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Post by coachmonkey on Mar 2, 2015 8:00:44 GMT -6
In Wisconsin the WIAA has layed out 4 types of contact. We are limited as to how much contact we have. As was mentioned in another thread, the reason a lot of teams suck at tackling is because of bad leverage. We don't do a lot of live tackling in practice. We are limited by the WIAA, and, we just don't have the numbers to take the risk. We have been quite successful doing it this way, but it may not work for someone else. We are not hitting live, but we are in full pads 4 days per week. Air – Players should run unopposed without bags or any opposition. Bags - Activity is executed against a bag, shield or pad to allow for soft contact surface, with or without the resistance of a teammate or coach behind the bag. Wrap or Control - Drills run at full speed until contact, which is above the waist with players remaining on their feet. Thud - Same as wrap, but tempo is competitive with no pre-determined winner and players are not tackling to the ground. Live - Full contact is defined as football drills or live game simulations where live action occurs - game speed where players execute full tackles at competitive pace taking players to the ground. Week 1 - only air, bags and wrap are allowed. Thud and Live are not allowed (just helmet first 2 days - helmet/shoulder pads days 3, 4 & 5). Week 2 - 75 minutes of thud/live, air bags and wrap are unlimited. Week 3 - 60 minutes of thud/live. air, bags and wrap are unlimited. And this is part of why we do what we do. If you coach high school, get ready, it will be coming to your state as well.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 26, 2015 8:09:23 GMT -6
But studies show swearing increases bonding and builds solidarity. And some psychologists have also concluded that people who swear are more trustworthy and loyal. Go swear at your boss, coworkers and students. See how that goes over.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 25, 2015 23:25:10 GMT -6
Yes I think swearing is bad working with high school kids. I want kids to keep their cool in pressure situations. I know plenty of coaches who swear, but I personally do not, nor does anyone on our staff. It may slip out from time to time, but we are trying to model being a good citizen/person. A lot of our kids get enough yelling and swearing at home. I want more for them, but that's a choice our staff has made. Sometimes it requires quite a bit of self monitoring. We keep things positive. Our HC has a put up or shut up rule, you either put your teammate up, or don't say anything. This is our third year with this rule. Now it helps our kids in games when they hear anyone on another team get on a teammate. They see that as a sign if them cracking under pressure. It may not, but it doesn't matter as perception is reality.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 25, 2015 10:26:50 GMT -6
I have upset 2 state powers twice in my 2 year career, both from the same town as a matter of fact. Don't know that we did anything different. I didn't down play the game, I let them know it was a big game. One was in the playoffs, this year my "butt hole did tighten" late 3rd qtr and we were up 27-7, didn't throw the ball again, just wanted to win. But I tell my kids, they don't expect it, but we do. Confidence. I mean in the weight room, we have 4 pictures of teams hanging up. My players asked about the other 6, I told them WE EXPECT TO BEAT THEM. We are going to prepare the same way for eveyone, but it's 4 teams on our schedule that we are chasing. Some of ya'll with agree, most will disagree. But that's how we approach the games and the teams and what works for me. Kind of our motto this year. Our address, 1 Ram Way. I tell my kids don't know how others do it, but we do it 1 Ram Way, what works here may not work everywhere! We won a state tittle in high school after having a BFS clinic. They preached, and we bought into a motto. "It doesn't matter who we play. All we have to know is where and when. If we play our best, and they play their best, we will win." Coaches cannot get uptight the week of a big game, kids sense that. I believe teams are a reflection of their coach(es).
