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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 2, 2008 20:19:07 GMT -6
Right now I'm a college freshman, and I'm very eager to learn the game the rest of my life. My question to y'all is, how did you get to where you are today?
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Post by poweriguy on Mar 2, 2008 21:18:43 GMT -6
Right out of high school, a buddy of mine asked me if I wanted to help him coach a 13-15 year old Babe Ruth team. So I started out there, then coached all-stars and kept busting my ass learning more, going to clinics, and helping out the league anyway I could. I did that for a few years, then I ran into a former coach of mine, and had heard what I had been doing and asked if I would be his assistant at the high school he just got the job at. So I jumped at that. Worked my ass of there, got to know the admins, teachers, janitors, and other coaches in the other sports. That lead to being asked to assist varsity basketball, which I did. But before basketball started, one of the football coached mentioned they needed someone in the booth. So I asked what was involved. And he told me just friday night , but duing the JV game we go over the game plan real quick, so be there for that and we'll let you know what to look for. So I did that during the season on a volunteer basis. And that lead to being on staff the next year .
I'm not coaching now, since I'm working on getting my degree, but hopfully when I do, I can be an "on campus" coach.
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Post by dubber on Mar 2, 2008 22:11:24 GMT -6
How much free time do you have, and what level do you want to coach?
The best way to do it is to contact a HC, and say "I will help you for free".
Usually, the HC is going to say yes to free help.
Then, like poweriguy said, work your butt off.
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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 2, 2008 22:34:44 GMT -6
Right out of high school, a buddy of mine asked me if I wanted to help him coach a 13-15 year old Babe Ruth team. So I started out there, then coached all-stars and kept busting my {censored} learning more, going to clinics, and helping out the league anyway I could. I did that for a few years, then I ran into a former coach of mine, and had heard what I had been doing and asked if I would be his assistant at the high school he just got the job at. So I jumped at that. Worked my {censored} of there, got to know the admins, teachers, janitors, and other coaches in the other sports. That lead to being asked to assist varsity basketball, which I did. But before basketball started, one of the football coached mentioned they needed someone in the booth. So I asked what was involved. And he told me just friday night , but duing the JV game we go over the game plan real quick, so be there for that and we'll let you know what to look for. So I did that during the season on a volunteer basis. And that lead to being on staff the next year . I'm not coaching now, since I'm working on getting my degree, but hopfully when I do, I can be an "on campus" coach. Thats real cool, I keep reading about keeping in touch with any contacts and have connections and use networking skills. I'm working my butt off in school right now, I go to a college with no football team. I did organize a group of about 40 kids and had 4 teams of 10 on 10 play each weekend from about August (when we got to school) til December (first semester ended, winter break). I am transferring to UCONN in the fall 2008 though. I plan on talking to the football coach at my old High School. He doesn't know me, because he's new to the program, but I bet hes willing to accept free labor. In the fall though, I'll be 50 minutes away and taking classes at UCONN. I'm going to try and set up a meeting with Coach Randy Edsall to see if I can volunteer in any way.
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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 2, 2008 22:36:25 GMT -6
How much free time do you have, and what level do you want to coach? The best way to do it is to contact a HC, and say "I will help you for free". Usually, the HC is going to say yes to free help. Then, like poweriguy said, work your butt off. I have alot of free time, but I'm trying to keep my 3.8 GPA for now. I believe I can handle both challenges though. Here in Connecticut, theres no such thing as winter football; and right now theres 6 inches of snow where I'm at.
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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 2, 2008 22:36:55 GMT -6
THANKS FOR THE RESPONSES!
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Post by dubber on Mar 2, 2008 22:47:32 GMT -6
How much free time do you have, and what level do you want to coach? The best way to do it is to contact a HC, and say "I will help you for free". Usually, the HC is going to say yes to free help. Then, like poweriguy said, work your butt off. I have alot of free time, but I'm trying to keep my 3.8 GPA for now. I believe I can handle both challenges though. Here in Connecticut, theres no such thing as winter football; and right now theres 6 inches of snow where I'm at. what level of football?
