GAME DAY PREPARATION is a building process that occurs from the end of the game the previous week up to the first play of the football game.

Over the course of the week, the players need to attain a focus and intensity needed to be a champion. The following is a step-by-step process that helps players build momentum and focus for the next game.

1.    Get Their Focus. This begins right after a game and occurs in the on-field post-game huddle. Discuss the necessary items from the just-concluded game and, before the team leaves the field, get them focused on the next task at hand.

2.    Prepare The Body. This starts over the weekend. Check for injuries and work out the players’ soreness from the previous week’s game. Continue building your conditioning throughout the week and season to help players become stronger, quicker, faster, more powerful, more agile, and more coordinated.
This step also involves the pursuit of perfection in physical-skill performances for completing each task for each player on each play.

3.    Prepare The Mind. This process also occurs over the weekend as players work to correct mental errors and mistakes. Help each player to better understand his role, his position and the schemes he must execute.

This work continues throughout the week with study of scouting reports that detail an opponent’s personnel, schemes, strengths, weaknesses and any adjustments to our own personnel and schemes. Players will slowly gain a complete understanding of the opponent, as well as their own schemes and game plan for this opponent.

4.    The Build-Up. As players work toward their goal of perfect preparation, their focus, intensity and enthusiasm will build. Each day should build on top of the other — reaching a fever pitch by Game Day.

5.    The Polish Practice. The day before the game should be a day to polish each detail of the game plan to sharpen the players’ focus toward execution on Game Day. Players’ are not allowed to talk in Thursday’s practice from the minute they step into the locker room. They must be focused on the task at hand.

This practice must be smooth and crisp with no mental errors. Afterward, the players should hold a players-only meeting to discuss the goals and expectations they have for the upcoming game.

6.    Thursday Night Meetings. This is the final preparation for the game. The game plans are reviewed and the players meet with the coaches for reminders and game keys. Once again, the team discusses individual and team goals and expectations for the game.

7.    D-Day. On game day, players must have a singular focus (besides the school day) to mentally and physically peak for that night’s game.

Prior to the pre-game warm ups, the team must complete one last focus exercise called “visualization-and-mental-practice technique.” In this exercise, each player must:

-    Count his breathes and put himself close to a state of meditation needed for visualization.
-    Visualize himself doing things the correct way.
-    Visualize himself having success against his toughest opponent
-    Visualize himself playing against himself.
-    Visualize what it will take for his team to win the upcoming game.

As each player heads out to the field for pre-game warmups, you should be able to see the focus and intensity in their eyes.This time is the “calm before the storm” and should be for working on the finishing touches needed for a perfect performance. 

Before the game, the coach addresses the team and bases this speech on the team’s demeanor. The goal is to reach the peak of mental stimulation, but not to over-stimulate.

As the team heads onto the field, each player should be confident, focused, vigilant, prepared, determined and ready to burst with intensity.