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 25, 2015 10:24:27 GMT -6
Ah, the psyche of a 16 year old...... I'll split my first million with you when I right the book.... 1-I think chuck has it right, Monday should be a Monday -- we're going to do work today. If you have the team with that mind set then you have them self motivated. Sure you have to pep them up a little here and there, but that is more of a geography question -- you have to be there to know what needs to be done. 2- Will the kids be thinking about the 'big' game? Hades yeah they will. You'll do a disservice if you ignore the reality of it. Address it early as part of your pre scout/install day and then move on with it. Yeah, some times you can make it the 'rally cry of the week', but sometime that backfires, (see #1) If you're placing high expectations each and every day, in season and out, then it makes these types of game a little easier to deal with from the mental side. Deal! That book will be best-seller for sure. The team I have is the most mentally perplexing group I've ever been around. I simply don't know what motivates them for big games. I have tried to down play things and treat it like any other game, like spreadpowero suggested. When I've done that, they get out there and their eyes are like "saucers" (as my dad used to say). The moment is just too big for them. When I try to get them "up" for a big game, the try too hard and end up making more mistakes than ever. Honestly, in our next team meeting, I'm simply going to get their perspective and ask them what they need from me (or the staff) to help them in big games. Is that too condescending or patronizing? Anyone jump in on this, please. It's not a one-size fits all approach. Kids are motivated by different things. Some are driven by rewards, some by intrinsic rewards, in life, and in sports. I think the key is keeping them relaxed. As others said, you have been preparing all year, each week, each practice is devoted to honing the skills necessary to being successful. Every team, no matter how good, at one time, was an underdog. Personally, I try to build each players confidence. As their confidence grows, and the collective team confidence grows, amazing things happen. I believe high school sports are far more mental than most people realize. I build kids up by pointing out areas needing improvement. Pick something simple at first, when they get make a big deal out of it, and progress from there.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 25, 2015 10:10:06 GMT -6
Talk to them. Its really that simple. I agree, but just wanted to add as adults, or in a respectful manner. We have to model the behavior we would want in our players. Personally I can't stand going to clinics and listening to coaches swearing up a storm. We should demand better from our athletes, and be better ourselves. Whenever I hear coaches swearing I am thankful my sons will not be playing for them.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 23, 2015 14:22:43 GMT -6
Would anyone coaching small school ball (we play 8 man ball total student head count is 300 - 400) be willing to share budgets for their football program in the last year or two? I've been an assistant coach for the last three years at a small charter school and as of a couple of weeks ago I am the new head coach for the program. I am in the process of putting together a budget for the team for the next year (based in part on previous year's spend) and I know that increases are going to be popular. On the other hand - we have be on a shoestring budget for years and are in the process of migrating out of the charter specific sanctioning body into the primary sanctioning body for the interscholastic athletics in the state - and there may be some opportunity to grow the program. This obviously can be sent generic - I don't need to know what school you are from - but the following would be very valuable to me if you are a school of 500 students or less playing competitive tackle football. 1) Total football related budget for the year 2) Number of coaches for varsity 3) Number of coaches for JV (if you have a JV program) 4) Total coaching stipends for varsity... jv.... 5) Do you have a paid certified athletic trainer at practices? Cost for this? 6) Do you have a weight room? Budget/spend for this? 7) Total number of players 8) Player equipment repair / purchase budget? (refurb helmets, uniforms, etc) 9) Other equipment -sleds, speed training gear, etc.. 10) Field budget (we do not have a field on site - we rent space at a local park and there is consternation about the cost here) 11) Budget for consumables (tape, gatoraid, etc...) 12) Transportation budget for road games? 13) Game related costs - Paramedic/Ambulance service, Security, etc... 14) Hudl or other film management solution? 15) What have I missed? For the last couple of years the head coach and I have funded some of these things (we've bought speed training gear, extra balls, I built a tackling sled and bought a spring and pad, etc...). We'll probably continue to do some of this - but I would both like to know myself, and give our AD some perspective on what similar schools are investing in their football programs. If you want to mail a document to me please PM me and I'll get you an e-mail address. Thanks a ton... 9-12 enrollment is 300-400 or K12? Where I am at, 300-400 9-12 is definitely not small school.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 18, 2015 9:56:41 GMT -6
Didn't see this thread until after I attended. I was able to get what I was looking for out of the clinic.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 17, 2015 7:44:05 GMT -6
OK, giving away my age. Buck Nystrom was by far THE BEST clinic speaker I ever saw. You dare didn't sit in the front row of one of his talks! But…lately I had given up on attending clinics until this past weekend. Much to my dismay…I found nothing much had changed. New places, new faces, but the S.O.S. Large school HS guys who don't teach, have 10 paid VARSITY assistants who teach a few PE classes, indoor facilities, on-campus stadiums, 5,000 sq. ft. weight rooms, athletic periods, 200 kids in the program, strictly two-platoon, a budget most D3 schools would kill for, and administrators willing to pay for it all, speaking to mostly large school HS guys with the same resources. I've coached in small high schools for most of my career so I can honestly say I have nothing in common with those guys except the title "football coach". OR, it's been a clinic with the major college guys speaking to everybody and trying hard to sell their own programs (which most of us can't identify with any way!). One of these days one of these big national clinics will start showing some love to those of us who truly know what it's like to be a high school football coach. Try a Glazier clinic. There are plenty of small school speakers over the years at these.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 14, 2015 21:19:31 GMT -6
I played with a guy who is currently playing in the NFL, actually I am lying, he just retired I guess, but anyway, he said if you ask just about any player in the NFL who is the best player they know, they will always say some guy you have never heard of because they just didn't have it mentally or made some bad decisions along the way.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 11, 2015 21:19:11 GMT -6
Then what's the point of a clinic (I say to the universe in general, not you specifically). Also, if I'm ever a billionaire I'm starting an Academic Symposium on football. Papers to be submitted and peer-reviewed beforehand. Sounds a lot like X and O Labs.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 10, 2015 20:43:24 GMT -6
I am in favor of youth football not being full pads. Too many kids put pads on at that age because of pressure from dad or other family and don't really understand it until they get the pads on. Many of them become scared because they weren't truly ready to put pads on yet. I'd rather see them develop athletically more at that age than playing in pads.
