Post by knighter on Feb 8, 2006 7:03:54 GMT -6
Spoke at a clinic on this...basically here are my ideas.
1. Actively recruit your own hallways.
Expose as many kids as you can to football.
2. Become involved with your youth programs as much as possible.
(This includes JH, flag, elementary padded etc.)
3. Camps
(3rd and 4th grade, 5th and 6th grade, JH, 9-12)
4. Set HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
Do not be afraid to dream big.
5. Be POSITIVE and ENTHUSIASTIC.
It really is contagious.
6. Make sure you have QUALITY JH coaches.
They have to be in it for the right reasons.
7. Let Them Play!
JH- All Play (as much as possible)
9th Grade- All Play (as much as possible)
JV- Focus changes to winning (play as many as you can in doing so)
Varsity- Best players at each position regardless of anything else.
8. Get your BOOSTERS behind you.
They can make your life easier if you will let them.
9. Make Football a BIG DEAL!
Make your program the only show in town (on Friday/Saturday nights).
10. Focus on who you HAVE, not who you don’t.
You can only play who you’ve got. Stop worrying about who is “not out”.
11. COACH THEM UP!!!
Find a place for them, and help them be successful there.
12. T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, pins, buttons etc.
PROMOTE YOUR PROGRAM!
13. 8th graders stand on sideline at last home game.
Let them know what "game night” is all about.
14. Newsletter (Bi Monthly or Monthly)
Not as hard or as time consuming as you think.
15. Involve anyone.
If they want to help, or support in some way, make it happen.
16. Get them out, and keep them out.
Positive Experiences for them all.
17. Get them interested while they are young!
Several ways to do this.
18. Be Professional. Someone is always watching and/or listening.
Be a ROLE MODEL.
19. Have players recruit players.
In a positive way!
20. Invite younger athletes to observe a practice session.
They get excited when they see a good practice session.
21. Walk the walk, and talk the talk.
Even when down, you have to be UP!
22. Be HONEST.
Do what you say, say what you do.
23. Be straight forward.
Players appreciate it.
24. Discipline.
(Yes, they seek it!)
*25. Get the MOMS on YOUR side.
(Football Class For Moms..got this idea from Coach Woodley at Johnston)
26. Let them know you care for them outside football.
Be involved in your players lives.
27. Help other programs.
You never know when they might push a kid your way in return.
28. Get all school staff on board.
Make them all excited about your program.
29. LOVE THE GAME.
It shows!
30. Ask successful coaches what they do.
You never know “everything”. It never hurts to see what works for others.
31. Always, ALWAYS, talk “WE”.
Eliminate “I” and “Me” from your vocabulary.
32. Always be COACHING.
Weight room, Plyos, Speed work, Practice, Games...all are places for you to have an impact on your players, IF you take the time to do so.
33. Make all kids feel as though they are important to your team.
Starters and non-starters alike, they are part of your family.
34. Be good to your volunteers.
They make your job easier!
35. Be humble.
Always take the responsibility in a loss, always give the credit away to the kids in a win.
36. Be good to the media.
They can make you look really good, or really bad.
*37. Adopt a Player
Elementary classrooms adopt a player for the season. (This idea came from an elementary teacher, and football mom in my school. Might want to check to see that all elementary teachers wish to be involved.)
38. Dedication Points
Adaptation from Coach Wilson’s system at {censored}-New Hartford.
(Again elementary teacher, football mom said I should include this as did an administrator at another school. They like it because it focuses on the total person not just the football player. Promotes citizenship, good grades, supports other sports and community service.)
39. Community wide Pep Rallies
For big games, and homecoming only.
*40. Stag Night
Golf outing/card games with players’ dads.
41. Win
Hate to say it, but winning gets more people involved. Find ways to win games.
42. Do anything you can to help them.
They work hard for you, work hard for them. Go the “extra mile”.
Be willing to commit your time to making them better while you have them. Help them find a place to play after they are done playing for you if they have the desire to play college ball.
43. Highlight Videos
Players and parents love them.
44. Let your coaches coach.
Happy assistants will do a GREAT job of helping you build a program, promoting your program etc. If you do not let them coach, they will not be happy.
45. Eliminate all the things that are not important to your program. (Addition by subtraction) Concentrate on drills and skills that are vital to what you do. Eliminate the ones that are time wasters.
46. Establish an “IDENTITY” in all phases of the game. Offensively find a system you like, that you can sell, and that you can COACH (on the run if need be). Defensively find a defense that you can make adjustments on the fly with and sell it to the kids. Special Teams are VITAL, you must establish some kind of identity in all phases and aspects of the game.
