Best thing your program does NOT X & Os

Build genuine caring relationships with the players. I know many can attest to this however, I do think due to the diversity of people and personalities on our staff we have many different people that connect in many different ways. Additionally, the entire staff are people who care more about developing people then developing players or just shear winning (IE very little ego amongst our staff).

Build the herd... We do a lot of intentional thing to try and draw interest and retain participation at all ages.

Consistent lifting, the majority of our players lift weights for 6 years which obviously has a big impact on development.

We try to hold players accountable, but that ends up being selective.

What does this mean? Are you saying you only hold some players accountable? 

This isn't strictly a football program thing, but our school puts a priority on having coaches in the building in a variety of roles (teachers/parapros/campus supervisor/security/counselors). It works well for both sides - kids know their coaches are aware of their grades/behavior/attendance and will be held accountable for it. Coaches see less issues in those areas as a result. Additionally kids tend to form better relationships with their teachers/coaches because they see them in multiple contexts. I've worked at other schools where this was absolutely not a priority, perhaps to the point that it was even intentionally avoided.

We run a leadership class- each lesson is 25-30 minutes. I have a freshmen class which I think of as basically "intro to our program" what are the standards we expect you to up hold.

Then I have an upper level class which is much more in depth and deep thinking. I choose 8 words that I think are important and I build a lesson around each word. So 8 lessons, each one building on the other- and I have a packet with questions pertaining to the lessons to spark conversation and get kids thinking about application. I have found that my upper classmen really look forward to these lessons.

The Thursday before mothers day, we sit down as a team and write a letter to our mom, step mom, aunt, grandma, foster mom.....whoever that person is that takes you to every practice, makes sure your clothes are clean, puts dinner on the table......whoever made it possible for you to play football. Some kids cry, some don't, I just know a ton of mothers call me after mothers day saying thank you.

Sr. Meetings, Each week after Monday practice we have a Sr meeting where they get to decide what color pants, and socks to wear to that Friday's game(have even let them pick coaches shirt as well...black, green, grey, white). May sound stupid, but they have true debates on what to wear based on superstition, and/or what looks good. This also gives us an opportunity to point them in the right direction within their own groups(things we think they can help at practice) not exactly a leadership class with a designed curriculum, but things we see that can help them be a better leader.

The last day of two a days, we start practice then load up on a bus to go swimming at a local spring the water is a wonderful 55 degrees, its as much to throw them in cold water as it is fun for them. We have parents show up and feed them after an hour or so. When they get out I tell them to think about all the aches and pains they have had the previous two weeks and ask them to notice how they feel the next day.....Kids start to believe in cold showers and ice baths.

We were having poor attendance in weight room last summer. Made a deal with kids mid-summer if we had 80% participation all week friday after weights we would take them to water hole....went twice the last 4 weeks and were only short a kid or two the other 2. But they got on the phone and made it important to get their buddies there.

I think we have the best fundraiser ever, the admin loves it because it decorates the campus. The kids will sell "paw Prints" that are painted all over the roads through the campus. We sell them for 25 per paw. Half of the kids on the team buy their own. You can put their graduation year in the toes of the paw, a name and a number. We have businesses that also buy a ton. With the funds this year, all of the kids are getting custom gloves, a reversible jersey, and custom towel monogrammed with their number and name and mascot. Each kid just has to sell 5. Our push this year is to get a hold of every alumni.

Give back to the community. Our kids work youth camps, youth flag football and are at youth games. Be a role model for the younger kids.

email me at coachyash@gmail.com and we can share some material.  

Title 1 school.

A lot of our kids have to worry about good dinners.

Our sponsorship deal with Little Ceasers is in FOOD. We have 2 slice Tuesday (They usually get 5-6 because of the amount) but a catchy name.

Feeding them, so important.

As a non-profit FEEDS all students at our school, after school who stay for activities.

I am a big fan of selling each season as "We are all in this together, we are all trying to be the best we can be, both as individuals and collectively"

But that reads terrible on twitter

I'm in. What do you guys do?

Our off season program.

We split up the seniors and make them the leaders of each team. Then we do a program wide draft.

Then we have a points system that each kid can earn throughout out the off season (Jan-June). They earn points for being early to our 6am weight room(not just coming), grades, community service etc…Winning team gets perks throughout two-a-days and in season i.e. pick helmets first, first in line for team dinner, cold gatorade (everyone else gets room temp), overall individual winner gets coaches gear (Jordan Gear) etc…etc…

Best thing we did was not make Football year-round drudgery ("grind"), allowed the kids time to be kids-go on all the HS rides they wanted to experience.