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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 2, 2008 23:23:34 GMT -6
I have alot of free time, but I'm trying to keep my 3.8 GPA for now. I believe I can handle both challenges though. Here in Connecticut, theres no such thing as winter football; and right now theres 6 inches of snow where I'm at. what level of football? Honestly I'd like to get started in a college program and work my way up from there. Whether its a Junior College, D3 or up, the skys the limit. High school would be good because I'd like to teach the game to the kids, but as of right now, college football is my main focus.
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Post by carookie on Mar 3, 2008 0:36:57 GMT -6
I was working at an afterschool program at a MS while in college, I told them I wanted to start a football team (it was flag, but it was still football) and it was a good start because I had to do EVERYTHING; I coached both sides, lined the fields, found left over field equipment, scheduled games. I did that for a few years but had to take off a couple years to finnish up my teaching credential. I got a teaching job, and my first day on campus I hunted down the HC and told him that I wanted to coach there. A few days later I was the JV DC (needless to say they needed coaches so a strong resume wasn't required). That may seem a bit easier than most, but I will say that being a teacher is the best thing to do if you want to become a coach; I'm not saying all teachers can coach, but learning to teach is a big step in learning to coach. I will add this; long before I found this website, and even before I got into coaching I sent off letters to several big coaches essentially asking the same thing that you are asking here. The best advice I got was twofold: 1) coaching is a marathon, not a sprint don't expect to get to the top right away. 2) be a sponge, you KNOW NOTHING, absorb everything you can.
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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 3, 2008 1:01:08 GMT -6
I was working at an afterschool program at a MS while in college, I told them I wanted to start a football team (it was flag, but it was still football) and it was a good start because I had to do EVERYTHING; I coached both sides, lined the fields, found left over field equipment, scheduled games. I did that for a few years but had to take off a couple years to finnish up my teaching credential. I got a teaching job, and my first day on campus I hunted down the HC and told him that I wanted to coach there. A few days later I was the JV DC (needless to say they needed coaches so a strong resume wasn't required). That may seem a bit easier than most, but I will say that being a teacher is the best thing to do if you want to become a coach; I'm not saying all teachers can coach, but learning to teach is a big step in learning to coach. I will add this; long before I found this website, and even before I got into coaching I sent off letters to several big coaches essentially asking the same thing that you are asking here. The best advice I got was twofold: 1) coaching is a marathon, not a sprint don't expect to get to the top right away. 2) be a sponge, you KNOW NOTHING, absorb everything you can. Yes sir, I'm reading "The Football Coaching Bible" now, almost finished. Thanks for the advice, Coach.
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Post by gschwender on Mar 3, 2008 6:13:38 GMT -6
I was interested in coaching since birth. My dad coached at the high school i am currently coaching at and i played for him he is now is the missouri high school coach's hall of fame. I remember staying up until 3 in the morning on friday nights breaking down film, going to practice, hanging out in the locker room etc. ever since i can remember. All the players were like older brothers to me and it was like being a "fly on the wall" during coaches meetings---never really though of doing anything else.
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Post by morris on Mar 3, 2008 6:38:03 GMT -6
I started coaching in college my freshmen year. I started with Women's flagfootball on campus. While that does not seem like the best place to start it worked well for me. We would go to the National Championship event every year. If you have never watched a 7 on 7 flag on th ecallege level it is like watching spread option teams. In the mid 90 teams were already running a ton of different spread option concepts along with jet and some zone read type concepts.
After the first few years I found the book that changed everything for me which was Coverdale's Bunch Concept book. I installed Coverdale's stuff and went from there. While it is not a great begining think about this. Take a few of your school's cheerleaders, a few soccer, softball and basketball players and teach them how to read zone/man, make route adjustments and throw a football. You'll leanr a good deal.
I wish when I was in college I would have went overseas to coach. Leach from TT did this. I would also find the best programs around and try to work with them or at least talk to them. Most will be open to you.
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Post by lochness on Mar 3, 2008 7:06:29 GMT -6
Coach,
That’s a great question. When I was playing HS ball, we were a successful team with a very good and respected coaching staff. I used to idolize those guys. Part of what I would do was take home all the game film I could get my hands on. I was always fascinated with the conversations that would take place in the press box between our coaches (the camera was right next to them, so you could hear everything). Every game film was like a tutorial because you could hear the thought process behind what was going on. You could also hear quite a few interesting words and phrases at times.
