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Post by sweep26 on Feb 26, 2023 9:27:07 GMT -6
So many good ideas on this thread!!
Surprisingly, one of the things that has not been suggested on this thread is to, very early on...Physically Test the Student-Athletes that will be on the Team in the upcoming season to assess their strength, speed, and skills.
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Post by sweep26 on Feb 20, 2023 19:52:16 GMT -6
Sage advice irishdog ... if there is a guy like that available, I would suggest that the school would be even better served it they would just hire that veteran coach to lead their program. Fairly sure that irishdog was implying that the coach being described had no interest in such things As the old saying goes: "Just my humble opinion!!"
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Post by sweep26 on Feb 20, 2023 16:41:09 GMT -6
Find an older experienced coach who would be willing to serve in more of an advisory capacity. Guys who have been through the battles, and the grind, who are either retired, or close to it who want to help out, provide experience, and contribute to rebuilding the program. Guys who aren't necessarily interested in titles. Guys who just want to coach and have some pocket money for gas. Guys you can lean on and learn from, who could offer ideas on practice formats, off-season programs, communications, the X's and O's, scheduling, equipment purchasing, funding, etc. Guys who more than likely can answer most of the questions being raised in this entire thread. Yes, there are a number of them out there. I was fortunate in one school to have someone like that who provided some keen insights into many of those items, and more importantly into the community that helped me tremendously. Sage advice irishdog ... if there is a guy like that available, I would suggest that the school would be even better served it they would just hire that veteran coach to lead their program.
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Post by sweep26 on Feb 16, 2023 10:34:14 GMT -6
Clinic Coach posted the answer to this on Twitter today. problem solved. And, his answer was............ ??
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Post by sweep26 on Feb 12, 2023 10:16:18 GMT -6
Promoted to OC a year ago and now the head coach took a different job. AD made it clear he wasn’t interested in promoting within and the new coach has free rein to let everyone go. Would you stay and hope the new coach keeps you or would you take a great opportunity but means relocate your family (wife and 3 kids) to a new state. I would be very leery of relocating as an assistant coach. If you plan to be in this business over the long-haul and want to control your own destiny...find a hfc position asap.
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Post by sweep26 on Feb 11, 2023 21:43:47 GMT -6
Define down. Like, used to be good, hit a rough patch or has never won a playoff game? I think the answers differ based on those situations.
Agreed. There's "down" programs and then there's "We barely have enough kids to play a varsity schedule" bad.
This appears to be the $24,000.00 challenge in many "Down Programs"...unless it is a tiny school, where their total enrollment numbers are very low...why aren't the athletes who "starred" on the lower level teams going out for football in high school? I realize that it might be because they have a strong basketball program, or perhaps a strong wrestling program, and the coaches in those programs discourage participation in football...but in the end, don't you think that a major factor in their decision to not go out for football in high school really comes down to the student-athletes previous experience in youth or middle school football? If they got hammered every season in their younger years, their belief in their ability to succeed in football would have to be at a very low ebb...and they ask themselves...why should I go through this again? So my question to you guys is this: If you are going into a "Down Program" where the participation numbers are low, shouldn't you place as much of your focus on up-grading your lower level programs as you plan to do with the varsity program? Obviously, if your high school participation numbers are competitive with the other teams in your league...then your concern regarding up-grading those lower level programs probably should not require much of your time.
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Post by sweep26 on Feb 6, 2023 21:12:33 GMT -6
I've turned around 4 programs. Two were places that used to be good and had fallen on hard times, and two were places that had never been good. There's no secret formula or magic elevator. A few things that have worked for me over the years: 1. Don't waste time on seniors that aren't buying in. Move on from them. Play younger kids. 2. Don't compromise on your principals, but be flexible in implementing them. In my current position, I got hired the first week of June. At the first team function we held, there were 18 kids. Numbers stayed low most of the summer. The kids that were there, and the coaches I retained, kept telling me that more would show up when school started, which was the week of the first game. This had been allowed by the previous 3 head coaches. I said ok, I'll put up with that for this year. After the season, I made it clear what the expectations were going forward. One kid tried to test me in year two and I did not let him play. Haven't had an issue since. had I been a hard ass year on, I might not have had enough kids to finish the season (we went 7-5). 3. Put your players in the best gear possible. Get a Nike or Under Armour contract with BSN. Every program I took over had an inferiority complex because the facilities and uniforms sucked. I couldn't fix the facilities right away, but I could fix the uniform issue. Very much in agreement with the seniors in year one. At the first school I turned around in year one there were 8 returning seniors. When I told them we would start taking care of our freshmen instead of hazing them, and hazing would no longer be tolerated, two of the 8 quit and transferred out. The other 6 were great kids who bought in and contributed a ton to building the foundation of the program. Although we only won one game that year 3 of those seniors came back in year three to help me coach the team that made it to the state semi-finals. IMHO...this is not just a senior thing...we will not wase time on anyone that does not "buy-in". I will qualify this with the statement that, if two kids are equal we will go with the upper-classmen...again, IMHO the kid that has the most time invested in the program will get the edge...to begin with. We have always told our kids..."this is not a union"...there is no such thing as seniority, etc....we are going to play the best people, PERIOD!!!!!!!!
