Humbly, now in my 28th year of coaching football at various levels, it's fair to say that I've changed and matured significantly since my initial foray as a young coach into the world of teaching and mentoring football players, on and off the field.
To date, in my previous 12-years as a head coach, one of the main ingredients that bonds my coaching staff together has been to foster an interactive and open pipeline of fair and equal communication amongst all members.
Developing and maintaining a fantastic culture takes a lot of work and it's worth it.
For many months and/or years, my staff and I have worked very hard together...we celebrate the wins fully united and remain galvanized through the defeats and most challenging of times.
Every year my coaching staff changes a bit, but without a doubt, each season is special and unique in its own right from a staffing point of view. My staff deeply cares for one another, and they fully understand how vested I am in their own personal story and their outstanding level of commitment to our unified team-based cause.
Creating a harmonic coaching staff takes a detailed plan, key experience, discipline, respect for others, and the ability to handle insightful critique and then adjust along the way to improve the team.
My coaching staff is keenly aware of the mantra I often use that, "I don't care where a great idea comes from."
Literally, if I like a creative idea, I will try it. And, whether or not the new concept or method actually works, I will acknowledge and praise the individual or group that brought it to my attention.
We are all equal and in it together. Our mutual goal is simple, do whatever it takes to help our team win.
However, effectively coaching football and keeping the staff in fluid harmony is a tough balancing act on and off the field, and that's why an experienced head coach needs to remain flexible but not sacrifice his or her principles along the way.
Conflict of opinion between members of the coaching staff is the norm and not the exception.
Therefore, in order to minimize any potential fallout or hurt feelings within the staff, it's critically important that each member of the staff understands and believes that their opinion matters.
For example, whether or not a specific idea or concept offered up by a Coordinator or an Intern is actually implemented is not the most important element of maintaining staff harmony. Rather, it's the fact that every staff member's thought process and individual perspective is relevant. All people have value and it is very important to reinforce that basic truth on a regular basis.
In my prior dozen-years as a Head Coach, I have worked with many amazing people that have become lifelong friends, collaborative peers, and sadly, some of them have since passed away. I have been blessed to have learned so much from them and gleaned important bits of knowledge and information that have enabled me to further develop as a coach.
Oakland Panthers Final Day of Training Camp March 5th, 2020 (below)
And, our coaching relationships have been mutually helpful. In fact, four of my assistant coaches have ascended directly from my coaching staff into their own first Head Coaching job. Factually, of those four outstanding men, three of them happen to be black coaches. Excellent people on & off the field.
On my staff we all strive together, and help each other any way possible, on and off the field.
Our staff & team was unified and ready for opening night 2020 (click here).
And, if you are a young and aspiring football coach looking to create your own path, my humble recommendation is to learn from those that came before you since the game was first-invented. Experience matters, credibility is relevant and having the vision to "look long and see short" when developing your coaching style and your plan is vital.
Be open, be honest, be flexible, and praise those who deserve it based on their effort and ingenuity.
If you start each day with a giant slice of humble pie and work as hard as you can to help your fellow staff members within your current situation, the odds are favorable that you will eventually become a head football coach.
Then, you will have a chance to create your own coaching staff that cherishes and values open communication and harmony.
Go for it, and remember to remain flexible along the way.
No comments:
Post a Comment