swampboy thanks for the well wishes and I hope you are right as well on getting a head coaching job soon.
filsfan I'm still learning the area down here in NC but I can tell you two things - KY has some great coaches / talent and when it comes to knowing the game I don't think I could hold Coach May's jock. Everytime he posts something I get a little smarter. Same goes for a few other guys on here like trojan skipper, coach b25, coach o and many more plus I apologize for not giving them the recognition they deserve.
Have to say we had a GREAT day at football practice today. The school I'm at now has a very poor history in football and most of our problems are self inflicted - panicing in pressure situations, lack of responsibility to know their jobs and fighting each other. I'm starting my third year here and second year for the current head coach. Last year he made me the defensive coordinator and this year I'm the offensive coordinator so I've been able to get my hands on a lot of aspects of the team. From my first year to this year it's really amazing how much they have improved in those areas I mentioned above. Still have some lapses like one time today. We were flat out driving the ball against our defense and got a delay of game penalty (this is what I love about our practices is the realistic game situations we put them in) and the wheels started falling off as the next few plays didn't materialize like I wanted. I could tell in the huddle they were fighting each other so I stopped the drill and went out there. When I got out there I lit into them about how they were shooting their own foot. I could see a light bulb come on and they got it. They started dominating again and ended practice on a good note.
After practice was over the head coach and I were standing in the field talking when we noticed one of our juniors working with a younger JV player on tackling technique. Nobody told him to do it - they just went out there on their own and did it.
Our quarterback came up to me shortly after to talk about why I called certain plays in certain situations against the defense. He's really developing a great grasp of the offense I started putting in a month ago by coming in early asking questions. One of the things I told him early is I wanted him to understand the offense so that way when I make a stupid play call he's smart enough to get us out of it. A few times in practice he's been audibling to the perfect play.
The older offensive linemen are starting to take younger kids during our drills and working with them to fix the mistakes without me or another coach telling them to do it. The first year when I told an older kid to work with a younger one they would look at me like I was crazy. Then last year they started to do it when I told them to and now this year I'm still telling them to do it but not as often.
Man I can't tell you how awesome it was today. This is why you should get into coaching and I can't wait for Friday night for our first game. We might get our tails kicked but we are definately on the right track.
Coach that was very nice of you to say that but I doubt it very seriously to be true. There are many people out there that have forgot more about this game than I will ever know. I have always believed my strengths as a coach are my ability to motivate players. My ability to put myself in the shoes of the player and the parents. And my ability to instill confidence in my players.
I love to teach the game. I love to help kids reach their goals not only on the field but off of it. And I love seeing young boys grow into young men and thinking I had a little bit to do with it. I like to win. But I hate to lose. I hate to lose a lot more than I like to win. I expect to win because I prepare to win. I hate to lose because I put so much into preparing to win.
I am constantly trying to learn more. I am constantly trying to learn a better way. I am constantly looking to learn something from everyone I meet in the game. I can tell you when I first started coaching I just wanted to win games. But I learned over the years if its only about w's and l's its not worth the effort put in. It is about a lot more than that.
This thread has been a very good thread. No player that invests and gives his all and does what he is asked to do and has the talent to get in a program should ever find himself outside that dugout. He has earned the right to be in the program "family" as long as he does what is expected of him. No player that does not invest , gives his all , does not do what is required of him deserves to be in the dug out. It simply diminishes the accomplishment of those that do deserve it.
I love to teach the game. I love to help kids reach their goals not only on the field but off of it. And I love seeing young boys grow into young men and thinking I had a little bit to do with it. I like to win. But I hate to lose. I hate to lose a lot more than I like to win. I expect to win because I prepare to win. I hate to lose because I put so much into preparing to win.
I am constantly trying to learn more. I am constantly trying to learn a better way. I am constantly looking to learn something from everyone I meet in the game. I can tell you when I first started coaching I just wanted to win games. But I learned over the years if its only about w's and l's its not worth the effort put in. It is about a lot more than that.
This thread has been a very good thread. No player that invests and gives his all and does what he is asked to do and has the talent to get in a program should ever find himself outside that dugout. He has earned the right to be in the program "family" as long as he does what is expected of him. No player that does not invest , gives his all , does not do what is required of him deserves to be in the dug out. It simply diminishes the accomplishment of those that do deserve it.
Just had a chance to drop in here. This is a tremendous thread and have loved reading it. Coach 2709 your passion for coaching will take you far but I think that your observation skills will take you to even greater heights.
Your understanding of team chemistry is exceptional. Many of the concepts that you have described in various post in this topic offer much insight.
I like the fact that you see the value of having upper classmen help conduct drills and aid in instruction of younger players. I also like to use this as much as possible. On the field it allows me the opportunity to work with younger or lesser accomplished players that need more detailed instruction or additional reps. I also see benefits off the field when it comes to keeping an at risk player eligible and moving in the right direction or just learning to be outstanding citizens in the community.
