I REMEMBER BEING a young coach sitting in a clinic and listening to a football coach give a lecture on defense. In his introduction, he told a story that has stuck with me for many years.
The speaker had lectured at another clinic and noticed a very prominent coach sitting in the front row. He asked the prominent coach if he was sure he was in the right place. The prominent coach replied “I’ve come here to learn and I’m anticipating that the information from you will help me become a better coach.”
In other words, we’re never too old to learn or to improve as a coach. The following are nine facts that every young coach should take to heart.
1. Develop A Coaching Philosophy. Keep your philosophy simple and make it one that can grow with you and give you structure as both a person and a coach. Many young coaches don’t know what they need to do to improve. Set up a philosophy that offers flexibility and allows room for improvement.
2. Coaching Is A Call To Improve The Life Of A Young Person. Five minutes spent with a young person can make a difference in a player’s life. You may also be surprised at how this can affect your life.
Each of your players, no matter their ability or athletic talent, needs to feel important and needs to be a part of your life. Young people don’t care what you know until they know that you care.
3. Players Need Role Models — Not Another Friend. Research, read, attend workshops and find out all you can about the generation of players that you are coaching. Find out what motivates and encourages them. Spend time mentoring your players and don’t worry about being “one of the boys.” It’s good to participate in fun activities with your players, but always keep in mind that you are their coach.
4. Attend Coaching Clinics. Learn how to improve your coaching. Unfortunately, many young coaches go to a clinic unprepared to learn. Don’t show up because the head coach says so, or because it gets you a day off from work. Bring paper, pen and an openness to learn. Sit near the front of the lecture hall and listen carefully to the speakers. Get to the clinic early, check out the location of each of the rooms and know ahead of time which speakers you want to listen to.
Balance the social aspects of the clinic with the purpose of the clinics. Clinics that allow too much free time will be less beneficial. Meet with fellow staff members during breaks and after the clinic to review all the material you’ve gathered. The question asked after each presentation should be, “How can this information improve or help our program?”
5. Establish A Coaching Library. Save and organize old playbooks, coaching articles, clinic notes, drills, motivational presentations, quotes and valuable play ideas that can help you improve as a coach.
Your library should contain coaching periodicals (with solid coaching content), books on a variety of subjects (even books on giving speeches or writing letters), coaching reports, tapes (video and audio), CDs and DVDs.
6. Emphasize Fundamentals And Drills That Develop Skills. Games are won by teams that possess solid fundamentals and skills — not trick plays. Football has changed significantly in the past few years, yet success still depends on good blocking, tackling and running. Emphasize and teach fundamentals that help players learn new techniques and skills. You can’t play the game for your players, so give them skills they can use.
7. Establish, Maintain Quality Family Time. Even with all of today’s technology, a lack of time and the process of organizing it is a major problem for coaches. If you’re married and have children — or even if you are single — set aside a proper amount of time for your family.
8. Time Management Is Critical. Take time each week — even in the off season — to plan your strategies, practices and organize your time. Think of ways to enhance the lives of your family, players and your own life. There’s an old saying that goes, “You’re no good to anyone if your well goes dry.” Spend time outside coaching developing relationships with others. Read, do gardening work, have a hobby and become involved in other organizations. Coaching can be a lonely profession if you eat, drink, breathe and live only for your sport.
9. Know And Understand Your Role. Whether you’re an assistant coach, head coach or are involved with youth football, know your role as a coach. Perform your current coaching duties to the best of your ability instead of always looking to move up. Assistants must learn to follow and support the head coach. Listen to input from others and learn from your current position on the coaching staff.
Coaches who show responsibility for the little things (counting footballs after practice, locker-room detail, making photocopies for the staff, etc) will soon earn larger responsibilities. Listen to the older coaches on the staff and learn from them.