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.