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Post by coachd5085 on Nov 19, 2016 17:04:14 GMT -6
And if a HS baseball coach believes "If 'my' players are in football, accumulating sub-concussive blows, rattling his brain around and NOT taking cuts in the cage--they will be 3 1/2 months behind when I get them back (& NEVER recover). I will have them come in before school at 7AM (assuming a typo there) 3 days a week to hit BP. And if a HS Basketball Coach says "If 'MY' players are in football, rolling around in the dirt and resting in a huddle for 30 seconds after each 5 second play--they will be 3 1/2 months behind when I get them back (& Never recover). I will have them come in before school at 7A 3 days a week to shoot. I get these things STRAIGHT before I accept a position. We have Weight Training in ELECTIVE CLASSES Regardless of what OTHER sport they play = all our athletes are in CLASSES (for Carnegie Credit) either first OR second period. We get out Weight Training THAT way (if they play basketball baseball, or track = they don't have to lift on GAME DAY)! These are called "ADVANCED PE" (or "ATHLETIC PERIODS"). The coaches of all these sports are AWARE of the value of a good weight program. For those who say it "CAN'T" be done = our MOTTO is to "delete from our dictionary the words CAN'T, SOFT, EASY, QUIT", etc. This is just OUR way of doing things (other may not do it this way, & that's THEIR prerogative). Do your own thing & best wishes! I don't disagree with much of what you have said. Just realize that you probably would not be accepting many positions throughout the country. There is nothing wrong with that either, just keep that in mind when offering suggestions advice. It kind of reminds of Bill Walsh's short tenure as a Color Analyst on TV : Play by Play guy :"Coach Walsh, what would you do here in this situation" Bill Walsh : "Well, I would probably have Joe Montana try to get the ball to Jerry Rice here"
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Post by aceback76 on Nov 19, 2016 17:15:25 GMT -6
I get these things STRAIGHT before I accept a position. We have Weight Training in ELECTIVE CLASSES Regardless of what OTHER sport they play = all our athletes are in CLASSES (for Carnegie Credit) either first OR second period. We get out Weight Training THAT way (if they play basketball baseball, or track = they don't have to lift on GAME DAY)! These are called "ADVANCED PE" (or "ATHLETIC PERIODS"). The coaches of all these sports are AWARE of the value of a good weight program. For those who say it "CAN'T" be done = our MOTTO is to "delete from our dictionary the words CAN'T, SOFT, EASY, QUIT", etc. This is just OUR way of doing things (other may not do it this way, & that's THEIR prerogative). Do your own thing & best wishes! I don't disagree with much of what you have said. Just realize that you probably would not be accepting many positions throughout the country. There is nothing wrong with that either, just keep that in mind when offering suggestions advice. It kind of reminds of Bill Walsh's short tenure as a Color Analyst on TV : Play by Play guy :"Coach Walsh, what would you do here in this situation" Bill Walsh : "Well, I would probably have Joe Montana try to get the ball to Jerry Rice here" Once you become established in the profession, you CAN be a little "choosy" about WHERE you coach. The one thing that is WORSE than not coaching, is coaching in a sh***y situation. Just my take! PS: In 3 of my 6 High School positions, I was also ATHLETIC DIRECTOR & hired all the coaches for all the sports. In the other 3 positions I was allowed to hire MY assistants in Football. I looked for "I CAN" people, not "I CAN'T" types: It Couldn’t Be Done Related Poem Somebody said that it couldn’t be done But he with a chuckle replied That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried. So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin On his face. If he worried he hid it. He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn’t be done, and he did it! Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that; At least no one ever has done it;” But he took off his coat and he took off his hat And the first thing we knew he’d begun it. With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, Without any doubting or quiddit, He started to sing as he tackled the thing That couldn’t be done, and he did it. There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done, There are thousands to prophesy failure, There are thousands to point out to you one by one, The dangers that wait to assail you. But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, Just take off your coat and go to it; Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.
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Post by 53 on Nov 19, 2016 17:42:56 GMT -6
I doubt too many schools that have dedicated athletic periods go winless and are a doormat.
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Post by coachd5085 on Nov 19, 2016 17:50:17 GMT -6
I doubt too many schools that have dedicated athletic periods go winless and are a doormat. Again it is going to vary relative to location. In some parts of the United States, such things are quite common, and everyone in the league might have them. But I agree, in places where that isn't the norm at almost all schools, the ones that do have them probably aren't going to fall into the "taking over a losing program" category.
