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Post by coachlock on Oct 25, 2006 18:54:52 GMT -6
I will be finishing my second year at my current school in a couple of weeks. Currently we are 1 and 8. Here are some of the issues I am trying to address. First, we are an affluent school with very few athletes. In fact, all 11 teams we play have better natural players than we do. Our kids are somewhat soft because of their upbringing. I spent the entire off-season last year trying to make kids tougher and more committed to the program. It doesn't appear to have paid off at this point. Our parents love to second guess coaches, they do it to all coaches in all sports. My ad and principal will not stand up to parents and back coaches. We are a large high school but we have a tiny weightroom and noone seems committed to improving it. I know this sounds very negative, but this is what I am dealing with. How do you address these issues and get things turned around. The year before I arrived the school had a good year so know I look like the idiot running the program in the ground to a lot of people. I am at my wits end.
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Post by olinecoach61 on Oct 25, 2006 18:59:44 GMT -6
From an offensive point of view, I would run the option. As a coach in similar circumstances, the option neutralizes some of your opponents athletes. You have to keep trying to convert as many people to your program as possible. Next season starts in the weightroom as you know. Find a way to get kids into it. We set up goal boards, hand out t shirts for reaching certain goals, etc.
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Post by coachjblair on Oct 25, 2006 19:02:32 GMT -6
It sounds like the key here is to try and implement the best strength and conditioning program fro your players. I know a lot of programs that use mostly free weights. I also would try and implement a very good speed and agility program. If I was you I would spend the off-season revamping your S&C program so that it would better fit your players and the equipment you have. I think if you do this and reward the players that work hard in the weight room then you will see an improvement in the quality of athletes you have, and how mentally tough your athletes are.
Just my two cents worth. Also please not I have not seen your S&C program so you might already have a good system.
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Post by groundchuck on Oct 25, 2006 19:19:01 GMT -6
I will be finishing my second year at my current school in a couple of weeks. Currently we are 1 and 8. Here are some of the issues I am trying to address. First, we are an affluent school with very few athletes. In fact, all 11 teams we play have better natural players than we do. Our kids are somewhat soft because of their upbringing. I spent the entire off-season last year trying to make kids tougher and more committed to the program. It doesn't appear to have paid off at this point. Our parents love to second guess coaches, they do it to all coaches in all sports. My ad and principal will not stand up to parents and back coaches. We are a large high school but we have a tiny weightroom and noone seems committed to improving it. I know this sounds very negative, but this is what I am dealing with. How do you address these issues and get things turned around. The year before I arrived the school had a good year so know I look like the idiot running the program in the ground to a lot of people. I am at my wits end. What kind of things are you in control of? Is the coaching staff as you would like it? Can you make changes there if needed? Will the admin hire teachers who will coach? What is you gut telling you? Trust it. I spent 5 seasons taking a practically dead program and got it to a point where it was on life support. Problem was I was the life support system. I cared more than anyone in town. It was a community that loses in every sport and then blames all the coaches. There was little to no admin support when it came to discipline, dealing with parents and hiring coaches. Even though we would take one step forward things I could not control were forcing us to take two steps back. It finally got to a point where I read the writing on the wall and bailed before I completely burned out. Every situation is different and I don't know all the details of yours. Good luck. |
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Post by coachjd on Oct 25, 2006 19:48:55 GMT -6
Can you revamp the wgt room?? Maybe you need to spearhead the fundraising and equip the room to your needs, have the kids help and make them feel like they have ownership in that room. A lot of places have made a living selling kids on the concept that there wgt room is the pit, or the dungeon, etc... but that sounds like it would not work with your kids. I would organize a a painting crew and get the room painted. (paint is cheap) and I would talk to the art teachers and find some students who will paint school logos, quotes, etc... Are there any business in town that would help with the fundraising for equipement. We built our own platforms for cleans and found 3 used squat racks in great condition from another school for 100.00 a piece.
Hang in there coach. Find out what you have control over and go from there. There are a lot of things we as coaches have no control over and we tend to spend a lot of time trying to change those things. Rome was not built in a day. Keep plugging along. Best of luck coach.
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Post by fbdoc on Oct 25, 2006 20:03:45 GMT -6
As groundchuck and coachjd said - focus on the things over which you have control. If you feel you can make a difference then you should stick around. If, on the other hand, the obstacles of turning the program around are simply too great, you may need to look for a new program. You are the only one that can make that evaluation. Start by building relationships with your returning players. Get them to buy into your plan - offseason, track, summer camp - whatever you feel is workable in your situation. It's hard to build loyalty and trust in just two seasons but if the players are on your side, the journey will be a lot more enjoyable.
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juice10
Sophomore Member
Posts: 200 
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Post by juice10 on Oct 26, 2006 8:32:23 GMT -6
Coach,
I know where you are coming from. I took over a program that has won 37 games in 27 years. Keep in mind that in a two year period they won 16 games. So take that out and you have 21 wins in 25 years.
Some of you are probably wondering why I would take this over. Well, I often wonder why sometimes too; however, I have always been one to take on a challenge. These past two seasons that I have been the HC, there has been many issues that I thought I would never see and have to deal with. But I deal with it as things come up and keep telling myself that this has been allowed for many years before I got here and it is my job to not tolerate some of the "bad" things that happen here.
What keeps me going is the great advice from some great coaches here and some of the progress that I am making here. Everyone seems to focus on W/L, but I can not do that here right now. I am not saying that this is not important, because I HATE to lose, but there are other things that I try to spend more time praising and preaching. One of the biggest obstacles here is dedication and work ethic. When I first got here as a teacher and a Middle School coach, I would watch varsity games on Friday nights and watch the kids play "dirty" and "cheap" when they were losing which often times was very early in the first quarter. They also "Quit" trying shortly after that. So the coaches and myself put forth a great effort on preaching character, effort, and desire. One of the saying we put our hat on was by John Wooden "86,400". 86,400 represents seconds in a day and that you can't take any of those back so make the most of what you have.
We were able to win 2 games this year and that is a huge step for us and the program. We now have to focus on next year getting our kids bigger, faster, and stronger. Stay as positive as you can and keep "chugging" away because you WILL make a difference with these kids in the long run. Make them better people and ultimately better football players.
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