End of the year staff evaluation

LOYALTY issues bring about the automatic "death penalty"!

Remember what the great Paul Brown said about assistants:
(PAUL BROWN) Example of workers in a bank: “you can teach people to add and divide, but you can’t teach them to be honest”! (loyalty MUST be inherent).

Fire him immediately because your career is being set back every day that you don't. Loyalty and accessibility are the two prerequisites for coaching high school and college football. You can't make someone loyal and you can't make someone be around all the time if they have other responsibilities. Get rid of him now!

Coaches;
I am having the same problems as Kr. I was named head coach the weekend before practice started in august (I was the J.V. Coach). At the beginning of the year, there was resistance, defiance and every thing in between. The previous coach let them do what ever they wanted, and they were a nightmare on campus. I have exausted myself to this point to try to enstill discipline to the seniors. I have benched and removed "stars", had countless meetings, have been cussed out at a parent meeting (because my rules were "too strict") I was even verbally and near physically attacked by a mother who's son didn't get to play for continued defiance. It has Improved a long way, but no where near where we need to be.

Here are my problems:
1)We have two games left in the season. We started 6-0 mostly because of a softer pre season schedule and partly because we do have athletes. We are now 6-2 and need to win the next two against somewhat equal opponents. We still have horrible on the field habits, which came to light friday night (two special teams TDs). The kids still want to "walk" through practice at 1/2 speed. It has actually gotten worse now that we are into our tougher opponents. Anything hard we seem to give upIf I bench "offenders" I will pretty much have to forfiet the game because it is most of our guys. Is there anything else I can do this late in the season.

2) Part of the prob is my assistant coaches. I inherited the varsity staff and it seems that they do little to enforce my message. One assistant always seems to get phone calls from players/parents every time I discipline kids. He is a nice guy but I don't know if he is completely on board. How do I fire him at the end of the season?

3) My O-line coach is horrible. My kids block for 1-2 seconds and then stop. They do the same thing on pass pro. They stay high, etc. I am going to take over the O-line more than likely. Is there any thing I can do this late in the season to try to mitigate this problem? (Drills, etc) I realize that it can't be fixed completely. Thanks in advance.

I WOULD ADD TO BILL'S EXCELLENT ADVICE THE FOLLOWING:

If you want to keep the job, and I assume you do, FIND OUT HOW FAR THE ADMINISTRATION IS PREPARED TO BACK YOU. Are they willing to sit down with you, listen to your DOCUMENTED complaints,
then stand behind you 100%, or are they the type who give you lip service and really will not back you when you really need them to do just that??? IT'S HIGH TIME, IN MY OPINION, THAT THEY QUIT LISTENING SO MUCH TO PARENTS AND GIVE THE REAL AUTHORITY BACK TO THE COACHES AND TEACHERS!!!

If in fact, they will back you to the limit, do what it takes you to do to get through the remainder of this season. THEN, AFTER A COOLING OFF PERIOD OF ALL INVOLVED, INSTIGATE YOUR PROGRAM TO THE MAX!!! HOLD A PARENTS ONLY MEETING WITH THEM AND LET THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WILL EXPECT FROM THEIR SONS STARTING IMMEDIATELY WITH THE OFF SEASON REGIMEN, IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. LET THEM KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT FROM YOU AT ALL TIMES. IF JOHHNIE DOESN'T WANT TO SUBMIT HIMSELF TO YOUR RULES WITHOUT QUESTIONING THEM, TALKING BACK IN DEFIANCE TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF, TELL HIM NOT TO BOTHER EVEN COMING OUT FOR THE TEAM. IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO PLAY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AND NOT A RIGHT, AND THOSE WHO DO COME OUT AND REMAIN WITH THE TEAM WILL BE THE ONES WHO WILL COMPLY WILLINGLY WITH YOUR DIRECTIVES, PERIOD!!! LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU HAVE WORKED AT YOUR PROFESSION LONG ENOUGH TO BE GIVEN THE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING THE HEAD OF THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND YOU ARE GOING TO JUSTIFY THAT FAITH IN YOU BY RUNNING YOUR PROGRAM AS YOU KNOW IT SOULD BE RUN. LAY IT OUT FOR THEM, WITH DISCRETION OF COURSE, BUT LET THEM KNOW IT IS GOING TO BE YOUR WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!!! IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT, TOO BAD!!! ( OF COURSE YOU DON'T SAY THAT, BUT YOU STRONGLY IMPLY IT!)