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Post by coachmonkey on Feb 9, 2015 22:03:59 GMT -6
First one is:
"Hoka Hey" - Supposedly Crazy Horse and his warriors used this motto prior to battle. Roughly translated it means "Today is a good day to die." I use it to mean, if I am going to do this, whatever this is. I am going all in.
We also use:
3 F's: 1. Fast 2. Fysical (yes, we know it's spelled wrong. That's why its funny to our kids) 3. Fun
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 28, 2015 21:56:52 GMT -6
This thread would need a suicide watch if we tallied up the hours over a season and figured out an hourly wage...
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 27, 2015 21:28:18 GMT -6
Monday 5-6 (8-9 if away JV game, 7:00 if home JV game)
Tuesday - Thursday 6:30 - 7:00
Friday: 10:00-12:00 (may watch little film after the game and everyones in bed)
Saturday: Nothing scheduled. I will send some texts, but will not watch film during the day. This is the day I will do any thing and every thing my wife wants to do. I will watch film once the wife and kids are all in bed.
Sunday: Nothing scheduled. Text message A LOT. I will watch film after the wife and kids are in bed.
*My wife will schedule stuff on Saturdays with a "big game" coming up so I can watch film Saturday morning. I try to limit the football widow feeling as much as possible.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 23, 2015 7:50:27 GMT -6
Coachmonkey, What happened to you in that meeting I refer to as "PAYDAY"....what that kid told you reminds all of us that what we do is worthwhile work. Write yourself a paycheck! Scott Bailey Lamar HS Lamar, Missouri I wasn't even in the meeting. Another teacher told me the kid said that.
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Influence
Jan 21, 2015 20:21:10 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by coachmonkey on Jan 21, 2015 20:21:10 GMT -6
I was the JV HC at a previous school about 10 years ago. I had a kid come out for our JV team named Herbert. He was a natural #1 tech with a huge body and all kinds of athleticism. He had been kicked out of school a few times and had a bad rep. He had pulled a knife on a teacher once. Long track record of fighting, bullying and anger issues. I had a few teachers come by and warn me about him. He was big, fast, mean and nasty. He scared the other kids on my team. Turns out the kids Dad had died a few years back and his mom was a train wreck with addiction issues. His need for structure and authority was blindingly obvious to me. We had a few head banging episodes the first few weeks but he got on board. He was yes sir-ing and no sir-ing in no time. He turned into a beast on the field. Got all kinds of positive re-enforcement from football and loved the team/family message we preached. Became a captain on our Varsity team. Got a scholarship and a degree. Haven't seen him in quite a while, but he wrote me a few years back saying he had a job, a wife and a new baby. I felt like my influence had something to with his turn around and that I impacted more than one life. Still gives me warm fuzzies. I love the Xs and Os, but that stuff really gets me charged up for this strange pass time / profession we call coaching. Anymore messages like this? Love it.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 20, 2015 12:46:19 GMT -6
As a special education teacher, I would say your EBD students can smell BS from a mile away. Lots of teachers do this and these kids will usually call them on it, and then be accused of a lack of respect. They students like people that respect them enough to call them on their BS in a respectful or tactful way, but it's probably more that you hold all students accountable. That is the most important thing. You can call them out on stuff, but you need to build them up when they do something good. I find EBD students will typically push adults/authority figures to their breaking point because they want to reinforce that teachers, principals, or whoever are no different than the adults in their lives at home, which typically is to yell or get violent when angry or frustrated. As soon as an adult does that, teacher, coach, parents etc., in the child's mind, they are now just like all the other adults who have disappointed them or let them down in life and they are justified in not like or not trying for that person. It's a fine line to walk, but if you can break through to a kid like that it can be very powerful. They may still yell and curse at your (if the are EBD they will for sure), but deep down, they truly do care about you. That is my PSA for the day.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 20, 2015 11:09:50 GMT -6
I just wanted to point out that far too often I see/hear coaches only yell and scream and kids and point out with they do wrong. If you are using fear as your only motivation, you should probably quit coaching.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 20, 2015 7:56:39 GMT -6
I'm proud of you Coach Monkey. Can't wait to let my parents know.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 19, 2015 21:53:35 GMT -6
Just wanted to share an encounter that happened today. I teach in the middle school, but coach varsity. I feel this applies to all students. We had a meeting for a young gentleman today (7th Grade) who hasn't been turning in a lot of work and been getting into some trouble. During the meeting they were talking about possible causes. The boy looks at his parents and said "Mr. Coachmonkey (used my real name) is the only person in this school who has ever told me he is proud of me."
