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AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Coaching the Player

by: Bill Mallory
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I appreciate the opportunity to share my thoughts concerning coaching the player. As you well know, the hub of your program is the players and the effective job you do in coaching them.

I. Coaching – Teaching and Parenting

II. Challenge of Coaching (raise his self image)
A. Making each player the best he can be. Total Person – student,
player and person.
B. It starts with you, as a coach, motivating the player to want to be the besthe can be. Making him understand that it comes through commitment and great workethic to do whatever it takes to be the best he can be

III. Player Communication – Available and a Good Listener
A. The bond of trust between the player and the coach.
It is essential!
B. Letting the player know where he presently is and where he has to improveas a total person – academically, football and as a
per son. I expect the individual to continually strive to improve.
C. I have three conferences with every player throughout the year.

IV. Goal Oriented – Short Range/Long Range/Have a Purpose
A. Player writes out his goals.
B. Give him support and encouragement. Be positive!
C. Show him how to get there.
D. Education - Number 1 goal - graduate.

V. Discipline – Self Responsible
A. He knows his priorities and keeps everything in proper
order – academics, football and social life.
B. He understands there is a right way to do something and a wrong way.
C. He understands what is expected of him. He will represent the school, thefootball program, himself and his family in a class fashion and not bring anyembarrassment.
D. He understands he will train and take care of himself. Having himself in thebest condition all the time.
E. He will treat people as he would want to be treated.

VI. Work Ethic
A. Pay the price. There is a price that has to be paid to have
success. No shortcuts – do whatever it takes – give your best.
B. Preparation – prepare to win.
1. Repetition – each day we get better.
C. Performance – play to win!
1. Execute with soundness.
2. Persistent – don’t be denied.

VII. Team Player – “We” Attitude – No Room for “I’s” SelfishAttitude
“We Win With Team!”
A. There is an awesome power when all the players are going in the same direction.
B. Bonded together with respect for one another!
“One Heartbeat!”
C. Leadership (Seniors). Seniors have to be committed to having their best year.They have a strong desire to win.

VIII. Mental and Physical Toughness
A. Plays physical but within the rules. Composure.
B. Be persistent – Never quits!
C. Work hard – play hard and good things will happen.

IX. Develop Player Skills
A. Quickness
B. Speed
C. Strength
D. Stamina

X. Coaching Principles – Coaching is Teaching!
It is not what the coach knows that is important, but it is what the player knowsthat is important.
A. Get the player in the right position – find him a home. Don’task him to do things he can’t do.
B. Teach technique – Make the player technique conscious. Do a good jobof teaching technique.
C. Soundness – Repetition.
D. Action, not talk on the field – Talk in meetings. Some of the best coachingis off the field.
E. Four parts to learning.
1. Explanation.
2. Demonstration (walk through).
3. Practice – Repetition.
4. Walk through (correction)
F. Mistakes – Learn from mistakes.
1. Not just seeing a mistake – what you do to correct it. Why and how.
2. Constantly look for better ways to teach your players. Remember, drills alwayshave a purpose.
3. Don’t complain about your players. They are the only ones you have.
G. Check after practice – attitude, effort and accomplishments of eachplayer. Never allow the players to loaf in any
football activity.
H. Morale – is most important.
1. It starts with the coach – being honest, caring, believing,
communicating, and always striving to getting the player better.
2. Make the players feel a part of the team, everyone is important.
I. Each day in staff meeting, we evaluated each player; improved, stayed thesame or regressed. Also, each day in our staff meetings we ranked each playerby position. If we moved a player down, he was always told why.
J. Never fail to talk over with any coach involved anything that will aid ourFootball team.

PLAYER CONFERENCES

I. Evaluation of Attitudes:
Self Esteem. Believe in yourself.
Team player. Unselfish.
Effort and excel. Give your best. He wants to be good.
Work ethic. Not looking for the easy way.
Persistence. Won’t give up.
Coachable. Good listener - attentive.
Enthusiasm. Intensity.
Mental and physical toughness. “Hitter.”
Self Discipline. Strives to do things right.
Trustworthy.
Poise.
Verbal.
Manners.
Leader.
Follower.

II. Conference
A. Attitude.
B. Academics.
C. Football – Where he is presently.
– Where he has to get better.
– Where he wants to be.
D. Goals – Players write up their goals.
1. Present - academics, football.
2. Future - Academics, football, real world.
Improvement - always striving to take yourself to the next level.








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