1. Actively recruit your own hallways.
Expose as many kids as you can to football.
2. Become involved with your youth programs as much as possible.
(This includes JH, flag, elementary padded etc.)
3. Camps
(3rd and 4th grade, 5th and 6th grade, JH, 9-12)
4. Set HIGH EXPECTATIONS.
Do not be afraid to dream big.
5. Be POSITIVE and ENTHUSIASTIC.
It really is contagious.
6. Make sure you have QUALITY JH coaches.
They have to be in it for the right reasons.
7. Let Them Play!
JH- All Play (as much as possible)
9th Grade- All Play (as much as possible)
JV- Focus changes to winning (play as many as you can in doing so)
Varsity- Best players at each position regardless of anything else.
8. Get your BOOSTERS behind you.
They can make your life easier if you will let them.
9. Make Football a BIG DEAL!
Make your program the only show in town (on Friday/Saturday nights).
10. Focus on who you HAVE, not who you don’t.
You can only play who you’ve got. Stop worrying about who is “not out”.
11. COACH THEM UP!!!
Find a place for them, and help them be successful there.
12. T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, pins, buttons etc.
PROMOTE YOUR PROGRAM!
13. 8th graders stand on sideline at last home game.
Let them know what "game night” is all about.
14. Newsletter (Bi Monthly or Monthly)
Not as hard or as time consuming as you think.
15. Involve anyone.
If they want to help, or support in some way, make it happen.
16. Get them out, and keep them out.
Positive Experiences for them all.
17. Get them interested while they are young!
Several ways to do this.
18. Be Professional. Someone is always watching and/or listening.
Be a ROLE MODEL.
19. Have players recruit players.
In a positive way!
20. Invite younger athletes to observe a practice session.
They get excited when they see a good practice session.
21. Walk the walk, and talk the talk.
Even when down, you have to be UP!
22. Be HONEST.
Do what you say, say what you do.
23. Be straight forward.
Players appreciate it.
24. Discipline.
(Yes, they seek it!)
*25. Get the MOMS on YOUR side.
(Football Class For Moms..got this idea from Coach Woodley at Johnston)
26. Let them know you care for them outside football.
Be involved in your players lives.
27. Help other programs.
You never know when they might push a kid your way in return.
28. Get all school staff on board.
Make them all excited about your program.
29. LOVE THE GAME.
It shows!
30. Ask successful coaches what they do.
You never know “everything”. It never hurts to see what works for others.
31. Always, ALWAYS, talk “WE”.
Eliminate “I” and “Me” from your vocabulary.
32. Always be COACHING.
Weight room, Plyos, Speed work, Practice, Games...all are places for you to have an impact on your players, IF you take the time to do so.
33. Make all kids feel as though they are important to your team.
Starters and non-starters alike, they are part of your family.
34. Be good to your volunteers.
They make your job easier!
35. Be humble.
Always take the responsibility in a loss, always give the credit away to the kids in a win.
36. Be good to the media.
They can make you look really good, or really bad.
*37. Adopt a Player
Elementary classrooms adopt a player for the season. (This idea came from an elementary teacher, and football mom in my school. Might want to check to see that all elementary teachers wish to be involved.)
38. Dedication Points
Adaptation from Coach Wilson’s system at {censored}-New Hartford.
(Again elementary teacher, football mom said I should include this as did an administrator at another school. They like it because it focuses on the total person not just the football player. Promotes citizenship, good grades, supports other sports and community service.)
39. Community wide Pep Rallies
For big games, and homecoming only.
*40. Stag Night
Golf outing/card games with players’ dads.
41. Win
Hate to say it, but winning gets more people involved. Find ways to win games.
42. Do anything you can to help them.
They work hard for you, work hard for them. Go the “extra mile”.
Be willing to commit your time to making them better while you have them. Help them find a place to play after they are done playing for you if they have the desire to play college ball.
43. Highlight Videos
Players and parents love them.
44. Let your coaches coach.
Happy assistants will do a GREAT job of helping you build a program, promoting your program etc. If you do not let them coach, they will not be happy.
45. Eliminate all the things that are not important to your program. (Addition by subtraction) Concentrate on drills and skills that are vital to what you do. Eliminate the ones that are time wasters.
46. Establish an “IDENTITY” in all phases of the game. Offensively find a system you like, that you can sell, and that you can COACH (on the run if need be). Defensively find a defense that you can make adjustments on the fly with and sell it to the kids. Special Teams are VITAL, you must establish some kind of identity in all phases and aspects of the game.