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Post by sweep26 on Feb 4, 2023 10:31:12 GMT -6
Best advice I've ever heard is to "stop sucking" which sounds flippant but is actually a great way to look at things. What does the program do currently that is associated with teams that suck? Are there daddy ball problems that can pop up in bad programs when it's all off campus coaches? Are practices unplanned or disorganized? Weight room not managed well? Playbook as thick as the bible? Stop all that stuff. Nothing fancy is needed. The US military wants full spectrum dominance, to be the absolute best in every area. You might want that eventually but right now you need full spectrum competence. Run solid practices, maintain rules and discipline, get the weight room rolling and being done properly, have a sound scheme on both sides that is simple enough to play fast, etc. Just dont do the things that teams who suck do. Maybe you wont find that very profound or helpful but it certainly helped me look at things differently when I took over my positions. I wanted the world but that's not realistic in a program that's been down Good one Coach!! You have obiously read the book "Break Free From Suckville"... I have not read it. Just learned that there is such a book...and just ordered it from Amazon.
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 29, 2023 16:17:00 GMT -6
Number One = FIND ADULTS TO HELP YOU That has been my biggest mistake at the 2 places I took trying to turn it around. Assistant coaches, teachers, parents, etc... I did a better job my 2nd time around getting guys on my staff on-board, but at the end of the day, if you don't want to work yourself to death, you need to find people willing to do a lot of stuff for free to help you out. I took over at 2 programs that were 3-7 at best for a decade prior to me taking over and was able to get some progress, but never able to get over the hump. I was working too long, too hard, and without enough help to make it happen. I just resigned about a month ago from the second job and with a 10-30 record, I was on-pace to be the 3rd all-time winningest coach in that program within a year, but I just couldn't continue. Find an assistant who wants to run the weightroom and let them do it all... Find a parent/teacher who wants to be in charge of team dinners and let them do it all... The programs around here that are always good, have an overwhelming support system from the community. I've had HCs find out some of the stuff I have had to do as the HC at the place I just left and they are all SHOCKED... The kids will respond if the parents are pushing them to be a part of the program and are supportive of the program. Excellent post Coach!! Everything that you say makes so much sense...genuine commitment from both the Administration and a core group of parents is vital. Your last sentence may be the one of the most imortant factors in rebuilding projects.
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 27, 2023 14:13:01 GMT -6
Does anyone do anything in particular to develop team unity/connection?
We all know how important it is for everyone to feel a sense of belonging. I never played on a great team, either in high school or college...and as I think back, those teams were always very cliquish.
I know first handed how important team chemistry is. I have coached a number of undefeated high school teams...once coached a NJCAA National Championship Team. I knew from day one, when we sat down to have our first meal together, the way they inter-acted that we had a very special group. However, I must confess...I never did anything specifically to develop team comradery....it just happened...the right kids. We worked them hard and tried to do everything that we could to help them succeed.
I have been a head coach for a number of years, nearly all of my research in the past has been focused on X's & O's and S&C. I now realize how important that the team chemistry factor is and have spent much of this past year studying this phase of the game...I need to learn more!
So...again if there are any specific strategies that you guys have regarding developing team unity/connectiveness please share.
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 26, 2023 13:48:39 GMT -6
Define down. Like, used to be good, hit a rough patch or has never won a playoff game? I think the answers differ based on those situations. Not good, never been real good. However, they do have decent numbers on their roster.
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 26, 2023 12:40:15 GMT -6
If you are taking over a program that is "Down"...excluding the Weight Program and X's & O's...where do you start?
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 21, 2023 22:22:30 GMT -6
I recently read an Abraham Lincoln quote: "With public sentiment anything is possible--without it nothing is possible."
Perhaps President Lincoln's quote corroborates what you guys are saying about certain community attitudes.
Thankfully I have never coached in a community like those that you have experienced.
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 21, 2023 18:59:11 GMT -6
IMHO you can change the culture of a program...quality leadership matters...in all schools. The primary Administrative decision maker (be that Superintendent, Principal or A.D.) and the Head Coach in particular. If they both have a genuine interest in changing the culture of their program...it can, and will happen (assuming there is close to comparable physical talent available to allow their team to be competitive). You CAN change programs with leadership, but if the community doesn't want it, it isn't going to stick. This may be true...but what kind of a community would not enjoy watching their kids enjoy success?
