Biggest struggles as a coach

This may not apply to you if you are just getting into it. But, I told a couple of fellow teachers this just a few days ago. My struggle this year--both on the field and in the classroom--is for whatever reason this is the first school year I've had trouble making good connections or relationships with the kids. I don't know if it's the fact I'm getting older (43 now) or if it's just one of those groups of kids, but that was my struggle this year.

Much like I've said in a discussion on this here before, if a 16 year old can't, how can 1 or 2 years later, a 17 or 18 year old college freshman miracously become able to absorb it all? Adderall maybe? Lol

Several problems with your point:

1) Football is a weak link game. I can have 4 understand it perfectly, but if #5 can't get it straight that is what is going to cost me. #5 may well be the worst player on the field and never have a chance to go play college in a year. It might be his first season ever playing. He might be a 15 year old sophomore. But if he has to be on the field, it has to be simple enough for the weakest link. 


2)  College kids are full time football players. It's 40 hours a week. They don't start at point guard, and then play shortstop. They aren't working (at Bama atleast). 

3) Bama gets to pick their kids. They aren't taking the kid who can't understand football. You don't think they know how to screen for football IQ? If they can't keep pace mentally, they can hit the portal. 

4) Freshman don't always play. Some redshirt. Some can't get on the field until year 3 or later. Comparing what a sophomore can do in his first varsity season, to what a 21 year old in his 3rd year of college can do can be night and day. That is potentially 6 seasons of football. 


I have kids who I can teach every bit of football I know. I have other kids who I need to remind what left and right mean. What you teach has to be easy enough for kid 2, if he has to be on the field.  In college, kid 2 won't be on the team if he can't keep up. 

That's a great point. In my reply to chi5hi, in my mind, I was replying to the general notion that the average 16 year old HS player can't grasp it as opposed to 4 out of 5 can grasp it and the 1 cant

Yeah, but the general notion seems to be (don't want to put words in chi5hi's mouth) that 16 year olds can't grasp it because of cognitive and educational development rather than not spending enough time on it. And hey man, even with class time, some of even the most football-crazy folks can get oversaturated with football. I might as well inject football into my veins I'm into it so much, and even I was about to fall asleep late one night a while back listening to Cogan talk about Man Match Cover 2, I was sitting there going "Please God, make it stop!!!" Lol

Great point on the selection process/pressures, that probably answers most of this at the end of the day. Although I do want to say there is a difference between IQ and memory. You can be brilliant as Einstein but have an iffy memory. Conversely you can be lower on the IQ spectrum and have an amazing memory. IQ and memory are not one and the same.

Most of Saban's stuff is not that difficult to grasp conceptually, even things like Cougar/Buster, skinny tag off of Mable/Skate, etc, where I think the issue lies is the sheer crap-ducking insane volume of material and terms in the system, even for one position, God help em if they get cross-trained for another position. When you get that much material on your plate, seems like for a lot of players it would be easy to start getting wires crossed, terms/concepts start running together in the mind, etc.

I agree, but what about the freshmen and sophomores at Alabama who are seeing the field? What if you stack them up vs that sophomore in his first varsity season? I guess those are just the special ones? Assuming January enrollment, they have to have had that system mastered between January and the end of August to see the field, because of the point you made above about the weak links, he can't put them on the field if they don't have it mastered.

I can't think of any struggles worth speaking about, but I'll give some advice that has worked for me and my experience:

1) Don't assume they remember anything from the previous year. Start the teaching as if they know nothing. This process has led (IMO and experience) to the kids having a deeper connection and understanding of what we do.

2) Focus on fundamentals and details. Allow your players to become technicians and demand they attend to the details. THIS is the gamechanger many coaches fail to emphasize in their hierarchy IMO.

3) More is not better. Longer practices will not help. Get efficient. I've fallen in this trap before. Fight like hell to avoid this.

4) Film practice and watch it. Teach the kids to watch film. Keep it short and crisp.

5) Make it fun- you won't win them all. Make sure your decisions are guiding kids in the right direction. 

6) Take time for yourself and your significant other/family. Don't get caught up with poor prioritization. 

Good luck!

I didn't realize how true #1 and #3 are until last season.

Welcome to the brotherhood.  Many enter, few remain, fewer become good.

The biggest struggle will vary widely depending on your experience, aptitude, and passion for the game.  And also your circumstances you fall into/work into.

As some have said, it is a poorly paid part (full time some places) job.  I would suggest these as a noob with a whistle
- knowing what your role will be, and understanding how to do it
- knowing what stone to sharpen your axe with*
- find a way to add value to the program (many older coaches struggle with this as well)
- knowing when to listen and when to speak up
- how to not be the players' friend
- realizing how much work is need to be done that is NOT on the field/game

So far as the most annoying/frustrating, it really depends on your personality and what social/work situations you are comfortable/not with.  Most good coaches have the ability to relate interact with varying personalities, but also set boundaries.  You also have know how to and when to say 'NO".  Whether is be with other coaches, players, parents, or fans.  Again, think hard about what annoys you NOW, and it will amplified when you have the stress of winning/losing, lack of free time, demands pulling you in fifty-eleven different directions, girlfriend beeching about you not ever having time for her, etc....

Overall, one of the hardest things I have seen in 30+ years with coaches of all ages, experiences, success, luck, etc.... is consistently being professional.  Hades, I KNOW I've not always lived up to that standard.  Find a mentor and suck up as much knowledge, experiences, and moxie as you can.  Than when you've graduated, become a mentor to a young noob somewhere down the road. 

Another thing that I would HIGHLY recommend, is spending the first 100 hours of your login time on CoachHuey.com digging through old threads that were started with a similar heading, or by someone in your same shoes.  FYI, the general board of this website goes back to about 2005..... so maybe 200 hours of login time.  There's more that have been posted on here and have been forgotten about that I could type for the next 40 hours....

Also another thing I would suggest is to book mark any and all threads that interest you.

*quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln but is mostly anonymous "If I have 3 hours to chop down a tree, I will spend 2 hours sharpening my axe"

Yeah I started it, wish I had taken it to another thread. My bad, OP!

Along with the Huey lesson here, I suggest throw your ideas out there on here. You will get great feedback to what you are doing well and where you are full of shitt. And that second part has really helped me become a better coach.

Biggest internal struggle is dealing with kids who don’t want to be there. It’s a choice - if you’re going to give half ass effort or complain all practice just go home.

Most annoying as a HC: Inventory

Struggles: Finding the right balance between being warm and being demanding.  X's and O's are neat, but working on yourself as the person who is coaching is one of the greatest places for growth as a coach and one of the places I don't think many coaches really explore.

One of the most satisfying parts of the job for me has been seeing kids I coached get into coaching themselves.  Holy f*** do I find that rewarding.  Really enjoy bringing young guys into the profession, I had two young guys with me last year that were total knuckleheads for me but it was great to start to teach them what it is to coach.