HIRE A BRAND NEW STAFF ASAP!!! DO NOT HESITATE TO KEEP A PRESENT MEMBER OF THE STAFF IF HE HAS SHOWN THE ATTRIBUTES YOU DESIRE, WHY SHOULD HE LOSE HIS JOB BECAUSE THE REST ARE A BUNCH OF DISLOYAL JERKS???

Set about building REAL TEAM MORALE AND TEAM UNITY ASAP! Encourage the players to really start caring about each other both on and off the field! When they do this, you will notice a real upswing in on field performance as they start jelling. When this happens you then will have the beginnings of a real team!

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

Now I haven't been at this as long as Tiger Coach Easton or a couple of others on this thead...But one thing I have learned in my years of coaching football is that a team can fall apart very quickly when those involved are not of one mind. Loyalty is key in the staff at all times. I've saw one of the more talented teams I've been a part of when the head coach, OC, OL coach, and DL coach started in on one another about philosophies--mainly it was the OL coach vs the other three. The kids started to divide and we fell apart after that.

Also with the offseason and the future of the program...be upfront, honest, and put it in writing. Work out an off-season points program for the kids involving workouts, grades, camps/clinics, etc. If a player doesn't make a certain level, he doesn't play varsity. Keep it tough but attainable. Just make sure that, as was said previously, admin is on board. And if they are not backing you in your decisions, get out now. Things won't get better--you'll only start to fall into thier problems. My guess is that admin will be on board if the team is seen as a discipline problem around the school. Changing the culture around a HS football team is not easy, and is often quite messy. Unfortunately one of the great things of our schools--our traditions, also make change an unwelcome thought. Keep at it and good luck!

KR7263,

IT IS GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU HAVE A PLAN!!! BEST OF LUCK IN GETTING IT INSTALLED TO YOUR LIKEING. WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO AND WHEN TO DO IT. PLEASE LET US KNOW OF YOUR PROGRESS AS YOU GO ALONG, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

TALEXANDER,

Really glad to hear you were able to implement your new plan immediately and did not drag your feet in getting right to it! VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT THE DEAD WOOD ELIMIATED THEMSELVES BY QUITTING AS THEY ALWAYS DO. Very glad to hear that the real players are responding to your more hands on approach! That tells me you have a good bunch of kids to build on.

With your experience I knew you would handle it just right. GET THROUGH THIS SEASON AND THEN AFTER A BRIEF BUT NECESSARY REST FOR THE WHOLE TEAM AND STAFF, GET RIGHT BACK AFTER IT AFTER THE HOLIDAYS. Glad to hear that your AD listened about your concerns for a few new staff memebers!

Sincere thanks for letting us know how it is going. Keep us updated as time permits if you will. If you have questions as you go along, I'm sure we can all put our heads together and come up with a satisfactory answer for you.

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

Wow!!! That is some year all right. But, tell them all to go jump in the lake and run it your way coach!!!

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

Adding to the reply from above. Do you as coaches do player evaluations for all players? Do you just do Varsity? I want to do player evaluations, I just would like some ideas(end of season, off-season, etc.).

I do meet with each Varsity player mid-season individually and go over everything from football, school, family, life, etc. This is a closed door meeting and nothing leaves the room. I've done this all three years and have had some great talks with players. I pick a Monday during half season and give each player as much time needed, some three minutes, some 20 minutes, each player is different. Anyone ever do this?