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Post by coachwilliams2 on May 21, 2012 6:44:47 GMT -6
Coach,
There is always the battle between good kid and good player. You need good players to win. PERIOD. You also need high character kids to win long-term.
We try to get rid of the distractions (kids who are cancer to a program, the kid who does wrong and does so willingly). We will keep a kid who hangs with a bad crowd, or gets caught up with bad situations. We feel like if we reward and nurture the character kids, those boarderline kids will fall in line. Get rid of the TURDS, and try to save the "followers" who have a bad rep.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on May 18, 2012 5:21:39 GMT -6
We bought a few for our key players to try out. They love them. Say you can't feel anything in practice! Whether they work or not, the mental confidence it gives the kids is invaluable. We were hit by the concussion bug last year HARD. Every headache turned in to a concussion. Also, if a concussion does happen...we can say we did EVERYTHING in our power to help prevent it.
Again, I do not know if they REALLY work, or if they do how WELL they work...
We will be buying more to outfit the rest of the team very soon.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on May 18, 2012 5:16:48 GMT -6
1. Send him to elite level camps to go against people who are as physically gifted as he is.
2. Empower him by giving him a vocal leadership role. Make him the example on how things are supposed to be done (perfect TECHNIQUE not physical skills).
3. You get to be a really good TEAM when your best PLAYER is your hardest WORKER. Put that on him. Tell him that people follow him because he makes plays, but you cannot allow the rest of the team to give half effort because he gives half effort.
4. Set goals for him. Sit down with him and his parents and talk about the next level. Compare him to college athletes that you believe have similarities to him. Find out how to motivate him NOT to be the best player on the team, in the region, etc...but the best player in the STATE or the best player in the NATION at his position.
5. Have him form a plan for his goals and where he wants to be...then you have a carrot to dangle. "You will never make it at ALABAMA (or wherever) if you dont give better effort than that!!" or "I thought you were the best lineman in the state? No one should be standing on 2 feet when you finish a block!" etc....
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Post by coachwilliams2 on May 8, 2012 3:31:50 GMT -6
The identity of your program starts in the weightroom. Make them compete everyday. Be disciplined, fight through tough situations etc. There is no magic pill. Changing the culture of a program is very difficult.
In my opinion you don't need to be scrappy if you are sound and technique is perfect. They don't need to know how to scrap. They need to know how to win football games. Don't waste time fighting or playing tug of war...spend time teaching them the how and why of the techniques needed for them to be successful.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Apr 18, 2012 12:39:29 GMT -6
Have coached track, baseball, lacrosse, golf, and tennis. Anything they need me to do in the spring. Sure would be nice to just coach one...
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Apr 18, 2012 8:33:18 GMT -6
Could I go back and play with all the knowledge I have gained?
I was not a tough kid. I didn't learn how to use leverage and be physical until college and then my athletic ability was far inferior to those around me and it didn't matter.
I would love to go back and play more like to coach my kids to play.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Apr 17, 2012 8:58:00 GMT -6
It is a sign of the times.
THEY WANT TO BE GOOD NOW. THEY WANT TO PLAY NOW.
They do NOT want to work all off-season, January to August, just to MAYBE be one of 22 players.
Football is really hard. It used to mirror our society. It used to be part of the culture. Hard-nosed, blue collar kids who come to work everyday (sound familiar? The greatest generation?). It used to be about getting bigger and stronger but now they see more "athletes" succeeding in football. We all know speed kills, but the kids do not see that most of those guys who can fly are genetically gifted. I don't know about you all but we don't coach many of those kids.
Doing the things needed to be good at football are very difficult and demanding unless you are one of the genetically gifted. That is why you see this trend.
Luckily where I coach, we still have some blue-collar kids who like to show up and work...now if we could just find some fast-twitch muscle fibers...
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Apr 16, 2012 10:39:33 GMT -6
Coaches, how many of you interview your graduating seniors? What kind of questions do you ask? What have been your experiences with this? Good/ bad/ waste of time? What is something positive you have gotten from the experience?
