As the football season draws to a close for most programs throughout the country, I find an essential part of your development lies in self- and peer-reflection. While this is easier said than done, thanks to the schedules of high school coaches who shuffle from sport to sport, it’s imperative to get to these tasks before the offseason preparation begins for the next season.

I usually take the weekend of Thanksgiving to work through the following assessments on how the year shaped out. At the end of each season, it’s important for coaches to take a good look in the mirror and provide an honest assessment of their craft while considering the feedback of their players and other coaches.

PERSONAL EVALUATION

The first rule I use when evaluating my success as a coach is simple — don’t place too much importance on the win/loss record.

As contradictory as that sounds, it’s important to be objective and take all factors into consideration before making a self-judgment. After all, there are many elements that attribute to success (or failure) during the season.

Circumstances such as injuries, turnovers and other outside obstacles can easily shift the balance between a winning and losing season. I remember former FBShead coach Rich Rodriguez telling me that some of the best coaching he ever conducted resulted in two- or three-win seasons.

So I try to have some perspective and answer the following questions after each season:

1. Did I devote enough time to develop the skill sets of my players?
2. Did I get my players to play hard each and every week?
3. Was I a good football teacher for my players and my staff?
4. Were my players playing in the right position to maximize their success on the field?
5. Was I involved enough with parents, support staff and administration?
6. Was I a good public ambassador for the football program?

While there are other factors specific to each individual program, these questions are a solid framework to gauge my coaching ability that season.

PLAYER EVALUATIONS

The week before the season ends, I schedule a 20-minute block of time to sit down one-on-one with each player post-practice.

It’s hard to meet with all players on the team, so I’ll select the ones that I’ve had the most interaction with. (For example, a position coach could meet with his varsity position players or a coordinator with the 14–15 consistent performers on that side of the ball).

I find that if I don’t get this done before the season officially ends, it’s hard to connect with players when they’re playing other sports. It’s a process I started with a dual purpose — to provide returning players with a plan to improve for the next season, but also to get their feedback on how I coached them.

While it does take some vulnerability to engage in the latter discussion, the outcomes of these conversations are immeasurable in improving as a coach.

I begin with asking my players the following questions:

1. What did you like most about this season?
2. What did you like least about this season?
3. Was I completely honest when working with you?
4. How, specifically, can I help your development on the field?
5. How, specifically, can I help your off-field development as a person?
6. What are your personal goals for next season?

My goal is to elicit honesty among my players. The easy part is getting these responses — kids are incredibly honest when they are away from their peers. The challenge is turning their feedback into a development plan heading into the offseason.

Each player will get a development plan (which could be as brief as one or two pages). Then I’ll follow up after the next season with them to see if we accomplished the goals.

COACH EVALUATIONS

This is the most difficult task of the three because it demands honesty among your peer group, which is why a one-on-one, private setting works best. These types of meetings are primarily for head coaches and coordinators and may not be necessary for position coaches.

While I recommend meeting directly after the season when things are still fresh, it can be difficult coordinating schedules with coaches who have other jobs and families to occupy their time.

When we do sit down, I make sure I ask the following questions:

1. Did I sufficiently prepare you each week to coach your position?
2. Did I answer every question you had about running this system?
3. Did I hold you accountable in coaching your position?
4. Did I give you the  autonomy to coach in a style you were comfortable with
5. Did I hold you in a high regard in front of the players?
6. Was I a good example of living the program’s mission statement?
7. Did I ever put you in a compromising position where you couldn’t carry out your duties to the best of your ability?
8. Did I help you enjoy the game of football and working with our players?

Whatever comes from this particular conversation, both parties must be willing to take criticism and move on. No holding grudges or harboring ill will, regardless of whether or not that coach stays on staff. Decisions could be made based on these conversations, but they shouldn’t directly impact any of these decisions.

As the years add up, we can forget every year of coaching is different. I’ve often assumed I know the pulse of my team and coaching staff. This simple postseason progression not only challenges that assumption, it solidifies the mission of any coach — to evaluate himself before he can evaluate his staff and players.

For more coaching content from X&O Labs, check out the Film Room. This searchable database has more than 1,600 concepts and drills, all viewable in Hudl

A Pre-Season Note to the Student-Athlete

Dr. Cory Dobbs, The Academy for Sport Leadership  www.sportleadership.com

People want to matter.  Every member of your team has a yearning to matter.  Unfortunately it’s almost guaranteed that a teammate or two, on your team right now, feels like they don’t matter.

Mattering is a motive.  When we feel that others depend on us, we know we matter and respond accordingly.  When others are interested in us, we feel like we matter and enjoy the benefits of their attention.  And when others are concerned with our future, we feel like we matter and appreciate their guidance.

