center
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Post by center on Dec 6, 2017 10:14:25 GMT -6
This is a problem with the culture of the program and the fact that the weight program was not demanding enough.
Some kids might have missed the 5:00 am speed/agility session even though they were in another sport at the time and had a game that night.
In fact I bet a kid missed a line on a sprint at some point this year.
Maybe you noticed some kids wore the wrong play wristband to the 3 hour Thursday pre-game practice/film session/team talk/team dinner/guest speaker session!!!
Maybe there was improper exercise selection in the weight program or the team slogan wore off the practice jerseys during the season.
Kidding of course. Kids miss the banquet at times. I personally would not pass up the big meal.
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center
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Post by center on Nov 10, 2017 19:23:52 GMT -6
Alternative viewpoint here. I believe in the weight room, accountability, discipline, as much as any football coach.
But when I watch film of struggling teams and when we have struggled there are tons of mental assignment errors. They just mentally screw up more than good teams.
Now you can probably trace some of this to physical toughness. But to me this also comes back to teaching and the role of the coach.
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center
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Post by center on Oct 19, 2017 9:17:45 GMT -6
Honestly this time of year a lot of teams have packed it in. In Illinois the regular season ends tomorrow and most of the teams know if they have a chance for playoffs or not. Half the teams in Illinois already know it is over.
A lot of these teams are fired up to play one last game of football but are done with all the other stuff. They don't want to practice anymore or watch film. Academic study hall has worn out its welcome etc. Even some of the playoff teams are sick of everything except games and team dinner.
Sometimes the season just needs to end, the seniors need to move on and you need to inventory the situation.
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center
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Post by center on Oct 17, 2017 21:45:11 GMT -6
By that point in the game you should have your play selection and defensive calls pretty well narrowed down. Stick to the things that have been working.
If you are going to go down, run the best plays and call the best defenses you have had for the day and expect the opponent to do the same.
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center
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Post by center on Aug 5, 2017 7:07:53 GMT -6
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center
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Post by center on Aug 1, 2017 7:22:01 GMT -6
I don't know if this gets lost in the rush to pick sides on this program, but can anyone else relate to how the head coach starts off the season (with a new perspective) then once the season grinds on him, he falls back into his old habits after the midway point? I think every coach can relate to that. How many of us vowed to (pick one or more) eat better, sleep more, workout more, get home sooner, cuss less, drink less, etc. some season and then fall off the wagon as the season wore on.
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center
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Shoes....
Jul 9, 2017 15:24:57 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by center on Jul 9, 2017 15:24:57 GMT -6
I'm a runner as well, and really like the support that Brooks shoes offer. I run in Ghost 9's which are great on my bad knees. Thinking about getting a pair for casual wear/being on the field because they're so comfortable. As a bonus the Ghost 10s just came out so some places are selling the 9s pretty reasonably. I wear Brooks Beasts currently. Im a bigger guy and beat the crap out of them, but they do a decent job. I want to look at those memory foam Sketchers too. Same here. All I wear for workouts, practices, lifting, walking are Brooks Beasts now. Very well cushioned, stable, and comfortable.
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center
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Post by center on Jun 22, 2017 21:28:59 GMT -6
how low have you guys gone before in order to have a JV team, we are looking at probably low to mid 40's I would guess this upcoming season. I generally have a handful dress up on Fridays and help relieve us when needed, but our JV games are on Thursdays so can't do the style of everyone on one team and who doesn't play friday gets in monday I would do whatever possible to play lower level games. Even if we only had 12-13 guys to play it. Make it a controlled scrimmage if necessary to get a game in. Can you play a kid on JV Thursday and dress them Friday night? Do your rules allow that?
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center
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Post by center on Jun 13, 2017 17:19:27 GMT -6
Once a year we did a used sporting goods collection in our community. We advertised it pretty hard and people could either drop stuff off the school or we would go pick it up.
People are dying to get rid of their kids old sporting goods stuff that they outgrew. We got tons of shoe needs taken care of and a lot of cloth (girdles, practice pants). Shoes almost always made it through the season.
You might get a lot of soccer and baseball stuff also that you can pass on to other youth programs.
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center
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Post by center on Jun 10, 2017 8:20:12 GMT -6
Alternative thoughts here...head coaches are usually the ones that are in charge of all the development of the staff. But they have so much else to do....
A couple of schools in our area have used a mentor system to help out a new head coach or their staff. They ask or hire an older coach, usually retired, to work with their staff. Not always as an on field coach but instead helping their overall organization and planning. They observe practices and attend games.
The guy/school that I know did this made a big impact on a young head coach and his staff. Stayed with them long enough to help them build confidence and now the coach and staff are competent. Helped build a practice plan, practice schedule, equipment organization, and philosophy on off field stuff.
Other school has a retired HOF coach that is a volunteer that coaches a position and is a sounding board for the HC. He does not coordinate anything and is more of an advisor in game planning. He is a master in teaching and relating to players and is passing that on.
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center
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Post by center on Mar 29, 2017 12:06:17 GMT -6
I am foreign to the "coaches doing laundry" hours. Probably just a difference in schools or parts of the country.
