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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 17, 2009 8:47:44 GMT -6
My biggest psycho dad is gone.. His son got a scholarship (Thank god!!) and we are done. Son is great but dad is the most annoying blow hard you will ever meet.
Now I coach by Quantico (Marine base VA) and I would say 50% or more of my kids have a military background (Many of my parents are high ranking officers in the military). Well on Saturdays after a game the kids come in to watch film and I would notice some kids were really down. I would come up and talk to them and they would tell me how their fathers would rip into them after a game... What they did wrong, mistakes... I finally told the players do not listen to your parents they have no clue what they are talking about ( A few mothers told me the boys would snap back at their fathers they would tell them to leave them alone). These fathers are really psycho and very often hard to talk to. But I would rather have supportive parents that get TOO involved than parents who do not give a crap. Just part of the deal.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 17, 2009 7:36:58 GMT -6
We do two big fundraisers -
1. Spring - We raffle a week in Aruba (I have a timeshare there) with other items....
2. Fall - Discount cards and letter writing campaign - Between both we will walk with around $30,000.00 - $40,000.00 dollars.. Last year we made $37,000.00 off of the cards, aruba and letter writing. Letter writing and cards are through first team sports... HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
Parents help with blitzes and setting up at walmart and the such... Not much else.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 17, 2009 7:33:05 GMT -6
Good points -
Ohio and I are on the same page. I agree with how he does it 1000%!!!! He is right on the money. I also agree in most programs that it becomes a competition thing... At my school we are playing everyone "Both Ways". What this has done is reduce the amount of spots for our players... We currently have around 50 players (Mostly juniors and seniors - around 5 sophomores) competing for these 22 positions... The kicker is that our best players have two of the positions already locked up.... It makes the off-season very, very, very competitive. Players who started last year will lose their spots to hungrier and harder working people. So yes if they do not lift they do not play but also with competition we just say "next man up"...
I also have the ability to be very "Standoffish"... If I am not happy with you and I do not like what you are doing I make it very uncomfortable for you in our program. I am direct but I also like to use subtle messages - Ex: "Hey anyone see cortez today? I thought he was at school.... Hmm..." Players will run to him and tell him coach was wondering where you were and why you did not come to weights.... They begin to hold each other accountable.
What I have found is that if you are consistent with this philosophy the players that do not follow through usually quit before you have a chance to take action... They just get to the point like SCREW THIS... I do not need this guy on me and riding me I am just going to leave and get a job... Weed out the weak minded not trustworthy kids.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 15, 2009 22:13:14 GMT -6
Head 9th grade Coach - Runs them
Head JV Coach - Runs them
Strength and Conditioning Coach - Runs it
Offensive Coordinator - He runs it (Daily scripts, game plan....)
Defensive Coordinator - Call Defense (Daily practice cards, game plan, films, meeting...)
Special Teams Coordinator - Same as above
Technology Coaches (These guys help with cut ups).
Master Eligibility - He is in charge of it every year.
Technology Coaches (My two youngest coaches ) - What to order, how to use it, they help with cut ups as well...(Lap tops, computers, burners, editing software).
I am in charge with all financial aspects of the program - This includes fundraisers, booster clubs, account...).
Each Coach has an administrative duty when we report in August (They all have to collect one of our forms... Team rules, care cards, physicals, bullying and hazing forms, monthly calendar..).
I also have a coach who oversees the the equipment room.
I guess I am a true delegator (Did this from day one when I was hired as a 30 year old head coach). I believe in giving coaches ownership and the more they can carry they more they get...
I have full ownership of all aspects of the program (the playbooks are mine, the terminology is mine, weekly game plans will have my final input - adjustments).
I coach the OL and DL and I feel doing both requires great focus and attention. I assist everyone but do allow them to make the final calls (9th grade and JV staff will get specific playbooks and only run plays, formations, defense, blitzes I have delegated at that level)...
