Most football coaches are exceptional men who spend their days investing in someone else's son. They are exceptional role models for America's young people as husbands, fathers and men of character. The best men I know wear a whistle!
Here's a HC secret . . . soak your whites overnight in hot water and Oxi Clean. Agitate them with a something to make sure everything is coated. The water should be slimy from the soap.
Wash the next day. You'll be surprised how much cleaner they are.
#HCtips
When a parent complains to me about my coaching, I remind them that I spend a player's 9th & 10th grade years trying to get him to pick up his trash and flush the toilet. If they had done a better job teaching basic life skills, then he would known how to defeat a double team.
Here's how u fix America's teacher problem:
1) Expel students who repeatedly disrupt the teaching environment.
2) Put the responsibility back on the shoulders of the parents. More often than not, schools don't fail students, parents fail their kids.
Hundreds of school districts are currently dealing with ‘The Great Teacher Resignation’.
And now they have a new problem…‘The Never Applying in the First Place’.
@garyvee
#EdChat
#TheGreatResignation
14 year old me after seeing Top Gun: Dad, I want to be a naval aviator.
My dad: They don't let offensive lineman fly fighter jets.
He bought me a honey bun and a Coke to make me feel better after shattering my dreams.
I don't believe in a bunch of bullshit when it comes to winning. A bunch of hard nosed, disciplined kids who play with passion and for each other coached by a staff of good men who genuinely care for their players. Give me that, and I'll show u a winning football program.
Player: Coach, I may need to leave practice early today.
Me: OK. Why? What's up?
Player: My dad needs me to take the Boston butt off the smoker at 6:00.
Adults constantly complain about today's youth. They're lazy, soft, . . . etc. They are what we make them to be! We need to do a better job of ADULTING. . . setting an example for young people, making them follow through on their commitments, and holding them accountable.
Dear Parents,
It's okay for your kids to struggle. It's okay for your kids to fail. Your job isn't to make them happy. You can protect them without sheltering them. Teach them to persevere, to be tough and find solutions for the obstacles in their life.
Sincerely,
The World
I'm going into my 25th season of coaching high school football, and I still take it personally when kids quit playing. Every time it happens -- no matter the kid or the quality of player -- it makes me feel like I have failed and ruins my day.
Spent 20 years of marriage pretending to be unable to find anything. Tonight my wife started to ask me to look for something. Before she finished asking me, she just said, "Nevermind!" And went and found for it herself. Through commitment, anything is possible.
For me, the most frustrating aspect of recruiting is trying to get players and parents to understand how good the players are in DII, DIII, and NAIA. Everybody playing college football was a DAWG in high school.
Dropped my daughter off at college yesterday. Last night was the first time in 18 years that she didn't come in and kiss me goodnight and say, "I love you." enjoy the time with your kids, men. It goes by too fast.
I've spoken with a lot of coaches finding it difficult to remain focused and upbeat about going out to practice with so much uncertainty hanging over our heads. Remember to go out and enjoy the time you have with your players. You're not there for you, you're there for them.
There are great coaches that win state championships and there are great coaches that win half their games. Your job as a coach is to get your team to their maximum potential. All teams are different.
If u don't coach something every play -- whether it's a correction, praise or feedback -- then you're cheating your players. Great enthusiasm. Great effort. Great communication.
Long rant coming in . . . 1 . . . 2 . . . 3. . . Here's the truth. . . u can't legislate integrity. Our issues in high school athletics are a by-product of larger issues in our society. We have a wholesale lack of integrity in our general population of our citizens. (cont'd)
Gonna vent, and I preface this with, "I played D-3 football."
I had a coach from a D3 school call me and ask about my seniors. I spoke with him on the phone while he watched their film. Basically, he's like, "What else u got?" He's looking 6-1 corners and 6-5 OL. (cont'd)
Congress gave public schools $123,000,000,000 last spring to fight covid. That's approximately $2500 per public school student nationally. I'd love to see a breakdown of where that money went.
I try to avoid attacking coaches on social media, but some of u cats who are quoting Bible scriptures on Twitter in the morning and out recruiting other coaches' players in the afternoon are just asking for it.
What do you expect of parents whose kids are playing "Fall" baseball? Put your son in a pair of shoulder pads and grab a mouthpiece and complain about the offensive play calling like a real American. Buncha commies!
Shout out to Dr. Hines and
@OfficialGHSA
for having the backbone to move forward for all the young men and women in Georgia. Honestly, very few leaders have the courage to weather the storm nowadays. Thanks for giving our students a chance to compete.
There are 2 types of coaches out there:
1) Men who are looking to develop the students in their school and build a program around them.
2) Men who are looking to build a program using someone else's players.
I've been a head coach for 15 seasons. I have had relatively few parent issues. I have an open door policy if a parent wants to speak with me about their son. Here's why:
1) The parent is their son's only advocate.