My point, don't ever hold back genuine compliments from students. They may be more powerful than you ever realize. I tell lots of students I am proud of them. I don't remember once telling this boy that, but he definitely remembers. Positivity is contagious, so is negativity.
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"Best"
Jan 19, 2015 13:40:20 GMT -6
Post by coachmonkey on Jan 19, 2015 13:40:20 GMT -6
Okay gr8 thread but whut iz the best offense for realz? thx IT IS WHATEVER OFFENSE YOU KNOW BEST. IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANY OFFENSES, THEN IT IS WHATEVER OFFENSE YOU LEARN BEST AND CAN TEACH BEST. IT'S NOT A MATTER OF WHAT YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT YOUR KIDS KNOW. If you have Studs across the board but don't have a system in place that you know well and can teach you won't be successful. When you have crap, you will still be competitive if you have a system that you know well and can coach. To me I think this sums up the thread. With that being said, I am guessing this post was sarcastic in nature....
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"Best"
Jan 19, 2015 7:59:30 GMT -6
Post by coachmonkey on Jan 19, 2015 7:59:30 GMT -6
There are times I may ask a question even though I am pretty sure I already have an answer. I just want to see if someone else is doing something different, or has a different take on it that may spur a new idea. There is a ton of information on here, my job is to filter it so it fits or makes sense for our defense and fits our philosophy. I just like all different perspectives.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 14, 2015 12:43:46 GMT -6
Football coaching or coaching? If you have a choice I would recommend a USATF Track course or ustfccca Speed Coach certification. These were very informative. I learned speed development through them which has paid off big time. I want to take Level 2, but it's costly.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 8, 2015 21:05:53 GMT -6
Most college coaches are looking for multi-sport athletes, not football players. I had a college coach once say, "If I get a football player he can play 1 position. If I get an athlete he can play several." And of course, the USOC Report: www.getsportiq.com/2014/12/5410/
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 6, 2015 13:32:48 GMT -6
In addition to what arnold posted, there has been a real movement (at least in our state) to lessen if not wipe out the influence of teachers' unions, both at state and local levels. For example tenure has virtually become a thing of the past.