I really got into drawing up plays when I was a junior and senior. Other kids would doodle cartoons or whatever during class, and I was drawing up a weakside Lead. I was also VERY involved in our summer programs (passing leagues, etc., etc) and I found that I really enjoyed teaching the newer and younger guys our offense and defense. At our banquet my senior year, where the coaches say a little something about everyone, the coach said “he is a student of the game and I’m sure he would make an excellent coach someday.” I was like WOAH....THAT is a GREAT idea!! (Lightbulb goes off in head!)
So, right out of HS in 1994, I hooked on with the town Pop Warner team and coached while I was attending college. I worked, went to school, and coached. I did that for 3 years. My fourth year, a nearby HS in the smallest classification in the state (my alma marter was in the largest classification) was advertising for assistant coaches. I went and interviewed with the new coach that summer, and he brought me aboard to coach WR’s and DB’s as well as head the JV program. I was only 21 in 1997, but I thought I knew it all. We had a horrible year. It was not what I expected. We did not have a very good coaching staff (myself included, although at the time I thought I was the man), we were disorganized, and we only won 1 game. I had never been through anything like that before. As a player, we were always a winning team and a top 2 or 3 seed in the standings, going deep into the playoffs. Our Pop Warner team was also successful in the same way. It was a shock.
At the end of that season, I got a call early one morning from an assistant coach (who used to coach me) at my Alma Marter HS. They were wondering if we had any film on an opponent that they had drawn for the annual Thanksgiving Game, which is an exhibition game in our state. We had played the team they were going to play earlier in the season. Anyway, I was able to get the film, and our former HC asked if I would help out by running the scout team and helping coach the backs and DB’s. My season at the smaller school had ended 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, so I was free to do so. Anyway, I ended up helping prepare for the next couple of weeks. It was absolutely thrilling to work with those guys and coach my old school.
Anyway, that spring of 1998, I had several choices presented to me. I could go back to the smaller school I had coached at previously...as I had originally planned. I had also received a call from the Pop Warner program, who wanted me to be the HC of the Midget team. Finally, my former HC had asked after helping out for the Turkey Bowl if I wanted to come aboard to help the freshman program there. After a lot of debate, I chose to go with my former HC to my home High School and coach Frosh ball. I resigned my post at the other school.
Well, through a lot of hard work, involvement and dedication through the off-season, I earned myself a varsity assistant position working with the Offensive Coordinator as my mentor. I helped him with everything, from design of the playbook through installation and execution of the offensive game plans. I coached RB’s and DB’s, and ran all of the summer programs pretty much by myself.
That’s essentially how I got into coaching football. I was fortunate enough during those years after college where my job (I am a full-time Human Resources Manager) was always willing to support my coaching schedule during those months. This past season (2007) was the first year I was not able to do it, and I am working on getting back involved. I DID coach a semi-pro team in 2007, but it is not nearly the same.
Sorry about the novel, but that was therapeutic...
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Post by coachveer on Mar 3, 2008 7:09:08 GMT -6
I lost a bet....................... No, I began coaching at my old high school after being done with college ball. Been down hill ever since.
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Post by kylem56 on Mar 3, 2008 8:25:40 GMT -6
When I was a sophmore in college, I contacted a local high school about volunteering to help the JV program. I had been busting my @ss studying tapes, books whatever I could get my hand on. When I went into the interview the coach was so impressed by my knowledge he offered me a varsity (volunteer) position. Fortunatly for me we had a great year winning the league title and making the playoffs. I continued to work my butt off, going to clinics, visting as many college coaches as I could. Another local high school changed head coaches, I contacted him (wanting something that at least paid me gas money) , he gave me a position coaching O and D line and ive been there since. If your willing to volunteer to start, SOMEONE will take you on. If your goal is to be at the college level I suggest first contacting them about vlunteering. Im going into my senior year of college as we speak and Im still coaching, my time management skills are getting a workout but its been working out fine. any questions feel free to PM me
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2008 8:34:49 GMT -6
I volunteered at a school in the town where I was going to college. I knew nothing--not a thing. I just hope I didn't do anything to dumb, but that's been years ago.