2) I think parental involvement is important. (cont'd)
I’ve coached high school football for 30 years and have had ZERO parent drama…and I mean zero.
How??
I established a simple rule day 1 of my coaching career. DURING the season, I will not talk to parents about their son’s playing time, position or the plays that are called.
I tweet a lot of BS, but this is 100% fact. Kids today suck at dodgeball. Just about every game played in American society has improved since I was in high school, but not dodgeball. People born in the 70's would wreck today's youth of America.
Dear Powers That Be:
Players have been diligent at following the Covid guidelines that u set. It is not fair to keep them trapped in perpetual practice hell. They're not any more at risk in competition than in normal society. Let them play!
Sincerely,
Coaches Everywhere
Shout out
@OfficialGHSA
Executive Director Robin Hines for having the courage to fight for Georgia's student-athletes' opportunity to compete in 2020-2021! Let's get the season started and play ball. Georgia coaches want to be in the classroom and on the sideline.
Might take some heat on this but. . . It never ceases to amaze me how many people are willing to get on an airplane and fly overseas to perform mission work when the could more easily drive across town and make and impact on someone's life in their own community.
The banking industry should freeze the collection of debt (mortgages, credit cards, car loans. . .etc.) for the duration of the state of emergency. The American people bailed them out in 2010, they can return the favor.
In my 28 years of experience, I have found, as a general rule, football coaches are much more likely to STRONGLY encourage students-athletes to play multiple sports than are coaches of any other sport.
"Are u enjoying some down time after the season ends."
HC down time: senior recruiting, equipment room inventory, prepping helmets for recon, logistics for banquet, setting up next seasons booster club, monitor end of semester grades, meet w/ coaches. . . etc.
If you're a high school football coach, player or fan in Georgia. Make sure to thank Dr. Hines for tonight. Thanks for standing up for the student-athletes in this state. Tonight's a gift! Make the most of it.
@GATerrors
@GFCACoaches
@OfficialGHSA
@ADSteveWaters
Nothing pisses me off than watching some mid-20 something throw a football like a chump on the beach. What a failure of American men! Dads, for the sake of all the future women in bikinis that your son will try to impress, teach him to throw a football.
#lifeskills
Absenteeism and tardiness among students is a much greater issue than ineffective teachers.
An education is like a gameshow. You must be present to win!
I find it ironic thousands of teachers are advocating for online education and distance learning while sitting in muted Google meets presentations with the camera off working on something else and ignoring the presenter.
#letsgetbackinschool
I remember when teams got together on Tuesday evenings to throw against each other. It was free. Teams didn't need uniforms -- we played shirts and skins. Coaches could coach their kids. No one was showboating for social media. There was no $$ involved in it.
Recently, I was asked to give my opinion on how football gives teenagers a sense of belonging. My response is why I believe football is the greatest team sport played by humankind. If u disagree with me, then that means you're wrong. 😁 It's long for Twitter, but here goes . . .
Here's my problem with this. . . If you coach kids with issues in their life -- poverty, single parent homes, absence of parental involvement. . . etc -- they won't make that transition to "winners" overnight. AND they're not losers, they're just a work in progress. (cont'd)
Kids play football. Coaches work football. Don't expect them to have the same passion for this game as u do. An old coach from Clark Atlanta gave me that advice when I was young HC, & it always helps me put things in perspective.
Today on the beach, there was a fat kid working pass sets, two step punch and outside zone steps with a shotgun snap. I love offensive lineman!
#noshame
The most important skill aspiring HC's can possess is the capacity to deal with problems. Every day an issue will arise. It's the HC's job to suppress them and keep the ship pointed in the right direction without the crew noticing they've been navigating turbulent waters.
If I were the Yale head coach, I would have wheeled out the jugs machine and rained down hellfire on them with a bag of Wilson 1005 synthetic balls. Nothing brings a protest to an abrupt end like 50 synthetic rubber footballs falling from 300 feet.
Wife comes to me & asks me the name of the guy down the street.
Me: Why?
Her: the boys are playing over there & I want thank him for letting them play.
Me: Oh. Todd.
She walks down & comes back.
Her: His name's not Todd.
Me: I know
This is my favorite pastime.
The best players are the best players . . . Whether they play one sport year round or play three different sports. All that other stuff is just BS people sell to kids to get them to write a check. The world needs more 3 sport athletes and more coaches who embrace them.
Wait, did Michigan’s baseball coach just say he doesn’t recruit “travel ball.” But, shouldn’t they suck if that is the case?
People, THERE IS OTHER QUALITY BALL OUT THERE AT A FRACTION OF THE COST, and yes, YOU CAN STILL MAKE IT TO “THE NEXT LEVEL.”
Do not be fooled!
In my experience, football coaches ENCOURAGE their athletes to participate in other sports. Go run track. Go wrestle. Go play basketball. . . by nature, we are always encouraging our players to compete.
QB Arch Manning is the
#1
rated football player in the 2023 class. He is also currently playing basketball at Newman HS. Why are other kids pushed to play football exclusively year round?
