For those of you reading this who are high school football coaches, your season is at/near the half-way point. Some of you are in the hunt for a playoff berth and/or championship and some of you are just trying to keep your players focused and motivated. It’s your job as the coach to lead, encourage and help your players to do just that— not quit! There’s still 4-5 games left.
The key is CONSISTENCY. When you as the coach panic… and start changing everything… what kind of message is that sending to the kids? My staff knew on Sunday evening what our chances were of winning against our next opponent just by watching their previous games. If they’d been in one offense one week… then another offense the next week… and so on!— wWe knew we had them. Same with their defense. It’s one of the reasons I love the Delaware Wing T offense so much. It is very difficult to prepare for in 3-4 days. An opponent who is changing his defense in an attempt to stop our Wing T is in deep trouble! Even if things aren’t going well right now for you and your team, it’s important to continue to do the things you’ve been working on since the summer. Stay consistent!!!
I knew a smart coach who once told me that he “strives for boredom!” Huh? Yep! He was a great O Line coach who ran the same drills over and over— week after week…. until his linemen became completely bored doing them. He said, “THAT’S when I had ’em right where I wanted them!” He wanted them to know the techniques and rules soooooooooooo well that there was no thinking involved. Psychologists call it “over-learning.” It’s like memorization on auto pilot. For instance, someone asks you what your address is… your response is automatic. (That is, unless you’ve just moved!) This coaching friend would then begin to “sell” the players on the benefits of being “bored!!!” It is a tremendous confidence booster.
It’s the same reason that I would rarely vary our practice routine during the season. We might do a different type of conditioning but our skills and drills and our practice schedule weren’t going to change. Once the kids become comfortable, i.e., “bored,” you stay on them about not becoming complacent. Encourage; challenge; fuss a little when you see them slacking off but… remind them that “everything we do in practice is designed to 1- make you better and 2- prepare you to be successful on Friday night. Soooooooo… stay focused; hustle and keep grindin’!!!