But I learned fast and after 3 years became a G.A. at the college.
Hard to believe that all started 17 years ago.
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Post by highball007 on Mar 3, 2008 9:26:21 GMT -6
I stopped playing after my 3rd year at a small college because of shoulder surgery. I asked my WR coach if I could still come to the practices and help out with drills and things. The next year as I was finishing up with my bachelors, and all my buddies were in there last year of playing I was a student assistant coach. The spring after that I applied for a offensive assistant at another small college in the state and got hired there. I was there for 3.5 years and then took a high school job, because I needed more stability. because I was getting married, and wanted to staying in the area. I was not good at juggling a girlfriend and coaching college football. It was one or the other for me!
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nexthc
Junior Member
"The Golden Rule"
Posts: 439
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Post by nexthc on Mar 3, 2008 10:01:46 GMT -6
I know when I was 15 years old (sophomore year in HS) that I wanted to coach HS Football. I began as a youth football coach once I graduated from high school (1993) and did that for four years. Once I turned 21 years old, my Head Coach when I was in High School called me up and offered me a volunteer position on the JV team (1997). I jumped all over it and as they say, the rest is history. I am now the Defensive Coordinator on the Varsity.
I was like many other coaches on this site, I was offered an opportunity and worked my may way up from there. With a lot of hard work in between.
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Post by onthemarkfootball on Mar 3, 2008 10:26:47 GMT -6
I ended up taking the long road while getting into coaching. I was a decent HS player, went on to play college ball but my knee and back did not hold up on the synthetic turf. I wanted to coach afterwards, but did not think I wanted to become an educator as a career.
Fast forward 12 years, I still had that desire to coach, did some volunteering with kids in a variety of sports, and studied. Went to clinics and camps, learned and asked alot of questions (the game had changed a quite a bit). Began looking for a way to transition careers into something that would allow me to coach.
Two Christmas's ago, the wife surprises me with the gift of all of the manuals and tests to become ASEP certified (requirement of my state) and a whistle. The rest of my family followed the trend with Amazon.com gift certificates and paid for the upcoming clinic registrations.
Pounded the pavement for a few weeks and got a few offers to be an assistant coach. Changing my career right now, working part time and back in college, coaching football and lovin it.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 3, 2008 10:39:52 GMT -6
Played D3, and junior year my OC and OL coach asked if I had ever thought about coaching after I was done. It sparked my interest and I became a graduate assistant at my alma mater shortly after graduating.
Learned a lot, took a job at a college prep academy in Virginia- worked up to being an OC, then took a HS OC job in Northern Virginia as I worked on my teaching certification. Now I'm back home in Delaware coaching HS football.
I've had opportunity to coach at higher levels, but I decided that HS is right for me- yes you'll sacrifice some things at the lower levels, but I'm in a better position to be with my wife and start a family. You never see your fam if you coach at higher levels!
My advice would be to seriously think of how you can accomplish your goals. It sounds like you have a plan- just be sure that you realize unless you're teaching it WILL be difficult to find an employer that will be flexible enough to let you out early to go to practice. Coaching is a MAJOR TIME COMMITMENT and it doesn't fit in with the typical 8-4/9-5 workday! Good luck dude and focus on that degree!
Hey man- it's the greatest job in the world.
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Post by amikell on Mar 3, 2008 13:16:51 GMT -6
I was extremely lucky coming out of college. I played D3. Got a degree in history w/ a few education courses with the plan all along to be a coach/teacher once I got done. Spring of my senior year I interviewed for several small school GA jobs, none came through. in april or so, i got an e-mail from a friend who was teaching at a private school in VA. They needed an HC and history teacher. I thought I'd give it a shot. I mean who really wants a 1st year teacher/coach as HC? (The answer is a school that probably doesn't care too much about athletics and football, specifically.) Long story short, I got the job. in terms of football, it was the longest/toughest 5 years of my life, BUT the school paid for my Master's degree w/ VA certification, met my wife there, and I gained a WEALTH of experience and on the job training. Decided (sort of) to move on and moved to a different part of the state, took a job as an assistant at a medium size public school and have loved the job here. I LOVE teaching and coaching so I would advise getting certified, but if you're in a state that allows lay coaches then find a job that'll work w/ you're schedule, b/c there are few things more annoying an HC than off campus coaches that show up late to practice/meetings. I'd personally advise going the small college or HS route, but that's just my opine.
