Building Consistency with Youth and High School Programs

Coach,

This is the first year that we have made the attempt to align with the HS. Over the years our organization had the reputation of doing their own thing. Since we have been winning, there really hasn't been much interest for the HS to get involved. I think that they probably felt that we weren't interested. So in all fairness to the HS, they are probably trying to get used to this also.

They gave us their playbook, and are interested in having a clinic with us, which is a positive sign. We are attending their practices to get in line with some of the things that they do in practice, and we have started attending their booster meetings, and have raised funds for their program. I think we are headed in the right direction, but sometimes we feel that they just aren't that interested. You are probably right in that we just need to work more on the relationship, and show our committment over the long term. It's just been a struggle to get our organization to back this.

We are showing progress, but at the youth level, if the HS is not doing well, you get a lot of resistance from parents to conform to the HS....especially when you are already winning. It's a culture change, and a good one, but it takes a lot of work. I think that it would help if we were able to find a way to get the HS more involved, and show they support what we are doing.

If you have any ideas, let me know. Thanks for the info.

Tim