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Post by holmesbend on Feb 13, 2018 7:00:51 GMT -6
Had one a few years ago who played soccer and was our nose guard (yes, you read that right). He was also a wrestler kid (hence why him playing Nose at 150 made him a terror). His senior year he wanted to play soccer, so I let him....he ended up being their 2nd leading scorer. We worked it out to where he came to football one full day a week (Wednesday's) & then for about 20-30 minutes on Thursday's before their games.
I figured he didn't need to spend 8 hours worth of practice time with us to know the basic calls from the slant 50 we ran (and, he didn't).
...some of the older guys on our staff didn't like it, but I didn't care. As I told them, "It's not like he's going home to eat cheetos and watching spongebob." haha (us and soccer practiced right beside each other, so it was pretty easy keeping tabs on him).
In 2006 my dad had a kid on our state title team that played DB/WR/Return man who was also the leading scorer on the soccer team & he was 2nd in the state in interceptions. He did the same W/Th schedule.
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Post by holmesbend on Dec 9, 2017 9:05:25 GMT -6
Cat was all over it. Let a Kentucky kid tell it
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Post by holmesbend on Dec 9, 2017 8:57:42 GMT -6
What about not practicing at all on Thursday's and walk through on Friday?
We went 10-2 this year (our best season in the last 11 years) & I still wanted somebody to kick me in the face on Thursday's. We came in early on some Friday's for film and a walk through.....it was amazing how much more focused they were (understandably so)
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Post by holmesbend on Nov 27, 2017 23:49:39 GMT -6
Might be wrong forum/board ,but more people seem to check the general board. Have any of you ever returned or been asked to return to a previous coaching stop that you left for a better opportunity or were "asked" to leave? And why or why not did you choose to return or not return. Yep. This year was my first year back. I was the HC here from 2012-2014 & was fired after the 2014 season. We went 6-6 in '12, 0-11 in '13 and then 2-9 in '14 with VERY young rosters. I was fired December 12th, 2014 (on my birthday of all day's) in a meeting with my principal (not the one that hired me and KNEW the hurt we were going to be in for two years), Super and AD (AD was behind me all the way). Who made the decision; I don't know (well, I do), but the Super gave me the news. Enter March of 2017 & the guy they hired who was from here, helluva coach in his own right...20 Years as a College Coach; the last 6 before being hired here he was a D1 FCS Coordinator resigns and heads for another job out of state. They went 2-8 in '15, 5-6 in '16. I'm hired back April 19th (Same AD and Same Super); we go 10-2 this year and those Freshmen that took those lumps in '14...7-9 of which that started as Freshmen? They were finally able to have some good times this year. Won our first playoff game in 5 years (last playoff win was my 1st year here as the HC in '12) & only the 3rd Playoff win in the last 11 years. ....can't make this up; almost something out of Hollywood. Super and I are all good (even though he has announced his retirement and is done June 30th); he admitted some mistakes as did I. Have a new principal in place that hired me this time and SHE is amazing. Same AD who I can call a close friend.
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Post by holmesbend on Apr 12, 2017 9:27:50 GMT -6
For meetings. Best thing/times to do them. Depends on how you look at things. For me, 7 AM on Saturday is best spent taking a leak and going back to bed. Hilarious. That's even too early for me on Saturday's, but in the grand scheme of things..... We were/are 8-9:00ish-Noon. The guy I'd worked for who originally started doing this first told me about these Saturday morning meetings, and I was dreading them & that's when I was still "young" (mid-late 20's) and single....but, what he said would happen; happened. "You aren't going to sleep anyway on Friday nights...too wound up....might as well come on in; get in...get out...be done until Monday afternoon." My dad was/is like you, though when it came to meetings. When I was with him; we did the Sunday thing....defensive guys were REAL EARLY BIRDS; they'd roll in there about 6:00 AM Sunday and be done before Church.......then myself and others would come in with Dad about 6:00 Sunday evening. If he's not fishing or hunting (which is a lot); he's not getting up before the sun....nor am I. Which brings me to another point.....Turkey season comes in here in KY on Saturday; I take it you'd be passing on that invite of rising at 4:30-5:00 AM for the next month?! hahaha
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Post by holmesbend on Apr 12, 2017 8:48:33 GMT -6
Saturday mornings are golden aren't they? Not sure I follow. For meetings. Best thing/times to do them.
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Post by holmesbend on Apr 12, 2017 7:26:14 GMT -6
7-1 on Saturday. Coaches only. -All film breakdown -All scout cards drawn -DC finishes scripts on his own time (coordinators will have a slightly longer day). -Off Sunday. I agree with one of the guys who already said everyone's free time is important no matter how it is spent. I am happy our HC thinks that way as well. We don't watch the film as a group. We complete the breakdown individually (everyone has a job), come together to look at tendencies, and figure out our adjustments/personnel. Saturday mornings are golden aren't they?
