AS HE WAS LEAVING the field after losing his first game as a head coach 30 years ago, Bob MacDougall saw something strange. Some fans from the stands were throwing a noose over one of the goal posts. “What’s that?” MacDougall asked a team assistant.
“Why, that’s for you, Mac,” said the assistant. “The boosters are trying to tell you something.”
While this may seem a bit of an overreaction, MacDougall, the current head coach at Joliet Junior College in Joliet, Ill., got the message loud and clear.
“We won our next nine games, so they didn’t need to use the rope,” says MacDougall. “But it was a great experience because it woke me up and told me that I’d better not just be prepared for the X’s and O’s — but that, as head coach, I also answer to the boosters, the administration and a lot of other people.”
Make A List Of Your Supporters
MacDougall encourages you to make a list and thank all of the people who contribute to your program in one form or another. These are people who won’t necessarily affect a win or loss on game night, but will affect how your program is run.
“You must acknowledge everyone who has input into your program,” MacDougall says.
Recognize The Big Picture
When creating your list, think in terms of the big picture and try to encompass every aspect of your program.
MacDougall says this means acknowledging people like the school president, principal or provost, athletic director, trainers, team doctor, the alumni association, parents, grounds crew, school secretaries, academic and career counselors, equipment people, band members, security, cheerleaders, financial aid administrators and concessions people, among others.
Above all, never forget to thank your wife, children, family and friends for being supportive since coaching consumes large portions of your time and energy.