5 ways that coaches ruin a player's football experience - FootballScoop

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Full Article:

"The start of training camp or two-a-days for most teams is only weeks away, where coaches everywhere will issue equipment to starry eyed youth, high school, and college aged players with varying skill sets, all with dreams of making an impact on the football field.

Like all things in life that are tough, some players will realize that football just isn’t for them, while others will hand in their pads because they simply didn’t enjoy their football experience.

As coaches, there are a number of things within our control where we can do our part to make sure players enjoy their experience, so I thought I would kick today off by pointing out five ways that coaches can ruin a player’s football experience.

 

1. Have IMPOSSIBLY high expectations
   Every player on the team has a different ceiling, and great coaches are known for pushing players to their limits (and sometimes beyond) in order to maximize their potential…however, it’s important to keep in mind that the ceiling for your star running back is much different than the ceiling for the fifth or sixth stringer, and that’s something that should be kept in mind. You can still expect maximum effort from players, but understand each of them is different as well.
   
2. Show an overall lack of respect
   The coach-player relationship is one built on mutual respect. You can’t have a relationship where the player honestly respects you if you aren’t giving them the same courtesy.
   
3. When coaches show up to practice unprepared, or constantly “wing it”
   It’s hard for kids to buy in with a coach if he’s constantly showing up to practice unprepared. The players put a lot of sweat into workouts in the summer, and to have a coach at practice that isn’t putting in the same amount of effort can really ruin a kid’s experience. Kids will play their tails off for guys that are putting the same amount of time and sweat “in the bucket” as they are.
   
4. When coaches only care about what a player can do for them on the field
   Probably the quickest way to ruin a kid’s experience as a player is to show that what they do for you, and the team, on the field is the only thing that matters. Genuinely invest in the kids well being off the field, in the classroom, and at home, and you’ll get much more out of them when it counts, and that goes a long way with an entire roster of kids who know you care about them just as much off the field and after they graduate as you did when they were playing for you.
   
5. When coaches don’t understand how to reach a player
   Coaching is like teaching, different kids respond to different types of coaching. One kid may respond great if you enthusiastically get on him after a mistake, while that same approach will cause another kid to shut down. As coaches, it’s our responsibility to understand how to effectively reach each player to get the most out of them, and so that they can understand how to also get the most out of themselves."
   

[*]Show an overall lack of respect

The coach-player relationship is one built on mutual respect. You can’t have a relationship where the player honestly respects you if you aren’t giving them the same courtesy.

 

I can see this.

 

I have known of a program that had kids sign a "code of conduct" type of agreement at the beginning of the season, and part of which was included "no swearing" (on the part of the players). Yet you go to just about any practice or game, and a good portion of the coaching staff could've made some sailors blush. The whole "do as I say, not as I do" expression comes to mind.

 

Also when trying to teach good sportsmanship...a coach refusing to shake hands at the end of the game, sort of is contradictory. Coach may have been trying to make a statement...and he did...just maybe not the one he was thinking of at the time.

OK, I guess...but I would say that 90% of coaches are doing the best they can and working hard for kids. I'd say a much more appropriate article would be:

 

5 ways that PARENTS ruin THEIR CHILD's football experience

This is true for any sport, but football is a different animal. It takes a certain mindset for a kid to completely dedicate himself to a football team and football career. A great coach teaches respect, hard work, dedication and selflessness. Without those elements from the starters to the reserves, a football team cannot reach its goals. A great coach walks the walk and is ALWAYS a positive force in practices, games and outside of the locker room. He is a role model whose players will walk through walls for him but not because he asks them to. In this day and age with all of the scary information concerning head trauma, I can understand why parents are hesitant to let their son play the game. I'm fortunate to have a son who plays HS football and absolutely loves everything that is good about being on a football team. Whether or not he has good X's and O's coaches, I couldn't tell you. But I know the atmosphere that the coaches have created has had a major impact on his life. He understands that hard work, dedication and loyalty are infectious traits that are critical to success on the field and in life. I've seen the type of man that my son is becoming and I believe that being part of a football team and having great motivators as coaches has had a major impact on his character.

