DEVELOPING POWER FOR SPORT Part 3

This is Part 2 from Coach CJ Del Balso.  You are can read Part 1 about Developing Power For Sport here.  Part 2 is here.

Part III – Principles for Developing Power that Transfers to Improved Sport Performance

In designing a sound strength and conditioning program, it is important to understand that sport-specific skills are best developed by actually practicing the skills involved in the sport. In other words, if you want to get batter at catching footballs, catch more footballs. Moreover, exercises used in the weight room/off-season program should focus on developing the specific physical qualities that are important in a particular sport such as strength, power, speed, agility etc.

Although the Olympic weightlifting exercises are not specific in terms of matching sport skills, they are specific in terms of matching the explosive power demands of most sports (Clark & Lucett, 2010).  According to Newton and Kraemer (1994), “Power output is extremely high and the speed of movement is fast during weightlifting movements. Further, such lifts have an explosive, accelerative velocity profile, making them much more specific than traditional resistance training exercises to explosive power performance in other sport activities” (p. 29).

Specificity of the Olympic lifts, in regards to power development, is illustrated in numerous research studies that demonstrate the relationship of the lifts to vertical jumping.

For example, Canavan et al. (1996) found close similarities between the hang power snatch and the squat jump including maximal power values, time to maximal power, relative power, maximal force and time to maximal force (p. 129).  Similarly, Hori et al. (2005) found distinct similarities between the hang power clean and squat jump in hip and knee extension angles. Additionally, the magnitude and shape of the force time curve were very similar between the two movements (p. 52).

Source: http://www.hookgrip.com

The biomechanical similarities between the Olympic lifts and vertical jumping is the primary reason why this form of training is so effective for developing explosive power that transfers to sport performance (Clark & Lucett, 2010).

The efficiency of Olympic weightlifting exercises for improving explosive movement capabilities is clearly demonstrated in research completed by Tricoli et al. This particular study compared the effects of an 8-week training program, involving Olympic weightlifting versus vertical jump training, on a range of explosive physical skills including the squat jump, countermovement jump, 10 and 30 meter sprint speeds and agility. The results revealed that the weightlifting group improved significantly on the squat jump, countermovement jump and 10 meter sprint speed while the vertical jump training group only improved on the countermovement jump.

Interestingly, countermovement jump performance improved to an even greater extent in the weightlifting group (Tricoli et al., 2005). From a specificity standpoint, this study indicates that Olympic weightlifting exercises may be more effective in developing a wider variety of skills that require high power outputs. The authors suggest that “the greater skill complexity required for the Olympic lifting exercises facilitates the development of a broader physical abilities spectrum, which seems to be better transferred to performance” (Tricoli et al., 2005).

Source: http://www.hookgrip.com

In summary, the biomechanical characteristics of the Olympic lifts are very similar to the explosive movements used in many athletic skills and the physical demands of the lifts are highly effective for developing the type of power that is critical in most athletic events.

In consideration of these factors and the available evidence, it is clear that Olympic weightlifting exercises are an effective means for developing explosive power that transfers to improved sports performance and should be used as part of a strength and conditioning program seeking to develop this quality.

CJ Del Balso – MS, CSCS, USAW II

Twitter: @CoachDelBalso

References

Canavan, P.K., Garrett, G.E. & Armstrong, L.E. (1996). Kinematic and kinetic relationships between an Olympic-style lift and the vertical jump. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 10(2), 127-130.

Clark, M.A. & Lucett, S.C. (2010). NASM essentials of sports performance training (1^st ed.) Baltimore: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

Hori, N., Newton, R.U., Nosaka, K. & Stone, M.H. (2005). Weightlifting exercises enhance athletic performance that requires high-load speed strength. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 27(4), 50-55.

Newton, R.U. & Kraemer, W.J. (1994). Developing explosive muscular power: implications for a mixed methods training strategy. Strength and Conditioning, 16(4), 20-31.

Tricoli, V., Lamas, L., Carnevale, R. & Ugrinowitsch, C. (2005). Short-term effects on lower-body functional power development: weightlifting vs. vertical jump training programs. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(2), 433-437.

THREE ESSENTIALS TO BUILDING A BOOSTER CLUB Part 1

Part 1 to BUILDING A BOOSTER CLUB is here.

THREE KEY ESSENTIALS TO BUILDING A BOOSTER CLUB

1. FINDING THE RIGHT LEADERS

I really believe that the most important key for an Athletic Administrator or Head Coach in starting or revamping a Booster Club is finding the right leaders.  It is imperative that the volunteer parents who will be in key roles as your Board President, Vice President, etc. are people whom you have a great relationship with.  You have to be able to trust them, and they have to be able to trust you.

 

 

 

There is nothing worse for a Head Coach, or Athletic Director than to work with a Booster Club who doesn’t support you in the end.  That support is essential to your job, and without having the right leaders in the right place, you may not get that support.

This aspect of building your Booster Club comes back to relationships. 

What kind of relationships do you have with the parents in your program?  I hope that you are able to maintain positive relationships with those in your program.  I know that in the sport I’ve spent much of my career, football, that many times the President of the Booster Club is the quarterback’s father.  Many times this makes a lot of sense mainly because the Head Coach and the quarterback spend so much time together. Usually, their relationship is strong, so the relationship with the parent is also strong.  However, it doesn’t have to be your star athlete’s parent in this role.  It just needs to be someone who you trust!  Just like building any board, you want to make sure that you have a majority of people on that board that will vote to support what you want to do.

Therefore, it is important to go out and hand select these people if you can.

 

What I’ve done in the past is identify a few of these key leaders, and start to talk with them in “informal” ways about becoming a key figure for the Booster Club.  Kind of plant in their head the possibility of joining you in this endeavor.  At some point, take that person out to lunch, and share your vision.  Ask them specifically to join the Booster Club as your President, or Vice President or whatever you are seeking.

Another thing to consider when seeking out the right leaders is whether or not the people you are thinking of have a voice and an ear within the parent community.

Are they respected people?

Will they listen to others?

Will they lead others?

They may do all of that great with you, but it might be because they think it will help Johnny to see the playing field more!  But do they have that same esteem in the community?

Can they rally the troops when they need to be rallied?

This is an important characteristic of who you are going to choose.

2. EXPRESSING THE NEED – coming soon 

 

3. CREATING YOUR STRATEGY – coming soon

BUILDING A BOOSTER CLUB

Who doesn’t need money this day and age?  Public schools have been hit hard by state budget cutbacks.  Private schools have lost kids to public schools because of their tuition.  I’ve been in both private and public schools the last few years.  I’ve spent most of my career in the private school sector.  We had to do quite a bit at those schools with a booster club.  Both privates I worked at were basically just starting a booster club when I got there.  So, it was fun to see them grow over time.  Booster clubs are key to the success of an athletic program!

If you have been around an Athletic Department long enough, you know that fundraising is as important an aspect of the duties of a Head Coach as anything else.  Just as important as ordering balls, or hiring coaches, is the ability to bring in revenue from a variety of resources.

Traditionally, a Booster Club is great way to get your stakeholders involved in raising money for your programs.  With thirteen of high school coaching under my belt, at four different schools, I have seen great Booster Clubs, average Booster Clubs, and poor Booster Clubs.

 

 

What makes a Booster Club great?

On the flip side, what makes one poor? 

From my standpoint as an Athletic Director, a great Booster Club is one that raises enough funds with minimal input from me, the Head Coach or Athletic Director.

A poor Booster Club is one that drains your time and effort as the person who is virtually in charge of this vital aspect.

I grew up in a community who seemed to live and die with the success of their football team – Fallbrook, California.  Fallbrook High School was in one of its heydays in the 1980s when I was going to their games every Friday night as an elementary and junior high youngster.  Most of my friends went to play on this big dirt hill.  I went to watch football!

My senior year.

 

In many years, it was like what you saw in the movie Friday Night Lights.  When the team was playing, the town shut down!  Local businesses would decorate their storefronts with red and white balloons to support the Warriors every Friday.  In a community like this, the Booster Club usually thrives. 

We had ONE high school in town, the Warriors were the only show.  In an environment like that, Booster Clubs do very, very well.  And from what I remember as a player in the program, it did thrive.  I remember the Booster Club doing a lot of things for our coaches and players.  They would provide meals, clothes, jackets, hats, trips to UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego for our two a days.  They would have a party after every home game at one of the Booster’s homes.  Players and coaches alike would go to have some late night Mexican food and beverages.  I would consider it a great Booster Club.  In fact, it motivated me to give back to the Booster Club when I was older, while coaching at another school.  In fact,  I donated my entire coaching stipend from my first year as a Head Coach, back to the Fallbrook Football Boosters as they were raising money for a new turf field.  I’ve never said that publicly, and only do now to prove a point: good Booster Clubs motivate people to give, and to give back.

 

When the Boosters were raising money for new turf for their field, I was motivated to give my first head coaching stipend. It was a way for me to say thank you, and give back to my high school football program.

 

On the flip side, I worked at a school where we had a really difficult time just getting parents to show up for a Booster Club meeting. 

There was not a strong tradition of winning there, and there was not a sense among the parents that they needed to support the players and coaches with what they saw were “extra” funds.   I would consider what I saw there as a poor Booster Club.  It was a poor Booster Club because the coaches had to do everything; that’s a dysfunctional Booster Club in my opinion.  It took us several years to build up parents to help serve on the board, and then help to put on events.  That Booster Club sucked a lot of life out of the coaching staff.  It wasn’t Boosters; it was coaches doing fundraising.

DEVELOPING POWER FOR SPORT Part 2

This is Part 2 from Coach CJ Del Balso.  You are can read Part 1 about Developing Power For Sport here.