But looking at the efficiency thing I would find a way to get out of doing laundry first. I have either played or coached football since 1981 and never done laundry as a coach or had a coach do it for me as a player.
Haven't seen a game come down to coaches doing a better job with laundry.
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center
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Post by center on Mar 23, 2017 11:47:09 GMT -6
Don't worry about the "preparing them for the future argument."
We try and allow them to play their "natural" position or the one they are most physically suited for.
Unless..
They can play more at another spot (moving the TE to OL). Win-win situation in that the kid plays more and you probably fill one of those gaps you have.
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center
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Post by center on Mar 8, 2017 10:03:31 GMT -6
I got a better sense for what needed to be done with practice when I heard this at a clinic.
Preseason workouts get you ready for the start of practice. Preseason practice gets you ready for the season. Weekly practice gets you ready for that game.
Once I stuck to the objective for each situation I was better able to streamline practice.
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center
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Post by center on Feb 25, 2017 9:04:13 GMT -6
I do not know Belichick or anyone that knows him, this is pure outsider here.
One thing that he and Jimmy Johnson were not afraid to do is get rid of anyone by cut or trade.
Think of the examples above with BB and when Jimmy Johnson cut the RB that fumbled twice (Curvin Richards?) against the Bears in the last regular season game before the 1992 Super Bowl run.
Probably not the only key to success but I bet the remaining players sat up straight when the coach walked into the next team meeting.
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center
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Post by center on Feb 22, 2017 10:54:00 GMT -6
I will say that for all the headaches that go along with the job of HC, it was the single best professional experience of my life. A lot of personal growth and you make contacts that you can learn a lot from.
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center
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Post by center on Feb 22, 2017 8:35:04 GMT -6
It is great to be an assistant for a HC that you are on the same page with and gives you some responsibility.
It is an awful experience to work for a HC that you are not on the same page with or does not delegate anything to you.
It is at that point that some assistants start to consider the HC position when they really feel they can do better and make a positive difference.
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center
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Post by center on Feb 21, 2017 20:55:13 GMT -6
It seems like the perception is that all coaches are to work their way through the ranks eventually landing a Head Coaching job. It's no different from high school to the pro's, if you're a good coach, you are expected to move up or on to bigger and better things. I guess I understand the reasoning at the pro and college level because of the significant increase in pay. For me personally, I'm 100% content being a Defensive Cord and Oline coach, with really no desire at all to be a HC at the high school level. I've been getting a lot of people asking me when I'm going to take a HC job. Every time an opening comes up friends, family, and coaching friends ask if I'm going to apply. I'm starting to feel like I may be the only coach that doesn't need to be a HC. Anyone else been doing this awhile and good with "just being a coordinator" or even a position coach? There is nothing wrong with your view at all. In fact as an OL/DC you probably have more impact on game night than the HC often does.
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center
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Post by center on Feb 16, 2017 13:45:54 GMT -6
How about when you have a Senior class who lost 7-8 players since their Freshman year, mostly due to grades, as a group never broke 40% attendance at Summer workouts, in their last year had more kids attend no workouts than came to all of them, and had less than half make more than 50% of the sessions?Happened to me. This goes to lochness' earlier post and is an example of how kids can lose games off the field. Wow, that had to be a fun group to coach.
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center
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Post by center on Feb 16, 2017 8:24:55 GMT -6
I think you can put blame on the players more with off the field stuff than on the field. Any kid that wants to be a part of a team has some academic and behavior standards that they need to meet.
If they have made the choice to get in trouble or let their academics slip to the point they are ineligible they are letting the team down. That is on them.
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center
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Post by center on Feb 15, 2017 8:34:11 GMT -6
Are the attrition rates from youth football to high school football any worse than any other sport?
Don't most youths that start a sport eventually stop doing it before high school?
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center
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Post by center on Feb 12, 2017 8:50:54 GMT -6
-Increased requirements for coaches: (Illinois for example)
Coaches take concussion awareness course and test online -Coaches take PED course and test online -Most schools have required community service -Many schools require athlete study hall for D and F grades, this may be in addition to eligibility code and what football program is already doing -Districts require that head coaches submit formal evaluation of assistant coaches -Some states are requiring clinic attendance to USA football, heads-up football type seminars. -Required attendance or viewing of rules meetings on annual basis.
-I am also hearing more districts that are asking their coaches their "plan" for involving parents and others in their program. What roles do parents, boosters, etc have for example.
All of the above have a purpose but when you combine them they are overwhelming for a coach. Not to mention any media/public relations stuff.
So now all you need to do is fundraiser, take care of stats and video and you are ready to actually teach a kid how to get into a stance.
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center
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Post by center on Feb 3, 2017 10:14:45 GMT -6
I will say that even though you cant apply a lot of the stuff the "big guys' talk about I am always amazed at the knowledge that they have. I have always left those sessions impressed with their knowledge and detail in teaching.