I'll add a 6th, when a coach informs an incoming player from their feeder school that they have to compete to earn their playing time. This is becoming not just isolated events but more of a prominent issue after reading boards from state to state. Today's athlete, and probably more so the parent, seek instant gratification. This particular player may have had a stellar middle school career and the player and his guardians believe that they should be in the rotation immediately based off their track record. Throw out the fact that the incoming player is entering a position that has a returning starter who also has the physical make-up to take on the rigors of playing against 17-18 year old young men.

Once the word "opportunity" or "earn" come into any conversation, the bells and whistles in those individuals' heads start to go off. Instead of doing what people used to do, work hard to get to the point where you are seen as an invaluable contributor, most decide to jettison for the easiest way to get the playing time they desire. I believe that any responsible coach should not just simply throw an individual to the fire to keep them happy because they see that young man can be a contributor to the program in time. This is why most schools have Freshmen and JV games to help those that need development gain experience against individuals of a similar skill level. Not only are you helping them sharpen their abilities but you are also removing the likelihood of a significant injury. Some don't see it like that because the majority of their PT doesn't come under the Friday night lights and therefore they see themselves as being less valuable.

A team is a team and everyone has an essential role for the greater good. Whether you are helping the defense by yelling "run" or "pass", holding up the cue cards for the offensive unit or even just scripting offensive and defensive plays for the coaches review, those are all important facets to any varsity game that needs to be done. Coming up, set goals for yourself. Start small by saying that you are working to earn a spot on special teams. If you stand out on one of those units then you will likely catch the eye of a position coach that will think of ways that he can utilize you into their game plan and ultimately lead to a little healthy position battle.

Having a hard work ethic and a team first attitude will take you further after your playing days are over than a me first mindset that is looking to climb the ranks as fast as possible. For a little perspective, it is always good to remember that a house will not stand very long if the foundation is weak.

OK, I guess...but I would say that 90% of coaches are doing the best they can and working hard for kids. I'd say a much more appropriate article would be:

 

5 ways that PARENTS ruin THEIR CHILD's football experience

 

With that statement and percentage, you would have to define what "doing the best they can and working hard for kids" is or means. Or possibly give us your 5 + bullets on your statement. Doing the best you can as a coach is fine and dandy, but if a coach is simply not qualified or lack coach/player communication skills and parents notice it, you can't blame the parents for speaking up to the administration to get something better for their kid as well as the program as a whole. Most kids at the high school level are going to enjoy the experience as long as the coach coaches to the kid as an equal and not as a product of a disgruntled parent. As a coach, I do agree that parents can be a real pain at times, but having a thick skin and remembering that the players are my main focus pushes me through it.

I can see this.

 

I have known of a program that had kids sign a "code of conduct" type of agreement at the beginning of the season, and part of which was included "no swearing" (on the part of the players). Yet you go to just about any practice or game, and a good portion of the coaching staff could've made some sailors blush. The whole "do as I say, not as I do" expression comes to mind.

 

Also when trying to teach good sportsmanship...a coach refusing to shake hands at the end of the game, sort of is contradictory. Coach may have been trying to make a statement...and he did...just maybe not the one he was thinking of at the time.

 

 

The "code of conduct" leaves no wiggle room and is a great form of accountability as long as the coach enforces it equally upon each player. I've known a program to have good policies about alcohol involvement even to the point where any fund raising events can not involve alcohol or take place in venues that serve alcohol. But at the coaches behind the door coach staff meetings, Friday night after game celebrations, and on the road coaching clinics, the coaches consume a great deal of alcohol. To me that's hypocritical. Over time i've learned as a coach, don't set the example if you can't be the example.

I'm not sure that's as much hypocritical as it is a legal issue. Kids are underage and cannot legal consume or have alcohol. Having a fund raiser that involves alcohol could be a legal issue along with such venues.

I'm not sure that's as much hypocritical as it is a legal issue. Kids are underage and cannot legal consume or have alcohol. Having a fund raiser that involves alcohol could be a legal issue along with such venues.