I always like to say that the assistants on our staff are just an extension of me and how I coach... All begins with our overall coaching philosophy, from there the other stuff is easy.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 15, 2009 20:24:48 GMT -6
35 years Old -
This upcoming year will be my 14th year coaching.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 15, 2009 20:21:38 GMT -6
Some points I would like to add....
My experience with coaches is that "experience" very often does not mean crap. I have had older coaches who have the most experience and they are not Worth a crap... Have had right out of college / young guys and they do all of the little things to be succesful... The one thing I do make all of my young coaches do is either volunteer or basically get "peanuts" the first year... See if they are about it... If they make it through that first year most often they are keepers (this is from my experience... These guys will line fields, administrative stuff, equipment, film exchange.... ANything!).
Now something I experienced last year at my school:
Just hired and brought some of my staff from my other school... I have the head baseball coach with football experience and he wants to coach... He is a little abrasive and in your face but he knows his stuff and wants to coach... One problem is he wants the full supplement (We did not have it)...
I have another guy email and call me... 30 years coaching former head coach... here is his quote: "Coach I read about you in the paper and it sounds like we have similar ideas in coaching. I like your philosophy. I would like to talk to you about coaching.... I do not care the position and I will WASH BALLS, LINE FIELDS, MEET ON WEEKENDS ANYTHING YOU NEED!! I do not need a supplement, I just want to coach!!
DING, DING, DING!
Well we met, hit it off great and he coached for me last year and was a HUGE addition to our staff. Ran special teams and coached our secondary but more than anything was a great sounding board (He is 50 and I am 35). He has been through what I have and gave me some great sound advice through the year. He was a keeper.
My two cents - Do no make the supplements all equal and also beware of people that always bring up money... My wife is a senior financial analyst and partner in a mergers and acquisition company (she use to work for Merril Lynch) in here world they are motivated by money.
In our world that really should not be the sole motivation. This is not business, it is coaching... If you are a "Bean Counter" this is the wrong profession to be in. These guys also have a tendency to add up everyones responsibility and what they do and do not do... I do not do well around these type of people.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 13, 2009 8:35:55 GMT -6
No 69.... That is a good one
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 8, 2009 18:36:43 GMT -6
I would say roughly 80% or more of the jobs you get for the first time require that you "CHANGE THE CULTURE"....
Now this might not ALAYS be the case but often I am sure it is... There is a reason why the job is vacant and it usually is because "Suff was not getting done tight".... Bottom line.
Some mistakes to try and avoid - 1. HIRE A LOYAL, LOYAL STAFF!!! This is a must because that first year there will be bumps on the road.
2. Stick to your philosophy and mission statement - Wins will come but you have to get the house in order first... Usually the house is very, very messy and it is going to take time to do this. Do not get caught up with how any wins you have (Check your ego at the door.... Remember it is not about YOU, it is about the kids).
3. Do not compromise you core beliefs - Stick to your guns, especially with tough decisions. Players will respect you and the message will resonate through your program for years.....
4. Run what you know - Do not out think yourself.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 5, 2009 11:13:36 GMT -6
Touchdownmaker makes some very good points...
I agree with him. I had an end of year meeting with every player in my program for 15 minutes before Thanksgiving. We started working out the Monday after Thanksgiving break (December 1st). We also worked out over Christmas break too...
Now here we are in February... Right now we have already had 29 workouts since December 1st. If I have not seen a kid by now unless he is transferring in from outside - he really is not playing. Lets focus on the good kids in the program who are busting their azz... That is who you win with. I too do not want to hear about who is missing, why......
Lets face it - If you are heading into mid February and kid is not working out and around the program is he REALLY a legit football player... I am sorry I just do not see the need for kids like that.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 5, 2009 7:12:36 GMT -6
I have stated this before but I was a student assistant in college at 22 and at 23 was the full time OL Coach at a College Program (FOur year starter on the OL at the school). I did that for 3 years and got into high school.
I got my first head job at 30 and by 34 I went to my current job (2nd year).
