How To Rebuild A High School Football Program

[LHS 72]

I have a very dear friend who is a retired coach around the Eastern PA. area. I ask Coach Y (I will not give his full name so some of you poster can bash this fine gentleman) how he rebuild two high school football programs, According to Coach Y he faxed this to me last night, here is a list of a few important items to start with in no particular order.

1. Recurit the school-if they won a championship in any other sports there are players and athletes in the school. Sell the kids on your program!

2. Build team pride-When facing a losing streak the players start to become ashamed of being part of the program. A must is to build up pride to be part of the team. Start team building activites trips as a team to movies, trip to a farm to particpate in work activites and games.

3.Schedule easier non leauge games that you know the team can win. You need to win some games to get that monkey off of there backs.

4. Simpilify your game plan. Sometimes new coaches try to overinstall offenses, defenses and special teams. Figure out what base system fit the level of skill of the team and keep it simple!Once they have the system down, then you can start to build and install more. Make sure you system is taught from the varisty down to the pee wee teams.

5. Be Patient- You can not change overnight there past habits!

6. No one's position is safe There will be returning starters , well they will understand That you are in charge NOW of the program and the best players are going to play. Competition will breed sucess!

7. Stick to your plan and believe in what you are doing. You will make decisons that others will disagree with even on your own staff but your need to send the message.

8. Bring in success of past teams/cut away from the past struggles!

9. Get The backing of the school's adminstration. Demand being to be able to pick your own staff.

10. Be fully invested with your new program.

11. Make sure you involve the parents and families.

12. Engage the Community!

Let me stress these are only a few things that I would do! Time or space prohibts me from expanding on more of my proceses!

Thanks for asking my opinions!

[moonshine]

Sounds like a good start, but there is much more to rebiulbing a program, yes i guess these are only a few points!

[LHS 72]

This is a starting point!

[Orange and Brown]

That is a good way to guide yourself through a rebuild..........

I think the the best couple things I would tell you is to
A. Get the feeder program rolling again. Put time and effort into building into a top notch youth program. Same for the jr. High.
B.Get the community excited about rebuilding, 1 person at a time. Coaches have to be ambassadors for the program.

[moonshine]

That is a good way to guide yourself through a rebuild..........

I think the the best couple things I would tell you is to
A. Get the feeder program rolling again. Put time and effort into building into a top notch youth program. Same for the jr. High.
B.Get the community excited about rebuilding, 1 person at a time. Coaches have to be ambassadors for the program.

One important thing is to teach the basics in youth football and run the same basics system that the varisty runs!

[Vision Quest]

That is a good way to guide yourself through a rebuild..........

I think the the best couple things I would tell you is to
A. Get the feeder program rolling again. Put time and effort into building into a top notch youth program. Same for the jr. High.
B.Get the community excited about rebuilding, 1 person at a time. Coaches have to be ambassadors for the program.

One important thing is to teach the basics in youth football and run the same basics system that the varisty runs!

Very true, but in today's society of win now and what have you done for me lately, coaching positions are 3 or 4 years and out if you don't win. This doesn't give time for the youth football players to learn and produce at the high school level because there is usually a new coach with new playbook by the time they get there. Just an observation.

[Orange and Brown]

That is a good way to guide yourself through a rebuild..........

I think the the best couple things I would tell you is to
A. Get the feeder program rolling again. Put time and effort into building into a top notch youth program. Same for the jr. High.
B.Get the community excited about rebuilding, 1 person at a time. Coaches have to be ambassadors for the program.

One important thing is to teach the basics in youth football and run the same basics system that the varisty runs!

Very true, but in today's society of win now and what have you done for me lately, coaching positions are 3 or 4 years and out if you don't win. This doesn't give time for the youth football players to learn and produce at the high school level because there is usually a new coach with new playbook by the time they get there. Just an observation.

True, but that is why schools should hire coaches who fit in with the program. A GOOD coach looks at what he has and caters his offense accordingly. ( Trimble Football)


Coaches who aren't successful usually aren't because they try to reinvent the wheel when they take over a program. They focus so much on the x's and O's that they forget the Jimmy's and Joe's. You can't be a pass happy spread team if all you have is a bunch of big strong bruisers who can't catch, and you can't be a power running team if you don't have power runners. Good coaches take advantage of what they have and use what they have to it's full potential. Then you can have some success and will have time to build your feeder programs.

[Orange and Brown]

That is a good way to guide yourself through a rebuild..........

I think the the best couple things I would tell you is to
A. Get the feeder program rolling again. Put time and effort into building into a top notch youth program. Same for the jr. High.
B.Get the community excited about rebuilding, 1 person at a time. Coaches have to be ambassadors for the program.

One important thing is to teach the basics in youth football and run the same basics system that the varisty runs!