 

To clear that up, the kids are not drinking or serving alcohol. Just alcohol is served at the venue itself. (Paul Brown stadium and Bearcats events are excluded)

I didn't think the kids were serving. I've heard of people doing fund raisers that involved a meal and open bar (no joke). Not allowing them to sell beer at PBS is a bit much I agree. I think some groups might get around it by asking for forgiveness instead of permission. Part of my point was as an adult I can legally drink and by players cannot by law. The other part I pretty much agree with

...Doing the best you can as a coach is fine and dandy, but if a coach is simply not qualified or lack coach/player communication skills and parents notice it, you can't blame the parents for speaking up to the administration to get something better for their kid as well as the program as a whole...

 

I think you point out and give a fine example of a classic parent misnomer. A couple of things stuck out to me here:

 

1. You said the parent should go to the administration. You never mentioned going to the coach first. Maybe you assumed they had done this already. Or maybe, you were just touching on the classic mistake that occurs so many times over in today's day and age.

 

2. There seems to be this idea that parents and some others have that there is a long line these days of people waiting to be coaches. That should one coach not be their "answer all" that they need to move on to the next guy. Or even better, that the salaries being paid to coaches are a lure to draw in top talent. When in fact, the reality is that there are fewer and fewer folks going into coaching these days and the money that is there is abysmal to the point of giving you little leverage to hire with impunity. The likelihood of getting that "perfect fit" guy is far slimmer than working with a coach to try and achieve a happy medium.

 

The best programs have a pretty common thread (other than talent), and it isn't the parents. It's this:

1. A supportive and consistent Administration

and

2. A consistent Head Coach with a consistent vision and philosophy

and

3. A consistent staple of Assistant Coaches

 

I do admit...there are probably that 10-15% of coaches that just need to go.

 

But this thread seems to me about pointing some fingers, and brother, if some fingers need to be pointed in this day and age, they don't need to be at the guys making 7 cents an hour, coaching a game they love to little Johnny whose dad is train-wrecking his experience because he has some convoluted vision of what some hollow scholarship to Campbellsville entails.

Not trying to point a finger, just speaking from thoughts. Didn't mean any harm. Started it just to get comments on what members thought about the article itself. Don't overthink the thread.

 

I think you point out and give a fine example of a classic parent misnomer. A couple of things stuck out to me here:

 

1. You said the parent should go to the administration. You never mentioned going to the coach first. Maybe you assumed they had done this already. Or maybe, you were just touching on the classic mistake that occurs so many times over in today's day and age.

 

If a coach can not communicate with the players, what makes you think they can communicate with the parents? If the coach welcomes parent comments, then correct; that should be the first route. And not that they should talk to the coach, isn't that what the AD is there for as well.

 

 

2. There seems to be this idea that parents and some others have that there is a long line these days of people waiting to be coaches. That should one coach not be their "answer all" that they need to move on to the next guy. Or even better, that the salaries being paid to coaches are a lure to draw in top talent. When in fact, the reality is that there are fewer and fewer folks going into coaching these days and the money that is there is abysmal to the point of giving you little leverage to hire with impunity. The likelihood of getting that "perfect fit" guy is far slimmer than working with a coach to try and achieve a happy medium.

 

Actually there are more than often coaches willing to help out in High School assistant roles. But sometimes, they just don't fit into the head coaches plan, so he'd rather coach short staffed.

 

The best programs have a pretty common thread (other than talent), and it isn't the parents. It's this:

1. A supportive and consistent Administration

and

2. A consistent Head Coach with a consistent vision and philosophy

and

3. A consistent staple of Assistant Coaches

 

I do admit...there are probably that 10-15% of coaches that just need to go.

 

But this thread seems to me about pointing some fingers, and brother, if some fingers need to be pointed in this day and age, they don't need to be at the guys making 7 cents an hour, coaching a game they love to little Johnny whose dad is train-wrecking his experience because he has some convoluted vision of what some hollow scholarship to Campbellsville entails.

 

As I said, not pointing fingers. The article is about coaching as a whole and if anyone as a coach falls into the 5 categories, then yes, they fall into that percentage that may need to do something else. Just like any job, if you don't like what you're getting paid, then leave. I don't care if's 7 cents an hour or 70 dollars an hour, You coach football because you love it not for the pay. If you're coaching for pay, you probably fall into the 5 examples. By the way, what's wrong with a scholarship to Campbellsville? And who are you pointing the finger at with that comment? You can PM me that one.