Letter From the Editor

A Part of Every Season
by: Rex Lardner
© More from this issue

          
The end of every football regular season generally means a number of inevitable happenings: coaching hiring and firings and a multitude of awards. While all of us have seen and read what seems like an incredible number of coaching changes – at all levels – there are probably more to come.

In a somewhat ironic sense, it also seems like there are more and more post-season awards to players at just about every position. While most high schools, colleges, and professional teams have their own respective player awards, our focus has always been – and will be – on the coaches. Each year there are some outstanding coaching stories throughout the profession – 2004 was not an exception.

This issue includes our annual Schutt Sports Coaches of the Year Awards at the high school and college divisions. There were many deserving candidates at each level and a number of outstanding finalists. Discussions also included coaches that through various forms of adversity have turned programs around. While not winning this year’s award, two outstanding coaching jobs come to mind:

• Andy Lambert, a first year coach at Sterling College in Kansas, inherited an NAIA program that lost 24 straight games. It became the clich`e that death, taxes, and a winless season were three things you could count on yearly at Sterling. Lambert came in and turned around the school's fortunes, finishing his first year with a 5-5 record.

• Jerry Kill, head coach at Southern Illinois, inherited a 1-10 team four years ago. Improving every year, the Salukis finished the regular season ranked #l in the I-AA poll with a 10-1 record. Although SIU lost early in the I-AA playoffs, the foundation has been set for the future in Carbondale.

There are many others... unfortunately, because of space limitations, we can’t include all the extraordinary coaching jobs this past fall. But I think you’ll enjoy the features and profiles of this year’s Schutt Sports Coaches of the Year.

Along the same lines, American Football Monthly is always looking for ways to improve our product, reach more coaches, and find out what we can do to help the profession. Along that line, AFM has compiled a CD that is helpful to all coaches. Entitled ‘AFM’s 2005 Career Management Guide’ the CD includes:

• 2005 Hiring Research Study – Find out what head coaches and athletic directors look for in hiring coaches

• Custom Resume Manager & Resume Board

• Create, edit, post, print and email your resume from one easy-to-use location

• Articles from the leading experts on getting a job and managing your career

• Questions you must be prepared to answer in any interview

You can obtain ‘AFM’s 2005 Career Management Guide’ CD by calling 561-355-5068, logging on to: www.AmericanFootballMonthly.com/nextjob/ or returning a postage paid card from an issue of AFM.

As always, if there’s anything that we can do for you, please do not hesitate to contact us at 561-355-5068. Thank you.

Respectfully,

Rex Lardner
Managing Editor
American Football Monthly
rlardner@lcclark.com

Respectfully,

Rex Lardner
Managing Editor
American Football Monthly
rlardner@lcclark.com

NEW BOOK!

Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach