Ownership in The Program

as an assistant myself, i like to have input on what we're doing. whether its something in the gameplan, who plays, or plans for offseason. i also want the chance to move up within the system. to me, if an hc always goes outside of the staff he has and does not promote from within, then why did he hire me in the first place?

family involvement is important as well. i want to know that my wife and child are welcomed around the field house. i believe the coaching staff should have planned get togethers with everyone's family. we spend so much time around each other, our families need to know who we are working with and their families as well.

A good assistant , one who is knowledgable and wants to give his all to the program, his loyality beyond reproach, one who understands that coaching is not a "9 to 5" vocation, who never opts out of any coaching meetings with trite excuses, etc. is to be treated with a great deal of respect! His buying into the program is a given, if he doesn't he shouldn't be hired to begin with, imo. His responsibilities should be increased with experience in your program. He is to be treated at all times, as though he were a very valuable asset to you! However, he must fully understand that it is YOU, the HC, who the ultimate responsibilty for wining or losing falls on. With this said, I always strive to make certain that the Assistants are coaching MY program, not theirs. That is not to say, that I want to take away their initive in any way, or to limit them in their own personal way of getting a message across to their position players. It does mean, however, that I want them coaching what I know to be successful and not to deviate from it. I tell them right up front, that I draw up all the practice schedules based on what I want them to teach their troops that day. I keep a firm hand on all facets of the game, and do not allow the assistants to stray very far from what I want coached. We all sit down and collectively make the game plans. We meet for one hour minimum after each practice, as a staff, to discuss the days results and what we need to do tomorrow. Each assistant is encouraged to always stay after practice in the locker room and spend some time with their position players. "Buying into the program" to me, means that they accept this philosophy, keep their egos in check, and lets get on with it. We have a family night once a week where we all get together as a staff and wives and eat out. I try to be as sensitive and caring as any good boss is with his employees. But, in the end, it is my way or the highway and if they can't buy into that, sayonara. Just my way of doing it. Coach Easton

SMD, you bring very valid points to the discussion. Any HC that doesn't listen to an assistant, after asking him a question, really needs to take some management classes. Why ask a question if you don't want to hear an answer? Personally, Monday thru Thursday, I don't want a bunch of "yes" men on my staff. I want guys who know what they are talking about, and are willing to share that with the rest of us, IN THE PROPER SETTING, which to me has always been a staff meeeting or in private. It is human nature to want to be accepted, and recognized for our contributions, to anything we are a part of. Your right, as HC's, we need to be more aware of exactly what you are saying. Good thoughts, Coach. Remember, we were somebody's assistants too.

Coach Easton

lou, i agree that the hc should set the tone. but, do your assistants feel like you're looking over their shoulder all the time? i want to do what my hc has in mind, but i don't want to feel like i'm not getting to coach my players. how do you deal with issues like this?

This is a very good topic Coach Campbell. This is my fifth year, and I've been in the same program, and my HC has been great. When I walked in the door, he knew I was new to the profession and full of thoughts and ideas about what I wanted to do. He let me hang onto those ideas, but he also let me learn that it was his show and that I had to do it his way. By doing things the way he did, he allowed me to be proactive. I've slowly worked my way up on the offensive side of the ball, and I'll be the offensive coordinator. During this time, I've learned to do things his way. I know it is my HC's offense, and I've learned to know what he likes to do and his nature. He has allowed us as assistants to pitch our ideas, some he accepts and some he doesn't. But I've never had the feeling that I wasn't being listened to by my coach. I have learned a lot in dealing with kids from him in this time. This has been most beneficial to me. I am definitely a much better coach for it. All the strategies and techniques are diminished if you can't get a kid to give 100%.

As an assistant, I know that when I walk into the door that it is another man's program, and that I am to assist him the best that I can under the guidelines that he puts into play. If I don't like it, I have to go somewhere else. I worked with an assistant that said, "Our job is to make our head coach, the coach of the year." As an assistant, that is what I strive for each year. To that end, you have to feel some ownership in the program or I don't think you will grow much as a coach. You have to have/feel a sense of pride about the program to really get the most out of yourself as a coach.

Hey Brophy,

When I coached on the HS level, it always appeared to me that those types of guys (I hesitate to call them COACHES, because that is a title EARNED) are interested in nothing more than a stipend. I always reminded them that if they failed to show any more motivation as a teacher in their class rooms, as they did on the field that they certainly would not be rehired by any Administrator worth his salt! I agree with the NFL coach who made the statement that you posted above. If they don't want to PROGRESS THATS THEIR BUSINESS, BUT DON'T HELP YOUR TEAM REGRESS BY THEIR LACK OF DESIRE TO DO THE JOB THEY ARE GETTING PAID TO DO!!! I once worked a team with two dedicated coaches, coaching every facet and every position on the field after firing four of the types we are discussing here. We finished 8-2 regular season, and made the playoffs, finishing 9-3 overall. I was so glad that I had made the decision to get rid of them! Coaching football is a profession of EMOTION, KNOWLEDGE, DEDICATION, AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, ON THE HS LEVEL OF LOVING THE KIDS WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND BEING WILLING TO GIVE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE WITHIN YOU TO MAKE THEM BE ALL THEY CAN BECOME IN FUTURE YEARS. IMO, without these qualities you have chosen the wrong profession, and guys just looking to slide by and give the least they can get by with, certainly have fallen into that category. Each case scenario has to be adjudicated on it's own merit, there is no blanket one cure fix! Don't cut your nose off to spite your face, but let them know what is fully expected of them in order to get a good recommendation from you! You sound as though your the kind of Coach who will work it out for the best of the team! Keep us posted, as I'm sure there are lots of others out there in the same boat.

J.C.Easton

ADDITIONAL THOUGHT - I once worked with a TEAM AND STAFF on the HS level that bought lock stock and barrel into the philosophy that dictates; just think what we can accomplish as a team, if all of us really doesn't care who gets the credit, as long as we win! Really meaning it, not just mouthing the words, can bring you results so far above anything you can imagine!!! The EGO can be a very DESTRUCTIVE FORCE if allowed to run UNCHECKED, but if CHANNELED and FUNNELED in the RIGHT direction, IT IS A FORCE WITHIN ALL OF US WHO COMPETE THAT CAN TAKE YOU ANYWHERE YOU WANT TO GO!!!

J.C.Easton

Coach Campbell,

Well stated as always! How are your kids looking this year so far?

J.C.Easton