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Post by Coach Klemme on Mar 3, 2008 17:38:02 GMT -6
I loved talking X's and O's with my head coach during study hall in high school. I went on to play one year at a DII school and I made some bad decisions, one being quiting football. I was immature and angry so I stayed away from the sport for about 2 years. Then I took a summer job umpiring and coaching flag football. I fell in love with it again because to see these 10 year old boys want to learn how to play the game, it reminded me how I felt playing the game. I helped out with a HS program my sr year in college which was fun. They were making the change from the T (which they ran for over 30 years) to some one back spread. I learned a lot from that coach. When I moved up to the Twin Cities, I was lucky enough to get on the middle school staff. After 4 years of that I was promoted to the HS working with both O and D line and being the O cord for the freshmen team. NOw it looks like I have an oppertunity to become the varstiy d-line coach if situations occur. I have learned more these last few years from some very wise individuals. They have taken me under their wing and helped me grow as a coach, teacher, and as an individual. The game has taught me to be humble. Learn from your mistakes. Absorb everything you can, but don't hesitate to ask questions. This is a wonderful sport.
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Post by safetycoach34 on Mar 3, 2008 17:59:34 GMT -6
Senior year of high school i was a decent player but nothing too great. I loved football and would rather be at a football field then at home so i started coaching 3rd and 4th grade flag football. We were a terrible team, but it was a lot of fun. Then I went on to college to play ball. As i said before i wasnt a great player so i never really got to see the field, but my position coach was part time and could not make it to college before practice so it was basically up to me and the other guys that played our position to coach ourselves. Well the starter and back up turned to me. I took it on myself to learn the x's and o's of our defense so i could help my buddies out and coach them up a little bit. After four years of college ball i looked for a job teaching. Found a great gig teaching, but there wasnt a coaching position open so i volunteered my time at the rival high school coached varsity safeties. Best thing i have ever done. Now i am looking into going back to school to be a GA and get into college ball.
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Post by Coach Klemme on Mar 3, 2008 18:15:11 GMT -6
Is it ever too late to get into college coaching? What does one have to do to move from the HS level to the college level?
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Post by k on Mar 3, 2008 18:17:10 GMT -6
It was always really the plan. Play football for as long as I could then coach it.
I found a teaching job at a district I wanted to teach and coach in. The HC asked me if I wanted a job I said yes. Boring... =)
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Post by k on Mar 3, 2008 18:19:31 GMT -6
Right now I'm a college freshman, and I'm very eager to learn the game the rest of my life. My question to y'all is, how did you get to where you are today? Never know man. One of my underclassman assistants was 18 and a freshman in college this year. Look around. I know we're looking for some help for the Freshman team right now but it is just to far from UCONN. Good luck. =)
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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 3, 2008 20:45:48 GMT -6
Coach, That’s a great question. When I was playing HS ball, we were a successful team with a very good and respected coaching staff. I used to idolize those guys. Part of what I would do was take home all the game film I could get my hands on. I was always fascinated with the conversations that would take place in the press box between our coaches (the camera was right next to them, so you could hear everything). Every game film was like a tutorial because you could hear the thought process behind what was going on. You could also hear quite a few interesting words and phrases at times. I really got into drawing up plays when I was a junior and senior. Other kids would doodle cartoons or whatever during class, and I was drawing up a weakside Lead. I was also VERY involved in our summer programs (passing leagues, etc., etc) and I found that I really enjoyed teaching the newer and younger guys our offense and defense. At our banquet my senior year, where the coaches say a little something about everyone, the coach said “he is a student of the game and I’m sure he would make an excellent coach someday.” I was like WOAH....THAT is a GREAT idea!! (Lightbulb goes off in head!) So, right out of HS in 1994, I hooked on with the town Pop Warner team and coached while I was attending college. I worked, went to school, and coached. I did that for 3 years. My fourth year, a nearby HS in the smallest classification in the state (my alma marter was in the largest classification) was advertising for assistant coaches. I went and interviewed with the new coach that summer, and he brought me aboard