Have you ever wanted to rebuild your team? If so, then here are twelve things I’ve learned about doing it.
First, let me share a bit about myself: I grew up in Avenal, California, a small city northwest of Bakersfield and southeast of San Jose. Since I was 3 years old, my family has been part of the football program. Football is in our blood, and we have rebuilt youth football teams multiple times, plus we helped launch a high school football program.
Drawing on those experiences, plus my work as a coach, I want to share insights on how to build a football program. Here are 12 tips, the first two of which I call My Golden Rules.
1. Treat others as you want to be treated: We should treat others in the same way we want to be treated. We need to use this on and off the field. Even if people treat us wrong in the sport, like playing dirty, when a penalty isn’t called, and even when we get mad at someone. I say that we should be our neighbors as ourselves. Don’t forget that players look up to you.
2. Have and show your respect: I always say that respect goes a long way. I believe that if you show respect, you will receive it in return. Your actions reflect your true self, meaning that the way you act is how people see you. As a coach, you will need to show respect to everyone: players, parents, school staff, community members, and even the opposing team. Don’t forget the way you act or show respect; your player and coach will act and show the same way you do.
Courtesy: YourHoustonNews.com
3. Be the best coach/player on and off the field: That’s because your players need to be the best on and off the field. So, you need to show support and love to players, parents, and the community. Be there for them at your school events, or have a club at the school for them to join. Be there during lunchtime to talk with them. Don’t just ask; invite kids to play, talk to them, and get them excited and interested in playing and being part of the team. Ask the school you are part of whether their ways of working will help the student, and get involved in school activities. To be the best leader in the school, leadership is key in football, and the player needs to use it on and off the field. Other students who want to and future high school students look up to the player, so have the player be an example of what football is like. Why? Because football is a year-round sport, player leadership is involved. The players need to show school spirit and get involved in the school’s activities.
4. Have a handbook: A handbook is similar to the team’s playbook, you see. The handbook serves as a resource for your team or program’s values and the football program’s rules.
5. Set goals and have your players set goals. The goals should be season goals to be reached by the end of the season. This is the BIG GOAL; it isn’t a goal the player can achieve at the beginning of the season. The following goals you set should be weekly for practice and game day. Besides setting goals for the football season, set goals for the school year and both semesters. Please make sure the goals do not repeat the same in season one, and use them in the weekly ones
6. Don’t think about winning: Sometimes you won’t have a winning season; you should focus on establishing a culture of rebuilding, which leads to winning. In every sport, I never think about winning in every game; I just think about what you kids kill and use them.
Photo courtesy Time
7. Use the four F’s in football: Faith, Family, Friends, and Football. First is Faith, this faith is an expression of hope for something better. More than a wish, it is closer to a belief, but not quite. A belief is rooted in the mind. Faith is based in the heart. If the player has faith in doing something, they will complete and conquer it. The next is Family. My family means everything to me. They are my “why.” They drive me to become a better person today. What family means to me is love and someone who will always be there for you through the good times and the bad. It is about encouragement, understanding, hope, comfort, advice, values, morals, ideals, and faith. In football, your family and coaching staff are the player’s role models because they might not have one. So be one family, be the “why” in your players’ lives. Then we have Friends. Life is all about relationship building. Friends help us deal with stress, make better lifestyle choices that keep us strong, and rebound from health issues and disease more quickly. Friendship is equally essential to our mental health. One study even suggested that spending time with positive friends can actually improve our outlook. That means we’re happier when we choose to spend time with happy people. (All the more reason to leave those toxic friendships behind). Players need to build a strong friendship in the program, or it can cause problems on the team and in the game. The last one is, of course, Football. I firmly believe there is nowhere else in the world where you will learn more about life than between the hashes. There is no class you can take, and there is no life course that will put you into situations in the highest of highs or the lowest of lows in such a short period of time. Examples: having a 75-yard touchdown run called back because of a holding call; and losing a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. Football teaches you to become something more; it teaches you to become a leader, to be part of a team, and to understand that each individual is a working part. It teaches you how to handle it.
8. Make football fun: Yes, I say FUN. You see, everyone always needs to have a morning football practice once a day to work on skills and push themselves. Do we forget that these are kids? Sometimes kids need a little fun to improve their skills. I’m talking about capturing the flag, flag football, even when all the kids are shaking, and even one like sharks and minnows. Your player needs to know that there is a time to be funny and silly, but there is also a time to be ready to learn. If you have fun, the kids will learn better, too.
Courtesy: statecollege.com
9. Effective Communication: When rebuilding your team, communication is a big, important tool you need. For years, I have seen coaches yell at the players. This can be bad for the team and the program. Why? Because the player won’t play well for you. Yelling at the player when you’re rebuilding your team or program won’t let you rebuild successfully. I have seen kids quit, and those who went on to leave more followed them. So to help you rebuild, communication is key. How? You should talk to the player about what happened and learn what you need to do next time. You can also explain to them what they did wrong on a play and in practice, and show the step-by-step and even tips for next time.
10. Learn together: In sports, as coaches, we can always learn new things. One thing I learned is that when you can, having your players together yields great outcomes. One example is studying football films, and having players take notes and ask questions. Also, you should ask them questions to see if you know and understand what is going on in the firm. Here are some courses with many free courses to help with the sport, and even with leadership roles outside the sport. And USA Football has contact and youth systems to help you and your players develop great skills. Also, the USA Football has shoulder tackling and advanced tackling.
11. Challenge them: In the football program, you should challenge them to get better. Have different types of player-of-the-week positions, and tell the players that if they work hard in practice and in games, they may have a chance to earn one of these spots. This helps the player work hard to build their skill in the sport.
12. Inspire the players: One thing I notice that helps the player get better and will help rebuild the team is to inspire the players. This means talking to them before the game and after every practice, and encouraging them. Let them know that you’re all in this together. Is the team bigger than them or have a better record than them? Then they are greater than what they think they are.
FINAL THOUGHTS: I hope this helps you rebuild your football team, and I believe that if coaches can work together, we will be a better, stronger football program. Football isn’t about winning or losing; yes, there is winning and losing, but it is about building skills and success in players’ lives.
My goal is to find a high school football program to help rebuild in the Hanford area or the Central Valley. Until then, I hope this advice enables you to rebuild your team.
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I can be reached at hanfordlemoorefootball@gmail.com.
