One of the habits of a successful person is the ability to manage one’s schedule. It means “being on top of things” and meeting deadlines. It requires a high degree of organization but, that in itself is the factor that makes successful people successful!
For a Head Football Coach that means having a schedule and sticking to it. At this time of year, you should be laying out a monthly plan of upcoming events to carry you right into your pre-season practice. If you haven’t done so, you should arrange for your pre-season scrimmages. Find out what day practice officially starts and work backwards to this month to plan your spring and summer workouts.
Meetings: I’d recommend at least monthly off-season staff meetings. And, here is a key: All meetings start on time and finish on time. Let your staff know that you will start precisely at whatever time you’ve designated the meeting. Thus, they need to arrive 5-10 minutes early so they can be ready when it’s time to begin. Tardiness is inexcusable. We used to call this “Lombardi Time” for Vince Lombardi of the GB Packers. On the other end, the meeting ends at the prescribed time too. If you haven’t finished your business, continue it to the next meeting. It’s important to have an agenda so everyone stays on task. If you have a “talker” on your staff, you may have to pull him aside and ask his help in keeping everyone focused on the agenda.
Something else just crossed my mind. The same thing holds true for team practices; i.e., start and finish on time. If you don’t get everything done that you wanted, you put that on the kids at the end of practice. “It’s time lost that we can never earn back, guys!” you tell them. And along that line… when practice is over, ask for help in cleaning up the field and putting away equipment. Invariably, it seems to be the same 4-5 players who stay out and help lock up the equipment shed. You know what? The rest of the team can just stand there at the edge of the field till everything is done. NOBODY heads for the locker room until every player can go in together!!!!