The college experience really looked good on my resume but what it taught me the most was: ORGANIZATION!! You have to be very, very organized to coach at that level...
I really feel like it is important to get on a program with a coach that has a solid philosophy and foundation... You can learn from that person... I do not think age is a factor...
Currently on my staff I have 3 coaches all under 23... None of them played college ball and they really were not ALL STARS either.. They are hungry young coaches who are very, very dedicated to the craft. They are like sponges and really DO IT ALL (Line fields, breakdown films, Technology, run sub level teams, administrative duties, they are really good and they GET IT!!
Again I see two of them being head coaches probably before they are 30 -35 years old. Really smart and work hard. They also connect well with our players.
I would not put an "artificial time table out there" (Broads do that when they are young... I want to be 25 years old when I get married and have kids by 26...). As you grow and learn in a program you will know when you are ready.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 4, 2009 12:12:24 GMT -6
One signed with Shepherd University in West VA.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 3, 2009 21:50:20 GMT -6
Not about the X's and O's it is the Jimmy and the Joe's..... Plus how well do you teach them their assignments and techniques...
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 3, 2009 21:11:51 GMT -6
Here's another question having to do with this thread. What if the HC only keeps the weight room open 3 hours a week during summer and a few of the kids lift with a coach on staff at the gym in town doing a football workout. Do those still count?
SHAME ON THAT COACH..... Tell that coach to coach the golf or tennis team... That is crap... Now back to the gym -
We have blue cards kids fill out and they can only be filled out at school....
Here is a suggestion (Something I am thinking about doing in the spring)..
Have a strength/Conditioning/Speed Clinic for parents. Have your strength coach present your program to the parents (philosophy, theory, lifts, kind of lifts.......).
Start with a power point presentation and then take them to the weight room and field for demonstrations.... Explain to them the theory behind explosive lifts like cleans and the such.. Squats, dead lifts, front squat, overhead squats, flexibility... core work.... Review your speed/agility and conditioning routine.....
For our program it is a big picture. 1. Phases - Strength Development 2. Power Phase 3. Core development 4. We are very, very big on explosive movements 5. Speed work 6. agility 7. Conditioning
We are on a 2 on one off... 2 on 2 off... *M-T-THR-F... There is NO way that this is getting done at some sorry / half azz gym... I do not care about trainers...blah, blah, blah...
Now I am fortunate - My current strength coach and former strength coach are both CSCS certified and both worked with professional sports teams...
Also our parents are aware that it is an "unwritten rule" ... If you do not workout with the team and fill out blue cards - I will ride you, push, prod and eventually the other members of the team (Peer pressure) will basically vote you off the island without me having to do it...... No way this kid will last... No way...
Again I do not want to hear "he is a great player... Bull"... He is not a legit player - no way. This is not 1988..... Legit D-IA players are the total package today. They workout, go to camps, 7 on 7.... They are showcased and the coaches see them at a young age....As I said before cut him and focus on the kids you have who work hard. It will do you a lot of good in the long run, especially if you are trying to build a program for the duration.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 3, 2009 20:49:27 GMT -6
It can follow you around.... I know teachers and coaches who lost out on jobs or interviews because of their "file"....
Usually it is the first step in a series of documentations that will lead to your removal as teacher or coach... Not a good thing.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 3, 2009 13:34:25 GMT -6
Please tell me you are joking..... What? A fitness center..... Get the hell out of here...
Over Christmas the gym I am a member of moved right down the road from my school... It is sweet... All kinds of machines, pretty girls, cool temps... For me being almost 36 years old I get a good lift and some cardio (They have tons of machines and b-ball too). I love it...
I sent an email to my parents and explained to them "I do not want our players to use that for anything but "some" supplemental work... Maybe some cardio or b-ball....
I tell my kids this - When you see people workout at the new gym how many of them are 1. Squating (Properly_ 2. Cleaning 3. Jerking 4. Snatching 5. ABS - WIth medecine balls.. 6. Plyos
No they are are doing sissy old beach workouts (What I do)... They are NOT TRAINING FOR FOOTBALL!!