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Post by holmesbend on Apr 10, 2017 12:39:19 GMT -6
Saturday morns I've grown to love. When I was an assistant then HC at the same school; my then boss (now close friend) did the Saturday morn thing. At first I hated the sound of it (being young and single), but then I grew to love it and IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO GO IMO if you're going to meet at all.
8:00amISH- all arive. House cleaning.Laundry, paint the practice field for next week, etc. We'd split up.
Whenever that was done until noon? Film/practice prep.
Come noon? Free for the weekend.
And, it was flexible...have kids and Little League stuff? Obviously go. Maybe somebody was going to a Noon Louisville or UK football game with their wife/kids? Go......just handle your stuff and be ready come Monday. Honor system like. It worked well. The only way to go IMO.
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Post by holmesbend on Apr 10, 2017 12:30:11 GMT -6
When did bachelor parties become such a big deal? When they made the Hangover and this generation convinced themselves that every bachelor party ever had to be equally "epic". I mean, the generation of kids getting married now are also responsible for promposals. ....unless you were part of a Vegas bachelor party for three nights and 4 days BEFORE "The Hangover" came out. lol Nobody died. Or got married. Success. We were and/or still are coaches (well most of us were then), so we went during our two week dead period here in KY.
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Post by holmesbend on Mar 8, 2017 11:55:52 GMT -6
Here's another thought.......ever give your kids a day off? Like on a Tuesday? I've heard people throw around the thought of taking Monday off, and I've known people to not practice at all on Thursday.
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Post by holmesbend on Feb 22, 2017 11:59:56 GMT -6
Starting as the head of a small school @9 weeks ago, it has been interesting to see what they (boosters and parents) "expect" me to do. They said I have to coordinate with parents for lunches before away games. Just laughed. They said I'd need to run the concession stand. Just laughed. Said I need to get involved in different fund raising but the $ would go to main booster club and we would get some. Told them the budget gives me all we need. I don't get paid for anything off season. There isn't post season or longevity pay during the season, so I pretty much run stuff as a volunteer. I am retired so it doesn't kill me, though I won't run anything that doesn't help football. I've been fortunate to have won over 150 games so when they hired me I was in a pretty good position to tell them that I'll do what needs to be done but not all this extra fluff. Administration is fine with it. My whole point is that I will do all that I feel is necessary to turn the program around. It will not heavily invade on my retired life. I have a couple great assistants who teach in the school, one young one who was with me for 6 years at my last school. If the buy in doesn't happen (from the kids-don't really care if the parents do), I've done what I know can change it. No real stress. Unique situation, though, I know. So far about a dozen kids are pumped and working hard. We'll get there. Love it coach. Things don't have to be how they are IMO. I know guys who are doing well in it, and it's little things like turning their phone(s) off AS SOON as they go home. Like me, they have and love their hobbies. Vacations? Forget it parents and kids. Unless it's an emergency heaven forbid; then don't expect a response. Little League support? Absolutely. I'll be at games, but guess what...I have two young daugthers that are and will soon be getting involved with things that will take up weekend time, so the 4th grade LL game on Saturday at 2? "Good luck boys. Give'em he11!" Fact is; this profession is a lot like our society in terms with trying to keep up w/ the Jones'. Screw that. It's like the article that was on footballscoop the other day about how "Working longer doesn't mean you work harder." Do it my way and if that turns out great, then awesome. If not? Oh well. It doesn't define me. Truth be told; it's given me more than I've ever deserved as is in my 35 years on this earth.
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Post by holmesbend on Feb 22, 2017 10:49:00 GMT -6
Great responses.
I WANT to do it again, but I don't HAVE to do it again.
I was a HC once for three years.......one good year; two bad (they still haven't set the world on fire) and knew it was going to be rough those years, and I was canned.
The last two years I've just been a position coach, which this will sound odd to many...but, I've actually had the opportunity to be the Defensive Coordinator at my current school, but I've chose not to be. If I was going to BREAK, I was going to just do that.
For me....having been a coordinator and a HC......they are both very much one in the same IMO. I was also a coordinator who was allowed to have a boat load of other responsibilities (which I was compensated for), and there isn't much difference at least for me.
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Post by holmesbend on Jan 27, 2017 19:23:46 GMT -6
As it's already been said, I can't see not practicing V/JV, but I've heard of leaving the freshman out of things which makes sense to me in a lot of ways. Here in Kentucky I'll use us as an example; we can start practice July 10....school, like many state's these days starts August 1 or that 1st week of August, so freshmen don't start until then.
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Post by holmesbend on Jan 14, 2017 23:45:59 GMT -6
Beer Anywhere I'm an hour and a half from Nashville, so it's not I need an excuse to go there as is, but we've always gone to that Glazier clinic. Well, let me be more precise...there is a clinic going on, but Broadway is a lot more fun.