Very true!

[YOU'RE TIGER BAIT]

Re: strength of the O.V.C

by You're Tiger Bait » Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:38 am

and i know rock hill had some great teams during that time frame, and was familiar with all of them. i coached those kids in grade school. but both of those playoff years, they probably would have advanced further in the playoffs. but they had to go through ironton first.they were very competitive games though. rock hill, had some great kids in that program at the time. but the difference was in fact coaching.
plain and simple bob lutz and mike burcham were nearly untouchable locally.there is a reason he retired as the winningest coach in the state of ohio.there will never be another.or mike burcham , for that matter.and mark vaas, has taken over and proved that ironton football will weather the storms. when bob lutz stepped down in i think 2006. merill triplett took over that year. although the fans in my opinion treated him terrible. i think that 2006 schedule may have been the toughest one to date. and we still had a winning record and went to the playoffs.i mean everybody was tuff that year, burg, olentangy, zanesville, portsmouth, gahs, logan, everybody was at the top of their games. so ironton just does not turn over the reigns to just anybody. since 1972. they have promoted in house. and coach mark vaas is doing an amazing job as well.-----------so at least for now. fighting tiger football is in good hands , and not missing a beat.i take nothing away from any other program. anybody that really knows me, knows that. i like every program, i just love football period. and i plan on watching minford and valley week 10 since ironton is open. ---but for whatever reason at ironton, it works. and i like it.

i thought you may think this post might be applicable here orange and brown.
it has to start with coaching and attitude from the ground floor up. teaching sound fundamentals at all levels, and make sure they are applied at evey level.

[Orange and Brown]

Re: strength of the O.V.C

by You're Tiger Bait » Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:38 am

and i know rock hill had some great teams during that time frame, and was familiar with all of them. i coached those kids in grade school. but both of those playoff years, they probably would have advanced further in the playoffs. but they had to go through ironton first.they were very competitive games though. rock hill, had some great kids in that program at the time. but the difference was in fact coaching.
plain and simple bob lutz and mike burcham were nearly untouchable locally.there is a reason he retired as the winningest coach in the state of ohio.there will never be another.or mike burcham , for that matter.and mark vaas, has taken over and proved that ironton football will weather the storms. when bob lutz stepped down in i think 2006. merill triplett took over that year. although the fans in my opinion treated him terrible. i think that 2006 schedule may have been the toughest one to date. and we still had a winning record and went to the playoffs.i mean everybody was tuff that year, burg, olentangy, zanesville, portsmouth, gahs, logan, everybody was at the top of their games. so ironton just does not turn over the reigns to just anybody. since 1972. they have promoted in house. and coach mark vaas is doing an amazing job as well.-----------so at least for now. fighting tiger football is in good hands , and not missing a beat.i take nothing away from any other program. anybody that really knows me, knows that. i like every program, i just love football period. and i plan on watching minford and valley week 10 since ironton is open. ---but for whatever reason at ironton, it works. and i like it.

Without a doubt!

i thought you may think this post might be applicable here orange and brown.
it has to start with coaching and attitude from the ground floor up. teaching sound fundamentals at all levels, and make sure they are applied at evey level.

[farmer]

Good starting points. One big thing is to stress the importance of doing well in the classroom. As well as the players actions at school and away from school also reflect on the football team. Be respectful and work hard on and off the field.

[LHS 72]

Good starting points. One big thing is to stress the importance of doing well in the classroom. As well as the players actions at school and away from school also reflect on the football team. Be respectful and work hard on and off the field.

Work in the classroom and commuinty discipline are very inportant to a good program!

[pole vault 1]

Building a program should not be any different than having a competitive program year in and year out. There are some key components to having a solid program - attitude, discipline, fundamentals, the ability to teach and not demand, and, above all, have fun.

Attitude involves being a good citizen in the school itself, doing homework and studying for tests, being positive around others and not spend a whole lot of time coming up with ways to control others or put them down, and enjoy everything about your sport whether it is the physical training, the skills development or the drills.

Discipline is more about the athlete disciplining himself or herself. When it is the athlete who takes his/her own time to improve then there is less of a possibility that that athlete will "quit" when the going gets tough. When the coach is constantly harassing or verbalizing for the athlete to get after it then it is the coach who is making the athlete work harder which usually means the athlete does not care enough to get better and that attitude does not play well. Discipline also means a structured practice where fundamentals are stressed over and over and over and over.................................ad infinitum. If an unsportsmanlike penalty is called then that player needs to be removed IMMEDIATELY - no ifs, no ands, no buts. The athlete does not need to be screamed at he just needs to hear that we will not put up with that behavior - besides if he has the time to think about being unsportsmanlike then he is not focusing on the task at hand.