Tell that idiot to take a hike. He wants to lift away from his team and not be there doing the hard work in December, January, February, March... Than you really do not need him...
I mean come on how good can the kid really be... All of the studs I coached were ANIMALS in the weight room in really lifts not curls and whatever.... Plus you usually had to chase them out.
Tell him to go to the "Fitness Center" and do the treadmill with Mommy and Daddy... Who needs that garbage!! PLEEEASE!!
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 3, 2009 8:09:56 GMT -6
Now you are talking my type of stuff... I love HUNGRY young players who push the juniors and seniors...
Players who play for me know I will play THE BEST player no matter what... If they are even I will probably go with the younger kid unless the older kid is really tough and hard nosed...
Groom your young players and before the older kids know it, they will take their job.
Competition breeds success!
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 3, 2009 8:06:44 GMT -6
Man I am sorry I can believe what I am reading... What have we come to as a society...
I see this as black and white:
If he COMPLETED the season and came to the last week of practice/game but came to me after the season and said he can not do it, than I am ok with it... He completed his end, and will get recognized.. No problem.
But if he did not make it TO THE FINAL game - I am not budging... Sorry. Guys this is not pick your battle this is "You are working for a worthless administrator" and guess what, you will have more grief and problems to come....
Bottom line we as coaches "Control our own destiny" and if we have F-Faces for administrators it is time to move on...
My last job I was hired by probably the BEST PRINCIPAL ever.. He had been at the school for over 20 years. love Football and B-BALL (Never missed a game) ALWAYS supported coaches and teachers with parents... My first few years were Rocky (Threw off a kid in the middle of the season who verbally committed to UVA) made a TON of tough decisions... This guy ALWAYS had my back. When he hired my I asked for three things:
1. Let me teach Government ONLY - No two preps and not class that is tested by the state.
2. Last block off - That included NO duty (As football coaches our program is our duty).
3. Hire a guy to be my OC and Strength Coach for the open PE position...
He did all three..
By my fourth year we have a new lady and she takes away my lst block every other day and decides I need a duty for the 2nd semester.... OK - I See where this is going...
We play in the regional championship game on a Saturday and the following Friday I had a face to face meeting with the AD at my current school about the job... I was hired 3 weeks later...
Bottom line - That school was going down quick and the the new principal was not the one who hired me and had NO clue what I was doing... Me and six of my coaches left because the administration was all f uped.... I do not need that crap, not for what we do as coaches and the hours and time we put in... No way.
Believe Me - I would dig my heels in and take the letter... And if I did not like where this place was going I would not be with an administration that would not support a very simple and obvious decision.
Some might see this situation as trivial I see it as "Foreshadowing of problems down the road".....
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 2, 2009 19:43:13 GMT -6
Ohhh... I did not know that... Ok, yeah you have to support him or meet with him one one one...
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 2, 2009 19:41:17 GMT -6
That guy is a "spineless" principal and I agree with the coach... Nobody needs to deal with that garbage.
Hey you guys know how I feel... If the principal and AD do not support you, it is TIME TO GO!! I would have done the same thing and beieve me I would have been fine.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 2, 2009 13:21:02 GMT -6
Beat me to the punch on that one.... I have to agree. How can an AD make that kind of call? In my opinion he really is over stepping it a bit.
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 2, 2009 11:38:22 GMT -6
I have been coaching football since 1996 and the only year off I had was when I was diagnosed with Cancer and had a pretty nasty chemo / radiation bout in the fall (I ended up coaching the JV B-Ball team that year 2002-2003).
I remember when I was going through this EVERY Friday night I would go to a game and just watch by myself. I would get to the games about an hour or so early just to smell the whole thing (The cut grass, the burgers and dogs and just take it all in..). At the time I was just married with no kids so I had nothing going on at home...