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Post by 60zgo on Nov 19, 2016 19:34:22 GMT -6
So, I'm potentially going to take over a program that hasn't won in 2 years. Have any of you been in a similar situation? And if so, what were your experiences? What was the first thing you did? YOU ARE NOT READY. And that's okay. No one is. Some crazy, unbelievable, mind-numbing sh*t is about to happen to you. Accept it now. 1. Re-Calibrate what "Success" is in your own mind... These guys have not won in two years. You won't win the state championship next year. 2. Master The Now, Win The Day, Row The Boat, Samurai Zen Meditation, whatever, you better live that every minute of everyday. Don't worry about yesterday, or tomorrow. Don't worry about this morning. What is important right now? Ask yourself that about 10,000 times a day. 3. Fire everyone you can. Seriously. If you have the chance fire the staff. Be fair and set up an evaluation period, but if given the opportunity let the dead weight go. You will have a couple of good guys, maybe they are out of position or overwhelmed. For the most part you will have a large number of coaches on your staff that are not worth keeping. So don't. 4. CULTURE. Focus on culture, rules, and expectations with players and staff. Show them that you care and that you are all in. 5. Weight Room. 0-20? Part of the problem is weight room culture. You can bet on it. Start attacking that weight room with a vengeance. Think old school barbell lifts. Powerlifter type workouts this Winter/Spring so you can get some quick gains and some physical confidence. 6. Enjoy it. Enjoy and embrace the challenge and accept it for what it is. What is the ceiling for this school? 3-7, 5-5, 10-0? Be realistic. Will they give you the resources to achieve that ceiling? If the answer is yes then take the job. Once you take the job you need to scratch and claw to achieve what is possible, but enjoy it for what it is.
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Post by CS on Nov 19, 2016 20:23:38 GMT -6
I doubt too many schools that have dedicated athletic periods go winless and are a doormat. Every school in Arkansas has an athletic period. We have door mat programs here. p.s. I realize what you were saying and it is relative to where you coach 😎
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Post by aceback76 on Nov 19, 2016 22:53:52 GMT -6
I doubt too many schools that have dedicated athletic periods go winless and are a doormat. Again it is going to vary relative to location. In some parts of the United States, such things are quite common, and everyone in the league might have them. But I agree, in places where that isn't the norm at almost all schools, the ones that do have them probably aren't going to fall into the "taking over a losing program" category. In the Southeast = it is a WAY OF LIFE!
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Post by coachd5085 on Nov 19, 2016 23:03:07 GMT -6
Again it is going to vary relative to location. In some parts of the United States, such things are quite common, and everyone in the league might have them. But I agree, in places where that isn't the norm at almost all schools, the ones that do have them probably aren't going to fall into the "taking over a losing program" category. In the Southeast = it is a WAY OF LIFE! That doesn't do much good for other coaches now does it? Again, just like Bill Walsh suggesting that he would have Montana look for Rice doesn't help out the Cleveland Browns right about now. And for the record, SouthEast louisiana does not have universal "football periods" or athletic weightlifting.
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Post by aceback76 on Nov 19, 2016 23:08:48 GMT -6
In the Southeast = it is a WAY OF LIFE! That doesn't do much good for other coaches now does it? Again, just like Bill Walsh suggesting that he would have Montana look for Rice doesn't help out the Cleveland Browns right about now. And for the record, SouthEast louisiana does not have universal "football periods" or athletic weightlifting. Feel sorry for those who DON'T have it but I can't solve the world's problems! LOBBY for it where you live!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2016 5:10:21 GMT -6
There are no "perfect" situations, youll always have hurdles to deal with , but the good coaches, the REALLY good ones are able to negotiate those.
Some guys steam roll them, "Were priority 1, screw the other teams, ", some guys are great with people, some guys are less assertive, and just roll with the BS, and just keep moving ...
I cant tell you how you should manage a situation, I can tell you how I would , but thats not you.
In terms of wight room participation, the best course of action IMO is to come to an agreement with the other coaches.
Tell them that lifting is required for football, therefore he will have to attend the mandatory sessions, but you will make sure hes not late or missing practices. In return if any of his kids want to lift with the football team they are more than welcome .
Tell them they're also welcome to join the off season speed development sessions as well .