 

Part II – Principles for Developing Power that Transfers to Improved Sport Performance

      As discussed in part 1 of this post, understanding how to assess power output and the relationship that power has to successful sports performance is vitally important in helping the strength and conditioning coach design a specific training program that is most effective for developing explosive power that transfers to successful sports performance. Moving forward, the primary challenge is identifying the best training method for accomplishing this goal.

A key component in this process is recognizing the difference between maximum strength and power.  Maximum strength is the greatest amount of force one can generate regardless of the speed of movement or rate of force development, while maximum power represents the greatest amount of force one can produce in the shortest amount of time. More simply, an individual with a high level of maximum strength may be able to bench press 400 pounds for 1 repetition but it takes 5 seconds to complete that repetition. A more powerful individual would be able to take that same weight and complete the repetition in 2 seconds.

 Many training programs place a large emphasis on maximum strength development but this form of training, by itself, is not as effective for developing sport specific movement speed because there is not enough time during most athletic movements to apply the increased levels of maximum strength (Newton & Kraemer, 1994).   For example, an offensive lineman may be able to bench press 400 pounds in 5 seconds as mentioned above; however, this strength may not transfer well to game performance as blocking movements occur in a split second.

This dilemma, in regards to program design, is demonstrated in research by Hoffman et al. that compared the effects of Olympic weightlifting versus powerlifting exercises in 20 collegiate football players. During a 15-week resistance training program, test subjects were divided into two groups with one focusing on explosive weightlifting exercises and another group emphasizing high-force, slow-velocity powerlifting exercises. The results showed that jump performance improved significantly more in the weightlifting group indicating that weightlifting exercises are more effective for developing explosive power than slow-velocity powerlifting movements (Hoffman et al., 2004).

Ultimately, if explosive power adaptations are desired, a sound training program should include a balanced emphasis on movements that develop both maximum strength and power. 

 

Source: http://aggiefamilypack.ucdavis.edu

 Olympic weightlifting and plyometrics are two of the most widely accepted training methods for developing explosive power. Although research has shown both to be an effective means for improving power, they have distinctly different qualities that must be considered.

Plyometrics are classified as low-load speed strength exercises because they involve power output without an external load or with a very light load that is less than 30% of 1RM for a given exercise.

Conversely, the Olympic lifts and their derivatives are considered high-load speed strength exercises because they involve power output with a relatively heavy load that is greater than 30% of 1RM for a given exercise (Hori et al., 2005).

In designing a training program, it is essential to determine the speed strength requirements of a particular sport to maximize transfer of training. For example, football frequently requires high-load speed strength as players must be able to explosively apply high levels of force against another individual who is equal to or greater in body mass than the individual applying the force; therefore, training for low-load speed strength would not be as effective in preparing a football player to carry out a task such as this.

 As stated by Hori et al. (2005), “To enhance maximal power, athletes need to perform training movements that involve rapid acceleration against resistance, and this acceleration should extend throughout the movement with no intention to decelerate at the end. Almost all rapid movements in sports exhibit such an acceleration profile; therefore, the training method that mimics this profile would likely induce desirable sport-specific adaptation” (p. 51).  Plyometric exercises fit this profile but they are limited in that they cannot improve high-load speed strength due to the light loads that are used for these types of exercises. On the other hand, Olympic weightlifting exercises are an excellent option for developing high-load speed strength as they require rapid acceleration, against a heavy load, that builds throughout the completion of the movement. Unlike traditional strength training exercises that require deceleration toward the end range of motion, the Olympic lifts allow the athlete to continue accelerating the weight upward until complete extension is achieved (Hori et al., 2005).

 

 Phillip Wilhelm

2011 & 2102 Junior National Champion

2012 Junior World Championship Team Member

2010 Express League MVP-Football

 In the next post, we will continue examining why the Olympic weightlifting movements are so effective for developing power that transfers to improved sport performance.

CJ Del Balso – MS, CSCS, USAW II

Twitter: @CoachDelBalso

 

 References

Hoffman, J.R., Cooper, J., Wendell, M. & Kang, J. (2004). Comparison of Olympic vs. traditional powerlifting training programs in football players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 18(1), 129-135.

Hori, N., Newton, R.U., Nosaka, K. & Stone, M.H. (2005). Weightlifting exercises enhance athletic performance that requires high-load speed strength. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 27(4), 50-55.

Newton, R.U. & Kraemer, W.J. (1994). Developing explosive muscular power: implications for a mixed methods training strategy. Strength and Conditioning, 16(4), 20-31.

 

 

DEVELOPING POWER FOR SPORT Part 1

I asked a good friend of mine to share some of his knowledge from the strength and conditioning arena.

Coach CJ Del Balso is the best coach I have ever had on one of my staffs.  We worked together for four years at Capistrano Valley Christian in San Juan Capistrano, California.  He was my Defensive Coordinator and Strength and Conditioning Coach.  Coach Del Balso was one of those hires that I hit an absolute grand slam with because he built an amazing strength program for our football team and athletic department.  Our baseball team for instance broke the school’s home run record every year for the four straight years he had them in the weight room!  When he left, they failed to break the record again!

Here is a short bio for Coach Del Balso who is now in the Dallas, Texas area.

• Master of Science in Human Movement -A.T. Still University
• Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength & Conditioning Association
• USA Weightlifting Level 2 Coach
• Current head coach of the Lone Star Weightlifting Club
• 12 years experience as a high school strength & conditioning coach
• Served as the men’s coach for the 2012 Junior World Weightlifting Championship team
• Coach of multiple youth and junior national medalists

Read an interview with Coach Del Balso here

 

Principles for Developing Power that Transfers to Improved Sport Performance

To build an effective strength and conditioning program, it is extremely important for the strength and conditioning coach to identify specific skills and abilities that are necessary for optimum performance in a particular sport.

Explosive power, which is defined as the product of force and velocity, is one particular area that is critical to successful performance in most sports. It is essential to understand that explosive muscle actions occur during a variety of common athletic movements including sprinting, jumping, throwing, striking, acceleration and rapid changes of direction (Newton & Kraemer, 1994).

Generally, individuals who can produce maximum force in the shortest amount of time will be the highest performers in their chosen sport or athletic activity.

Given the explosive nature of movements involved in the majority of sports, power is an obvious area that should be developed in any good strength and conditioning program. Although genetics play a role in an individual’s maximum power output capability, it is still an area that can be improved with proper training. Before explosive power can be developed, it is important to understand how to objectively measure an individual’s maximum power ability.

A simple, valid and reliable method for measuring maximum power is the vertical jump test which is the most widely accepted assessment for measuring explosive power of the lower extremity. Power output and biomechanical characteristics of the vertical jump are similar to that which is seen in a variety of athletic movements which is why the vertical jump is commonly used as a basic assessment of lower extremity power (Clark & Lucett, 2010).

Routinely testing athletes on the vertical jump test can provide the strength and conditioning coach with valuable feedback regarding power output ability and the effectiveness of a specific training program.

 

Source: http://www.thefootballeducator.com

 The significance of explosive power for successful sports performance is clearly evident in research studies examining the relationship between the vertical jump and playing ability in various sports.

An excellent example of this relationship is found in a study that sought to identify the performance measures that most significantly correlated with football playing ability among NCAA Division 1-A football players. The results of this research indicated that the vertical jump was the most significant predictor of football playing ability in all test groups including offense, defense and specific position groups (Sawyer et al., 2002).

The results of this particular study were further validated in research conducted during the 2004 and 2005 NFL combine.  The results of this research revealed that drafted players at every position had higher vertical jump scores than nondrafted players at the same positions (Sierer et al., 2008).

The positive relationship between vertical jump and playing ability has been validated in female athletes as well. A study on the relationship of jumping ability and agility performance in collegiate female volleyball athletes discovered that Division I players had significantly greater vertical jump heights than players from Divisions II and III. Additionally, it was found that individuals with greater vertical jump heights had quicker agility test times indicating that change of direction ability is affected by one’s ability to quickly generate vertical force (Barnes et al., 2007).

Another great example of the positive relationship between the vertical jump and performance ability can be found in the sport of weightlifting.  In a study by Carlock et al. on male and female national-level weightlifters, the results indicated that vertical jump performance is strongly associated with weightlifting ability. In fact, the correlation between vertical jump performance and weightlifting ability is high enough that the authors recommend utilizing the vertical jump test to identify young potential weightlifters (Carlock et al., 2004).  While it is beyond the scope of this post to discuss all of the evidence illustrating the relationship between the vertical jump and athletic playing ability, it is clear that vertical jumping ability is positively correlated with successful performance in sports that require explosive power.

 

Source: http://www.just-fly-sports.com

In part 2 of this post, we will begin looking at the best methods for developing explosive power that transfers to improved sport performance.

CJ Del Balso – MS, CSCS, USAW II

Twitter: @CoachDelBalso

 

 

Sources:

Barnes, J.L., Schilling, B.K., Falvo, M.J., Weiss, L.W., Creasy, A.K. & Fry, A.C. (2007). Relationship of jumping and agility performance in female volleyball athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(4), 1192-1196.

Carlock, J.M., Smith, S.L., Hartman, M.J., Morris, R.T, Ciroslan, D.A., Pierce, K.C., Newton, R.U., … Stone, M.H. (2004). The relationship between vertical jump power estimates and weightlifting ability: A field-test approach. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 18(3), 534-539.

Clark, M.A. & Lucett, S.C. (2010). NASM essentials of sports performance training (1^st ed.) Baltimore: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

Newton, R.U. & Kraemer, W.J. (1994). Developing explosive muscular power: implications for a mixed methods training strategy. Strength and Conditioning, 16(4), 20-31.

Sawyer, D.T., Ostarello, J.Z., Suess, E.A. & Dempsey, M. (2002). Relationship between football playing ability and selected performance measures. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 16(4), 611-616.

