Moving Up, Moving On or Moving Out: Life on the Coaching Carousel

Years ago I sat in a clinic presentation given by a prominent NFL head football coach who stated
“Most high school coaches want to be college coaches, most college coaches want to be NFL coaches and most NFL coaches would like to be high school coaches.”  Most coaches possess an unquenchable desire
to advance their careers to the next level. Most of us are eager to face
new challenges and conquer the next occupational mountain.

The world of football coaching is filled with professional adrenaline junkies who are willing to jump out of planes in the hopes of landing in greener pastures, knowing full well that the physical and mental causality rate is among the highest of all professions. I can relate to this mentality as it has continually manifested itself in my coaching career. The desire to move up and to move on has been a constant part of my coaching DNA. The struggle between my professional aspiration to advance to the next arena vs. the personal desire to provide stability for my wife and children is a mental tug of war that I engage in every winter. And so the carousel goes on.

Maybe you can relate to this professional dilemma. Maybe you, too, envision the next big coaching job or the next big career move. Some dream of moving up in the coaching ranks while others of you may be considering a return to the high school or youth level. Whatever it may be, I assure you that you are not alone. There are thousands of football coaches who are contemplating the same moves.
Deciding to make a move -

Do you ever wonder what it is about this profession that, despite the craziness of the coaching carousel, many of us are willing to risk what we have for the opportunity to achieve what we think we want? I had a conversation with a FCS defensive coordinator who told me the best time he ever had professionally was when he was coaching high school. I asked him why he chose to jump into the college ranks. His answer – “College coaching is 100% football, 100% of the time. I thought I wanted that.”

I recently had another college coach tell me that his son was on an undefeated eighth grade football team and that, due to the demands of his coaching job, he was not able to attend a single game. This particular coach had played ten years in the NFL and now was living the life of a college coach. He had been very successful with football but, according to his own admission, not as successful in the role of husband and father. He resigned after last season and decided to pursue a more traditional, family-friendly job.

These are examples of coaches who landed in pastures that were not greener than the ones they left. Other coaches, however, love their jobs and could not imagine doing anything else. The hours required are not a problem as they live their career every second of every day. The fact that they love their job means that they never have to “work” a day in their lives.

When considering your coaching career’s next move, it is very important that you look past the glamour and explore the depths of the sacrifice that the job requires. The reality is that most of your time is going to be spent far away from the excitement of game day. It will be spent in the daily grind that the job requires. In college, the day is going to be spent in staff meetings, breaking down film, talking to recruits on the phone, driving from one high school to another in search of the next All- American player, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. In high school, you will have to teach academic classes, prepare lesson plans, prepare practice plans. You will have to be coach, trainer, family counselor, maintenance man, athletic director and that, too, is just the tip of the iceberg. Both require long hours, few days off and many missed family events.

Before you decide to make a professional move it is very important that you understand the description of the job that you desire before deciding if a move is right for you and your family. Talk with coaches who are currently there. Read about those who have prevailed and those who have fallen. Know the territory before you embark on the journey and your chance of success will be greatly enhanced. Coaching is one of the most rewarding professions that anyone could choose. It is also one of the most demanding. A large part of your success is going to be determined by the choices that you make regarding what jobs you pursue and what jobs you don’t.

How to make a move -

Once you have decided that a move is what you desire, you must devise a plan that gives you the best chance of getting to the level or position that you wish. There are two areas that are crucial in giving you the best chance to advance - networking and experience. Like any business, advancing is not always what you know. It’s often who you know. In trying to advance my career, I have made it a point to get to know as many quality coaches that I can. These relationships are crucial when it comes to seeking career advice, having excellent references on a resume, and possibly obtaining a position on the staff of a coach that you have built a relationship with. Ways that you can foster relationships with coaches include volunteering at summer camps, corresponding on a consistent basis via email and phone conversations and collaborating on professional projects. Experience can be gained in many ways. Most college and professional coaches have spent several years as a volunteer or a graduate assistant. High school varsity coaches usually have spent time as lower level assistants or youth level volunteers.

Experience can also be gathered through attending football clinics and taking coaching certification classes. All of these avenues will increase your chances of moving up the coaching ladder. It may take a while and you will probably encounter setbacks along the way. However, if you are willing to put in the time, foster the right relationships and take advantage of your opportunities when they present themselves, you will be able to build a resume that will allow you to pursue your coaching dreams. 

Deciding to move out -

Every season, a percentage of young coaches embark on their coaching careers while others in the profession make the decision to step away. Deciding to permanently hang up the whistle has to be one of the toughest coaching decisions that any of us will ever make. I do not possess firsthand knowledge on retirement but I certainly have thought about the day that I would and the conditions that may cause me to consider it. I will share with you five of the criteria that I have put on my retirement litmus test. 

•      Winning becomes mundane while losing         becomes all consuming.

•      I lack energy and excitement about the start         of a new season.

•      I am consistently looking forward to the end         of the season.

•      I continue to coach only because I cannot         afford not to.

•      My personal goals become more important         than my professional purpose.

I have promised myself that if I ever get to the point in my career where these statements are accurate, it will be time for me to move out of the coaching profession. I think we owe it to our players, to our fellow coaches and to ourselves to be sure that we are coaching with the right attitude and for the right reasons. There is no shame in realizing that your coaching days are numbered. There is shame, however, in continuing a career that lacks the passion, energy and attitude that that this profession requires.

It is true that most of what I have can be attributed in some way to playing and coaching this great sport. The life of a football coach can be exciting, frustrating, exhilarating, exhausting, fulfilling, magical, maddening and so much more. If you have chosen the football coaching carousel as your profession of choice, hold on tight. You are in for the best ride of your life.