Relationships built with coaches from the other sports is a MUST, and it benefits youre program as well
But i go right back to point #1 , REALLY investigate that job before you apply, I've seen my share of horror stories, I could fill pages with some of the outrageous crap I've been told guys had to endure.
Good luck in whatever you choose
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Post by mrjvi on Nov 20, 2016 7:31:33 GMT -6
This is a GREAT thread. I have been fortunate to rebuild and have success with 2 programs-1st in 6 years (success by 3rd year) and the second where I am now with great success all 20 years. I was lucky we turned it around right away. Certainly not typical. I am most likely taking over a small school program very soon that is close to where I live. I am retired from teaching but still have a great drive to coach. This school used to be a powerhouse team up until 15-20 years ago and has averaged 2 wins per season for the last 10 years. I'd like to get all coaches on board with strength training. I was never successful doing this during my 30+ years before. I ended up having to be a "prick" about football guys lifting no matter what sport they were in. Many, many coaches of the other sports benefited greatly anyway even though they were ticked off alot. Once again I will try to get a school unified program. I will try to use advice from above-mornings, try to appeal to the guys doing the "advanced PE" classes to adjust what they are doing and possibly night after their practices. Even though I've been coaching 35 years, I'd love any new advice. Keep this thread going until it is exhausted.
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Post by ccscoach on Nov 20, 2016 8:03:30 GMT -6
Took over a place that hadn't had a winning season in 12 years last year we were 5-4 and this year we struggled and went 3-6.
We have a year round weight program. We lift after practices which has helped us. The basketball coach has his kids lift 3 times a week so that helps.
I think the biggest thing we did was not worry about why they had lost. We simply said we cannot change the past here is what we are going to do on offense. Here is what we are going to do on defense.
From there we tried to establish some accountability and establish a work ethic in practice. So we instituted a few policy as far as missing practice. 4 quarters= 4 practices in a week you have to make all 4 to start. Will sit a quarter for every practice you miss. We also did goal cards for the week for practice we would do these on Saturday when we watch film. Tried to keep these as real as possible and measurable. This helped because if didn't think a kid was working as hard as he can in practice we'd ask the guy he committed to what he thought. When you do this it needs to be positive. Basically why are you letting this guy down we all know you're better type of approach.
The other thing we did was not worry about winning. We never talk about we never mention it the only thing we talk about is doing our jobs and responsibilities. If we do our jobs we win when we don't we lose. So once we stopped worrying about all that bs we started to win.
The other thing I'd say is make sure every kid understands that they have a role and that it's important. Even if it's just run down on kickoff. If you can get them to understand that it'll help. We do a lot of circuits we do a blocking circuit and everyone blocks qb included and a tackle circuit and everyone tackles kickers included.
My question is after you've had some success winning season for us. Then you take a step back 3-6 how do you rebound? My first thought is just stay consistent but wondering if anyone has been in that position and what they did to help get back on track?
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Post by blb on Nov 20, 2016 8:33:45 GMT -6
Make sure you're not "assuming" or taking things for granted - that kids are always giving their best effort (workouts, practices) for example.
The game is always evolving. Not advocating wholesale change, just make sure your schemes are keeping up with it so your opponents don't get an advantage on you such as seeing you do the same things from the same looks year after year.
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Post by Coach.A on Nov 20, 2016 11:31:54 GMT -6
My question is after you've had some success winning season for us. Then you take a step back 3-6 how do you rebound? My first thought is just stay consistent but wondering if anyone has been in that position and what they did to help get back on track? This happened to us last year. We progressed each season then had a slight dip last year. This season has been our most successful yet. If I had to pinpoint what we did different this year it would be: - Placed a huge emphasis on leadership development. Did leadership training with our Captains and met with them weekly to review the previous week, and plan the upcoming week. - Had the team do more team bonding activities throughout the season - Much greater emphasis on mental & physical toughness and toughness type drills - Got extremely stubborn in practice about kids not finishing drills. Would redo a conditioning or agility drill multiple times until every athlete had a +1 finish. This was grueling at first but I think it's paramount that you set this tone early. - Bought a chute and used it daily for our OL EDDs. Saw significant improvements in our OL pad level. - Change the structure of our summer strength training sessions so that all athletes were doing the exact same thing.
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Post by aceback76 on Nov 20, 2016 11:46:00 GMT -6
This is a GREAT thread. I have been fortunate to rebuild and have success with 2 programs-1st in 6 years (success by 3rd year) and the second where I am now with great success all 20 years. I was lucky we turned it around right away. Certainly not typical. I am most likely taking over a small school program very soon that is close to where I live. I am retired from teaching but still have a great drive to coach. This school used to be a powerhouse team up until 15-20 years ago and has averaged 2 wins per season for the last 10 years. I'd like to get all coaches on board with strength training. I was never successful doing this during my 30+ years before. I ended up having to be a "prick" about football guys lifting no matter what sport they were in. Many, many coaches of the other sports benefited greatly anyway even though they were ticked off alot. Once again I will try to get a school unified program. I will try to use advice from above-mornings, try to appeal to the guys doing the "advanced PE" classes to adjust what they are doing and possibly night after their practices. Even though I've been coaching 35 years, I'd love any new advice. Keep this thread going until it is exhausted. SELL Weight Training. Ted Williams (perhaps the greatest HITTER ever in baseball) attributed much of his success to it. All Basketball teams I follow use it (Track too). What really amazes me is that people, including coaches and other experts such as doctors and university professors, used to proclaim that strong muscles made one slow and inflexible. Oh contraire! I still remember when I was a kid that certain athletes who declared that weight training gave them superior ability-Ted Williams in baseball, Pancho Gonzales in tennis, etc.- slowly began to change this opinion. I can't remember the name of the little 14 year old female swimmer who broke one of Johnny Weismuller's long standing Olympic swimming records back in the 60s, but I do remember the shock on the interviewer's face when he asked what she attributed such a feat to and she said, "Weight training." Weight Training is now almost UNIVERSALLY accepted!
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Post by mrjvi on Nov 20, 2016 17:37:06 GMT -6
It was ironic where I am now that they brought me there to put in strength training. Despite my certification, most other teams couldn't be bothered by it. AD wasn't helpful much in that regard. He was hired right after I was. Hence the reason I had to be a "prick" about it.
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Post by jlenwood on Nov 20, 2016 17:56:33 GMT -6
How many programs truly get "turned around"? There is a reason they haven't won in years, and a good amount of time I would bet it wasn't a 100% coaching problem. So many of us think that we are the magic bullet that is going to make this program a winner!!....when in fact Nick Saban couldn't turn some places around.
I think you need to look at several factors before you take the job:
-Whats the pipeline lookin' like. Any of the lowers levels win anything?
-What do the other sports do, boys and girls? Could be a sign of a community issue of turd parents.
- What is the outlook for numbers? If they finish every year with about 20 kids.....it is a bleak future.
-How much ego are you willing to check to and how much of getting your a$$ kicked are you willing to endure for the next 3-4 years, because if the things above are in place ^^^, it's going to be a HS generation (4 years) of weeding out losers and building winners.
Not an expert, but these are some things I would consider.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2016 23:26:05 GMT -6
So, I'm potentially going to take over a program that hasn't won in 2 years. Have any of you been in a similar situation? And if so, what were your experiences? What was the first thing you did? I didn't take the program over, but I've worked as an assistant in a program like that once and expect to go back into a situation like that one day. You've got your work cut out for you. I've thought a lot about what I'd do as HC in a situation like this. I don't have the firsthand experience of guys like blb , but I hope my contribution to this conversation is worth while. Before even taking a job like that, you need to look at the administration. 99% of the time, when a program is that bad, they're the problem, even though they all think they support athletics because they cheer from the stands on Friday nights. Ask them exactly how they will support you. Lifting classes? Will they back you in the face of parent complaints? Will you get to pick your staff and bring in coaches? Can you discipline players? What about faculty meetings during practice? Extra planning periods? How much money will they let you control--do you get to keep the gate or concessions? Can you fundraise? Is there a booster club that will help you? Is there a feeder system? All of that's important. If the same principal has been here 15 years and had 5 football coaches who all came and went with terrible records... I would not want to take that job. If it's a new principal who wants to make football a priority, though, there might be reason to hope. If the program is dominant in one sport, but those athletes don't play any others, I would also think twice before accepting. An entrenched basketball, baseball, or wrestling coach hogging all the best athletes for himself will kill your chances. After taking it, the first thing I'd do would be to meet with the players and try to market the crap out of the program to change attitudes--tell them to bring friends to the weight room. You've got to build relationships with the community, starting with your returning kids, your feeder program, and the groups of athletes you'd like to play for you. Get your stuff out there in every restaurant and gas station in the community. Use every bit of social media available. The other thing is to tighten the screws, but tighten them slowly. If you come in too hard, you're just going to alienate the kids who don't see hope for the program yet and before long you're left trying to make it through a season with 20 kids. Focus on positive rewards. Reward your best fundraisers and hardest workers with new gear, t-shirts, etc. Don't be too quick to boot kids off to show what a disciplinarian you are, or it can backfire. Look for every single positive thing you can find and point that out.
