happens to be the case).
3) Create some team building exercises where the team can share things about themselves. Where they can let their guard down and feel comfortable talking to one another. (i.e. players go home tonight and think about sharing one thing about yourself that no one really knows.) I do this in English class, and it is very effective if they take it seriously. You find out personal things that bring people closer together.
4) Another exercise that I've done is, pair up players in groups of two or three and they say one positive about each other at the end of practice. It takes all of 60 seconds and they're off to the locker room and headed home.
5) Another one is to circle the team up and hold hands. Start with one player and have him say something positive (either about practice, athletic ability, effort, or generally speaking) about the guy to his (left). That way, other teammates will start to learn to see him in a more positive light. And they will hear him speak positively about them as well.
Not everybody is in to "touchy feely" stuff, but it just sounds like there is a gap that needs to be bridged together. Whatever issues exist, between he and his teammates, may also be hurdles holding back the progress of the whole team.
Just food for thought.
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Post by dubber on Jul 16, 2015 14:00:57 GMT -6
Does it effect the on the field performance of anyone?
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Post by spartan on Jul 16, 2015 18:18:28 GMT -6
Girls need to like each other to play together, boys don't. But maybe a heart to heart with him about personal conduct and waht colleges are looking for and not talking trash as this doesn't help the team might help.
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coachpsl
Sophomore Member
“Don’t Cuss. Don’t argue with officials. And don’t lose the game.” -John Heisman
Posts: 197
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Post by coachpsl on Jul 16, 2015 18:44:22 GMT -6
Sounds like you have a good one, unpopular opinion here but I actually don't mind a little jawing especially if he isn't being negative towards his teammates.
Don't get me wrong though, he does need to know he represents us and our community. Here is a good question, does he block for his teammates? Does he pout if he doesn't get the ball? Does he encourage them if he is not in getting reps? They don't need to have sleepovers and be best buddies, but they do need to know his is there teammate above all else. If he will encourage his teammates and block for other guys, then I bet those same guys who think he's arrogant start to really like having him around.
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Post by gators1422 on Jul 16, 2015 20:17:51 GMT -6
Sounds to me the problem lies more with the school and the kids you coach than the new kid. You said they have NEVER had success and those kids know it. They are probably intimidated by this kid who is in fact better than them and will let them know. How about instead of complaining that he told you he would beat you and then did it, get better. I love the kids attitude based on what you have described, I want every kid we have the team to feel the same way and we have created that same culture. We play a team that has 3 major D1 kids on their defensive line (2 top 200 in the US kids). I have heard our guys tell those kids on team, " How bad do you want to lose" " We'll rush for 300 yards on the All Americans ". And to my surprise those kids just take it. Granted we have had a lot of success but they have far better people, but our kids don't accept what someone else says they should be. It sounds like he has been around a culture of winning and doesn't want to accept less than that.
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Post by utchuckd on Jul 16, 2015 20:39:48 GMT -6
As long as you keep having great seasons the team will probably make it through. Soon as things get sideways it could get ugly. I think the key brought up by others in this thread is how is he when it's not his ball? Does he block? Carry out good fakes? Pump up his teammates if he's not in? The answer to these gives you how to handle it, imo. If he blocks, fakes, helps teammates, that's what you point out to them. If not, you point that out to him.  |
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Post by coachphillip on Jul 17, 2015 8:01:21 GMT -6
A group of betas intimidated by an alpha. Not surprised.
You do need to talk to the kid though about how he comes off to the rest of the team. If he's really a winner, he'll understand he needs to be a little more positive. The biggest factor in whether kids like a trash talking, confident WR/DB is how he reacts when things are stacked up against you. That's when you find out if he's an "I" guy or a "We" guy. He may be trash talking and having fun because he's the best guy there and he knows it. When you guys get behind against a good team, are you still going to visualize him as being a winner or is he going to turn his back on his new team? If you guys put them in an adverse situation and he picks up his teammates, make sure you praise him up in front of the whole group for it. That'll do some good
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Post by airraider on Jul 20, 2015 19:57:45 GMT -6
A HIGHLY recruited kid out of Louisiana this coming year is the same way... kids and coaches do not like him from what I hear. Sometimes people get tired of feeling like they are simply playing a back up role in the movie of another person's life... and when that person does his part in enhancing that environment, then it only gets worse.
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