If a team's goal is to win a championship, good for them, but for most teams that is simply unrealistic. At some point I was taught that goals need to be attainable. For a lot of schools a football state championship simply isn't possible, unless the stars were to completely line up in their favor.

 

There are a variety of reasons for athletes to play a sport other than to win a championship. Sure all athletes would like to be champions but there are quite a few other benefits that come from playing a sport.

 

Consider college basketball. Currently there are 351 teams competing in D1. Over the last 30 years only 16 schools have won a title. Extend it a bit further and only 20 teams in the last 50 years. It would be silly for 90% of the schools participating to seriously have a goal of winning a championship.

 

This isn't college basketball with 351 teams competing for 1 championship. With 6 classes you only have to be the best team out of about 35 to win a championship.

The goal is to produce young men of quality character. Winning is nice, but it's not the end goal.

More and more teams come up with slogans to kinda reiterate what needs to be done to reach goals.

 

For example Boyle County slogans the last 2 years as selected by the Senior Class

 

2017: Through the Wall

2016: Change the Cycle

 

Yes these are obscure and hard to measure, but for Boyle anyway, this is the focus day in and day out.

More and more teams come up with slogans to kinda reiterate what needs to be done to reach goals.

 

For example Boyle County slogans the last 2 years as selected by the Senior Class

 

2017: Through the Wall

2016: Change the Cycle

 

Yes these are obscure and hard to measure, but for Boyle anyway, this is the focus day in and day out.

 

I love the slogans...

 

2014 Highlands- “Stairway to Seven” meaning 7 in a row

 

2010 Highlands- “20n10” for 20 titles in 2010

 

1981 Highlands - “8 Would Be Great” for the 8th Title at Highlands

 

The best one that was used as a staple at Highlands in the The 70’s and 80’s year in and year and answers the thread question was “PLAY TO WIN”

 

Got to have a slogan, got to have an identity as a team, just as simple as that

So 90% of 6A football in KY should just give up. Lol. May be that's what needs to happen, let the privates play each other for a 6A state Championship and the rest of 6A play in bowl games.

To mold young men or women(whatever you’re coaching) into leaders and parents of tomorrow. Have a process that teaches them to show up on time and do their job.

 

Have a good process and winning takes care of itself.

Sure its the goal. I don't know of any program that has a stated goal of "let's be #4!". But this, to me, goes hand in hand with the culture of a program. Are the coaches and kids willing to put in the work it takes to be a champion? How about the support from the parents and administration? Do some programs even know what it takes to get to that next level. Lets face it -- its not easy. Just showing up to practice after school is not going to cut it.

I guess I am saying it's one thing to state that as a goal, it's a whole other thing to know what it takes and do it.

Sure its the goal. I don't know of any program that has a stated goal of "let's be #4!". But this, to me, goes hand in hand with the culture of a program. Are the coaches and kids willing to put in the work it takes to be a champion? How about the support from the parents and administration? Do some programs even know what it takes to get to that next level. Lets face it -- its not easy. Just showing up to practice after school is not going to cut it.

I guess I am saying it's one thing to state that as a goal, it's a whole other thing to know what it takes and do it.

 

You nailed it, great post...

 

Let me add one thing, Work harder than your competition #MHFGA

I love the slogans...

 

2014 Highlands- “Stairway to Seven” meaning 7 in a row

 

2010 Highlands- “20n10” for 20 titles in 2010

 

1981 Highlands - “8 Would Be Great” for the 8th Title at Highlands

 

The best one that was used as a staple at Highlands in the The 70’s and 80’s year in and year and answers the thread question was “PLAY TO WIN”

 

Got to have a slogan, got to have an identity as a team, just as simple as that

 

Danggone forgot the 2018 slogan...

 

#MHFGA

Do some of you really think the players play for just life lessons? Every kid should be playing for a championship. What the adults in charge think is another story. I don't know any Mayfield player who wasn't playing for championship.

 

Because Mayfield is always in the running, so that makes sense...

Sounds like what is currently happening

So 90% of 6A football in KY should just give up. Lol. May be that's what needs to happen, let the privates play each other for a 6A state Championship and the rest of 6A play in bowl games.

 

Literally no one has said anything of the sort.

The feeling I am getting from this thread is that we teach kids to set their goals low so they can never be disappointed. We wonder why these generations are "soft".

 

So set goals that are clearly unattainable and create a sense of failure? Yeah, that seems like a WAY better idea for teenagers. :lol2:

If the goal is to win a championship, all but one team will have not met its goal at season's end. I think if I were a coach, our goal would be to become the best team we can be and try to win our next game. If you win all your next games, you are the champion.

You nailed it, great post...

 

Let me add one thing, Work harder than your competition #MHFGA

 

Question what exactly equates to working harder than their competition? How does that get measured to know if a team worked harder than their competition? I ask because I know that was the common thing many of you all stated to people during your great years. You stated work harder. When in fact it's easy to say that, when you have the most talent walking on that field that given day. I would venture to say there are plenty of teams who have worked just as hard as some teams who did win state, but yet results didn't show it. I don't disagree on the working as hard as you possibly can part. I'm just asking how do you judge working harder than your competition. Because wins and losses doesn't evaluate which team worked harder.