Sierer, S.P., Battaglini, C.L., Mihalik, J.P., Shields, E.W. & Tomasini, N.T. (2008). The National Football League combine: performance differences between drafted and nondrafted players entering the 2004 and 2005 drafts. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 22(1), 6-12.

 

MY VISION FOR MY FOOTBALL PROGRAM

I wrote this vision for my football program in 2003, upon taking over as the Head Coach at Linfield Christian in Temecula, California.  I’ve been a Head Coach for eight years here in Southern California; this is the Vision that I’ve used to direct my football program.  It is important that you have a vision for your football program; that that vision is written and clearly explained to all of your stakeholders.

 

The vision for my football program is called “The Four Ps.”  The four Ps are: positive experience, player-centered environment, protection of health, and public perception.  These four Ps are the focus of our coaching staff on an annual basis, and we constantly are brought back to them as a source of direction for us.  This vision has been created to hold up for all to see, to use as a measuring stick for our program.  The vision for our program is centered on our players first and foremost. 

This is my senior year at Fallbrook High School. Playing Fallbrook Warrior football is one of the most positive experiences I’ve ever had in my life! I’m top row, fourth from left.

The players are the most important part of the program, and why we are coaching the sport and spending so much time investing in the lives of our student-athletes.           

Our vision of positive experience means that I want for each and every person that is a part of this program to enjoy their time as a part of the program because of the fun environment that the coaching staff has created.  This vision means that players enjoy being a part of the program; they look forward to being a part of the program.  Football is a tough sport that is not meant for everybody!  Football demands a lot of time, and a lot of dedication, much more so than many other sports because of the physical demands. 

Because football is inherently tough, it can be a grind to get through the season.  I want our players to have a positive experience.  I want them to be treated fairly so that their experience is positive.  This does not always happen because some kids are just not built to be football players.  They are either mentally or physically too weak to handle the demands.  However, I want for my program to be positive overall.  I want our equipment managers, our team doctor, stat people, etc. to have a positive experience as a part of the football program that I manage.

Creating a positive experience for your players is key! This was a positive experience for our kids, coming on to the field through a tunnel of our fans. I really love this picture from the 2010 season!

Varsity football players only have a few years of the entire life to play varsity football.

Mainly, it is for juniors and seniors.  Therefore, I want the program to be about the kids, not about me as the head coach, or my coaching staff.  The vision of having a player-centered environment means that the student-athlete should feel that they play the most important role of the program. The coaching staff should help to create a democratic type of setting so that players buy into the program because they believe in it because they know that the coaches believe in them. It is one big circle.  One way that I carry out this vision is by having a Player Committee.

This Player Committee is selected in January of each year and is made up of anywhere from four to eight players that meet with me on a regular basis.  The committee is selected by the players themselves, and is made up of kids from every grade in the program, not just seniors.  The goal of this committee is to be a voice from the players to the coaches.  They are simply a mouthpiece from the players to the coaches and from the coaches to the players.  They help to decide on what will be in the spirit pack for the year, the colors of the shirts, what color of cleats we will wear, etc.  They even help to develop the off season calendar and the requirements for participation in the off season in order to play football.  The reason that I have the player committee make these decisions is so that they will take complete ownership of the program, to create a player centered environment.     

Another part of the vision is called protection of health.  This means that the coaching staff needs to create a safe place to play what can be a violent contact sport. This starts with the proper training of coaches.  Our coaches are mandated to have certain certifications like American Red Cross First Aid and CPR training, and the National Federation of High Schools Coaching Certification.  This training helps to give our coaches a bigger picture of liability and professionalism.  Our coaches are also trained on a regular basis by attending clinics in the offseason to learn the best practices in our business.

Having the necessary equipment to keep our players healthy is key to fulfilling this part of the vision.  Our equipment is maintained every off season in an effort to remove any faulty helmets or shoulder pads from the inventory.  Helmets must meet a certain standard set forth on the national level.  We have recently created a Risk Management Plan that has been a great tool in helping us to provide the protection of health for our student-athletes.  Another piece of this vision is a safe playing surface. The coaching staff must always look out for the safety of the player when considering when and where to play.  Fields should be examined by the coaching staff before playing or practicing on them.  Next in line would be appropriate medical personnel available for our student-athletes and coaches.  I always want to have a Certified Athletic Trainer on my staff in an effort to give our players the best possible health care available.

Pregame meeting with my favorite people – the zebras! 2009 season

Finally, we come to the last P of the vision for this football program.  It represents public perception.  This means that we want for people in our community and the communities that we visit to have a positive view of my football program, and the school I’m working at.  When we walk away from our team meal before a game, I hope that the servers at that restaurant think to themselves “Wow, that was the most impressive group of high school football players that have ever been here.”  When we ride on a bus, I want for that bus driver to know that we are a great bunch of citizens.  I want him or her to have a positive view of our school because of how we acted on the bus.  The same goes for the fans of the teams that we play.  I don’t want them to be able to say that we were a cheap bunch of such and suches.  The vision is for our opponents to walk away from our game having had a positive experience playing our team.

5 WAYS TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP IN YOUR PROGRAM

1.  Ongoing leadership training

Develop a system to train your kids to be leaders.  Meet on a regular basis to teach them how to be leaders.  If you do not do this, how will they become the leaders you want them to be?  Leadership does not just happen because they are seniors.  It does not just happen because they are an All-League football player two years running.  You have to teach leadership, you have to mold leadership.  Read about my Player Committee program that I use to do this.

 

2.  Bring in leaders from your community to talk to your team

I love to bring in other leaders from my community to come in to address our kids during Training Camp.  I will usually bring in two to four different people to talk to my kids.  One of my best years was when I brought in the following leaders: Saddleback College Head Football Coach Mark McElroy, San Clemente High School Offensive Coordinator and former USC All American Dave Brown, and one of my best friends, a Marines Corps officer, Captain Kenny Jones.  Each man spoke about a different aspect of leadership to my guys.  I have seen this be an effective tool for a few reasons:  one, a different perspective from what I’m always talking about; and two, the people I bring are experts in their field, thus giving them authority on leadership that the kids will listen to and respect.

     Mark McElroy, Head Football Coach at Saddleback College.

3.  Put your leaders in charge and hold them more accountable than the rest of the team

I have always held my captains more responsible than the rest of the team.  This is another way to develop leadership.  For instance, I put them in charge of setting up the field before practice.  They are responsible for getting out our bags, putting the sled bags on, getting the footballs to their right spots, setting up the water, getting cones out of the shed, etc. etc.  If the field is not set up by the time we start practice, I hold the leaders accountable.  If you talk with my former players, they will tell you that there has been many times where my captains started off practice by doing up downs because the field was not ready to go.  Understand that the three or four captains are not the ones setting everything up, they are the ones responsible!  This puts them in a position to make things happen, to lead the other players in an everyday task.

Have your leaders help with equipment on a daily basis. Hold them responsible.

4.  Age doesn’t equal leadership ability

One of the greatest student athlete leaders I’ve ever had on one of my teams was Phil Wilhelm.  He was only a sophomore when he started becoming a fantastic leader.  His work ethic in the weight room with our Strength Coach CJ Del Balso is what led him to being a great leader.  Coach Del Balso came to me during the offseason and said “You need to think about making Phil a captain.”  My first thought, because we have been so conditioned as coaches was “He is only a sophomore.”  But Coach Del Balso really challenged this line of thinking.  Without a doubt, Phil had all of the qualities we wanted in a captain and leader.  His work ethic was second to none, he was “the first to show up and last to leave” type of kid who overachieved in everything he attempted because of the size of his heart.  Do not get caught up in only having seniors as leaders and captains “because that is the way it has always been.”  Put kids up as captains who are doing the work, and being great leaders, regardless of their age.

 

Phil is third from left in this picture. The smallest leader. The most effective leader.

5.  You Must Set the Tone

The greatest example of leadership I have EVER seen happened in back-to-back years at a church camp up at Bass Lake, California.  Two different churches, the same exact campground.   The first year, the leader of the trip jumped up on a picnic table with a bullhorn on the last morning, as we were packing up and cleaning up.  That person started ordering people around from that bullhorn.  “That group there – go pick up the trash on the beach. The group of girls right there, you need to go clean the girl’s restroom.  Your group there, you guys go clean up the kitchen area.”  Nobody did a thing!

The very next year, with a totally different organization, I am at the same site and the same last morning of camp comes.  This time, a kindergarten teacher named Cheryl Demus went to the kitchen, grabbed a trash bag and started cleaning up, picking up trash. Next thing you know, teenagers are asking her if she needs help!  Next thing you know, seriously, half of the kids are picking up trash, asking for trash bags.  The place was spotless in 20 minutes!  Somebody starting DOING!

  You have got to lead by example.  If you are like the first leader mentioned above, do you think that kids will follow you?  Or do you think you will get more followers if you are like Cheryl?  When you and I played, our coach told us to run through a wall, and we did it.  Kids just are not like that anymore.  They do not blindly follow you as the Head Coach.  They have to have a reason to do it.  Give them a reason!  Be the doer, be the leader.