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Post by holmesbend on Jan 2, 2017 21:44:37 GMT -6
I always hated evening workouts as a player and still do as a coach. It feels like it ties up your whole day to me. Same here.
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Post by holmesbend on Jun 17, 2016 21:35:21 GMT -6
Back to the original post - how many of us have had kids who did not come to ONE Summer activity - lifting, conditioning, 7-on-7, et al - and make a significant contribution during the competitive season? My first year as a HC in 2012...kid who hadn't played since middle school and was without question, hands down the best athlete in the school. He was playing basketball most all summer long on different travel teams, all star, etc. He'd told me all winter and spring long that he would be there by August 1st at the latest. Moral of the story? He was 1K+ all purpose (roundabouts 1300 I think), including 6-7 INT's....we went 6-6 that year and without him we maybe win 4. Division 1 Point Guard at Troy University.
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Post by holmesbend on Jun 17, 2016 11:35:22 GMT -6
If you don't play the best players, regardless of their Off Season commitment, you will lose credibility with the kids because they will know, and for the most part they want to win. You may face scrutiny from your superiors, too. The fact is in HS some kids are just better athletes-more gifted physically than others regardless of how many times they've been in the weight room.This. I've never gotten tore up over the summer. They need a break for themselves, a break away from us and vice versa. This arms race has borderline become a joke IMO. Keep the weight room open a few days a week--in the mornings and evenings--to allow for opportunities around schedules, assign coaches different days and/or week(s) and be done with it. June and July are for a he11 of a lot more things than football.
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Post by holmesbend on Jun 6, 2016 20:27:19 GMT -6
Where do I begin? I will first agree with Party@QB that when no one in your building enforces anything, it makes it very difficult on you to instill discipline because it is a double standard and you're always the jerk. I think mine starts at the top with our super. They are eliminating phys ed throughout the district. I am down to 2 weight classes next year when everyone else in our conference is in there all day. This means I'll be back in the classroom. I DO NOT want to do that. I don't mind the material, but I despise lesson planning and can't stand teaching the stuff to a bunch of kids who don't care. That's why I like PE because you just have them work and/or play games. For the most part they enjoy that. My school is afraid of lifting weights. All sports. It has largely scared our athlete base. Kids won't come out to play because they are convinced they'll get hurt, not necessarily playing the game but in the weight room (of course not true, there has been no such thing happen). This is perpetuated by a former HC who wants to run all the S&C stuff. Our super granted it to him and paid him 4-5k more to do it, which again typically goes to the HC around here. It severely limited my access to the weight room this summer. I was informed of none of this, just told it was done. Well that's a start. I like this thread and hope it can help me feel better about things. However I have this feeling if I were to ask for people's advice on here and say what do I do they'd say get the hell out (which is what the few sane people here have told me). I would but it's not that simple because I can't move. Eliminating PE across the entire district?!? WTH.
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Post by holmesbend on Apr 14, 2016 10:15:25 GMT -6
I totally understand and get trying to make those playing other sports the main focus. 1,000% agree. Talk to them at the halls, drop by basketball/baseball practice, go to games, etc...stuff we all do. Nothing earth shattering.
My biggest question is the kids that aren't already playing something. IMO, if they are 15-17 years old and aren't already part of something then there is usually a reason (and, not necissarily negative on their parts) 99.9% of the time.
..my first year as a HC, we had a basketball kid come out that hadn't played since MS. When I was an assistant, we/I stayed on him, stayed on him....then, his senior year...he comes out and has an awesome year. He's now the starting PG for Troy University & COULD play football if he still wanted. ZERO doubt in my mind.
Another basketball- "Hoop Star" as we joked....senior year..he comes out in the summer. He ends up starting at QB having never played a single snap of football in his life...as in..NOTHING. He's since walked on at Western Kentucky University as a TE this spring.
Those basketball/baseball players are the ones you stay on, but the ones who are doing nothing...right or wrong...I've never really wasted much time on (never had any luck)...I mean, you/we mention it to them a time or two, but that's about it.
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Post by holmesbend on Apr 12, 2016 21:51:14 GMT -6
I would've recruited the hallways harder the first few years. We had success in year 1 and 2 and I figured the kids would keep coming out so I didn't really recruit the school at all. I paid for it dearly in year 3 and 4. Numbers dropped and we had a hard time being competitive. During season 4 I realized what a mistake I had made so I started going after kids for year 5. In year 5 (last season) we had the biggest team in school history and finished with one of the best records in school history. I don't know any Coach that recruits thier school and middle school as much as I do now but I learned the hard way. I've only coached ten years total so I'm not exactly "old". A couple of serious questions in regards to "recruiting the halls"? 1) How many kids did you get to come out that were already playing other sports? 2) How many kids did you get to come out who weren't playing any sports at all? - How many of the ones weren't playing anything else actually contributed (or ended up contributing) after they came out?