Well after that season I new that this was "just in my blood". I have an 17 month old boy and another one coming in Early March (Another boy!!) and I still find time to juggle football and family. I am the head coach so I can set the schedule and agenda but we do lift four days a week (I am there everyday) and we have 7 on 7, Team Camps, fundraisers... I think you can still have a healthy balance...
Man when I was not coaching I just felt like a HUGE hole was missing in my life. I can not see myself getting out until my boys go to college and play football (Just joking!!).
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Post by bigm0073 on Feb 1, 2009 7:53:35 GMT -6
Coach,
Sounds like a very good plan and good idea (Creative way to get everyone together. I have had some of my best meetings down in my basement bar with my staff, beer and pizza).
I do think you are right, covering all of that will take probably at least two hours. I think it is great that you are doing it this early to get all of the coaches on the same page early in the off-season (I hate when I hear coaches doing this type of stuff in July right before August... I think personally it is too late).
DCOhio posted something that he did with the defesne that I did in the first week of December. I had my staff over and we all went over The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.... All of the coaches were able to express concerns and possible changes (My only thing was if you had a problem you HAD to have or sugget a solution... Just can not throw bombs..). Great meeting we hit on a lot of things and stuff was brought to my attention I was not aware of. That type of meeting will serve you well.
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Post by bigm0073 on Jan 29, 2009 20:06:20 GMT -6
No F-ing way.... I love my wife but we would F with each other if we were in the same building... She is in the business world (Senior Financial Analyst in Mergers and Aquisitions.... I have NO CLUE WHAT THAT MEANS!!). We need our space and I do not need her fing with me at school and talking shop... She has NO clue about football just shows up to the games to socialize with the wives and hang out.... She misses probably 3/4 of the game...
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Post by bigm0073 on Jan 29, 2009 20:02:45 GMT -6
Initially my first job as an assistant was over an hour one way... That lasted a year...
My first head job (I Live in Northern VA - OUtside of DC) and I would drive to school in around 20 -25 minutes... But the problem was 95 south in the evening (this commute could last 40 minutes to an hour...Especially Fridays and Thursdays)..
When my son was born two years ago I decided to apply for a job 3 miles from my house... Door to door 10 minutes (two streetlights no major roads).... It is nice to know I can leave the weight room or practice field and be home very quickly and not worry about traffic.
I personally would not trade it for the world... I love it.
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Post by bigm0073 on Jan 29, 2009 19:57:29 GMT -6
Well it can go both ways...
Just because someone is an assistant on a winning team does not always mean it translates to being a coach...
Conversely often when coaches are on a staff that may not have had much success it is not always a good barometer too...
Especially when you are young I think you have an upside and can hopefully conform to the system in place.
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Post by bigm0073 on Jan 29, 2009 9:35:46 GMT -6
Yeah many kids in june and july go to the one day camps and workout for the coaches.... Sometimes this will lead to an offer the summer of their going into their senior year...
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Post by bigm0073 on Jan 28, 2009 22:20:09 GMT -6
They are FREAKS OF NATURE! Like a kid who scores a 1600 on the sat (or 2400 now)...
Strong, explosive, fast and usually big... GREAT GENES!!! Really we as coaches have nothing TO DO WITH IT!! THANK MOMMY AND DADDY (OR at least the genes).
At my presentation I showed my parents a D-IA player I cocahed who was 6'2" 210 lbs.. He was fast and a horse... When they saw 10 runs of 50 yards or more for TD in one year (I told them HE IS NOT A D-IA RB... Tenessee offered him at LB)...
The two parents of I have of RB's - they are both 5'8" 5'9" range 170 lbs and the run around 4.7 range... Nothing crazy... When they saw that kids tape they were very, very humbled and were asking me "Well what about some D-II Schools... Reality kicked in real quick when the saw that tape.
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Post by bigm0073 on Jan 28, 2009 20:52:47 GMT -6
That was covered in detailed... Believe me... Most seniors have their offers before their senior year, correct.