Baseball is a great game and it keeps all of us humble but most of all I personally feel that it is a great tool in helping young men learn effective life skills.
Thanks to both you and Coach May for your contributions to this topic along with everyone else that has posted on this topic.
Your understanding of team chemistry is exceptional. Many of the concepts that you have described in various post in this topic offer much insight.
I like the fact that you see the value of having upper classmen help conduct drills and aid in instruction of younger players. I also like to use this as much as possible. On the field it allows me the opportunity to work with younger or lesser accomplished players that need more detailed instruction or additional reps. I also see benefits off the field when it comes to keeping an at risk player eligible and moving in the right direction or just learning to be outstanding citizens in the community.
Baseball is a great game and it keeps all of us humble but most of all I personally feel that it is a great tool in helping young men learn effective life skills.
Thanks to both you and Coach May for your contributions to this topic along with everyone else that has posted on this topic.
I hope I am not hijacking this thread but I want to share a little situation I have/will be experiencing this season.
2010 was my 1st as a varsity head coach. I came in knowing many of the kids and I really didnt want to cut anyone that had been in the program. I had one kid, a junior, that just wanted to be a rebel and a team player at the same time, I never knew which kid I was going to get. Near the end of the season he had a Sr. friend, that was really good in golf and was playing his final home match. By the way, he would have been my best pitcher if he would have played baseball and not golf. So my baseball player called me and asked if he could skip practice to watch his buddy golf. I told him no and that there would be consequences if he did. He knew this beforehand I just reiterated it for him. He decided to skip and watch his buddy golf. My AD and a couple of parents said that I should dismiss him from the team at that time. I didn't, I just didnt allow him to start anymore and he very rarely played. We were not out of playoff contention at the time. After the season was over and before school got out the principal and I had him in the Principals office and he proceded to tell us that baseball wasn't fun that season. It all came from the fact that the culture of the program was not to have fall workouts or play during the summer, and I like Coach May am having to change the culture of baseball from 3 months/yr to 9 mnths/yr. Once school ball was over I decided we were gonna play a competitive summer schedule. This kid showed up to one game and never returned. The other kids told me he was playing softball. Now going into his Sr. season I have decided that he will not be part of our program b/c he doesnt have that dedication and committment to our program. I am going to allow him to tryout and I am going to cut him in the spring so that he sees that you get out of something what you put into it. If I were to keep this kid, he would just be a cancer to our program as he has s cynical attitude when things doesnt go his way. I really hate that b/c he is a very intelligent kid.
2010 was my 1st as a varsity head coach. I came in knowing many of the kids and I really didnt want to cut anyone that had been in the program. I had one kid, a junior, that just wanted to be a rebel and a team player at the same time, I never knew which kid I was going to get. Near the end of the season he had a Sr. friend, that was really good in golf and was playing his final home match. By the way, he would have been my best pitcher if he would have played baseball and not golf. So my baseball player called me and asked if he could skip practice to watch his buddy golf. I told him no and that there would be consequences if he did. He knew this beforehand I just reiterated it for him. He decided to skip and watch his buddy golf. My AD and a couple of parents said that I should dismiss him from the team at that time. I didn't, I just didnt allow him to start anymore and he very rarely played. We were not out of playoff contention at the time. After the season was over and before school got out the principal and I had him in the Principals office and he proceded to tell us that baseball wasn't fun that season. It all came from the fact that the culture of the program was not to have fall workouts or play during the summer, and I like Coach May am having to change the culture of baseball from 3 months/yr to 9 mnths/yr. Once school ball was over I decided we were gonna play a competitive summer schedule. This kid showed up to one game and never returned. The other kids told me he was playing softball. Now going into his Sr. season I have decided that he will not be part of our program b/c he doesnt have that dedication and committment to our program. I am going to allow him to tryout and I am going to cut him in the spring so that he sees that you get out of something what you put into it. If I were to keep this kid, he would just be a cancer to our program as he has s cynical attitude when things doesnt go his way. I really hate that b/c he is a very intelligent kid.
This is an area that so many coaches (myself included) struggle with. When I started as head coach, I told myself that any player that was in the fourth year of the program would be a part of the team. I felt that as long as I was straight-forward about their role, all would be well. Well, after some not so pleasant experiences that changed. The fact is that a senior is fine if he is playing. If not playing I have found that too often these players cannot self evaluate. I can tell a player that you will be our bullpen catcher and number 3 in line behind the plate. You will help me prepare the pitchers and be a huge asset to the program; you may not play much on the field, but need to be ready in case you do. That kid still believes they should and will start. I feel for them and have tried to help them but it does not always work out. When a senior doesn't play much they start thinking about all of the other things they could be doing in the spring and some lose focus and that can be very damaging to the team. It is also not always fair to a kid who could be doing something else. I will keep a senior if he will play or at least make a major contribution. If he is not on the bubble for a position, I let him go. There are those instances when you have a unique kid that can handle it, and those are special. Now if I have equal talent between a younger player and a senior (with attitude taken into account) I will take the younger player.