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Post by holmesbend on Apr 6, 2016 19:01:01 GMT -6
I totally agree with that....much easier to get excited about two, than four and really go to work on those two days.
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Post by holmesbend on Apr 6, 2016 18:24:48 GMT -6
In the last 5 years we have really sized down on things: - Our offseason lifting is 2 days a week we coach up those who are there and give them some incentives and don't worry about those who aren't (still encourage them to play) - Summer we go to three days and are always done in an hour and a half - Cut back on camp dates and 7 on 7's - Nothing on the weekends in or out of season - No practice on labor day - No two a day practices - We no longer condition at the end of practice - We no longer run formal structured stretching periods at the start of practice - We don't hit much in practice - We practice much less time per day then we used too.. Really the only thing that has increased is our use of film but much of this has to do with the availability to film due to Hudl... Our results on the field is a variable that is tough to judge because there are many factors that go into it (we have won more games) my view is our programs have benefitted because our kids are fresher, always seemingly wanting more football and are choosing to find ways to get extra work rather then dreading the fact that their coach is making them do something. The switch in culture due us REQUIRING less has led to our kids having more fun, our parents being happier with our staff and more approachable, and most importantly me happier as I'm not stressed about many of the things I was trying to control that I really had no control over... How is the lifting only two days a week going? Serious question. Reason is because I got back into lifting last September for the first time in 12 years since my last week of my senior college season. The program I started is by a guy named Jim Wendler and his "5 3 1" program (best thing I've ever done or come across by the way and will definitely be doing it if/when I get another chance a HC), but there have been many weeks where I've only been able to get in two good workouts a week (couple hours long, doubling up Push Press/Dead Lift one day then Squat/Bench the other) and I never missed a beat...continued gains...more than ever (even during hs and college playing days). So, I've thought that if my 34 year old out of shape, has been a$$ can make big time strength gains....surely 14-18 year olds would be an automatic and then some.
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Post by holmesbend on Mar 22, 2016 20:33:17 GMT -6
"Agents and chite for 14 year olds..." bahahahaha.
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Post by holmesbend on Mar 14, 2016 6:55:35 GMT -6
Not sure if this helps, but I know here in KY, several of the dealers (most of which are small town sporting goods stores) set this up for you.
I know the one we went through for unis, spirit packs, etc we also went through for dang near everything else..so, the profit we made off gear through the online store just went to a store account there they set up to buy balls, paint, etc.
Worked great. Zero hassle. Might see if any out that way do the same thing?
Now...they did the 2-3 week window thing and would shut it down after those to "process the orders", but then it would open back up as many times as you wanted.
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Post by holmesbend on Mar 11, 2016 21:26:51 GMT -6
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Post by holmesbend on Mar 2, 2016 22:57:57 GMT -6
Nobody expects every single kid to be a great tackler the same way nobody expects every single kid to be a great receiver. But, it is 100% my expectation that every single kid will IMPROVE at tackling the same way every receiver coach's goal is to IMPROVE the kids' ability to catch. No doubt. Agreed. My point is that it's rare I've seen kids who were bad at it, become great or good for that matter (or to the point where they'd make any kind of noticeable impact). If practiced a lot, they have no choice but to improve....we hope..at least that's what we are going to tell ourselves lol-- You show me a kid with good hips/explosive, a little aggression (obviously strength is a plus, when is it not) and I'm going to take my chances that the cat can tackle.
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Post by holmesbend on Mar 2, 2016 13:07:16 GMT -6
I'm not a spread, 4-5 wide chuck and duck, "face melter" fanatic- but, the evolution of the spread game has exposed tackling more than anything.
I'd be willing to bet that in the open field, none of us could tackle ourselves "in space" even half of the time.
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Post by holmesbend on Mar 2, 2016 13:03:33 GMT -6
I don't see expecting every kid to be a great tackler (or even most) any more radical than expecting most kids to possess the hand-eye coordination characterisitics that it requires to be a good WR.
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Post by holmesbend on Mar 2, 2016 12:59:28 GMT -6
Honest question, and this might sound like blasphemy.....but, how many of you have seen BAD tacklers actually turn into GOOD ones? How does a bad tackler become a good tackler without practicing it? I'm saying I've seen very few kids go from being poor tacklers to good ones even with practice. Sure, there are exceptions as there is in everything in life, but for the most part......I don't see it. Again, sounds like blasphemy-I know.
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Post by holmesbend on Mar 2, 2016 12:49:56 GMT -6
Honest question, and this might sound like blasphemy.....but, how many of you have seen BAD tacklers actually turn into GOOD ones?
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