I have been firing off about stuff I see and being a bit critical.
So what I thought I would do is write down my advice for the new football coach. This is from someone who played the sport and continues to coach it and also has seen firsthand what winning programs look like.
Cal recently hired this coach. I do not know if a proper process was used to hire this man or not. I would hope the school interviewed many qualified candidates and a group of select individuals came to a conclusion and offered him. But I don't know if that happened or if it did.
This hire is extremely important to me because my younger son is a very respectable football player going into 7th grade. Depending on how he does in the next few years will determine if a high level program is something he needs due to his potential. If so, I hope that program will be at Caledonia High School, but obviously I cannot see the future and so I cannot say what will happen.
I have heard things good and not as good about this guy, but since I cannot verify any of it, I will take a wait and see approach and come at it with an open mind. But I will be watching very closely, that I can tell you.
So here are my suggestions to the new coach:
First, get to know the community itself. As I have written already in other posts, Caledonia is average for a sports community. There are people who will support your efforts and many who don't care at all. But knowing the community is the first thing.
Being a part of the community as a team would be next level and also a great idea. What would it say to the team and community if you and the team showed up to help someone who was in need of some labor or something that the players could help with? I think that would blow people away here and teach the players a lot in the process.
Second, connect with your future. Be in partnership with the Cal youth football program. Help inspire these younger boys to choose to play football when they are older and actually care about what happens to your varsity team.
This doesn't mean that you have to be at every game and doesn't mean you have to have the youth team running your offense and garbage like that. Anyone who knows the game knows that is dumb anyway.
But it may mean something like some of your players give up a Saturday for an hour or two to cheer on the Cal youth teams that play at home. Possibly having some kind of camp with the varsity team leading or doing some activity like this to include the younger kids. Heard of giving back? If you wanted to go really crazy, you could actually learn the names of the boys when they are younger like other successful local programs do.
Doing any of the above things would have a huge benefit to your program.
Third, hone the team you have.
Head coaches that get overly focused on X's and O's end up as coordinators. Yes you need to know this stuff, but you have to worry about the main part of the program which is the mental, physical and emotional side of your players.
Set the expectation level and bar high and don't accept anything that pulls you down from this. Teach the kids as best you can that winning is what we do here, starting with the small things. If a player expects that absolute best from himself, then it will show on the field. Failure is NOT an option.
Do not allow bad sportsmanship or any dirty play (we win with class no matter what) and for the love of all things, please don't allow excuses about how 'we play in the OK Red and so we can't be expected to really win'.
Have a planned weight training program and work with local trainers to make this happen if necessary. Create a culture where everyone knows that hard work and sacrifice is necessary for victory and that anyone who does dumb stuff outside of football that can get you kicked off the team shouldn't be here anyway.
Be willing to step into the role as mentor for these boys as successful coaches often fill this role for these young men. Be an example yourself.
Hire or find quality assistants because you can't do it on your own. Make it clear to them the things you expect.
Be excited and be driven. This community needs someone who will inspire and see this thing to fruition.
Is this a lot of work? Absolutely. If you are only wanting to put in minimum time and simply field a team and see what happens, you are the wrong hire in my opinion. This thing is going to take effort and perseverance but it can be done. There are quality athletes in the community, but they need a vision and to be taught how to win.
Can this be done? Yes it can. I know people that could do it that live far away. It isn't something anyone can do, but I am hoping that you can.
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