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 21, 2023 10:33:13 GMT -6
For sure, my sister came and watched a game about mid-way through my first year as a HC (at a school that had sucked for quite awhile) and reported back to me on the peanut gallery's assessment of me. The group of folks sitting to her right thought I was the best coach they'd had in 20 years (we had a winning record for once), and the group to her left loudly let everyone know I was a "f*cking idiot". I highly recommend sitting in the stands at games during the playoffs or on bye weeks, it'll be a HUGE eye opener for you guys who may not do it real often. You can tell a toxic situation/community very quickly. It's also shocking to hear some of the comments that are directed at state championship level coaches and teams. I hate to judge whole communities based on a few doorknobs but it really does seem like some communities are just toxic/negative and genuinely aren't able to produce successful programs because those things get so ingrained. Conversely, great communities produce great programs and those great programs sustain great communities. It's like anything in life, winners keep on winning and losers keep on losing. Momentum is tough to break
I'm typically up in the box during games and I enjoy opening up the window (if there is one) so I can listen to the peanut gallery. We were playing a team who has arguably been the best program in our classification over the over the last two decades. I catching bits and pieces of the crowd from the booth. It was a well-played game by both teams and we lost by two scores. Man... Those fans were brutal with everyone. The kids, coaches, officials: everyone was fair game.
I will say, one of my best community experiences was with an 8-man program that we were trying to turn around. We had some rough games at home but the stands were packed and people were quite supportive. They'd line up by the sidelines and shake our hands after games. Close losses were as good as a win for our fans; folks went nuts when we went down to the wire with the #2 team in the state. I would've hung around but there were a lot of thing working against that football program.
IMHO you can change the culture of a program...quality leadership matters...in all schools. The primary Administrative decision maker (be that Superintendent, Principal or A.D.) and the Head Coach in particular. If they both have a genuine interest in changing the culture of their program...it can, and will happen (assuming there is close to comparable physical talent available to allow their team to be competitive).
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 20, 2023 22:00:10 GMT -6
raider92 said, "Conversely, great communities produce great programs and those great programs sustain great communities. It's like anything in life, winners keep on winning and losers keep on losing. Momentum is tough to break." After coaching for a number of years, and in different types of communities...I totally agree with his assessment.
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 20, 2023 11:40:49 GMT -6
So my question is how do you measure the value of confidence? One of the things I learned from a local program who had some of the worst lifting technique I'd ever seen at a power meet was that it wasn't really necessary for their kids to be able to clean 300lbs with great technique, they THOUGHT they could. This is another topic that I am quite interested in... If the challenge to the kids that you reference is solely directed toward the weight lifting competition I believe that would be attributed to their high level of self-efficacy (confidence based on previous success in this activity). If that same group also excels in other competitive events it undoubtedly reflects their high level of self-confidence ( a personality trait).
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 18, 2023 8:21:27 GMT -6
Thanks' to all of you that were willing to share your opinions...
I was hoping that there would be some quantifiable data, or examples available that would illustrate the benefits of having a perennially successful high school football program...perhaps from an economics perspective, or perhaps from a self-efficacy/self-perception perspective.
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 17, 2023 9:46:29 GMT -6
Looking for opinions...
What are the pluses for both a school and a community for having a perennial SUCCESSFUL Football Program as opposed to just having a Football Program?
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Post by sweep26 on Jan 12, 2023 12:15:37 GMT -6
I agree...Talent doesn't always win.
All Teams are groups, but not all groups are Teams!
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Post by sweep26 on Dec 15, 2022 7:58:32 GMT -6
If you haven't read it..."LEGACY" by James Kerr is really good!!
It provides lessons in leadership and culture from New Zealand's famous Rugby team...the "ALL BLACKS".
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Post by sweep26 on Dec 2, 2022 12:56:15 GMT -6
Building a program at any level requires strict criteria and a willingness to dismiss those who do not fit.
Psychologists have identified the 3 human psychological needs necessary for optimal human functioning...Competency, Autonomy and Relatedness (a sense of belonging and an attachment to other people).
Working together in your weight room is not just about becoming bigger, faster & stronger...equally important is the fact that it demonstrates a genuine commitment to one-another!!
Commitment is the key to superior performance!!
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Post by sweep26 on Sept 13, 2022 10:55:17 GMT -6
What you tolerate...you encourage!!
It IS a team game...having success is going to be difficult for your team if you have one set of rules for the "Star" and another set of rules for the rest of the squad.
Everyone needs to be consistently held accountable for their choice of actions (or lack thereof).