Mattering matters.  Mattering is a powerful influence on our actions.

Do you promote mattering or do you keep people on the periphery?  Draw a series of three concentric circles, expanding from small to large (you know, like waves moving outward), on a piece of paper.  Place your name in the middle circle.  In the next circle outward place the names of those on your team that you spend more time with.  Then on the outermost circle place the names of those you spend little time with.  This outer circle is the margin.  These are teammates that might matter less to you.  Do the same for playing time: Starters in the inner circle, bench players in the outer circle—on the margins.  Often the patterns (of status?) reveal an in-group and an out-group, with those in the out-group excluded from close interpersonal relationships with those in the in-group.

Marginality matters too.  It’s just that living life on the margin sucks.  When we marginalize others they’re likely to feel like they don’t matter.  In fact, they’ll probably tell you they know they don’t matter.  Those on the margins usually have ample evidence that informs them that they don’t matter.  They come to see the world from a perspective that they have little to contribute.  And this is very dangerous.

Like mattering, marginality too is a powerful influence on our actions.

When I speak to college teams I always ask the group of student-athletes if there was someone on their high school team (their senior season in high school) that did not play in games.  Or if they did play, it was the “marginal” minutes when the outcome of the game was already determined thereby the playing time didn’t really “matter.”  I’ve yet to find a group of collegiate student-athletes that isn’t curious as to why the last player on the bench was glad to be there.  It’s common to hear, “Ya, I’m not sure why they stuck around.”

Chances are, college or high school, you’ve got players on your team that are of lesser talent, perhaps “marginal” talent at best to qualify to be on the squad.  It’s easy for the star player to see that he or she matters. They know that others depend on them, are interested in helping them, and are concerned with their future.  Their contributions to the success of the team are quite visible.  They matter.  And of course they should.

We get that.

However, why is it others don’t matter?  Do you really want to marginalize people?

Sports participation involves many diverse interpersonal relationships.  Whether you are a top player or a role player, you come into contact with many people.  Developing quality interpersonal relationships with all of your teammates is a valuable team goal.  When you relate to others in a positive way, they’ll feel like they matter.  And mattering does matters.

So, here’s the big question you need to answer.  Ask yourself “what in my world am I willing to notice?

So often, those that are marginalized go unnoticed—that’s why they’re on the margins.
If you want to accomplish something worthwhile this year, make sure no one on your team goes unnoticed.  Set the standard.  Let others know they matter.

 

About Cory Dobbs, Ed.D.

Cory Dobbs is the founder of The Academy for Sport Leadership and a nationally recognized thought leader in the areas of leadership and team building.  Cory is an accomplished researcher of human experience. Cory engages in naturalistic inquiry seeking in-depth understanding of social phenomena within their natural setting (visit www.sportleadership.com).

Cory’s coaching background includes experience at the NCAA DII, NJCAA, and high school levels of competition.  After a decade of research and development Cory unleashed the groundbreaking Teamwork Intelligence program for student-athletics. Teamwork Intelligence illuminates the process of designing an elite team by using the 20 principles and concepts along with the 8 roles of a team player he’s uncovered while performing research.

Cory has worked with professional athletes, collegiate athletic programs, and high schools teaching leadership and team building as a part of the sports experience and education process.  As a consultant and trainer Dr. Dobbs has worked with Fortune 500 organizations such as American Express, Honeywell, and Avnet, as well as medium and small businesses. Dr. Dobbs taught leadership and organizational change at Northern Arizona University, Ohio University, and Grand Canyon University.

“Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will care.” -Your Student-Athlete The world of coaching is changing. In Coaching for Leadership you’ll discover the foundations for designing, building, and sustaining a leadership focused culture for building a high-performance team. To find out more about and order Sport Leadership Books authored by Dr. Dobbs including Coaching for Leadership, click this link: The Academy for Sport Leadership Books

A coaches job is to get players to do their jobs well.  But just exactly what is a player’s job description.

Here is a link to the original article (You can also access other coaching articles on her blog) A Player’s Job Description

By Dawn Redd-Kelly, Head Volleyball Coach at Beloit College.

Editor’s Note from Brian: This post is provided as food for thought for your program–you won’t be able to use it verbatim. This can give you some ideas to create your own list to help your program.

 

On the surface it seems simple (work hard, be enthusiastic about your sport, be good), but there’s more to it than those three things…though we need those things!  The foundation of every team is built upon those principles, but as our players grow up in our programs, they should:

• Add energy to every practice and competition,
• Manage the locker room,
• Come in early,
• Stay late,
• Treat newbies better than they expect,
• Offer to help teammates before they ask,
• Make dinner with the team,
• Leave the team better than you found it,
• Invent a moment of silliness,
• Highlight good work from your teammates,
• Help with recruiting,
• Get smarter at your sport by watching film,
• Encourage newbies to speak up,
• Push teammates to do the hard thing,
• Talk to coach,
• Tell a joke at no one’s expense,
• Celebrate the team’s success.

