Its been awhile since I have posted a blog, so lets see if I remember how. Well, I recently moved out of Charleston Illinois up to a west suburb of Chicago, Elmhurst Illinois. This is about 3 hours away, and about 2 and a half hours from where I grew up. I came from a town of 500 people, high school of 300 people, and we had country roads. Charleston even had country roads for a town of about 15 to 20 thousand. Now I have to get use to three or 4 lane roads and a lot more people driving.
Before I made the move, I resigned from being the offensive coordinator from Charleston High school. I also had to resign from coaching basketball, and track in Charleston as well. Making a move so far away, and not being a teacher, made me realize that I may have to put coaching on the back burner. Instead of just having a job just to have a job, I need to start looking for a career. So, while I am looking for a job, I cannot just walk in and say, "I can work, but I need 3 pm until 7 pm everyday available to coach football." That will not go over to well in an interview. So, a few months ago I made the tough decision to not coach this fall and just focus on working. As well as my football time in Charleston was not the greatest. Doesn't mean I haven't talked to some coaches up here, or sent my information over, cause well, we all get that itch. And I have had the itch and I hopefully will be able to coach.
So, I had to figure out what to do with my time to help the itch of football, and how to make my self better. One thing I decided to do, was to read books. Yes, I said read books, that thing we all say we will do more off, then we get on our smart phones or computer and do something else. Or, if you are like me, you get on YouTube and watch different coaches talk or something. But I acquired a lot of sports books and try to read one or 2 a month. They are from actual coaching football with plays and how to do the x and o's of football. From just toughness, or just about certain individuals.
The next thing I decided to do was to watch YouTube from coaches out there that want to share their knowledge of the game to help us get better. This is been a huge asset to have during this offseason and unemployment. To actually see coaches using hudl, or a white board, and go through how they line up and call formations, plays, defenses, and even drills. This has led to me getting a bunch of different ideas that I can one day use. I then find old games from the college season and watch them to try and see how they run particular plays, or see how they do things. And see if I can compare them to my own personal playbook.
The biggest thing for me, is to just send a message to a coach, or call them, or just ask if you can go watch a practice. That is what has helped me get better since I resigned right after the season was over. I have learned so much just from going to a coach and their staff and just talking ball. Or just being able to watch their playoff practice, or this summer with their camps. Its the best way to talk to the coaches, hear how they do things or draw them up, then go out and see it done in action.
For you younger coaches, or even coaches just feel like you don't need help, trust me we all need help. No coach is perfect, and we can always learn and get better. If we as coaches are not out doing everything within our power to go out and get better, then we are cheating those kids. If we ask those kids to do their homework or study for a test, deal with personal life problems, study the plays and signals, practice for hours and give everything they got, we should too. I believe if you are a coach, and you make excuses to now do everything from filming practice, watching all the film you can, making scouting reports, reaching out to other coaches during the season, making adjustments, then you shouldn't be doing this job. This job makes the kids sacrifice a lot, and we need to as well.
If you cant tell, you have a lot to think about while you are umemployed. But we as coaches need to go out and get better all the time just like the players. These are just some of the things that I have done to get better as a coach, and I'm not even coaching. So, if you have to ask yourself if you got better, or you are not doing some of these things, why are you coaching?
Good luck to all the teams in their summer camps! Hopefully I will get back to the sidelines quickly! Its an addiction to be coaching!
Before I made the move, I resigned from being the offensive coordinator from Charleston High school. I also had to resign from coaching basketball, and track in Charleston as well. Making a move so far away, and not being a teacher, made me realize that I may have to put coaching on the back burner. Instead of just having a job just to have a job, I need to start looking for a career. So, while I am looking for a job, I cannot just walk in and say, "I can work, but I need 3 pm until 7 pm everyday available to coach football." That will not go over to well in an interview. So, a few months ago I made the tough decision to not coach this fall and just focus on working. As well as my football time in Charleston was not the greatest. Doesn't mean I haven't talked to some coaches up here, or sent my information over, cause well, we all get that itch. And I have had the itch and I hopefully will be able to coach.
So, I had to figure out what to do with my time to help the itch of football, and how to make my self better. One thing I decided to do, was to read books. Yes, I said read books, that thing we all say we will do more off, then we get on our smart phones or computer and do something else. Or, if you are like me, you get on YouTube and watch different coaches talk or something. But I acquired a lot of sports books and try to read one or 2 a month. They are from actual coaching football with plays and how to do the x and o's of football. From just toughness, or just about certain individuals.
The next thing I decided to do was to watch YouTube from coaches out there that want to share their knowledge of the game to help us get better. This is been a huge asset to have during this offseason and unemployment. To actually see coaches using hudl, or a white board, and go through how they line up and call formations, plays, defenses, and even drills. This has led to me getting a bunch of different ideas that I can one day use. I then find old games from the college season and watch them to try and see how they run particular plays, or see how they do things. And see if I can compare them to my own personal playbook.
The biggest thing for me, is to just send a message to a coach, or call them, or just ask if you can go watch a practice. That is what has helped me get better since I resigned right after the season was over. I have learned so much just from going to a coach and their staff and just talking ball. Or just being able to watch their playoff practice, or this summer with their camps. Its the best way to talk to the coaches, hear how they do things or draw them up, then go out and see it done in action.
For you younger coaches, or even coaches just feel like you don't need help, trust me we all need help. No coach is perfect, and we can always learn and get better. If we as coaches are not out doing everything within our power to go out and get better, then we are cheating those kids. If we ask those kids to do their homework or study for a test, deal with personal life problems, study the plays and signals, practice for hours and give everything they got, we should too. I believe if you are a coach, and you make excuses to now do everything from filming practice, watching all the film you can, making scouting reports, reaching out to other coaches during the season, making adjustments, then you shouldn't be doing this job. This job makes the kids sacrifice a lot, and we need to as well.
If you cant tell, you have a lot to think about while you are umemployed. But we as coaches need to go out and get better all the time just like the players. These are just some of the things that I have done to get better as a coach, and I'm not even coaching. So, if you have to ask yourself if you got better, or you are not doing some of these things, why are you coaching?
Good luck to all the teams in their summer camps! Hopefully I will get back to the sidelines quickly! Its an addiction to be coaching!
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