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1.  Coach Steinberg’s Coaching Manual (see contents below)

2.  ”Maximizing Your Program Powerpoint”

3.  FREE BONUS MATERIAL - Coach Steinberg’s 2013 Santiago Football Year Round Calendar

CONTENTS OF COACH STEINBERG’S COACHING MANUAL                                                                                                                                  SANTIAGO SHARKS FOOTBALL MISSION STATEMENT & VISION                                                                                                                                                  TAKE CARE OF IT – OUR CORE PHILOSOPHIES                                                                                                                                                                                                     THE ROLE OF THE COACH                                                                                                                                                                                                                  EXPECTATION OF ASSISTANT COACHES 8

EXCELLING AT WHAT YOU DO
DRESS FOR SUCCESS DURING THE SEASON & THE OFF SEASON
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
STRENGTH TRAINING
PARENT MEETINGS
FOOTBALL OFFICE
COACHES RESPONSIBILITIES & PROGRAM GOALS

HEAD COACH ORGANIZATIONAL TIME LINE
PHILOSOPHY OF PRACTICE
SOME GREAT POINTS OF EMPHASIS ON TEAMWORK
COACHES RESPONSIBILITIES DURING THE SEASON
GAME PLAN PREPARATION
PLAYER PREPARATION
PLAYER PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
IN SEASON DUTIES
TEACHING PROGRESSIONS
OFFENSE – QUARTERBACKS
OFFENSE – RUNNING BACKS
OFFENSE – RECEIVERS
OFFENSE – OFFENSIVE LINE
DEFENSE – DEFENSIVE BACKS
DEFENSE – LINEBACKERS
DEFENSE – DEFENSIVE LINE
DESIGNING & IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE DRILLS
WORKING WITH YOUR PLAYERS
WORKING WITH EACH OTHER
WEEKLY COACHES PREPARATION SCHEDULE
WEEKLY PRACTICE SCHEDULE
SHARKS FOOTBALL COACHING ASSIGNMENTS MATRIX
POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
ASSISTANT COACHES SPRING & SUMMER FOOTBALL RESPONSIBILITIES

PRACTICE GUIDELINES
POSITION COACHES POST SEASON REPORT
POSITION COACH SEASON END PLAYER EVALUATION FORM
MANAGERS/COACHES GAME DAY CHECKLIST
PLAYER’S GAME DAY CHECKLIST
SANTIAGO FOOTBALL GRADE CHECK
SANTIAGO FOOTBALL PERSONAL & TEAM GOAL SETTING FORM
SAMPLE LETTER TO FACULTY
WEEKLY THEMES
THE SANTIAGO SHARKS WAY
SHARKS FOOTBALL OUTLINE TO SUCCESS

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ABOUT COACH JEFF STEINBERG

Coach Steinberg has been the Head Football Coach at Corona Santiago since 2009.  He became the 3^rd Head Coach in the history of the school following successful stints at A.B. Miller High School in Fontana, CA and Burroughs High School in Ridgecrest, CA.

At each of his schools Coach Steinberg implemented a hurry up no huddle spread offense that saw tremendous results.  Jeff has been able to revitalize 3 different programs to lead them to 11 playoff appearances.  Additionally Coach Steinberg’s teams have earned 5 league titles, 3 quarter final appearances (01, 07, 08), a semi final appearance (04), a California Interscholastic Federation Final in 2003 and a California Interscholastic Federation Championship in 2005.

 

 

While at Burroughs Coach Steinberg turned around a struggling program and led them to 6 straight playoff appearances, 4 league titles, a CIF Final in 2003 and a CIF Championship in 2005.  During the 2005 season Jeff became the winningest football coach in the history of Burroughs High School during his tenure.  He had the opportunity to coach Parade All American Anthony Celestine who broke the state record for receiving in 2003 (2053 Yards), State Passing Leader, Quarterback Karsten Sween in 2004 (4,345 yards passing/ 46 TD passes/ 7 INT’s) and Southern Section Receiving Leader Hayo Carpenter in 2005 (111 Receptions, 1780 Yards).  Jeff was honored as the Desert Sky League Coach of the Year in 2003 & 2005.  He was CIF Southern Section Coach of the Year in 2005.  Additionally, he was the Sierra Sands Unified School District Employee of the Year at Burroughs for the 2003/04 school year.  During 2005 Coach Steinberg was honored by the Ridgecrest Chamber of Commerce as Volunteer of the Year primarily for his efforts in establishing a peer mentor program called the Burro Buddies (as featured in the L.A. Times on April 10/05).

Following Burroughs High School a similar program of excellence on and off the field was implemented at A.B. Miller High School.  Jeff implemented his spread no huddle offense at A.B. Miller High School which saw the Rebels average over 400 yards of offense per game & 36 points per game during the 2007 season.  Quarterback A.J. Springer broke every passing record at the school & led the county in several categories namely total yards per game (330) and passing percentage (70%).  He was among the top 5 in the state for total yards offense.  During the 2008 season the Rebels had the most wins in the history of the school going 11-1

During Coach Steinberg’s 1^st 4 seasons at Santiago High School he was able to assist over 20 athletes in gaining athletic scholarships in both NCAA & NAIA schools across the country.  In 2011 Jeff Steinberg went over the century mark for career wins as a head coach in the state of California (110-62 career record).

Coach Steinberg and his wife Jocelyn have 3 daughters and a son.

 

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SERIES Part 5

This Part 5 of the LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SERIES.  Part 1 is here.  Part 2 is here.  Part 3 is here.  Part 4 is here. This leadership series is courtesy of Coach Jesse German of Bear Creek High School, a 5A school in Lakewood, Colorado.  His twitter handle is@FBCoachGerman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SERIES Part 4

This Part 4 of the LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SERIES.  Part 1 is here.  Part 2 is here.  Part 3 is here.  This leadership series is courtesy of Coach Jesse German of Bear Creek High School, a 5A school in Lakewood, Colorado.  His twitter handle is@FBCoachGerman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SERIES Part 3

This Part 3 of the LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SERIES.  Part 1 is here.  Part 2 is here.  This leadership series is courtesy of Coach Jesse German of Bear Creek High School, a 5A school in Lakewood, Colorado.  His twitter handle is@FBCoachGerman.

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SERIES Part 2

 

This part 2 of the LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SERIES.  Part 1 is here.  This leadership series is courtesy of Coach Jesse German of Bear Creek High School, a 5A school in Lakewood, Colorado.  His twitter handle is@FBCoachGerman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY SERIES

What follows  is an excerpt from an email I received from Coach Jesse German of Bear Creek High School, a 5A school in Lakewood, Colorado.  His twitter handle is @FBCoachGerman.

We traded some messages and emails about building leaders in our football programs, and I was very interested in what he was doing.  I love studying and sharing about leadership.  I think it’s one of the most overlooked aspects of our football programs.

I’m going to post a series of his  Power Point this week.  I think it’s really good stuff!

This is from Coach German.

I have coached with some good coaches and learned about character building early in my coaching career.  We have always created a schedule (in season and off season) of discussing with our players about their decisions and choices.  Both on and off the field decisions will affect them and their team.  Since then I have taken what I learned and added to it every season. Last summer I moved from Houston to Denver and coached with a new staff this past fall.  I am in the building now so I can have a bigger impact with our student athletes which is great.

This past season I noticed that our football team was lacking in sound leadership.  On the field there were times when players would become out of control with emotion effectively putting themselves before the team.  We earned too many personal foul penalties.  The effort was not consistently high and players seemed to quit at times.  We want to change the culture.  We want to build a family atmosphere centered on trust and ownership.

Coach Jesse German

This past fall was our staff’s first year together for most of the coaches.  We inherited some of the culture but as the the saying goes, you are either coaching it or allowing it to happen.    So we created the Leadership Academy Series and presented it to our head coach.  He was all aboard and we put it in motion.  Something we focus on is bringing up our middle third or players.  We know we don’t need to focus as much on the guys at the top. They are intrinsically motivated. We need to pull up the middle and bottom third of players to create a larger percentage of our top players.  Top or elite players do not earn that status just by physical performance.  If the player has elite skill but is a jerk he is not a top player.  We want to have the largest group of players in out top/elite player section.  As coaches we look at every player and determine where they fit among elite, average, below average section.  As Coach Meyer emphasized to me recently it takes too much energy of a coach to constantly try to bring up the below average group.  He stated you must focus and spend your energy on bringing up the average group, which is probably made up of the most student athletes.

The Leadership Academy Series is a 6 – 8 week program that is currently only offered for football student athletes.  We will meet for 45 – 60 minutes until we cover all the material. Players are told to bring something to take notes with. I do not want to be the only one talking.  I want interaction from my players.  I want it to be engaging.  Players should be on the edge of their seats because coach will call on me and I better know the answer.

A huge part of the program is about empowering the players.  I want them to know that they do have a choice in the little things.  Those little things have an impact on their performance and their team.  The first thing we teach is what is leadership.  What are the different types of leadership?  What are good examples of leadership?  Some of the smaller things that may go overlooked because they are implied is attitude, effort, hustle, positive encouragement. It doesn’t matter what position you play, how fast you are, or how strong you are you can give maximum effort in every aspect.  As a player you make that choice every rep of every day.

I created a 55 slide Power Point presentation to go along with the series.  We talk about all the positive traits that are necessary to be a champion on the field and in life. It includes a number of topics.  All the things I would like my child to learn from playing football.  We want them to be great people, who will eventually be great husbands, fathers, and men.   I tell our players we want them to be great players but it doesn’t stop there.

In order to be a great team we have to be unified in trust.  Players have to trust each other, themselves, and their coaches.  We talk about being a catalyst or a bad apple.  We will watch clips of colleges going through a winter workout.  We will have clips of college or pro players talking about what it takes to be a champion.  We will talk about what mental toughness is.  How is success measured?  We will include information about self respect and how to properly shake hands.  The last thing we want is one of our player to meet a college coach and not know how to properly address the coach with proper eye contact and hand shake.  We also talk about commitment, keeping your word, accountability, responsibility  and finishing the job.  We talk about “INAM – It’s Not About Me”.

There are so many things to cover in the Series but this is what our first year looks like.  Like anything else we are laying the foundation.  I think we will see huge dividends and are already seeing progress.

I told you, good stuff right?  I will be sharing his Power Point in the next few posts.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM COACHING YOUR OWN SON

I traded some tweets with Coach Greg Patterson about him coaching his own son one day a few weeks ago.  It intrigued me.  My oldest son is 6 years old, just playing his first organized sport right now: t ball!!  It’s one of the highlights of my week, watching him play.  It takes everything within just to sit there and watch and enjoy!  The coach in me wants to give him more advice.  There is that internal struggle between coach and dad!!