I tweaked this list from a post over at Seth Godin’s blog.

Phase 3: Summer Program (Pre-season)

Standards (players)

1. Improve strength, speed, agility and conditioning.
A. Team members not participating in baseball will lift 3 times per week (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7am).
B. Attendance is mandatory unless communicated to head coach and or position coach.
C. Nutrition education and monitoring will be used through summer months.

2. Install basic offensive and defensive schemes.
A. After weight room session’s team members will participate in one hour of team work. Basic offensive and defensive principles will be installed.
B. Skill players will participate in 7 on 7 league every Tuesday at Rock Island High School. Also, possibly participate in 7 on 7 tournaments.
C. Team football camp (grades 9-12) first week of August.
D. No pads or helmets.

3. Develop position specific fundamentals.
A. Portion of session after weight room will be spent on position specific skill development.
B. QB/Skill Camp (grades 7-12) will be held 3rd week of June. Individual skill development will be the emphasis.
C. Compete in 7 on 7 to put position specific fundamentals into practice in competitive situation.

4. Develop team unity/cohesiveness.
A. Team cookout. Invite all team members to cookout at local park.
B. Team paintball outing. Take team members (signed waiver if not 18) to local paintball course.
C. Offense vs. Defense slow pitch softball game.

Standards (coaches)

1. Finalize offensive, defensive and special teams schemes for season.
A. All staff meeting in June and July to communicate changes in schemes for upcoming season.
B. Meet to discuss personnel in relation to our schemes (How can we get our players in positions to be successful?).

2. Raise funds for football program.
A. Annual Golf Outing fundraiser during second half of July.
B. Organize youth football camps (grades 5-8).
C. Organize HS football camp (grades 9-12).

3. Develop youth football programs.
A. Youth football coaches clinic first week of August.
B. Youth football camp last week of July (grades 5-8).
C. QB/Skill camp 3rd week of June (grades 7-12).

4. Get equipment ready for season.
A. Clean and prepare locker room.
B. Get equipment ready to be handed out to players.
C. Lockers cleaned and combos ready for players.

Phase 4: In-season Program

Standards (players)

1. Learn all offensive, defensive and special teams schemes.
A. Attend all practices.
B. Watch film (HUDL).

2. Develop position specific fundamentals.
A. Attend all practices.
B. Meet with position coach to discuss your progress (strengths and weaknesses)

3. Maintain strength, speed, agility and conditioning.
A. Lift 2 days per week (Monday and Wednesday).
B. Circuit lift on Saturday mornings.

4. Apply leadership and characters skills.
A. Team captains voted on by team members.
B. Captain’s meeting with head coach every Thursday after practice.
C. Family time every Monday before practice (grades 9-12). Introduction of theme of the week.
D. Guest speakers (superintendent, police officers, principals, alumni, business leaders, other teachers/coaches).

Every Monday at 3:45pm, prior to the start of practice all players and coaches (grades 9-12) will meet at the 50 yard line on the stadium field. At this time the head coach will address the entire program in regards to current progress and past game results. Any other administrative issues will be addressed at this time as well. Next, the coach in charge of that week’s theme will address the program.

That coach can open the theme of the week in whatever they see fit. They are required to someone address the essence of the theme and what it means to us as a program. Coach is also encouraged to have a guest speaker from the community, show a selected video related to the topic, or have a varsity player speak on the topic. From there all players and coaches will break off to their respective practice schedules.

Throughout the week each team (freshman, sophomore and varsity) will continue to address the theme throughout the week and use that in their preparation for that Friday’s game. The coach in charge of the theme each week will also prepare the bulletin board directly inside the locker room door related to that theme. Quotes, photos or stories will be used to bring attention to the theme and help to keep everyone in the program focused on this topic throughout the week.

1. Commitment
No matter what you decide to commit to in life, your commitment must be unquestionable. You can’t commit when it is easy or when you feel like it, you must commit each and everyday. Our world today is filled with lack of commitment. People want to ‘keep their options open.’

“To be great requires an unwavering commitment.  Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person. – Albert Einstein

The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. – Vince Lombardi

2. Integrity
To live a life of integrity requires two parts. Part 1 is to know what is right and wrong. Part 2 is to act on that knowledge and do what is right. One without the other is not to live a life of integrity. What is required is a knowledge of what is right and the fortitude to do what is right.

