AFM Home | The Staff Report | Feb 2003

The Staff Report

 


Career: 8 Guidlines for the High School Assistant Coach

So you dream of becoming the head coach someday? Well, there are a few things you need to know and do that will help you earn that dream job you’ve been looking for.

Anyone who wants to be a successful assistant coach and eventually a successful head coach must have certain qualities that set them apart from the other coaches in the game.

Here are the eight qualities an individual must have before taking the next step:

1) Loyalty
- This does not make you a “yes” man. “Yes” men are worthless and do not make the head coach better. You need to have an opinion and express it, just make sure to do it in the right context. You cannot start questioning the head coach in front of the players. You cannot be seen as a problem. Remember, good coaches are costly, but bad coaches cost much more.

2) Balance
- An assistant coach must nuture his relationship with his family at home. Your family must be understanding of the time you are putting into your job. Sometimes they make a bigger sacrifice than you. Coaches usually spend more time with other people’s kids than their own. It is a difficult statement, but it is true. Don’t forget in the end you are playing for the team at home.

3) Willingness to Learn
- You have to possess the desire to improve yourself and become a better coach. The only way to achieve this is through hard work. You need to attend clinics and hear other coaches that you respect teach you new things. Make yourself an expert at something and you will then become more valuable to your head coach and your school. You need to be a 12-month coach, not just a four-month coach.

4) Willingness to Sacrifice
- You have to be willing to sacrifice as an assistant coach. Most good coaches do not go fishing and golfing during the season. Your sacrifice as a coach may help make a player - who is also sacrificing - better. If you are only concerned with rewards, you are in the wrong profession.

5) Willingness to Teach
- If you do not do a good job in the classroom, you will not do a good job on the field. Your class work cannot suffer because of your coaching. In most cases, your job is as a teacher first and coach second.

6) Role Model
- Always set a good example. Coaches are often the father figure many athletes never had. Assistant coaches are often closer to the players than the head coach. Athletes should look to a coach for guidance. Coaches cannot expect players to avoid smoking and drinking if the coaches are seen doing this. Never miss a team function.

7) Preparation
- Strive for perfection. Never present an idea to the head coach, team or administration without proper consideration and thought. Be proud of who you are and your team. Always wear clothing with your school’s logo and never hesitate to make your coach or administration proud to have you on the staff.

8) Love - The last and most important step for high school coaches looking to become head coaches is to love your job. When your coach assigns you a duty, do it with a smile. Perform tasks with enthusiasm because if you do, your players will as well.

By Tony Johnson
Offensive Coordinator, Graceland University


Steps to Building a Championship Staff

I-AA Schutt Sports Coach of the Year winner: Dave Clawson, Fordham

Under fourth-year head coach, Dave Clawson, Fordham finished with its best season in 60 years. The Rams, the 2002 Patriot League co-champions, garnered its highest I-AA win total and advanced to the I-AA playoffs for the first time since moving to I-AA in 1989.

According to Clawson, who won the 2002 Schutt Sports Coach of the Year award, it takes a complete coaching effort from the entire staff to attain a championship season. Here are four tips from Coach Clawson on selecting a championship staff:

1) Hire people you know
- Whenever a new staff comes together, there is always a transition period. By hiring someone you have worked with - the quicker you can reduce that transition period by hiring someone you know or worked with - the better off you and your program will be.

2) Hire people with good reputations - Hire someone with a good reputation as a teacher and as a recruiter. These people will help you attract a better quality of student-athlete.

3) Hire people with good work ethic - The number one thing is they must have a good work ethic. Building a successful program takes a lot of work. Most programs will take 3-4 years of hard work to reach a championship level.

4) Hire people with good character - You must hire coaches that are loyal and that have good character. They must share the same vision as the head coach.


Special Teams: 3 Keys to the 2-Point Play

Nothing says college football like the 2-point conversion, yet it is one of the hardest plays to successfully convert. In Part I of this two-part series, we will show you how to make it happen next time you go for two.The 2-point philosophy at Kent State is to accomplish three things:

1) Create confusion on the defensive side of the football by:

A) Shifting
B) Motioning
C) Creating an undefined formation from game alignments
D) Or combination of the above

2) Get the ball into the hands of your best player or players.

3) Give ourselves more than one option in having the play succeed.

With today’s modern defenses, it is often times difficult to predict exactly what you’re going to see defensively on the goal line, so you need to have plays designed to be successful versus both man coverage and zone coverage or a combination of both. You need to game plan your 2-point play just like you would any other situation play based on what you have seen in previous games from the goal-line defense.

The simplicity of the play will greatly determine its success, but the complexity of adjustments forced on the defense will more clearly define your advantage.

By Dan Kratzer
Assistant Head Coach/Receivers Coach,
Kent State


NOTE: Look for Dan Kratzer’s 2-point clinic in the April 2003 issue.


How Will Digital Editing System Give Me A Competitive Advantage

Coaches are coaches because they love to coach. As much as some like to analyze video of either themselves or their upcoming opponents, they still would rather be on the field with the players. Coaches watch video to prepare themselves and their players for the game-and that game is played on the field, not in the meeting room.

Time spent watching video will be more productive because using an integrated digital video editing system combines both the video and the data so any combination of data can be searched and retrieved instantly. For example, you could search for all run plays on 3rd and long, from the right hash in the I-formation...from one game or a group of games. With one more click of the mouse, you could either view the video or print the report. You can also save the template of the search and use it from week to week while you are preparing for different opponents. Guaranteed you will be better organized and better prepared...and in a shorter amount of time...so you can do more coaching!

Another intangible in being more efficient with your players’ time is that it will be easier to hold their attention. They grew up with fast-paced, entertaining video. We all live in a “sound byte” world. They will appreciate your efficiency and also your use of cutting edge technology. Because of how you are presenting the material you want them to learn, they will subconsciously also “buy into” what you are teaching. As a result, you can do more effective coaching and gain that competitive advantage!


Defense: Texas-Sized Defensive Musts

Defensive football starts with attitude. The attitude grows from what it takes mentally and physically to be successful in a short-yardage/goal-line situation.

As a player and as a coach, you have to be fearless, frantic, emotionally out of control and anger driven top put the offense on their back.

You need to be the bully on the block with a chip on your shoulder, and on the snap of the ball, go get it done.

Be the hammer, not the nail.

Below are defensive drills that must be the primary focus of every defensive coach at every practice:

Defensive Front:
On air - On spots
Alignment
• Strength calls
• Work on stems
Stance & Start (Ball get off)
• Use ball - false cadence
• Step leg - key leg back
• Tighter the key, shorter the steps
• Gap leg - adjust leg - on LOS
Read on the run

Linebackers:
Alignment:
• Give strength calls
Stance & Start
• Key - second move
• Weight change
• Mug Technique - read step
• Marriage principle

Secondary:
1-on-1 drills
• Bump & run
• Soft
• Bail
2-on-1 drills

By Carl Reese
Defensive Coordinator,
University of Texas