AS ANOTHER exciting football season approaches, Hank Schrader, offers up some championship advice. The former defensive coordinator for perennial high school powerhouse Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Wash., learned a few things from his unique journey through Bellevue’s undefeated state championship season.
1. Make your program known for something. Our Bellevue program is known for two things. First, we run the football successfully from the Wing-T regardless of the defense (even when our opponents put 11 in the box). The second is that we play great team defense, especially against the running game. Everyone knows this about our team. Our players know and believe it, so do our opponents, fans and even the media.
The lesson is simple — make your program different and sell the idea of tradition to your players.
2. Give your players the tools to be successful. We constantly drill our players to know their assignment, alignment and their man. Against some teams, I diagrammed every pass play our opponent uses and then displayed it against every defense we could run. Why did I do this? If my players would study these sheets, I could expand our on-field practice time. Players will take amazing ownership of challenges if you give them the tools to overcome them.
3. Great coaches are prepared coaches. There must be no wasted practice time. Practices should start on time and be fun, yet challenging. Prepared coaches always have their players prepared for games and most of the situations they’ll face.
All players make some physical or mental mistakes. But if you can eliminate the mental mistakes, or as many as possible, your team will be on its way to greatness.
4. Great coaches are great teachers. I’ve seldom found a player that’s unwilling to perform, but there are many who don’t know when or how to perform. Make sure you know exactly what you want them to do and teach them the right way to do it.