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center
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Post by center on Feb 1, 2017 13:57:17 GMT -6
I'm bored and thought this would be interesting. What trends in our game make you rage and why? Mine is coaches that win titles all talking about winning with lesser talent. We all have lesser talent. I have never once heard a coach say "man, we are loaded this year." If they do, you probably better look the phuc out. A coach here in MO that set the record for most state titles consecutively won (6) admitted at a clinic yesterday the reason he has won so many titles is that he has been lucky/blessed to have great players the last 6 years. Some guys in there were pissed because they thought he was holding back some secret he wouldn't tell everybody. He wasn't lying, he's been blessed to have a few D1/D2 kids that were just flat out better than his competition. They literally only run a 4-3 over cover 0 on defense, and DTDW and Power I on offense. One of the few times I've heard a coach admit they won because of players/talent and not scheme. I respect the guy for being honest. And even with the talent the guy is doing something right.
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center
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Post by center on Jan 5, 2017 10:36:39 GMT -6
I read a stat that over 2/3 of coaches from all sports finish the "careers" with a record of under .500.
That takes into consideration all coaches from one year wonders that get fired right away to retired HOF coaches in all high school sports, not just football. Cannot remember source of stat but will try and find it.
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center
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Post by center on Dec 18, 2016 10:10:54 GMT -6
We started the year 2 and 4. We were playing kids one way and we were running practices like I had learned from so many college coaches at clinics and practices. We then changed to two way players and more of a traditional schedule. We won the next 8 out of 9, including 5 playoff games on the road to win our state title. Below are some things we now feel strong about in practices. (We have 80 players 9-12 and half are varsity, half JV.) First, we do not practice on Monday. We do a character class for 45 minutes and watch film for 45 minutes. We break it up a bit to keep focus. (JV does a walk through during film. They play on Thursday.) We now believe everyone must practice both sides. Not only for emergencies but we feel it makes the kids better overall players. Our offensive line immediately played more physical and gained confidence. We have one staff, when varsity is on O the D coaches have JV and visa versa. Tuesday is primarily varsity D except for the last 15 minutes. Then we flip Wednesday. Then Thursday is still full pads. We do half D and half O and the majority of both are team with good on good and a quick whistle. This may be the best thing we changed. As the HC and OC I started running the scout team for our D. We just couldn't get good reps. On the weekends I watched their O and wrist coached it exactly. It was extremely detailed on their job. For example, it didn't say "power" it would say "rap for ps LB". I would then take the best players not on 1st team defense and make my scout team. I often played QB bc I could simulate it easier after watching film. We didn't huddle, I just called out the number on the wrist coach. We got at least 3x as many plays in vs holding up play cards. It was so effective we actually had two scout teams for the state championship week and they ran single wing. If you've played a single wing team you know how hard that is. Then my varsity DC ran scout team for us when we were doing team O. He pretty much used his starting D as the scout team. We just had a couple start both ways. But several players played both sides at some point in each game. On D days we did a tackling circuit, indys, inside/7 on 7, and team. On O days we did indys, inside/7 on 7, and team. Nothing fancy, just lots of reps and a demand for focus during practice. On offensive days we ran 80 plays on average. We started each practice with a different STs or two and did not do a big review on Thursday like I've been a part of at other places. Good post Coach. Did you play on Friday nights. Did you practice Saturdays?
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center
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Post by center on Dec 5, 2016 9:13:54 GMT -6
I agree with the above points. I have noticed that some of the hard feelings go away after the season and they have had some time to cool down and the kid has moved on to something else.
In the heat of the battle on a Friday night a parent doesn't see their kid play and they get upset. Once they get a way from it for a while they cool off.
Unless they are totally nuts...
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center
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Post by center on Sept 26, 2016 20:50:49 GMT -6
I think as the season goes on you can get all your normal work done in less time due to efficiency.
Your Indy time probably doesn't include new teaching and kids know the routine so what used to take 10 minutes can get done in 8.
That way you are naturally cutting 1-2 minutes off of each practice segment and your practice can get done 15-20 minutes faster.
In some areas cooler weather also increases pace of practice and allows for less water time.
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center
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Post by center on Sept 14, 2016 10:00:39 GMT -6
I think a lot has to do with how you respond, or choose not to respond, to "critics." There are more out there than ever before but do they really know what they are talking about? Do you have to respond to them? Do they have a legitimate, honest concern for your team?
Meyer, Saban, Belichick, Arians, all have critics and they are the best at what they do.
Last week at a local youth football game a parent was complaining to a coaches wife about playing time for her son. While she was complaining the son was in for three straight series of play and she did not even notice.
Worth getting worked up for?
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center
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Post by center on Jun 13, 2016 12:04:33 GMT -6
We no longer put any dri-fit/polyester stuff in the dryer anymore at our house. We hang it up in our basement to dry and it works great.
Nothing shrinks, wrinkles, etc. It dries fast and lasts longer.
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center
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Post by center on May 2, 2016 13:27:01 GMT -6
To me as a first year coach you try real hard to have a great off-season and summer but the real culture change begins the moment regular practice starts. It is the first time that everyone is required to be there.
Before the first practice have a full team meeting where you lay out the vision, rules, expectations everything and then be ready to back them up the first moment the meeting ends until the moment you retire as a coach.
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