to coach WR’s and DB’s as well as head the JV program. I was only 21 in 1997, but I thought I knew it all. We had a horrible year. It was not what I expected. We did not have a very good coaching staff (myself included, although at the time I thought I was the man), we were disorganized, and we only won 1 game. I had never been through anything like that before. As a player, we were always a winning team and a top 2 or 3 seed in the standings, going deep into the playoffs. Our Pop Warner team was also successful in the same way. It was a shock. At the end of that season, I got a call early one morning from an assistant coach (who used to coach me) at my Alma Marter HS. They were wondering if we had any film on an opponent that they had drawn for the annual Thanksgiving Game, which is an exhibition game in our state. We had played the team they were going to play earlier in the season. Anyway, I was able to get the film, and our former HC asked if I would help out by running the scout team and helping coach the backs and DB’s. My season at the smaller school had ended 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, so I was free to do so. Anyway, I ended up helping prepare for the next couple of weeks. It was absolutely thrilling to work with those guys and coach my old school. Anyway, that spring of 1998, I had several choices presented to me. I could go back to the smaller school I had coached at previously...as I had originally planned. I had also received a call from the Pop Warner program, who wanted me to be the HC of the Midget team. Finally, my former HC had asked after helping out for the Turkey Bowl if I wanted to come aboard to help the freshman program there. After a lot of debate, I chose to go with my former HC to my home High School and coach Frosh ball. I resigned my post at the other school. Well, through a lot of hard work, involvement and dedication through the off-season, I earned myself a varsity assistant position working with the Offensive Coordinator as my mentor. I helped him with everything, from design of the playbook through installation and execution of the offensive game plans. I coached RB’s and DB’s, and ran all of the summer programs pretty much by myself. That’s essentially how I got into coaching football. I was fortunate enough during those years after college where my job (I am a full-time Human Resources Manager) was always willing to support my coaching schedule during those months. This past season (2007) was the first year I was not able to do it, and I am working on getting back involved. I DID coach a semi-pro team in 2007, but it is not nearly the same. Sorry about the novel, but that was therapeutic... Thanks alot for the information, it's interesting... I had that lightbulb go off in my head also a couple years ago.
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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 3, 2008 20:47:25 GMT -6
It was always really the plan. Play football for as long as I could then coach it. I found a teaching job at a district I wanted to teach and coach in. The HC asked me if I wanted a job I said yes. Boring... =) Hey, you still did it haha.
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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 3, 2008 21:00:15 GMT -6
Was set to go play college ball...girlfriend comes up pregnant. Had to put college on hold and got a job. My brother is 7 years younger than I am and was playing pee-wee at the time. They were in need of another coach, so I went just to help out until they found someone else. That one day changed my world. After that I couldn't get coaching out of my blood. Went from Peewee that year, to 7th grade, the next year, then 8th grade, then freshmen...so I naturally assumed I would be moving up to JV the following year. The HC, my former HS HC told me that they had a group of 7th graders who had never won a football game at any level and asked if I would go back and coach the 8th grade team and teach them. So I did. We went 5-2-1, won the league...awesome. Went back to the HC, said I wanted to move up to his varsity staff and coach JV. He told me that he didn't have a position, but if I was serious about coaching I needed to get a teaching degree. By this time, I'm married, 2 kids (same mother), working in a Japanese automotive plant...so college was not something I could just go do. Then one day after our season was over my supervisor at work came to me and said "you are not going to be able to coach football anymore, I know you are technically staying within the attendance policy but you are circumventing the intent and abusing the policy. You need to realize which side of the bread your butter is on." So that day after work I went to the nearest university and enrolled. (F8ck her...which side of my bread the butter is on...who the f8ck is she.) To be able to go to school full time and work full time I needed to be at work on certain shifts at certain times. I requested transfers, but all were denied. So I had to become a major pain in the @ss on first shift so they would move me to 2nd, then had to repeat the process to get moved to 3rd. So from 1993 - 1996, I worked from 10:00 pm - 7:00 am, went to class