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Apr 11, 2012 8:42:44 GMT -6
The "Thingy" is undefeated. PERIOD.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Apr 10, 2012 18:09:59 GMT -6
Just had a kid tell me he was going to "focus on baseball so he can get a scholarship." Translation: "Football is too hard, too demanding, and I don't like the contact." Exactly. I would rather them let me down in April than on a Friday night in September.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Apr 10, 2012 12:59:44 GMT -6
That kid gets to hang out with girls all day instead of sweaty, smelly guys?
Football is not as important to most of our kids as it is to us....
I know it sucks for the coaches, but kids will be kids.
Just had a kid tell me he was going to "focus on baseball so he can get a scholarship." He is a junior and has never had a varsity at-bat. He would have started for us no question. I could blow up at him but for what?
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Mar 23, 2012 8:04:38 GMT -6
Better watch out, people will start accusing you of having a bounty system like the Saints.
Could be banned for life. ;D
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Mar 1, 2012 8:31:14 GMT -6
In reference to early morning workouts...on a shirt.
“Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up and knows that it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up and knows that it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are the lion or the gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better be running.”
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Feb 23, 2012 8:02:12 GMT -6
In the world we live in, with these articles out there, it is almost impossible in my opinion to put a kid in a helmet that is not the top-rated helmet in a study.
All a parent has to say is that you didn't put their child in the safest available equipment.
Use the word SAFETY to an admin. and they will usually open their wallets a little wider.
For that reason, I would buy nothing other than a Revo, or Revo Speed.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Feb 13, 2012 19:14:44 GMT -6
A position manual should cover everything a player (and the coaches) need to be successful at that position.
I have included:
- goals - what it takes to start at the position - types of players needed for that position - position identity (OL, tough, nasty, physical) - EVERYTHING from stance, starts, steps, blocks, tackling technique, etc.) - drills - anything else you need to include
Fastandfuriousfootball.com has some great examples of position manuals.
If you would like mine please PM me. Do not start a "coach send me that" thread please.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Feb 12, 2012 19:25:18 GMT -6
The term "coordinator" will vary from program to program. An OC working for a defensive HC will have more freedom than the DC (look at Alabama). A very successful coordinator may be brought in to a new school to run "his" system. He will have more freedom.
Ultimately it is up to the HC and Coordinator to come to an agreement about job description and duties/freedom. Once that agreement is in place, the coordinator should handle his business, while getting input from the HC.
Bottom line is, a coordinator's title is still ASSISTANT coach. HC gets the final word PERIOD.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Feb 9, 2012 11:55:33 GMT -6
Push them, set them up for success, develop a relationship with them. Show them how it makes them better, not just tell them. You will have to run a few off to get your point across.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Feb 8, 2012 18:05:09 GMT -6
Coaches,
Now more than ever, raising money is paramount to running a first class football program. It is a year round job.
What are your favorite/easiest/most profitable fund raisers that you run in your program?
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Jan 27, 2012 20:25:34 GMT -6
Coaches,
What do you do in the off-season to get better as a coach?
Do any of you have a checklist you complete in the off season?
Film review? Playbook studies? Studying the other side of the football? Etc...
Please share what you do in the off-season to improve yourself and your program.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Jan 5, 2012 20:08:23 GMT -6
Females are undefeated with 14-18 year olds...especially if it is the first girl they have dated...TROUBLE
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Jan 5, 2012 18:24:54 GMT -6
What do you do with your JV?
Are they 2 platoon as well or do they flip flop/ alternate days etc?
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Jan 5, 2012 16:54:35 GMT -6
Wing,
How does that flow in to your practice schedule?
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Jan 5, 2012 13:16:13 GMT -6
Coaches,
We are going to try to be as 2 platoon as possible. However, we are not deep enough to fully be 2 platoon.
Do any of you platoon the majority of time and then have crossover segments built in to practice?
What do you cover with the crossover kids?