I asked Coach Patterson to share some lessons with all of us coaches about his experience of coaching his own boy!  Thank you very much for taking the time to do this Coach, to share with “the brotherhood!”  I know this will help others.

 Coach Patterson spent this past season as the Head Football Coach, and is currently the Athletic Director at Sumiton Christian High School in Birmingham, Alabama.  You can follow him on Twitter @gregpatterson51.

 

1)      Honest communication with your son about your expectations for him on and off the field is a must.

It is imperative that we as coaches take the time to sit down with our children and explain in detail how you foresee the coach/parent relationship working on a daily basis. Hoping that they understand what we expect or desire without telling them is absurd. Trust me I made this mistake the first time around.  I stupidly used my son as an example, good and bad, way too often. It did not take long before he had his fill of being singled out and it erupted in an ugly display of emotion.

It is so much simpler to tell your child what you expect of them and have an open discussion about it. When I took the time to do this with my second son I discovered that he had goals and dreams that were much more lofty that my expectations. Once I discovered this we were able to work together and formulate some goals and processes that would help him accomplish his goals. Although his college football dream did not work out our experience working together was much more productive and rewarding than that I had with my oldest son.

 

2)      Give a trusted assistant (position coach) domain over handling your son’s punishment, if needed, unless it involves something that is always handled by the Head Coach.

This helps put a barrier between you and your child during a potentially volatile time. It’s much easier to leave the little stuff up to your assistants if possible. However, do not shy away from handling issues that you normally handle as a head coach. Simply stated, just be cautious in this area and don’t let emotions get carried away.

It’s difficult to handle punishment as coach and then turn right around and have to handle it at home as dad without the two encounters affecting one another. No matter how hard we try as coaches we carry our profession home with us. It seems to be even more true if you have a kid on the team, because then mom is somehow always able to sense when there is tension (lol).

 

Coach Greg Patterson and his son.

 

3)      If you trust your assistant coaches’ evaluation of all the players on your team then you must also trust their evaluation of your son, good or bad.

You place your assistants in a position to evaluate and teach your players and report back to you with their recommendations. Don’t question/doubt their suggestions involving your child any more than you would another player. If you happen to be your son’s position coach it can become a bit more difficult. Trust your instinct and if you still honestly question your evaluation of your child then ask an assistant their opinion.

Review practice/game film with them if necessary. I almost short changed my youngest son this past year out of a starting position because I was skeptical – over critical – about his ability. Thank God for a solid staff that spoke up and told me I was wrong and that he needed to be playing. Side note – another reason your staff has to be men of integrity with the freedom to hold you accountable when needed.

 

4)      Make it very clear to your staff that you expect your son to be treated like the others as much as possible but it isn’t open season on him just because he is a coach’s kid. Your staff will follow your lead!

Believe it or not it is really easy to direct criticism at coach’s kids thinking that they will understand, all the while they take it very personal. I have realized that my sons’ have had a much different relationship with my staff than other players do.

I attribute this to the amount of time that they spent around the staff as young kids and then transitioning to becoming player. I have concluded that it is much easier for us as coaches to transition between different roles than it is for our kids. It has been my experience that the majority of coaches that struggle with this are younger coaches that do not have children of their own. It also became obvious to me that if I was willing to single out my own son to “vent on” in a team setting it opened the door for my assistants to follow suit.

CHAIN OF COMMAND PART 3 – Communicating What The COC Is

This is the 3rd and final part of my Chain of Command Series.  You can find Part 1 here, and Part 2 here.

Is there anything more frustrating for a coach than to be walking off of the field of play after a loss, and being approached by an aggressive, and upset parent or parents because of a decision that you made during the course of the game? 

I will NEVER forget an incident after a Friday night football game at St. Margarets  (San Juan Capistrano, CA).   We were having a horrible season, I think we were 0-7 at the time, and St. Margarets was 7-0, and actually went on to win a State Championship that year.  So, you can guess what kind of game it was!  You’re right: a blowout!

I had a kid decide during the game that he didn’t want to play defense, only offense!  That did NOT go over very well with me.   I did not like that approach very much!  I’m a big believer in TEAM FIRST!  Deny your own ambition for the cause of the team.  This kid was a pretty selfish kid, and was tired of getting ran over on defense, so he said that his knee was hurting on defense, but he could still play offense.  This is ridiculous.

He was a running back, which means he would be cutting on that knee, and taking hits.  After a short dialogue with this student-athlete, I benched him for the rest of the game.  Who was waiting for me right next to exit from the field to the locker room?  You guessed it, his parents!

 

For the last few days we have been discussing the concept of a Chain of Command in your Athletic Department.  I believe there are three main components to making the Chain of Command strong and effective.  The first is that your superiors must have “buy in” and support your philosophy, and what you are trying to accomplish through your Chain of Command.  Secondly, you must publicize this Chain of Command to your stakeholders.

The third and final component of the Chain of Command that I strongly believe in is that you must communicate not only WHAT the Chain of Command is, but HOW to use it. 

Student-Athletes and more importantly, their parents, need to be told how to use the Chain of Command.  Specifically, they must be told what is on the table to discuss, and what is NOT on the table to discuss.  They must be told WHEN and when NOT to speak with coaches, etc.  Just developing your Chain of Command is not enough, you must explain it.  Just putting it on paper, without proper definitions and explanations will not serve your Athletic Department in the best way possible.

I have developed a few guidelines for student-athletes and parents to follow.  In cooperation with your Coaching Staff, I believe that these guidelines will help them do their job.

Things Coaches are NOT Expected to Discuss with Parents

1. PLAYING TIME: It is the philosophy of the Athletic Department that a coach does not have to defend or discuss issues of playing time with a parent. The coaches are the only ones who are at every practice and see every repetition along with every action and reaction. Playing time is a professional coaching evaluation of ability, attitude and behavior and is awarded according to the opinion of those who have the most experience with the athletes and what is in the best interest of the team and not the individual. At the Varsity level the best players displaying the correct behaviors play. We do not hold any obligation to make sure that every player gets a set amount of playing time. It is not a policy of the athletic department to discriminate against an athlete’s grade level, but individual coaches do have the right to set their teams how they see fit.

2. STRATEGY or PREPARATION: It is the philosophy of the Athletic Department that a coach does not have to defend or discuss game strategy or practice and preparation philosophy with a parent. Again, this is subjective and based on the professional experiences and opinions of the coaching staff that are paid to research, scout, learn, and prepare for their seasons of sport.

I haven’t met a coach that didn’t love these two guidelines.  You need to publish these guidelines right next to your Chain of Command so that parents understand not only who to talk to, but WHAT to talk about, or NOT talk about.  This is key to communication within your Athletic Department.  As long as your Coaching Staff stands by these two guidelines, they will remain strong and respected by your Athletic community.

OUTSIDE THE LINES MANUAL: ATHLETIC DIRECTOR Edition

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AWARDS

All League Certificate

All League Master List

All League Nomiination Form

All League Team Sheet

Historical Athlete of the Year Listing

Athlete of the Year Voting Form

Athlete of the Week Profile Form

Athletic Team Participation Certificate

Post Season Awards Order Form

Banquet Program Timeline

Certificate Master

Inventory of Pins/Patches

Scholar Athlete Certificate

Scholar Athlete Nomination Form

COACHES

Basketball Head Coach Interview Questions

Coach Wanted Ad

Coaches Checklist and Responsibilities

Coaches Season End Evaluation

Coaches Grade Check Form

Denial Letter To Applicant For Job

End of Season Report

Head Coach Interview Questions

Hiring Assistant Coach Process

Memo To Coaches About Grade Monitoring

Preseason Meeting Agenda For Coaches

MISC FORMS, SURVEYS

8th Grade Survey/Future Involvement

Athletic Team GPAs

Athletic Offerings

Athletic Sign Up Sheets

Schoolwide Athletic Survey/Future Involvement

Dear Incoming Freshman Letter

Fall Sports Banquet Flyer

Fax Cover Sheet

Game Schedule On One Word Doc

Game of the Week Advertisement

GPA Team Comparisons

Incoming Frosh Flyer For Summer Sports

Key Checkout

Master Athlete Clearance List

Medical Kit Checkout Form

Officials Receipt

Physicals Coming Soon Flyer

Return Check Notification Letter

Senior Night Questionaire

Social Media Policy

Sports Participation Data Form

Athletic Department Strategic Planning

Student Athlete GPA Waiver Form

Student Committee Meeting Questionaire

Envelope Template

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BUDGET

Athletic Department Overall Budget

Coaching Budget Worksheet

Officials Cash Receipt

Purchase Order Number Form

Running Budget Form BOOSTERS Booster Club Kickoff Meeting Agenda Booster Representatives Needed Form Golf Tournament – Team Mom Form Golf Tournament – Dear Sponsor Letter Golf Tournament – RSVP Database Golf Tournament – Sponsorship Opportunities Golf Tournament – Team Donation Form Golf Tournament – Title Sponsor Invite Form Golf Tournament – Dinner Talk To Sponsors Outline Golf Tournament – Instructions To Teams Golf Tournament – Student Volunteers Golf Tournament – Theme Ideas For Baskets RISK MANAGEMENTRisk Management Checklist                                              Football Risk Management Player Survey                         Action Report                                                                   Football Risk Management Plan EQUIPMENT Basketball Uniform Inventory Form (2) Billing Statement Jersey Inventory Control Spirit Pack Worksheet Track and Field Equipment Inventory Form Equipment Inventory Form Track and Field Equipment Checkout Form Missing Football Gear Cost Form TRANSPORTATION Transportation Release Form Transportation Calendar Trasnportation Schedule HISTORY All Time All League/All Section Form All Decade Flyer All Decade Football Team Idea ROSTERS All Fall Rosters In One Place Master List Of All Athletes Roster Form (2) Roster Projections GAME MANAGEMENT  Athletic Ticket Tally Sheet Baseball Ground Rules Concussion Protocol Cross Country Finish Times Form Game Schedule Worksheet Locker Room Guidelines No Food/Drinks Allowed Super Fan Ticket Promotion Flyer Super Fan Ticket Ticket Control Sheet Ticket Prices Poster Track and Field School Record Database Volleyball Season Scores Form Volleyball Season Ticket Flyer Volleyball Season Ticket

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2008 Case For High School Athletics

My First 24 Days As Athletic Director

2010 CVCS Atheltic Handbook

Get In The Game Campaign

Leadership Powerpoint by Chris Fore

Leadership Talk by Chris Fore                                             14 Legal Duties Of Athletic Personnel

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TEAM CAPTAIN SURVEY AND RESULTS

Since I write a lot about coaching football and leadership on here, I receive a lot of inquires about how to deal with team captains.  So, I thought I would create a survey to see how coaches around the country handle the issue of team captains.