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Post by sweep26 on Aug 26, 2022 8:15:17 GMT -6
I played for coach Markham in Bandon in the late 90s… we walked everywhere, ran all team O and D during practice …I can remember running 36 pitch at least 30 times until it was perfect ! no pregame … would go out on the field before game throw the ball around and get loose , run some plays then go back into the locker room and have a little pep talk …then take the field and play football! Always had team dinners cooked by Linda (his wife ) at his ranch along with a study hall if you needed it and film session . Markham was huge on weightlifting! We lifted all summer and ran sprints .. as far as The peanut butter sandwich laced with creatine …not exactly true … they were peanut butter and honey on wheat bread, his wife would hand us two sandwiches as we walked in and there was a shaker with creatine we were asked if we wanted creatine on our sandwiches. Of course none of us said no….lol. Great post. Be prepared to get blown up with questions!! You are an awesome resource! You scared rocky34 off
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Post by sweep26 on Aug 25, 2022 7:38:13 GMT -6
I played for coach Markham in Bandon in the late 90s… we walked everywhere, ran all team O and D during practice …I can remember running 36 pitch at least 30 times until it was perfect ! no pregame … would go out on the field before game throw the ball around and get loose , run some plays then go back into the locker room and have a little pep talk …then take the field and play football! Always had team dinners cooked by Linda (his wife ) at his ranch along with a study hall if you needed it and film session . Markham was huge on weightlifting! We lifted all summer and ran sprints .. as far as The peanut butter sandwich laced with creatine …not exactly true … they were peanut butter and honey on wheat bread, his wife would hand us two sandwiches as we walked in and there was a shaker with creatine we were asked if we wanted creatine on our sandwiches. Of course none of us said no….lol. rocky34 how successful had the Bandon football program been before Coach Markham arrived?
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Post by sweep26 on Aug 23, 2022 10:56:51 GMT -6
This is a great point of view, and leads to yet another question...what comes first competence or confidence? Some say that without an initial spark of confidence, there wouldn't be sufficient energy, drive, motivation to develop any competence. Or as you say...that mastering those few DTDW plays that Markham presented was what developed his team's confidence to succeed. Havnt seen a kid who didn’t know what to do be very confident This may be true. However, if he didn't have at least a spark of self-confidence to begin with, I doubt that he would even be attempting to succeed in the task at hand. I will concur that as one's competence grows...so does his confidence. I am sure that this debate of which comes first has been an ongoing one for quite some time.
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Post by sweep26 on Aug 23, 2022 8:25:19 GMT -6
Much has been written about Coach Markham's DTDW offense that established a new national scoring record when he was coaching at Bloomington H.S. (CA)...however, I have never read anything about the methodology that he used to change the "defeatist" mindset of the high school teams that he took over in both California and Oregon. I am wondering...are there are any coaches out there that assisted Coach Markham in any of his rebuilding projects that would be willing to share their thoughts and knowledge regarding this topic? Don’t know a ton about him but when you have fewer plays, window dressings and focus on execution of your assignments kids magically start playing faster and more aggressive. Imagine that This is a great point of view, and leads to yet another question...what comes first competence or confidence? Some say that without an initial spark of confidence, there wouldn't be sufficient energy, drive, motivation to develop any competence. Or as you say...that mastering those few DTDW plays that Markham presented was what developed his team's confidence to succeed.
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Post by sweep26 on Aug 20, 2022 8:36:11 GMT -6
I have a VHS Tape of the "one-man clinic" that Coach Markham did in a classroom full of coaches (I am guessing it was at Bloomington H.S.(CA)).
IMO...it was outstanding. No BS, just honest/straight forward football talk.
Unfortunately, I no longer have access to equipment to convert this tape to DVD...otherwise, I would be willing to share this with others.
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Post by sweep26 on Aug 19, 2022 10:32:53 GMT -6
There is a coach that has a video on YouTube by the name of Roger VanDeZande that has a (sample) presentation titled: "Turning It Around with the Double Wing Offense".
This coach claims that he coached with Don Markham in Oregon and learned the system directly from Coach Markham
At the time that he did this video, he was coaching at Fayette High School in Missouri. I attempted to reach out to the A.D. at that high school to find out where Coach VanDeZande may be coaching now...no response from that A.D.
If anyone knows of Coach VanDeZande's current location is please post...
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Post by sweep26 on Aug 15, 2022 10:50:20 GMT -6
Much has been written about Coach Markham's DTDW offense that established a new national scoring record when he was coaching at Bloomington H.S. (CA)...however, I have never read anything about the methodology that he used to change the "defeatist" mindset of the high school teams that he took over in both California and Oregon.
I am wondering...are there are any coaches out there that assisted Coach Markham in any of his rebuilding projects that would be willing to share their thoughts and knowledge regarding this topic?
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