from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm. I started in January of 93', graduated in June of 96' with a teaching degree, overloaded one semester. The look on her face was absolutely priceless as no one I worked with knew I was going to school. When I walked in that Monday morning and quit, she said "so where are you going to go?" I said "I'm going to be a teacher." She said "What!? That's 4 years of college, how are you going to do that?" I said "I already did it. I didn't like which side of the bread my butter was on." So anyway...throughout college I always scouted for our HS coaches, but by the time I got out of school my former HC had moved on and his OC was the HC. He gave me a job coaching OLBs. It was a lot of learning my first year. (middle sized HS) After my first year, that HC moved on and they hired a new guy. The new guy kept me on. I was still a position coach under him my first year, but during the year the HC asked me a question (I was on the sideline)...the DC who was in the box said "you tell him to worry about the offense, I'll worry about the defense." The HC overheard him through his head sets and naturally that got to be a situation and the following year I was promoted to DC and that DC was promoted to 8th grade. Coached at that school...my alma mater until my son graduated in 2006. We were very successful there reaching the playoffs a few times, winning the league 6-7 times, 8-2, 9-1 records, our defense was always highly ranked in the area, etc. Impressive since we started with a 1-9/2-8 team. While I coached at that school, I've always taught somewhere else. My first school was cool with me leaving early during the fall to make football practice...for a while. After about 3 years they decided they weren't going to let me do that anymore...and for me, being late to practice is not an option, so I decided that I wouldn't teach math for them anymore. Got another teaching job, one of my points in my interview is that I would be allowed to leave early to make practice. If that was not an option, they were not an option. (I teach math...they aren't really interviewing me, I am interviewing them.) Anyway, found a job in the district where I currently teach. -after all I went through to be able to coach, no way am I going to let a school walk all over my priorities. Had a last period plan...why couldn't I leave? Because the old english didn't like it? F8ck her too. The year my son graduated, our staff who had been together for 10 years or so disbanded, we are all still great friends and hang out at clinics and go to the state finals together, but I decided to join the staff in the district where I teach (large school division). Came here as the Dline coach. First year kind of sucked because the DC and I weren't on the same page, we tried to be on the same page, but I'm a even front guy (and so is he) but for some reason (his decision) we were running the 33 and I had no suggestions for adjusting it and neither did he. Should have stuck in the 4, something we both knew. Not sure why he decided to run the 33, every coach on staff is 40 guy, not a single odd front guy among us. Anyway, following my first year, my former HC and a good friend of mine were the 2 finalists for a HC position right down the road. I told my HC one of them were going to get it and I should know by the end of the week which one, and when I would be out. (Both told me they would hire me as their DC). Then after weights one day he and I went to Frickers, said he was making a change with the DC whether I stayed or not, so if I wanted it, take it. I took it and that's where I am now. That's my story. Some advice hustleandheart: The two things that separates coaches the fastest are following through on your responsibilities and your word, and being there. If you get in anywhere and the HC or higher up coach gives you a responsibility...no matter what it is...entering game film, drawing cards, whatever it is...do it and do it in a timely fashion. Don't "just get it done" by the deadline, don't be a last minute guy. And as I said "BE THERE". There isn't always some where you "HAVE" to be, you don't always have to go. If you are constantly the last to arrive and the first to leave and if anyone is missing it's you...that is highly noticeable and always leads to a "lack of dedication" opinion. Even if you have no clue what you're doing, if you're there and responsible, you can learn. Can't learn if you're not there. Great story man, Thanks for the advice
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Post by hustleandheart on Mar 3, 2008 21:02:26 GMT -6
I know when I was 15 years old (sophomore year in HS) that I wanted to coach HS Football. I began as a youth football coach once I graduated from high school (1993) and did that for four years. Once I turned 21 years old, my Head Coach when I was in High School called me up and offered me a volunteer position on the JV team (1997). I jumped all over it and as they say, the rest is history. I am now the Defensive Coordinator on the Varsity. I was like many other coaches on this site, I was offered an opportunity and worked my may way up from there. With a lot of hard work in between. Nice job man, keep working up!
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