I put this survey out via Twitter only.  Thank you to the MANY coaches who retweeted this information.  We had 178 coaches take the survey over the course of the last two days, a great number!  THANK YOU COACHES!

This is part 1 of this survey results.  I will write more about thoughts about this survey at a later date.  I will also share more comments from the coaches directly.

Enjoy!

 

1. What level of football do you coach?

Junior High		4.0%
High School		75.8%
College		13.1%
Pro		0.0%
None, I’m answering this survey from another coach point of view		7.1%

 

2. How long have you been coaching?

0-5 years		27.6%
6-10 years		26.5%
11-15 years		19.4%
15+		26.5%

 

3. How many captains does your team have?

1		0.0%
2		13.5%
3		22.5%
4		53.9%
5		5.6%
6		4.5%

 

4. Who chooses your captains?

Players vote		18.3%
Coaching staff appoints		19.4%
Head coach appoints		8.6%
Players vote and coaches confirm or deny that vote		43.0%
Players and coaches both vote together		10.8%

 

5. Do you have the same captains all season or do you change captains every game or a mixture?

Same captains all season		66.0%
Change captains every game		9.3%
Some captains same all season but we do rotate some		25.8%

 

 

6. Do you have a leadership training program in place to teach your captains leadership?

Yes		52.0%
No		48.0%

 

7. Do you have a formal process for removing a captain?

Yes		28.6%
No		71.4%

 

8. Have you ever had to remove a captain during the season?

Yes		30.6%
No		69.4%

 

9. Do you only allow seniors to be captains?

Yes		20.0%
No		80.0%

 

10.  Anything to add to this survey?

Normally nominate 2 Capt from O and D. Starting QB is normally 1 of the O capts but not always (ie when he’s a rookie we leave him to focus on the job). Captains usually identify themselves by actions and generally have been in the team for a few years proving their worth/candidacy to both coaches and team mates.

 

This is a cool survey. Thanks! – Coach Peck!

 

I try to meet with the captains at least once a month out of the season and twice a month in season for their input. This keeps problems that might be under the surface from becoming larger issues because they know they can come to the coaching staff.

THIS IS A GREAT IDEA!!  THIS IS WHY I USE A PLAYER COMMITTEE.  READ ABOUT MY PLAYER COMMITTEE HERE. COACH FORE

 

Captains are the cream of the crop on my team. They are players I can trust 100% to do whatever I need when I’m around, and when I’m not (locker room).

 

I think one thing of interest, worth polling, is coaches like myself, who do not happen to fully agree with the process of captains, or lack of leadership skills coaching/teaching etc. we happen to be on a staff, and at the mercy of the HC.

CONFRONT YOUR HEAD COACH ABOUT THIS.  I WOULD.  IF YOUR HEAD COACH CAN’T BE A TEAM PLAYER AND TAKE ADVICE FROM HIS ASSISTANTS ABOUT SOMETHING AS CRITICAL AS LEADERSHIP, I WOULD THINK AGAIN ABOUT COACHING FOR HIM. COACH FORE

Captains rotate each game. Every senior becomes a game captain once before we allow any senior to be a game captain twice.

 

When I started coaching, captains went out at the coin toss, but otherwise had no other clear expectations/responsibilities and no training. This past season, we started doing formal leadership development/training with our line leaders and are growing in establishing clearer expectations for captains & leaders.

EXCELLENT JOB COACH!!  ONGOING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IS KEY.  PLUS, THAT STUFF WILL LAST PAST FRIDAY NIGHT! COACH FORE

Last season we did a program we called “Black Watch.” In order to be a candidate for captain you had to be a part of this group. To be in the group it required 3 letters of recommendation from teachers on campus, a 3.0 gpa, be a senior the following season (we started Black Watch at the start of the second semester). In order to stay in Black Watch you had to maintain a 3.0, have no unsatisfactory discipline reports on file for the year, and meet an attendance requirement for off-season weight lifting.

LOVE IT. GREAT JOB COACH.  WOULD LOVE TO PUT THIS INFORMATION ON MY BLOG HERE.  MANY, MANY MORE COACHES NEED TO START A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT LIKE THIS. WOULD YOU MIND EMAILING ME ABOUT THIS AT COACH@COACHFORE.ORG IF YOU HAPPEN TO READ THIS? COACH FORE

Try to balance offense and defensive with at least a one great off season workout player who usually not a starter.

 

Positive leaders. Doesn’t have to be best player(s).

 

We select anywhere from 2-5, depending on the year. I let players vote, but I will add or subtract anyone I think needs to be. I try to have one underclass man as a captain. I couldn’t care less who goes out for the coin toss. Being a captain is about leading and serving teammates, not calling heads or tails.

YOU’RE RIGHT ON COACH!

Captains are overrated in my opinion. You want the best kids who are in the rotation to be captains. On a small team like basketball most everything is going to come from the coach. Captains should be there to manage some egos when the coach isn’t around.

 

Our coaches choise a captain from each class based on Experience, natural leadership, citizenship, reliability, courage in leading, accountability and commitment to the program, ream and coaches. 2 act as offensive captains during games and 2 defensive. As head coach I want my captains to solve problems and make their own decidions. I will help when necessary but I believe part of the growing process is problem solving.

 

They are voted on in mid-July and go through training prior to fall camp and regular meetings with me (HC) all season long.

 

Use it as a weekly motivational tool. We always have three senior captains each game, but then allow a underclassman earn his way to become a captain by either practicing hard all week or performing well in a game.

I DO THE SAME THING. 3 CAPTAINS GO OUT FOR COIN TOSS.  AT THE TEAM MEAL FOR GAME, WE ANNOUNCE A FOURTH KID WHO GETS TO REPRESENT HIS TEAM AS AN “HONORARY CAPTAIN” THAT WEEK.  THIS HELPS TO SERVE AS SOME GREAT MOTIVATION FOR KIDS TO WORK HARD AND BE A LEADER DURING THE WEEK.  IT COULD BE THE SAME GUY THREE TIMES A YEAR IF HE EARNS IT!  I’M NOT ONE OF THOSE GUYS WHO MAKES THINGS “FAIR” AND KEEPS TRACK OF IT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS TO DO IT.  THIS AINT LITTLE LEAGUE WHERE EVERYONE GETS A TROPHY!  IT HAS AMAZED ME HOW JUST THIS ONE ACT OF BEING ABLE TO GO UP AND REPRESENT YOUR TEAM HAS REALLY HELPED KIDS.  THEIR PARENTS TELL ME HOW BIG OF A DEAL IT WAS TO THEM; TEACHERS WILL TELL ME THAT THEY SAW A DIFFERENCE IN THIS KID AFTERWARDS, ETC.  WE TRY TO MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT.  COACH FORE

Had a frosh captain this past year. He was QB. Best leader I’ve had

I APPLAUD YOU COACH. MOST COACHES WOULDN’T HAVE THE GUTS TO HAVE A FROSH AS A CAPTAIN. WHY WASTE A YEAR AND THE LEADERSHIP TALENT IF HE CAN?  COACH FORE

Every player goes through the same leadership program. I was involved with this program as a player. Coach emphasize the importance of being a leader(captain). He stated being voted a captain by your peers is the greatest honor you could receive as an athlete.

 

Weekly captains are decided on based on performance and leadership in prior game and practice that week.

 

Once a captain is selected they remain a captain until they graduate, this way leadership is maintained year round and adds continuity from season to season. Even though we have no specific leadership program for captains we do provide informal leadership training to all players.

I REALLY LIKE THIS IDEA OF KEEPING HIM ON AS CAPTAIN UNTIL GRADUATION!

 

 

 

CHAIN OF COMMAND PART 2

CHAIN OF COMMAND PART 1 talked about establishing a strong and effective Chain of Command for your Athletic Department.  You read that there are three components to making a Chain of Command strong and effective.  The first component is that your superiors must be on board with what you are trying to do with your Chain of Command.  They absolutely must understand that the Chain of Command is to be supported at all times once it is made formal to your community.

The second main component of your Chain of Command is that you must publicize and communicate what your plan is.

 

 

You must put your Chain of Command in your Athletic Handbook, and make sure that your Coaching Staff discusses the Athletic Department’s Chain of Command often, especially at their first meeting to kick off the season.  The Chain of Command that I created when I first started as an Athletic Director is below:

“When a Student-Athlete and/or their parent/s have an issue that they feel needs to be resolved, there is a proper way to conduct the process. The proper way is to follow the chain of command, meaning the order by which you handle the matter. “

The Chain of Command is:

Student/Athlete and Parent

Asst. Coach

Head Coach

Athletic Director

High School Principal

Superintendent

Board of Trustees

It’s important that EVERYONE is on the same team! Remember, it’s all about the kids!

