From Gold to Friday Night Lights to a New Path

This week, I've taught my RG how to snap and my LT how to get in a halfway decent stance. Both have left me with this incredible feeling of satisfaction. DK would be a great center because he's smart, physical and already a leader. He, like any person trying to play the position, struggled with getting great explosion off the football while still providing a good snap, but he did a great job. We battled for about 30 minutes after practice on Monday - and some of the receivers did stay to catch the deep ball especially. Yesterday, they asked me if I was going to stay again and of course I said yes. Our first QB couldn't stay long, so that cut down playtime for some of the more rambunctious kids, but I did get a chance to work with VP during practice on his stance. He finally listened to me when I made a few adjustments, including some actual BEND in his knees and hamstrings. He, I think, was shocked at how much difference a few inches made in his ability to pass block and ...

Last week was fall break for my high school, and the freshmen did not have a dedicated practice but instead were invited to participate with the varsity. Sadly, only a few did come and not all the boys who should've been there were. Still, my TE did play a good deal in last Thursday's JV game (photo above). It was a good learning experience for him. After the game I asked him how it went, mostly because of where we were sitting in the stands, I couldn't really see too much of the game. He said: "Well, that guy was so strong and fast and I really couldn't do anything at all against him." I said: "We learn different things in every game.... and it'll be off to the weight room with you this winter and spring." The ugly thing I learned during the game was a result of my choice to support the boys as a fan. All the varsity coaches came to the game, but all stood on the sideline even if they were not participating in the coaching. I had asked Josh to ...

Sad to report, but we were upset in the final :40 seconds of Thursday night's battle. We got out to a quick start, scoring and moving the ball down the field. We installed a check down this week from 83 Base to 21 Bucksweep and vice- versa , and because it was the only check, I'm certain by halftime the other team knew the play but mostly couldn't stop us. Good news. Yeah, O-line - it starts up front! Still, our defense wasn't able to recognize the counter plays they ran, and a freak flea-flicker play took the wind out of our sails going into halftime. I hate that stupid play, except the one time it was run by Boise State. We didn't really change anything at halftime, and the defense picked up its intensity for the second act. We recovered a fumble, the momentum from which was stymied by our attempt to draw an offsides call, which resulted in a mental error and a 1st and 15 instead. Worse, our kicker missed his extra point attempt when we did score which was attrib...

Every day of coaching, I feel like I learn something. Some is to be expected - such as what kind of coaching is needed in a game vs. practice, or what my role is on a coaching staff of five - and the other things cover a wide scope. This week, I've learned something that probably no male coach could've told me, and that is: if you make treats to take to a football game, make sure it doesn't make a mess in your locker room (think: rice krispie treats). The boys didn't actually make a mess, but Coach L's first reaction was to yell that into the lockerroom after the cupcakes came in for Coach H's birthday (which was Tuesday) and because I still felt a bit guilty for missing their first game because of class last week. No matter, I also learned that with a logical explanation, boys move on with no problem. My center M asked me about it Monday and as I was apologizing to him, it was already over. Cool. If I was still coaching girls, I think they'd still be mad......

This week's fun at practice culminated yesterday with a JV - frosh scrimmage because our first game was postponed to 9.16. It was a let-down, but still a good opportunity to prepare some things, especially because Coach H was gone this week at a coaching clinic across town. On Tuesday when Coach L told the boys about the scrimmage vs. game situation, I walked down to the locker room with my center M, TE C and a few other boys. M tells me right off the bat: "Coach, we're going to get killed." Of course I had to say if he felt that way, he should just stay home on Thursday... but in truth, I wasn't sure what to expect. The challenges of the frosh squad are many but one is that we aren't able to really "scout" the other team. We can see what our boys are doing through the practice tapes we take on Thursdays and we can see what the opponents' varsity squads are playing but it will be a mystery for personnell and game planning. The same was a little t...

On the night of the Varsity’s first home game last Friday (8.27), the home crowd was buzzing. Little kids in football jerseys and "cheerleaders" were running around after a clinic held on our practice fields, adjacent to the stadium. They formed up a tunnel to high-five the players as they ran out onto the field, and as you can tell from the photo, things have gotten advanced. We have a wonderful facility with lockerroom for the varsity, coaches’ offices and lockerroom, rooms for film and study, a kitchen with adjacent multipurpose room on the second floor, training room and patio/deck for pre/post game meals. From the photo, you can see the banner and the fog machine and the cheerleaders…. High school football isn’t the same here, even for a town itching for a decent squad in some time. I remember running out onto our (shared) field, with its Astroturf and burning lights… it was fall and it was fantastic. This is the same feeling, but more restrained for me. Some of the coac...

I talked to Dana on the phone last night and realized I was getting behind on my funny stories from football practice. I'll try to recap. I think something happens every day that either cracks me up or makes me proud to be a coach. This week's highlights have included: - A get-to-the-ball-drill + conditioning - where our corner was confused as to the fact that he was participating in the station and not being a stationary volunteer. He waved his arms in the air instead of running to the guy behind him, who was actually the target of Coach L's pointing. The stationary volunteers on the other side did updowns and ran with the defense, so it was all a little chaotic. - In the same drill, coach L asked the kids to do an up-down, pop up and do a somersault and then get to the stationary volunteer he pointed at - with the purpose that sometimes you have to make it happen - someone might be in your way, you might fall, etc., but on defense you have to get there. My RT is built ve...