Does everyone crossover or just certain players?
Any help is appreciated. If you would share a schedule and ideas that would be great.
Thanks
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Jan 2, 2012 19:43:48 GMT -6
We grade to hold kids accountable. We can show them if they were lazy, played well, or not well every week. We can give them more than just "you didn't play well so you are not starting this week" we can SHOW them, play by play, with a grade and commentary.
Plus it holds coaches accountable to really watch each player every play. I can't tell you how many times I thought a kid played horrible until I saw the film and got his grade. I have also thought a player played well until I saw the film and the grade.
Biggest thing is having kids tell you after the game how good they played, until they see the grade or vice versa.
JMO
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Dec 29, 2011 14:01:58 GMT -6
To me, getting in to a conversation with a parent about a call that was not yours to make is disloyal.
My response would be "man I am sure glad I didn't have to make that call. I am sure coach ________ would be glad to sit down with you and talk about It"
Or "I would have done the same thing over and over again" whether you would have or not. Give them the company line.
Parents ALWAYS have a different agenda than coaches PERIOD. They are looking out for 1 kid, coaches are looking out for 100.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Dec 26, 2011 17:40:47 GMT -6
Coaches,
All too often we get caught up with what makes a great Head Coach because that is where we all want to end up one day.
My question to you all is:
1. What makes great assistants GREAT?
2. What do they do on a day to day basis that makes them better than average slappys?
3. How does a coach improve how he teaches the fundamentals of the game to young people. Guys that can really teach the game to their kids,what makes it so effective?
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Dec 21, 2011 15:50:33 GMT -6
That should be taken care of in the off-season. Via mat drills or conditioning. You can always push them further and harder than they think they can go.
That's one of the main focuses of our winter workouts.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on Oct 13, 2011 7:19:13 GMT -6
What level?
If it is varsity, I would say run 'your' system. The way you call formations, checks, routes etc. But fit your schemes to what you have. i.e. if your QB is going to a D-1 school and you are a wing-T guy, maybe you throw it more than normal. But that allows your other players to develop in the system so that when you do not have a D-1 QB, they do not have to learn a whole new offense.
If it is a middle school, or younger, I would find out what the varsity team does and try to incorporate their stuff as much as possible. Try to get their staff to sit down with you and 'clinic' on what they run and how you can best serve their program AND put your kids in a position to be successful.
I hope that makes sense?
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Post by coachwilliams2 on May 8, 2011 8:10:11 GMT -6
I made a list of what it takes to start for us at the position. List weight room lifts, maxes, speed (times), as well as off season attendance, camps, extra work, skills I expect of them on the field etc.
I gave it to all my position players at our post season meeting. If a player can reach all those expectations then I will get them on the field. Because if they do everything I listed, they DESERVE to be there. Make the expectations high so they and their parents know what I expect. It has cut down a lot of issues for me in this area. They always have that to refer back to.
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Post by coachwilliams2 on May 4, 2011 8:47:42 GMT -6
I know hiring a great staff is tremendously important, but so is hiring a staff who knows their role. Many coaches think they should be given a coordinator title just for showing up and doing the minimum, or becuase they ahve been there longer than anyone else.
A great staff needs a great leader at HC, good coordinators and the rest need to know their role (even if they have aspriations of moving up the ladder) and be an indian not try to be a chief.
They have to put their egos on hold and teach it the way the HC wants it taught. They should not come in every Sunday with a nwe offense or defense they just saw on Saturday watching college ball.
But for that too happen you have to have a great leader at HC who is honest and upfront about their roles and makes sure he hires people who can accept that role and will work hard at it.
My father coached for a long time, and he coached WRs in a run first offense. He had no aspirations of being an OC or HC but he just worked his tale off to get his kids better. He was a grumpy old man who didn't like kids outside his position group and did not offer very many opinions in meetings. He just went about his business and taught skills the way the HC wanted them taught and made his kids play hard. Nothing wrong with having guys who will fall in line.
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