How about a virtual high five to all the coaches, players and parents out there working their tails of and following the guidelines so that student-athletes get a chance to compete in high school athletics.
Every time a school system pays some shyster to come in and peddle a BS alternative to discipline and accountability, the American public educational system gets worse. We've trained a generation of young people to believe that they are not responsible for their bad decisions.
25 years as a teacher, and here is my unpopular confession. It drives me nuts when I hear people claim that teachers are heroic. It diminishes the idea that we have of heroism. Being a teacher is fulfilling, vital and often thankless, but it's not heroic.
All u guys with children young enough to still believe in the magic of Santa Claus, take the time to cherish it. It won't be long and those jokers will be asking for cash and send u Amazon wish lists.
There are lots of guys who are experts in X & O's who don't win football games because it's not about what the coach knows, it's about what he can teach his players in 4 days.
I used to make these elaborate scouting reports when I was a DC. (cont'd)
One day when I no longer work for a public school system, I am going to Tweet all the crap that pops into my head that I never post. On that day, you shall all receive enlightenment. . . And total consciousness on your deathbed. . . So you got that going for ya.
Random kid: Coach, I want to come out for football.
Me: Why didn't you come to spring practice? Summer workouts?
Kid: I was on cruise.
Me: A cruise? A 12 week cruise.
Kid: Yes, sir.
Me: To where
Kid: Alabama.
The secret to surviving Picture Day is to be the head coach and run it like a practice. Do not abdicate those responsibilities to the photographer. That guy works for you.
Script it out!
Distribute the plan to your coaches.
Let the photographer know that you're in charge.
Our country needs more tough-minded people who are resilient and self-reliant, who trust in their own abilities and possess the will to forge ahead during tough times. Few activities are better at developing those traits than the sport of football.
It is 33 degrees here in south Georgia. My 7 year old came downstairs wearing 4 pairs of pants - ready for school. He has been fully south Georgia-fied.
When I see a tweet from a HS coach, I locate the HS that they work at on Google Maps, then zoom out to see what the closest city that I have heard of is.
Things that I have learned by doing this:
1) I suck at geography.
2) Some of you jokers work very far from civilization
I repeat. If I were I a Power 5 HC and my AD came to me and told me that he signed us up to play App State in an early season non-conference game, I would throw him out a third story window.
The HC's job is to create a vision for the program, chart its path, communicate the vision to the coaches, players, and parents, and supervise its day-to-day operations. The assistant coaches job is to turn his vision into a reality.
I think D guys should study offense during the off-season, and "O" guys should study defense. Soooo many times I see plays, coverages, protections diagrammed with little understanding of how the other side will react, block, attack, or defend.
#knowthyenemy
Here's some worldly advice for everyone:
1) Don't take financial advice from people who live paycheck to paycheck.
2) Don't take relationship advice from a dude who can't keep a woman.
3) Don't take coaching advice from people who don't coach for a living.
The best clinic presentations I've ever been a part of involved cocktail napkins and cold beer. I've presented 100's of hours and sat in 1000's more . . . the 1 on 1 time u get with a guy over a frosty Miller Lite are where the details come out.
If you don't have the discipline to sit through a clinic and take notes, but instead opt to chill in the bar with your coaching homies for the entire time.
You probably shouldn't complain to your players about hard work or effort.
Just now in weight training. . .
Kid: Coach, can I use your weigher?
Me: My what?
Kid: your weigher.
Me: What is a weigher
Kid: the thing that shows you how much you weigh.
Me: you mean the scale
Kid: I didn't know what it was called.
We are doomed as a species.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, all coaches coached on both sides of the ball. Now, it's pretty much just small schools. If u want to learn football, learn both sides -- and maybe some special teams.
We should put a football coach in charge of the country and install a indoor turf field beside the capital building. When our elected representatives start acting like asshats, he can take them in their with 200 prowler sled until they balance the budget or fix immigration.
I would like to remind everyone on Twitter that if u believe a high school signs like 10 major college football players every year organically then you are not very smart.
It's important to step back and have compassion for your players' situations. Unfortunately, not everyone buckling their chinstrap in your locker room lives in a stable home or have parents who are committed to their success. Some need discipline. Some need compassion. Use both.
Wife: I'm taking the kids out of town to visit my family for the weekend. Is that okay?
Me: (at Winn Dixie buying 6 boxes of Fruity Pebbles and a case of beer). No problem. I'll survive.
Coach interrupts Saban to tell him that he had 5 mins in the 1st session. Saban tells him not to interrupt him again and then tell the room he's talking non-stop for 3 hours, and if u want to go outside a BS with your buddies, get up and leave now. Best clinic I've ever seen
As a guy with 28 years of experience, nothing pisses me off more than a guy earning $17k a year plus a meal pass thinking he's recruiting in the SEC while working in the SAC. If they were 6-4, they wouldn't be playing D-3.