CHAIN OF COMMAND – ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION

a) Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees, responsible to the people, is the ruling agency for the School. It is responsible for interpreting the needs of the community and requirements to the professional organization.

b) Superintendent

The superintendent is responsible to administer the school according to adopted policies of the rules and regulations of the school board. It is his/her duty to establish a definite school athletic policy and to have an understanding of that policy.

c) High School Principal

The principal is the official representative of the school and is directly responsible for the general attitude of the student body and the conduct of the athletic affairs by the athletic administrator and the coach.

d) Athletic Director

The Athletic Director is directly responsible to the principal. The primary responsibility of the athletic director is the administration and supervision of the interscholastic athletic program. The athletic director’s duties will be those described in his/her job description and any others as designated by the principal. He/she will provide the leadership necessary for the day-to-day operation of the athletic department.

e) Head Coaches

All head coaches shall be responsible to the Athletic Director for the total operation of their respective sports programs. Head coaches shall act as official representatives of the school as they carry out their interscholastic athletic responsibilities.

CHAIN OF COMMAND

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN

1. Have your Student-Athlete meet with his/her coach to discuss the issue. On most occasions, this coach-to-athlete meeting can resolve issues or questions. As stated earlier, this is part of our young men and women learning to grow as adults.

2. Contact the coach directly to set up a meeting to discuss your concern. Some coaches may mandate that your child attend that meeting.

3. Please DO NOT attempt to talk to a coach before or after a contest or practice. Our coaches are responsible for supervision and safety of their athletes. In addition, these can be emotional times for both the parents and the coach. Meetings of this nature do not promote resolution.

If Another Step Is Necessary Beyond This Point

What can a parent do if the coach-athlete meeting (Step 1) AND the parent-coach meeting (Step 2) did not provide resolution?

4. Contact the Athletic Director to set up a meeting between yourself, your Student-Athlete, Head Coach and Athletic Director.

What can a parent do if the coach-athlete (Step 1) and the parent-coach (Step 2) and the Athletic Director-Coach-Parent meetings (Step 3) failed to solve the issue?

5.  Contact the Principal to set up a meeting between yourself, your Student-Athlete, Head Coach, Athletic Director and Principal.

The Chain of Command must be put in to your Athletic Handbook.

Parents and student-athletes should be mandated to sign a form each year acknowledging that they have read the Chain of Command.  This will put this document in front of them each year; hopefully it is just a review of the process on an annual basis, and not something they have experienced intimately!

There are several ways that you can publicize this Chain of Command on your campus.  Here are some ideas: in a campus wide newsletter your school uses, your athletic website, principal’s weekly emails home, in handouts at your preseason meetings, on handouts at open houses, etc.

Without publicizing your Chain of Command regularly, you will not have everyone on the same page. This is the second component of your Chain of Command.

CHAIN OF COMMAND Pt 1

I’m a BIG believer in having a proper Chain of Command for your athletic department; one that is strong and effective.  There are many reasons that a Chain of Command is necessary.  The phrase “Chain of Command” is most readily associated with the military, where their entire existence is heavily built on the command structure.  In fact, without a proper Chain of Command, our Marine Corps would not have the reputation that it does, nor would our Soldiers in the Army be nearly as effective as they are at doing their job.

 

 

 

For some of the same reasons that the military uses a Chain of Command, Athletic Directors, as well as Head Football Coaches, must have one in place for the workplace that they supervise.  Not having a Chain of Command in place may leave your coaches, student-athletes, parents, and administrators frustrated and without guidance.

I believe there are three important components to making a Chain of Command strong and effective.

The first component is making sure that your superiors, ie the vice principal or principal that you report to, and the person that that person reports to is completely on board with your Chain of Command philosophy.  If the folks “above you” as the Athletic Director, are not on board with what you want to accomplish, you will end of frustrated with the Chain of Command is not supported because it will be ineffective. 

My 2003 Linfield Christian football team. A chain of command MUST be strong, together and unbreakable!

I’ve experience that first hand in my own career.  I’m sure many of you have been in a place where you had to make a difficult decision.  You spent days, weeks, maybe even months pouring over how to pull the trigger on the decision you had to make as the AD, or Head Football Coach.  Finally, you made the decision, and sure enough, somebody didn’t like it, so they went to your superior to complain. 

Your superior allowed for the complainer to voice his or her opinion without your knowledge, and BAM, the Chain of Command just fell apart, and you are frustrated!  Have you been there?!  It’s not a fun place to be. 

Therefore, the very first component of the creating a great Chain of Command is that your superiors must be on board!  They must buy in to the philosophy that you have.  If they don’t buy in to what you are trying to do with a structure and format of leadership, soon enough, your legs will be cut right out from under you, and you will end up frustrated.

More tomorrow on the other components of a strong and effective Chain of Command . . .

IT’S NOT ABOUT WINNING – OXYMORON OF THE HIGHEST SORT

This post is an excerpt from my book about the 2011 State Championship Head Football Coaches and the common characteristics of their programs.  108 coaches from 42 states were involved in this ground breaking research project.  Coaches Choice is publishing this book.  You can pre order it here, save 20%!!

It is interesting to have a chapter in a book about building a championship-caliber football program that is titled “It’s Not About Winning.”  It is like reading a book about riding a bike telling you that it is not about pedaling.  However, one of the most common statements I received back from the 2011 State Champion Head Coaches is “it is not about winning.”  Coach after coach made statements to me like “if you want to win a state championship, do not think about winning a state championship” or “do not focus on winning” or “winning is simply an afterthought.”

 

At first it was hard for me to decipher if these coaches really meant this, or if it was just easy for them to say since they had just won a state championship.  Many of the coaches surveyed have won multiple state championships, and have career winning percentages which are heavily lopsided towards the winning side.  Isn’t it easy for them to say “don’t worry about winning?” How many 0-10 coaches say “do not worry about winning?”

But when you read through all of the research, they really mean this.  Winning can’t be one of the sole focuses of your program and your purpose as a coach.  If it is, and you don’t win, you will have a very, very long season.

 

WHY DO YOU COACH?

 

WHAT TRULY MOTIVATES YOU?

 

It is time to dig deep here!  A gut check. Halftime in your coaching career so to speak.  You know that time when you go in to the locker room to circle up with your coaches, to look back on the first half of the game in order to evaluate what has happened?  This is that time for YOU!  Why do you coach?  For what reasons are you in this profession?  I know it is not about the money!

Have you ever made a list of why you coach?   Have you ever written a mission statement for yourself as a coach, to help guide you?

Most of you probably got in to this profession because of the reasons I did.  You love football, you love working with teenagers, you love teaching, you had a great high school football experiences with great coaches who you admired.  So, at a young age, probably during high school or right afterwards, you made a decision that you wanted to get in to coaching because you wanted to be like those men who devoted so much of their time to shaping you as a person.  Does that have anything to do with winning?  Absolutely not.

 

 

 

You probably started coaching for peanuts, or maybe just a free hat, t shirt and jacket.  You wanted to be a part of a coaching staff and football program so bad that you made decisions to sacrifice financially; to miss things your friends were doing during the summer; and maybe you even to take a job at a less desirable school.  But you did it to coach.  Do not lose sight of that.  Remember, the reasons you wanted to coach probably do not have much at all to do about winning.  These state championship coaches testify to the fact that if you grind and grind it out just to win, you will be empty if that doesn’t happen, and you will be empty if it does happen.

 

So, I will close with this for you to think about today:

WHY DO YOU COACH?

 

WHAT TRULY MOTIVATES YOU?

LARGEST FOOTBALL COACHING INTERVIEW QUESTION DATABASE IN THE WORLD

Had a great idea a today!  (At least I think it was!)

I get a ton of emails like this: “I’m interviewing for the Head Football Job at XYZ High School in XYZ City.  Do you have a list of interview questions?”

I do have a short list, basically it is what I ask when I interview head coaches.  So, I will send that out to folks who ask.

But what I would love to put together for coaches is a list of interview questions that they get, from all over the nation.

I don’t want to just google “football interview questions.”  I could come up a long list.  I want REAL, LIVE, CURRENT interview questions that guys are getting, or that YOU as an Athletic Director of Head Football Coach interviewing assistants ACTUALLY use!

Email me the interview questions you have heard or asked for either a Head Football Coaching job or Assistant Football Coaching job.

By sending me an email at coach@coachfore.org, you are giving me permission to use what you provide.

Just copy and paste this below in to an email and send it to me at coach@coachfore.org

1.  What job did you interview for?

2.  What level of football? (Youth, High School, College, NFL)

3.  What school or team was it for?  

City/State too please.  (If you want this to be anonymous, put anonymous or leave blank.)

More or less than 900 students?

4.  What were the questions?

5.  What is your name?  (If you want this to be anonymous, put anonymous or leave blank.)

By sending me an email at coach@coachfore.org, you are giving me permission to use what you provide.

OVERNIGHT CAMP SAMPLE SCHEDULE

Have you ever thought of having your boys all sleep on the floor in the gym for a few nights?  (Coaches too!)

We did this at my high school at Fallbrook High School back in the day.  What GREAT memories I have of that.  We would have camp in the gym one year, and then go to a university or college here in So Cal the next year.  So, every player gets two camps at colleges, and two camps in the gym.

Here is a sample 3 day, 2 night schedule I used back in 2010!  Nothing builds team chemistry like spending three days totally together in the middle of Training Camp in August!

Let me know if you have any questions about this at coach@coachfore.org.