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Post by coachtua on Nov 21, 2016 3:24:04 GMT -6
Unfortunately, many times you can't discover the reason until after you are waist deep in it. [/quote]
This is it. We just completed our second season at our current school. Previous staff was 2-8, 1-9. Last season went 7-4, exited the playoffs in the first round. We thought that's OK. We figured it was just the kids were still learning how to win and the nuances of our systems offensively and defensively. This year we went 2-8 and discovered a lot about the school and the boys at it. Little to no support from the school staff and admin. Active hating by teachers and counselors because they can't control the kids on the campus side but we have no problems with the same kids. Admin scheduling meetings and mandatory stuff during practice hours. Kids that have never been told no, and think they can do what they want without consequence because they get away with it are home. Lack of toughness throughout the team. Lack of general football knowledge.
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Post by 60zgo on Nov 21, 2016 8:00:46 GMT -6
Unfortunately, many times you can't discover the reason until after you are waist deep in it. Active hating by teachers and counselors because they can't control the kids on the campus side but we have no problems with the same kids. Admin scheduling meetings and mandatory stuff during practice hours. Kids that have never been told no, and think they can do what they want without consequence because they get away with it are home. Lack of toughness throughout the team. Lack of general football knowledge. I have been a part of a number of turnarounds as an asst. and head coach. This sounds like the blueprint for each one of the schools we went into. You can fix just about anything but an admin that is actively working against you.
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Post by sweep26 on Nov 21, 2016 9:12:49 GMT -6
Regardless of your knowledge and expertise...if you don't have the full support of the Administration you are S-O-L.
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Post by jturner on Nov 21, 2016 9:18:56 GMT -6
So, I'm potentially going to take over a program that hasn't won in 2 years. Have any of you been in a similar situation? And if so, what were your experiences? What was the first thing you did? YOU ARE NOT READY. And that's okay. No one is. Some crazy, unbelievable, mind-numbing sh*t is about to happen to you. Accept it now. 1. Re-Calibrate what "Success" is in your own mind... These guys have not won in two years. You won't win the state championship next year. 2. Master The Now, Win The Day, Row The Boat, Samurai Zen Meditation, whatever, you better live that every minute of everyday. Don't worry about yesterday, or tomorrow. Don't worry about this morning. What is important right now? Ask yourself that about 10,000 times a day. 3. Fire everyone you can. Seriously. If you have the chance fire the staff. Be fair and set up an evaluation period, but if given the opportunity let the dead weight go. You will have a couple of good guys, maybe they are out of position or overwhelmed. For the most part you will have a large number of coaches on your staff that are not worth keeping. So don't. 4. CULTURE. Focus on culture, rules, and expectations with players and staff. Show them that you care and that you are all in. 5. Weight Room. 0-20? Part of the problem is weight room culture. You can bet on it. Start attacking that weight room with a vengeance. Think old school barbell lifts. Powerlifter type workouts this Winter/Spring so you can get some quick gains and some physical confidence. 6. Enjoy it. Enjoy and embrace the challenge and accept it for what it is. What is the ceiling for this school? 3-7, 5-5, 10-0? Be realistic. Will they give you the resources to achieve that ceiling? If the answer is yes then take the job. Once you take the job you need to scratch and claw to achieve what is possible, but enjoy it for what it is. I agree with everything said here. I am moving on to year 2 in a school just like this. I will also add to #3. Find and hire the best coaches you can get. I was short staffed this year and had to coordinate everything. This was extremely taxing as I wasn't able to focus enough time on everything. Get good help, and you'll be surprised how much better you'll be quicker.