However, the coaches need to be having fun so that the players can have fun. After all, sports are being played because they are fun, correct? Even though every athlete knows the physical pain of competition and in their own mind swear they are not going to do it again they get right back after it because they know they can improve and that brings us back to attitude.

Formulas for developing a great program are so different among coaches - coaches can have completely competing philosophies but it works for both. For example, Bill Walsh had a winning formula for football - - so did Vince Lombardi - - Walsh was about short quick passes and no huddle; whereas, Lombardi was all about the power sweep and power off tackle using the very same action and having a fake bootleg or bootleg pass off of that very same action. Which leads me to this comment - when a coach believes in what it is he is doing that belief carries over into the athletes and when a conglomeration of players come together believing in each other - voila - a team is built. When the players are playing 100% together and care about their fellow teammates winning usually occurs. So, in the final analysis, when all of the above is accomplished the winning will become commonplace. Championships just take a little more of what has been described. Having fun, having a positive attitude, enjoying life and all of its ups and downs, learning from mistakes, concentrating on the fundamentals and enjoying the sport will have a positive effect. Being a good athlete is tough enough without hearing all of the negative coming from the outside.

For example, I have watched coaches working with pole vaulters and they are constantly talking about what is happening in the air when in reality it is all about the pole carriage, the approach, and the plant. What happens on the runway determines what is happening in the air - not vice versa and a coach will scream. "You have to row when you get to the crossbar!" The athlete cannot get into that position if the pole carriage, approach, and plant are not correct. In basketball, defense is about footwork, positioning, boxing out, and hustle. You can hustle all over the floor but if you do not use footwork to get yourself in position then your defense is terrible. And if you do not hustle then all the footwork practice in the world will not get you in position. What I am trying to say is this: there are a whole lot of undefinable elements that have to come together in order for teams to be successful.

I probably did not satisfy some, but i just shared a little of what i have learned from 40 years of coaching. I haven't spent much time watching logan football over the past couple of years and i know not what is happening so please consider my comments to be - in general - about coaching. Being a coach takes a lot of time and when coaches divide the money they make by the time involved it all comes to about 50 cents an hour in high school coaching. BUT, there are many of us who love it and that 50 cents an hour makes little difference.

Greg Fraunfelter

[LHS 72]

Outstanding post Sir and I will tell Coach Y To check it out!

[REDMEN95]

Re: strength of the O.V.C

by You're Tiger Bait » Tue Sep 25, 2012 9:38 am

and i know rock hill had some great teams during that time frame, and was familiar with all of them. i coached those kids in grade school. but both of those playoff years, they probably would have advanced further in the playoffs. but they had to go through ironton first.they were very competitive games though. rock hill, had some great kids in that program at the time. but the difference was in fact coaching.
plain and simple bob lutz and mike burcham were nearly untouchable locally.there is a reason he retired as the winningest coach in the state of ohio.there will never be another.or mike burcham , for that matter.and mark vaas, has taken over and proved that ironton football will weather the storms. when bob lutz stepped down in i think 2006. merill triplett took over that year. although the fans in my opinion treated him terrible. i think that 2006 schedule may have been the toughest one to date. and we still had a winning record and went to the playoffs.i mean everybody was tuff that year, burg, olentangy, zanesville, portsmouth, gahs, logan, everybody was at the top of their games. so ironton just does not turn over the reigns to just anybody. since 1972. they have promoted in house. and coach mark vaas is doing an amazing job as well.-----------so at least for now. fighting tiger football is in good hands , and not missing a beat.i take nothing away from any other program. anybody that really knows me, knows that. i like every program, i just love football period. and i plan on watching minford and valley week 10 since ironton is open. ---but for whatever reason at ironton, it works. and i like it.

i thought you may think this post might be applicable here orange and brown.
it has to start with coaching and attitude from the ground floor up. teaching sound fundamentals at all levels, and make sure they are applied at evey level.

VERY TRUE!!!

[dreamweaver]

No not all of it is true. Triplett did not have fans treat him badly..just coaches that did not have it in their best interest for him to succed . Didnt really think that has anything to do with this topic but thought this needed clarification.

[G.W.A.]

You have to put athletes on the line no matter what size they are and get out of the old habit of putting big guys on the line just cause they are big

[smack]

Building a program should not be any different than having a competitive program year in and year out. There are some key components to having a solid program - attitude, discipline, fundamentals, the ability to teach and not demand, and, above all, have fun.

Attitude involves being a good citizen in the school itself, doing homework and studying for tests, being positive around others and not spend a whole lot of time coming up with ways to control others or put them down, and enjoy everything about your sport whether it is the physical training, the skills development or the drills.

