HAVING JUST COMPLETED my 26th season of coaching high school football, I feel fortunate to have survived so long in a great profession that plays an important role in the positive development of our young people.
The following are the basic tenets for coaching longevity that I’ve assembled through the years.
1 Justify coaching every day. The most important element a coach can provide for his athletes is positive leadership — not just on the field during the season, but throughout the off-season as well; in the hallways during the school day or even at the local mall on the weekend.
Successful coaching doesn’t just happen during practice and games. There may be an off-season, but there are no days off for a coach.
2 Be sincere. If an athlete doesn’t believe you have their best interests at heart, they’ll never buy into the vision you have for the program. You must gain your player’s trust. This doesn’t mean that you must become their best buddy, but they must know that you’ll be there for them if needed.
3 Demand responsibility. Our coaches have a motto, “Offer opportunity to all, but demand responsibility from all.” These days, football coaches usually don’t have to cut players from their squads. They can truly offer opportunity to everyone who wants to play. That doesn’t mean you should offer everyone equal playing time, but if an athlete truly wants to play, you must demand responsibility and accountability from each player.
4 Forget the past, prepare for the future. After the conclusion of each season the media or community members will start asking how you’re going to replace the departing seniors, especially the ones that earned post-season honors. The answer is easy. You will replace them because you have to as seniors graduate every year.
Thank your seniors for their contributions, help them proceed with their lives and begin to focus on the remaining players. Evaluate their participation in other sports, in the weight room or behavior in the lunchroom.
Make position changes to get your best players on the field and make any minor adjustments in your style of play to accommodate the strengths of the returning players. Keep an open mind and demonstrate confidence in your players.
Every year some players that you were concerned about will step up and play at a higher level.
5 Attitude is more important than raw talent. An athlete with all the natural ability in the world, but who has a poor work ethic — one who doesn’t do well in school and is always walking the edge of a rule violation — will rarely come through for you on the field. But the athlete with less ability who possesses a great attitude is going to focus and give you every ounce of effort with the game on the line. These are the players who will make you and your team successful.
6 Risks are sometimes necessary. Only through risk is there a chance for ultimate success. Whether it’s winning the game vs. a rival or deciding to take a job offer, coaches rarely win by being overly cautious. We need to know when it’s appropriate to take calculated risks.
7 You can’t always be Mr. Popular. The right coaching decision may not always be popular and the popular decision may not always be right. Tough decisions like who to start at quarterback, when to go for it on fourth down and how to enforce training rules are all difficult decisions for coaches to make.
It’s desirable to be a strong leader and also be popular. Unfortunately, coaches often find the two concepts are in conflict. When that happens, choose what’s right regardless of its popularity. Establishing a program built on integrity is imperative for long-term success.
8 Learn how to handle criticism. For every coaching decision, there will be a criticism of that decision in your community. This is the law of the Monday morning quarterback. With the number of kids you have on your team, it’s impossible to keep every player, parent and member of your community happy.
Coaches have to develop a thick skin. Expect to hear criticism, as it comes with the job. Stay true to your philosophy and proceed with what you know is best for your program.
9 Say what you mean, mean what you say. To earn the trust and respect of your athletes and your community, have a sound basis for the rules and procedures. Establish rules that are essential to the success of your program and enforce them. Never create uneasy situations by making exceptions.
10 Enjoy the journey. All coaches love the exhilaration of game nights and the thrill of watching your athletes execute with 100-percent effort. But in reality, you’ll never win enough games to please all the parents, the community or yourself.
Unless you win a championship with an undefeated season, most people will think you should have done a little better. Quite often, you may be your own toughest critic. To last in coaching, learn to love the journey and everything that comes with the year-round job of being a coach.