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Post by coachcb on Nov 21, 2016 10:28:46 GMT -6
Be very honest with yourself before you take on one of these programs. I took over a team that hadn't won a game in five years and it was a constant, stressful, uphill battle. We won a few games, we had some good games against the best teams in the state but I started to hate football and coaching by the time I was done. I knew exactly why the program struggled and we did everything we possibly could to turn that program around. The kids received quality coaching, we established rules for discipline, accountability and behavior and put an off-season training program in place. We got the numbers up but ended up booting nearly half of the team because they kept ditching practice. But, at the end of the day, we couldn't change the culture in the school or community. We were a big, strong, and fast football team and should have been in the play-offs after the first five games of the second season. That broke me.. Nobody likes losing but losing to a team that you out-match in every possible way because the kids just decided that they didn't want to play that particular day was hard to stomach. I resigned from the program on a high note (winning our last game of the year) and decided that I would never take over a program like that again.
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Post by 50slantstrong on Nov 23, 2016 13:40:29 GMT -6
The staff that I work with took over a program that hadnt won a game on any level in 3 years. The first thing we did was change the way workouts went. We did sit ups at the end of the workout instead of the beginning, we posted the workout in a different part of the weight room. We even had the kids enter through a different door. Basically we tried to do everything as differently as possible as the prior coaches.
We won 5 games in 2 years. It wasn't a movie type turnaround but I think the kids left the program having a better experience with football than kids prior to us.
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Post by fballcoachg on Nov 24, 2016 8:58:56 GMT -6
Regardless of your knowledge and expertise...if you don't have the full support of the Administration you are S-O-L. Either full support or absent/negligent support meaning let you be. That is more desirable than negatively involved or actively micromanaging.
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Post by wildcatslbcoach24 on Nov 25, 2016 10:18:43 GMT -6
Have a philosophy of how to teach your offense and defense and make sure you are teaching to the most minute details. What I mean is explain who the #2 receiver is when explaining your coverages and use that language constantly or you might have a discussion with your guy who is reaponsible for #2 yelling at you that the kid was wearing #85😳. Weightroom is the big equalizer and promote your program as one that will improve athletic performance in multiple sports. Get other coaches to buy into your system and you will get more kids. kids are kids and if they see themselves become and look stronger they will spread them word. Once the weightroom shows results on the field then you will begin turning the program around. Also, make sure to represent the program well and make sure your kids do the same. Don't accept them to act like a holes.
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Post by wildcatslbcoach24 on Nov 25, 2016 10:22:19 GMT -6
The reasoning for last comment is you need to have as many staff and community members behind you as you can for the 1st few years until your version of "The Process" has time to take effect. Also as much as you recruit the halls, recruit the parents and community to create a strong booster program. They can be the people you go to get resources a struggling football program will need and can leverage pressure on the school district to provide better resources.
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Post by scarletandcream on Nov 29, 2016 23:50:11 GMT -6
I am living this exact situation right now. The comment about mind numbing chit sums it up perfectly. Some of the stuff the kids do in a losing program will blow your mind.
I kicked my best player off the team because he thought it was okay to skip practice to go fishing with his dad, twice. His parents to this day tell people he didn't quit, he was "let go." Amazing.
I had 1/3 of the team in tears in the middle of a varsity game for blowing coverage, missing tackles, etc. Wow, you've got to be kidding me. You are 17 years old and we are going to cry in the middle of a varsity football game? What is this junior high girls soft ball?
I had one kid tell me in front of the whole team he would rather play for the previous head coach and lose every game because at least he had fun. It was so bad before I came kids were getting depantsed at practice and the coach did nothing about it.
In one of the only few games we had a chance to win this year my seniors quit on the team in the third quarter. Said we were losing so they quit. After half time when we were getting ready for kick off I couldn't find one of my seniors. He snuck off in full gear and was in his parents van crying. They were immediately stripped of their captain roles the rest of the guys had voted them into.
I had a dad go from car to car several practices trying to get parents to go to the board to get me fired because we practiced past 6:30 a few nights.
I had a senior and his younger cousin walk out of practice in conditioning and quit because it was too hard.
I had several kids fake concussions so they didn't have to practice and get hit. Half my older kids who were starters were suspiciously all of a sudden hurt when we got into a stretch of tough games. I started 6 freshman both ways.
After a game we lost, one kid said "its not the coaches fault we just don't want to get any better and we don't want to try."