THURSDAY	AUG 19
12:45 PM	Check In (Gym)
1:15 PM	Distribute Gear (Parking lot)
2:30 PM	Orientation Meeting
	Team Goals/Indy Goals
3:00-3:30 PM	Team Meeting/Film Work
4:00-6:30 PM	Practice
7:00 PM	Dinner
7:30 PM	Chapel/Worship
8:15 PM	Free Time
9:30 PM	Lights Out

 

FRIDAY	AUG 20
6:30 AM	Breakfast
7:00 AM	Devotion
7:30-9:15 AM	Practice
9:15 AM	Distribute Gear
11:00-12:45 PM	Practice
1:00 PM	Lunch
	Free Time
3:15 PM	Team Meeting/Film Work
4:00-5:45 PM	Practice
6:00 PM	Team Activity Off Campus
9:30 PM	Lights Out

 

SATURDAY	AUG 21
6:30 AM	Father/Son Breakfast
7:00 AM	Devotion
8:00-9:45 AM	Practice
9:45 AM	Free Time
11:00-12:45 PM	Practice
1:00 PM	Lunch
1:30 PM	Free Time
4:30 PM	Team Meeting/Film Work
5:00-6:45	Practice
7:00 PM	Dinner – Chipotle in Gym
7:30 PM	Break Camp/Parents Pick Up

STADIUM INSTRUCTIONS FOR VISITING TEAM

As an Athletic Director, I really like to be able to prepare the road team who is coming to our site for a game.  I think that it is crucial to be a great host.  I send out this document to the Athletic Director and the Head Football Coach of who we are going to play on Tuesday of the week before the game.  I think one reason I put this together is because nobody really ever does it for us when we travel!  Again, I want to help the opponents coming to play with all of these aspects.

You can cut and paste this in to a new word document to create your own Stadium Instructions For Visiting Team.

HOME FOOTBALL STADIUM PROCEDURES

SITE

San Clemente High School, 700 Avenida Pico, San Clemente, CA 92673

DIRECTIONS

From Interstate 5, head east at the Avenida Pico exit about ¼ of a mile.  The school is on the south, or right hand side of the road.  Enter at the first driveway.

ADMISSION FOR VISITING FANS

There is one entrance for all fans.  It will be impossible to miss on the way to the stadium for your fans.  Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students with an ID card and children under 5 are free.  CIF and Academy League courtesy passes will be honored.

 FIELD ACCESS

Access to the field will be restricted to those essential with the game management of your team – photographers, statisticians, doctors/trainers, water helpers, administration, etc.  San Clemente H.S. has asked us to keep the number of people on their field limited.

 FIELD PASS LIST

Please email Athletic Director Chris Fore at cfore@cvcs.org with your Field Pass List prior 12:00 noon on the day before the game.  San Clemente H.S. has asked that we limit the number of people on your sidelines to those essential to the game management of your team – photographers, statisticians, doctors/trainers, water helpers, administration, etc.  There is one way on/off the field.  People will not be allowed access to the field unless their name is on the Field Pass List.

*** Only water is allowed on the field.  No sport drinks of any kind.  No food, soda, sunflower seeds, gum, etc.  

 

I was lucky enough to play in the best stadium in Southern California while at Capistrano Valley Christian from 2006-2011. We rented out their stadium for our games.

 

HALF TIME

At your request, the visiting locker room will be open at halftime by a San Clemente staffer.  It will be locked and closed following halftime.

 ICE

Visiting teams will be responsible for bringing their own ice to the game.

LOCKER ROOM

The visiting team locker room is in the Women’s Varsity Locker Room.  It is located right next to the main parking lot just past the gym on the right hand side.  Your bus can drop your team off within 20 yards of the locker room.  There are restrooms and showers available in this locker room.  It will be locked and unlocked by a San Clemente staffer.  Your staff is responsible for all supervision in the locker room.

The locker room is about a 4-7 minute walk from the field.

 

SAFETY/SECURITY OF YOUR POSSESSIONS IN LOCKER ROOM

The locker room will be locked once you leave it by San Clemente Staff.

Unfortunately, since this is NOT our property, we cannot adequately secure your player’s  personal property.  This is a multi-use facility. The athletes at San Clemente H.S. may need to access to their own locker rooms during the game.

We have had items gone missing from our own home locker room when our kids have not secured them.  Feel free to bring your personal belonging to the sidelines with you if you feel that is best for your team.

 PRE-GAME WARM UP

The visiting team is to warm up on the west end of the field.  This is the end nearest to the scoreboard.

PRE-GAME PRAYER/NATIONAL ANTHEM

At approximately 5 minutes before kickoff, we invite you to join us for a word of prayer and the singing of the National Anthem followed by an introduction of the game captains for the coin toss.

SAN CLEMENTE HIGH SCHOOL STAFF

There is one full time custodian on site for our games.  He will be opening and securing your locker room.  (James is usually the one that works our games.)

SIDELINES

The visiting sidelines are on the south side of the field.  This is the side furthest from you as you enter the stadium.

WATER

Visiting teams will have access to hose water at the snack bar.  We use this water and have never had a problem with it.  The nozzle is located on the north side of the snack bar next to the field.  We will have a staff member with a water key to turn the water on for your staff.

*** Only water is allowed on the field.  No sport drinks of any kind.  No food, soda, sunflower seeds, gum, etc.

 

 

TWITTER HELPS STUDENT GET FULL SCHOLARSHIP!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

EXCELSIOR’S WASHINGTON EARNS FULL SCHOLARSHIP

February 22, 2013

Victorville – A year of firsts for the Excelsior football program keeps on rolling as one of their own has accepted a scholarship to play football for Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri.  Kyle Washington, the Most Valuable Player from the Eagles first CIF Championship team has been offered a scholarship for both his prowess on the field and in the classroom.  Between the athletic scholarship and the academic scholarship, the total offered is $32,500; more than the cost of the school.  He is the first player to accept a scholarship in the eleven year history of the Excelsior athletic department.  Kyle has earned a 3.4 GPA over the last three and a half years.

The Avila Eagles play in the Heart of America Conference.  It’s one of the toughest conferences in the National Association of Interscholastic Athletics as five of their teams finished in the top twenty five in the nation.  They have played football since 2004.

Coach Tony Caputo recruited Kyle through the use of technology and twitter, both of which played a key role in helping Kyle get noticed by the college level. Excelsior Athletic Director Chris Fore tweeted out that he was surprised Kyle had not had any offers to play at the collegiate level, that he knew he had the potential to do so.  That tweet caught the attention of Coach Caputo who ended up watching the Eagles CIF Championship victory in November which was broadcast online via Fox Sports West.  Coach Caputo noted the play of several players, and Kyle specifically.

“Kyle is a great athlete who runs well has great vision, patience, strength and speed.  He is smart and athletic enough to start in an All Star game at a position he’s never played; that shows he’s a team player and willing to try new positions and how well he played the position after learning in a short time is impressive.  After watching Kyle’s play in the State Championship game I knew I needed recruit him to be a Eagle.  Kyle is the type of player all coaches look for great attitude, great grades, great work ethic , and great athletic skills.  I can’t wait to see what Kyle is able to do at the college level I feel he will continue to excel and be a great addition to our team,” explained Coach Caputo about his recruitment of Kyle.

Kyle said “I’m really excited to keep playing football at the college level. It’s going to be a lot of fun.  I can’t wait to get going at Avila.”

Head Coach Bill Rivera and the Eagles will surely miss their leading rusher, scorer and team captain next season.  Coach Rivera said “I am blessed to have had the privilege of coaching Kyle Washington over the past three years. Kyle is not only a fine athlete, but a young man of great character. Kyle has been key to the success we have enjoyed the past three seasons. Eagle Nation will miss you Kyle Washington; we are proud of your accomplishments both on the field and in the classroom.”

The Excelsior community will celebrate with Kyle and his family on Thursday February 28^th at 12:30 pm in the school gym as he signs his official letter of intent.  All media are invited to this event.

 

###

ATHLETIC RESUME TEMPLATE

Have you been struggling with how to write your athletic resume?

Do you have a lot of great experience but have a hard time putting that all together in one place on a resume?

Are you tired of looking at “professional” resumes that just don’t fit what an athletic resume should look like?

Like you, I have used all sorts of different resume formats.  I have changed mine over and over.  Until now. I believe that this customize-able resume that I’ve put together for coaches and those in the athletic business solves the frustration of building your athletic resume.

When you purchase this customize-able athletic resume template, just download it, and fill in your information in a matter of minutes.  It’s already formatted and looks great.  This resume will walk you through exactly what to put, and exactly where to put it.

There are even sample bullet points that you can use.  For example:

• Served as ______________________ on school’s leadership team with administrative duties of training existing and new faculty and staff according to the school’s mission, and developing policies, procedures, and handbooks
• Strong organizational and administrative skills, as Athletic Director, supervising, evaluating, and mentoring 30-40 coaches and staff members
• Prepared, trained and assigned faculty and staff in student related activities and functions
• Led, managed and coached Varsity football program for three seasons; third most wins in school history; team reached the CIF playoffs every year I was the Head Coach;  Saw growth in program from 29-70 kids
• League Football Champions/Coach of the Year – 2010

This customize-able athletic resume template has the following sections:

Education, Professional Summary, Experience, Athletics, Professional Development and Associations.

You can put together YOUR professional athletic resume today using this customize-able template.

This customize-able athletic resume template is just $7.

Save your time, energy and effort!  Put your athletic resume together today!

There are THREE ways order your manual.

1.  Send a check or money order, with your email address, to:

• Chris Fore, 6867 SVL Box, Victorville, CA 92395

2.  Pay via Paypal.  My email address to pay via Paypal is coach478@gmail.com. Send me an email with your shipping address.

3.  Pay via Credit Card or ATM card.  Email me for more information.  Email me at coach@coachfore.org in order to use your credit card/atm card.    I will send you an invoice that you pay with your Credit Card or ATM card.

This resume template will be emailed to you as soon as I receive payment.