Small Staff

Coach,

What I did this year and will continue to do every year is hold my own mini clinic for my coaches. I have two, one is older and the other is young. Example on defense I sat down with them and started with the gap system, then I went into how my defense ligned up aginst base formations, then I went into the techniques and reads that I wanted taught. Then I went into drills that are useful for teaching these drills. After each little session we would have a discussion. I want to hear their ideas, it lets me know they are thinking and not just nodding their heads. Then we went into the same things for offense and special teams. I have taken over a team that has not won in close to eight years and in the last four has only won two games. So I want to make sure my coaches and I are unified in what we teach, and how we teach it. It gives the players more confidence when they know that the man who is coaching them is not steering them wrong. Sit down with your young coaches and point out the most minute things that you want taught, no matter how trivial you might think it is. Sweat the small stuff. We lift at 6 AM at 8 we go to breakfast and at 9 we meet at 12 we go to lunch and at 1 we meet again at 5 we have another group in for weights and conditioning, at 7 we go home. It takes a great deal of work to make something out of nothing, but the rewards will be sweet. Good luck. If you would like to talk further you can email me at eknott3@hotmail.com. I would be glad to hear your suggestions as well or anybody elses' for that matter.