A kid purposely dropped three balls and fumbled twice in one game (every time he touched it) because he wasn't getting to play as much as he thought he should. I know this because his buddies told me he said he did it on purpose after the game.
After having a terrible year, one of my juniors who thought he should have gotten all conference now won't talk to me much and is stand offish. He thinks he deserves it just for showing up everyday.
A couple of kids told the cheerleaders after the game that they sucked and they wish they wouldn't have come to support us at our away game.
One of our opponents who is bitter called a timeout with 12 seconds left in the game just so they could punch another score in. They were up by 50. They then got on their bus and drove away without saying a word. Our moms had cooked them supper for after the game because they came from a long ways away and they stood them up.
Without exception, every kid that quit the team this year told their buddies they got kicked off the team because it's cooler to get kicked off than to quit.
Some of the guys told me that I am too much about winning and they just want to participate and everyone should get to play equal time.
I started several freshman over seniors this year to make a point because of bad attitudes. Those seniors proceeded to try to hurt the younger kids in practice by taking cheap shots (rolling into knees, blocks in the back after the play, etc.)
I heard 1,000 comments this year that went like this "I can't do it, its too hard, I'm going to quit, we shouldn't have to do this, coach is an A hole, etc."
We went 1-7 this year.... gee, I wonder why??
Even though it was a very hard year and although I am only 27 I am turning grey and look like I am 37, I am still glad I came here. The younger kids without a doubt are buying in and I have done everything in my power to shield them from all the B.S. that came from the older guys. I am coming from coaching in college because I couldn't make a living for my family. I am getting paid great now and my administration supports a turnaround for boys sports 100%. The new superintendent was hired a year ago with the sole mission from the school board to fix the schools sports. He hired the new AD who was the only successful coach here in the past. He hired me, and we have spent 12k on new weight room equipment and about the equivalent on football gear.
We have seen HUUUUUUGE weight room gains so far. This school hasn't had a winning record since 2005. They have been to the playoffs one time, EVER. They have NEVER had a weight program. The average bench press when I got here was under 100lbs, average squat under 200lbs, and no one even know what a hang clean or power clean was. Weights is my strong suit. I'm not one for tooting my own horn, but I know what the blank I'm doing. I was a college strength coach before I took this job and have been in weight rooms since I was 12. I have the perfect set up here because I am a "PE teacher" for my day job. I run the weight room and get 90% of my kids 7-12 in a weights class during the day. I train all sports not just football.
The weight room is starting to give us confidence. We are starting to look the part. Our max numbers aren't 100% pathetic anymore, just maybe 50% pathetic now. I instituted lifting clubs for next year. Do so well on the max testing and make a club level 1-5. Just to make the first club is pretty hard. I post leaderboards every 8 weeks for every lift, 40, 5-10-5, you name it so kids can see exactly where they rank among their peers. There is no more talking about how great you are if you actually suck. It is up there for everyone to see. The young guys are hungry and my 8th grade class coming up is loaded with talent. The future is bright.
Still, it is a very difficult road. Many times this year I have wondered if what I am trying to do is even possible. Can it be salvaged? I wake up and fight every day relentlessly. I am a dick about getting kids in the weight room. I have told every single kid I have had an off season meeting with so far that if you don't lift you don't play varsity next year PERIOD. I started young kids who showed up to the weight room this past summer over older kids who didn't care.
At this point, I am working for years 3-5. We will still struggle next year. I had 21 kids on the team this year. Next year I will have 35. 20 of those will be freshman and sophomores. This year I had 7 juniors and seniors. Next year I will have 15 because many more older kids told me they are going to play next year because they want to be a part of what I am building.
I am hoping in years 3-5 we can have winning records and make the playoffs three years in a row.
I came here to turn this program around and to change kids lives. I am committed to it.
If you choose to take the job you are considering, know you are in for some insane stuff and some tough trials. You'll work 80 hour weeks every week to turn it around. If you would like to talk more about what to expect then PM me. It has been a rough experience but I wouldn't change it for the world and I am glad I took the job.
Coach J
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Post by badtotheflexbone on Nov 30, 2016 2:26:02 GMT -6
Wow Coach J,
What are those things called when you actively post from time to time to update progress like month to month or year to year? I would be interested in reading and seeing how things work out for you as time goes by. Rooting for you bud!
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Post by bigmoot on Nov 30, 2016 7:27:09 GMT -6
An old menor once told me..."leave it better than you found it."
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