The political motivation cannot be underestimated. I can both see the move to get rid of tenure as a good thing and a bad thing. A bad thing in that it opens it up for bad districts/admins to get rid of people that don't deserve it, but at the same time it is a good thing that you can now get rid of those really horrible teachers that just mail it in every single day just because they're tenured. Tenure is a myth at the high school level. Schools can fire bad teachers. Admins choose not to because it's typically not popular. Check out "The Death of the Great American School System" to read more about this issue.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 6, 2015 13:29:02 GMT -6
Another sucky thing about education that a lot of non-teachers don't realize: The laws for special education can be a real PITA if a parent feels like pushing the issue. I just sat in a meeting for my entire planning period yesterday where an overprotective mom brought the principal, her attorney, our assistant superintendent, and some other woman with a lot of pull (I never was clear on her job) to demand that we do the following for her daughter: 1. Give her no assignment longer than 10 questions long and no multi-day projects. 2. Teach my class so that everything is broken up into small chunks and phrased a certain way just for her. 3. Make her repeat all instructions back to me. 4. Text the mother every single day with a progress report including all her daily work and due dates. 5. Fill out a very specifically formatted calendar for her with all assignments and due dates on it. 6. Email this to her. 7. Take the daughter's notes for her. 8. Make sure my class has nothing hanging from the ceiling because that may distract the girl. 9. Make sure the girl is not seated in front of, behind, or next to any other student. Nor can she be isolated. 10. Give the daughter no grade lower than an A because it hurts her self esteem. 11. Let her go to the nurse or office at any time. 12. Monitor her for any eye rolling or symptoms of anxiety and calm her down if she shows them. 13. Get an aid to work with her all day, every day. 14. Force the daughter to take home a book of assignments from all teachers daily and get mom to sign off on them. I'm held accountable for this as her first teacher of the day. 15. Find a peer tutor for her to work with on all assignments. 16. Watch to make sure she's not copying from any other kids ever. 17. Provide an aid to work with her and her peer tutor on all work in class. 18. Provide an aid to walk her to each class. 19. Send a copy of all ppts and class materials home to her mother. Etc. The whole list was over 50 items long... This was for ONE SINGLE KID. She is NOT retarded. She's not even technically Special Ed. She has a few minor medical conditions, as well as anxiety problem and a genetic condition that's stunted her growth, but she actually performs on grade level in school. She just has a little bit harder time with the stuff that most kids struggle with as freshmen (anxiety, social awkwardness, drama, keeping up with stuff, etc.). But because mom got the paperwork pushed through, now her daughter gets all these unique accommodations. Because mom has gotten all this stuff involved, we have to make sure to follow every single one of these things every day or we could be sued and I could lose my job. Now, you might be thinking "that's a lot of stuff, but it's just one kid, right?" Well, this one kid is going to add a bunch of extra work on my plate every single day. Now multiply that times a dozen for all the other kids. Now imagine if you were expected to make modifications and accommodations for kids like this in football and still run a practice. Could you do it? Would you want to do it on a daily basis for 1/4 of your team (1/4 of our school is SPED or on "504" plans for disabilities)? That, to me, is one of the things that would drive a teacher out after 5 years. I'm in SPED. This is an admin issue. This should not have been allowed based on what you state.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 6, 2015 11:52:30 GMT -6
In addition to what arnold posted, there has been a real movement (at least in our state) to lessen if not wipe out the influence of teachers' unions, both at state and local levels. For example tenure has virtually become a thing of the past.
The political motivation cannot be underestimated. And yet I still see letters to the newspaper and stuff on Facebook about the "All-powerful Teachers' Union". I hear it all the time here in Virginia, where collective bargaining by public employees is illegal. In Wisconsin they have made teachers unions illegal. Tenure/experience doesn't mean anything in teaching anymore, nor does a masters degree. None of that will get you a raise in Wisconsin anymore or doesn't have to, administration can if they choose to, but don't have to. Personally I think they are trying to get rid of as much money in state education as they can and privatize it. There is too much money sitting there for private interests not to touch.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 5, 2015 8:22:09 GMT -6
So if someone were going to look at getting into the profession, would you say a private or chartered school would be better than public? Duece Not necessarily. Depends on school and state. I would look for certain things that would probably be a big give away as to how they run their school.
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Post by coachmonkey on Jan 5, 2015 8:20:30 GMT -6
conversationed.com/2014/12/29/the-reason-50-of-new-teachers-are-leaving-the-profession-isnt-complicated/I work with a lot of teachers, so I thought I'd ask this. Very interesting reading. Is this just belly aching or is it pretty much the truth? I see some pretty dumb stuff done by the "higher-ups" where I coach, so I can see some cause for concern. Where I coach there has been a large amount of teacher turnover in the past 5 years. Again, not a teacher, just thought some of y'all might find this interesting. Duece I'm lucky, our administration is awesome and they do A LOT to help new teachers compared to other schools. The teachers here have quite a bit of say in what happens within our school (probably why we are one of the top performing educational schools in the state). That being said, I teach in Wisconsin. We saw a mass exodus of teachers based on state government decisions, namely Act 10. State Universities that used to have to turn away hundreds of schools for the education program are now not able to fill the allotted seats. So a lot of the older teachers retired ASAP, and their are fewer and fewer younger teachers going into education.
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