In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you. -Warren Buffet

Winning is nice if you don’t lose your integrity in the process. -Arnold Horshak

3. Coachability
Have the mentality that there is always more to learn. No matter how much you know, or think you know, there is always more out there to learn. Don’t act like a know it all. Take the advice given to you by a coach and try and use it improve yourself. Look a coach in the eye when they are talking to you and put those words into practice.

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” -John Wooden

“As long as you’re green, you’re growing. As soon as you’re ripe, you start to rot.” -Ray Kroc

4. Selflessness
Selflessness is just as the word says. Concerning less about oneself and more about others and ones team. In order to be the best team possible, each individual must do what the team most needs. Sometimes that may not be what the individual wants, but a selfless individual will do what the team needs.

Only those who have learned the power of sincere and selfless contribution experience life’s deepest joy: true fulfillment. -Tony Robbins

“Organizations exist only for one purpose: to help people reach ends together that they couldn’t achieve individually.” -Robert Waterman

5. Discipline
The world is full of rules. Rules and laws are meant for our own good, to make society and organizations as orderly and successful as possible. Discipline is the ability to act in accordance with those rules and laws. In order for our team to be great we must follow the rules of law, of our school, of our team, of the game of football and of your parents. If we do not have the discipline to follow those rules we understand consequences will ensue.

“Nothing is more harmful to the service, than the neglect of discipline; for that discipline, more than numbers, gives one army superiority over another.”  -George Washington

“If we don’t discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us.” -William Feather

6. Accountability
As teammates and as men we must be accountable for our actions. We will not point the finger at another person when something goes wrong. We will step forward accept responsibility for our actions, good or bad. What we say will be true. If we give another man or teammate our word we will stand by that word and act upon it. Trust is a vital part of an relationship and trust requires accountability. Our team must be filled with individuals who are willing to accept responsibility and thrive under it.

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. -Benjamin Franklin

“Of those whom much is given, much is required.” -John F. Kennedy

7. Leadership
Leadership is moving a person or group of people to better themselves or move towards attaining a goal. Leaders have a duty to add value to those around them and in turn greatly improve the organization or team. In order to reach our potential as a team we must have team members who are willing to take on the risk of leadership. Throughout the journey players must be pushed from within. Coaches and adults cannot be the only ones pushing team members. The ability of our team to exert leadership on our team will directly impact our success.

The task of leadership is not to put greatness into people, but to elicit it, for the greatness is there already. -John Buchan

Leadership: the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. -Dwight Eisenhower

8. Competitive Perseverance
We will stop trying to win when they stop keeping score. In order to survive and thrive in that environment a team and individual must want competitive greatness. Competitive greatness is the hatred of losing and doing everything in ones power to prepare for victory. Perseverance is necessary to succeed competitively because there will always be hurdles to victory. To preserve through the many obstacles that will stand in the way of victory.

“I play to win, whether during practice or a real game. And I will not let anything get in the way of me and my competitive enthusiasm to win.” -Michael Jordan

The healthiest competition occurs when average people win by putting above average effort. Colin Powell

9. Enthusiasm
Football is a game, it is meant to be fun. Playing this game with enthusiasm and energy is required to be successful in a game as intense and difficult as football. Enthusiasm takes no effort but is rather a mindset. We will be enthusiastic in life and when we play football.

A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm. -Charles Schwab

It’s faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes life worth living.  -Oliver Wendell Holmes

10. Work Ethic
Do not be afraid of work. Work is required for anything great and worthwhile in life. Look work straight in the eye and attack it with great fervor. As a football team we will work unbelievably hard to reach our potential as individuals and as a team.

Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you’re willing to pay the price. -Vince Lombardi

A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work. -Colin Powell

5. Achieve academic success.
A. Each coaching staff member will monitor their position players’ grades. Every third week (3rd week of August, 2nd week of September, 1st week of October, 4th week of November, 2nd week of December) each coaching staff member will send a list of their position players with a C grade or below to the head coach. Information will include players’ name, name of class/teacher, current grade (percentage) and number of missing assignments.
B. Team members with a D or F at one of the checkpoints will meet with head coach or position coach to formulate a plan to improve the grade and attend 8th period (resource period) in head coach’s classroom until grade is a C or above.
C. Team members with a C can be individually communicated with by head coach or position coach.
D. Recognize team members’ improvements in grades and those obtaining honor roll status.

About the Author of this post:

Jerry Campbell has over 30 years of high school and college coaching experience.  He has experience as a head coach, offensive coordinator, and various position coaches.  Jerry has written numerous football coaching articles in various publications, is the author of over 30 books on coaching football, and has produced 12 coaching video series.  Additionally, he is a nationally sought after speaker on the coaching clinic circuit.