Discipline is more about the athlete disciplining himself or herself. When it is the athlete who takes his/her own time to improve then there is less of a possibility that that athlete will "quit" when the going gets tough. When the coach is constantly harassing or verbalizing for the athlete to get after it then it is the coach who is making the athlete work harder which usually means the athlete does not care enough to get better and that attitude does not play well. Discipline also means a structured practice where fundamentals are stressed over and over and over and over.................................ad infinitum. If an unsportsmanlike penalty is called then that player needs to be removed IMMEDIATELY - no ifs, no ands, no buts. The athlete does not need to be screamed at he just needs to hear that we will not put up with that behavior - besides if he has the time to think about being unsportsmanlike then he is not focusing on the task at hand.

However, the coaches need to be having fun so that the players can have fun. After all, sports are being played because they are fun, correct? Even though every athlete knows the physical pain of competition and in their own mind swear they are not going to do it again they get right back after it because they know they can improve and that brings us back to attitude.

Formulas for developing a great program are so different among coaches - coaches can have completely competing philosophies but it works for both. For example, Bill Walsh had a winning formula for football - - so did Vince Lombardi - - Walsh was about short quick passes and no huddle; whereas, Lombardi was all about the power sweep and power off tackle using the very same action and having a fake bootleg or bootleg pass off of that very same action. Which leads me to this comment - when a coach believes in what it is he is doing that belief carries over into the athletes and when a conglomeration of players come together believing in each other - voila - a team is built. When the players are playing 100% together and care about their fellow teammates winning usually occurs. So, in the final analysis, when all of the above is accomplished the winning will become commonplace. Championships just take a little more of what has been described. Having fun, having a positive attitude, enjoying life and all of its ups and downs, learning from mistakes, concentrating on the fundamentals and enjoying the sport will have a positive effect. Being a good athlete is tough enough without hearing all of the negative coming from the outside.

For example, I have watched coaches working with pole vaulters and they are constantly talking about what is happening in the air when in reality it is all about the pole carriage, the approach, and the plant. What happens on the runway determines what is happening in the air - not vice versa and a coach will scream. "You have to row when you get to the crossbar!" The athlete cannot get into that position if the pole carriage, approach, and plant are not correct. In basketball, defense is about footwork, positioning, boxing out, and hustle. You can hustle all over the floor but if you do not use footwork to get yourself in position then your defense is terrible. And if you do not hustle then all the footwork practice in the world will not get you in position. What I am trying to say is this: there are a whole lot of undefinable elements that have to come together in order for teams to be successful.

I probably did not satisfy some, but i just shared a little of what i have learned from 40 years of coaching. I haven't spent much time watching logan football over the past couple of years and i know not what is happening so please consider my comments to be - in general - about coaching. Being a coach takes a lot of time and when coaches divide the money they make by the time involved it all comes to about 50 cents an hour in high school coaching. BUT, there are many of us who love it and that 50 cents an hour makes little difference.

Greg Fraunfelter

nice post.please forward to waverly.

[Amarranavajas]

Yea, or you could save time and trouble and just take your athletes to play for the Bucks!

[REDMEN95]

I have a very dear friend who is a retired coach around the Eastern PA. area. I ask Coach Y (I will not give his full name so some of you poster can bash this fine gentleman) how he rebuild two high school football programs, According to Coach Y he faxed this to me last night, here is a list of a few important items to start with in no particular order.

1. Recurit the school-if they won a championship in any other sports there are players and athletes in the school. Sell the kids on your program!

2. Build team pride-When facing a losing streak the players start to become ashamed of being part of the program. A must is to build up pride to be part of the team. Start team building activites trips as a team to movies, trip to a farm to particpate in work activites and games.

3.Schedule easier non leauge games that you know the team can win. You need to win some games to get that monkey off of there backs.

4. Simpilify your game plan. Sometimes new coaches try to overinstall offenses, defenses and special teams. Figure out what base system fit the level of skill of the team and keep it simple!Once they have the system down, then you can start to build and install more. Make sure you system is taught from the varisty down to the pee wee teams.



VERY NICE POST.....FORWARD THIS TO MY FRIENDS AT ROCK HIL!!!!


5. Be Patient- You can not change overnight there past habits!

6. No one's position is safe There will be returning starters , well they will understand That you are in charge NOW of the program and the best players are going to play. Competition will breed sucess!

7. Stick to your plan and believe in what you are doing. You will make decisons that others will disagree with even on your own staff but your need to send the message.

8. Bring in success of past teams/cut away from the past struggles!

9. Get The backing of the school's adminstration. Demand being to be able to pick your own staff.

10. Be fully invested with your new program.

11. Make sure you involve the parents and families.

12. Engage the Community!

Let me stress these are only a few things that I would do! Time or space prohibts me from expanding on more of my proceses!

Thanks for asking my opinions!