AFM Home | The Staff Report | Nov 2003

Larry Coker
Head Coach, University of Miami (Fla.)
2002 Schutt Sports Division I-A Coach of the Year

When I was an assistant coach here at the University of Miami under Butch Davis, he started Family Night each Monday night during the football season to give the coaching staff and their family an opportunity to spend some quality time together during the week.

We had dinner catered in for the coaches, their wives and children. The children especially loved it because they could go run around and play on the football field and have a terrific time.

I’m not sure why he started this tradition, but after Coach Davis moved on to the NFL, I asked the coaches if they enjoyed the Family Night dinner and they all responded positively. So we kept it.

This function not only gives coaches an opportunity to share time with their family, but it also gives spouses a chance to connect and build relationships with others that are in the same position.

For us, Mondays are a long day of preparation that usually leads into the evenings, so this gives all of us a needed break. Mondays are considered an off day because the football players do not have practice, but it is still a work day for the coaching staff.

Family Night is a great way to break the monotony of the week and share with family and friends. Making efforts – no matter how small – can really make the difference in building staff chemistry, which is a necessity for any championship program.