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Post by bigm0073 on Jan 28, 2009 11:57:49 GMT -6
Coaches,
Tis the season (Actually next week) when everyone officially signs. Most of the DIA and IAA have made their commitments and the D-II schools are scooping up the rest. I am sure at some point you have had disgruntled and frustrated parents come to you as "Why did my son not get a scholarship" or "what do I need to do for him to get a scholarship.... You guys know how this goes... Very often we as head coaches get the blame for not making this happened even though often it is out of our control.
At my old school I would meet with parents individually (Any parent that requested it) and we would breakdown the NCAA Clearing House, breakdown their core GPA and review scholarships and financial Aid... I often through an average year meet with at least 20 players and parents one on one and do this... I eventually came up with the idea of an NCAA Clearing House / Get Recruited Night.
I put this on last week for my parents at my school (Had around 35 - 40 different sets of parents and players show up). What I did was give a power point presentation (I even invited my rising 9th grade parents who are currently in 8th grade to come). The jist of the presentation was: 1. Why do we have the NCAA Clearing House / History? 2. What is it? 3. Breakdown of core classes and sliding scale. 4. What they need to do with the process. 5. What is a DIA Player 6. What is a DIAA Player 7. What is a D-II Player 8. What is a D-III Player 9. Financial Aid breakdown 10. Reasonable expectations for their kids.... An example:
I asked the parents how they would feel if their kids came home and said "I do not like where we live, I wish we had a nicer car, Why do we not make more money.... Blah, blah, blah.... I asked the parents "How would you feel if your kid did that to you?"
Well by pushing your son to go to a D-IA program and pushing and prodding you are making your son feel inadequate as well....
At the end of the presentation I showed then the hi-light tape I sent of one of my D-IA players that coached in 2006.. He was 6'2" 210lbs and ran like a Deer... For us he played RB and Some defense but Tennessee offered him as a LB (4.5 Speed). His hi light tape his senior year has 11 runs of 50 yards or more for TDs (None he got caught...) It was like a horse, man he was good...
Then I showed the tape of a player that same year that is at a good D-II program. He was 5'8" 190 lbs (More like the kids we all coach) and ran in the 4.7 range. They all saw the difference in the tape.
The feedback has been great and many of the parents really got what I was trying to say. It was beneficial. My point is try and be pro-active with this because this time of year you will start to hear the complaints and how horrible you are and how you do not do anything to get their kids recruited.
I will make this a yearly presentation for my parents. Just thought I would pass that along.
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Post by bigm0073 on Jan 28, 2009 8:18:48 GMT -6
For me not at all... I would ask you things like 1. "what is your coaching philosophy" 2. "Why do you coach" 3. "What attributes can you bring to our program \" 4. "What are your goals? Do you want to become a head coach" 5. "What are your strengths and weaknesses" 6. Time commitment - / Work Schedule (If not a teacher, this can cause problems... I live in Northern VA and we have had coaches who are govt employees and they can get out of work at 1:30 PM Flex time). If you sell to me at the interview you are hard working, into it and are willing to do what it takes to move ahead than I can probably work with you. I would not hold anything prior (Maybe it is because I am very confident in myself and staff). Here is the BIGGEST No, No for me at an interview - How much is my supplement or do I get one??? Last year I had a guy call and email me from another school (He was 50 years old been coaching since the early 1980's.. Played in college and had been a head coach prior at three other schools). Well my guard was up initially. He read about me in the paper and felt like my philosophy matched his. He had been out of high school because he and the head coach just butted head... I was leery but I did hire him. When he interviewed here was his quite: "Coach I will wash balls, line fields, Coach scout team, DO WHATEVER you want. I do not even need a supplement". This coming from a guy who was coaching when I was in elementary school. Our philosophies jived and he was AN HUGE ADDITION!! DB coach and coaches our special teams. Total team player and a hard working coach... Old school (But I am as well) and we just hit it off right away... Again this is coming from someone with almost 30 years of experience and a wealth of knowledge. Oh by the way he did get a supplement
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