Clinic Talk Community

[email protected] eightlaces.
org
Athletic Director Excelsior Charter School
Chris Fore
coachfore.org
EIGHTLACES.ORG COACHFORE.ORG
1. What did you do differently this year from the other programs in your league, your section, your state that enabled your success as a State Champion? 2. What piece of advice would you give to a Head Coach who wants to win a State Championship? 3. What do you consider the one most important aspect of your Championship team this year? How EIGHTLACES.ORG did you develop that in your program? COACHFORE.ORG
366 STATE CHAMPIONS IN 2011 tracked down 320 of them
108 from 42 states responded to my survey

LESSONS FOR BUILDING A CHAMPIONSH IP-CALIBER FOOTBALL PROGRAM
FIRST CHARACTERISTIC ITS NOT ABOUT WINNING Oxymoron of the Highest Sort
"A life of frustration is inevitable for any coach whose main enjoyment is winning. Chuck Noll EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
The advice I would give a coach is not to be coaching football to become a champion. Your job as a coach is to teach your athletes how to become better people in society. If you are coaching to win, you are in it for the wrong reasons. Mike Rowe, Rocori HS (Minnesota) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
Do not coach just to win a state championship. Coach for the right reasons; using the platform of football to affect the community. I have won 5 state championships and I can tell you that it can feel very empty if that is all that you are coaching for. Tim Goodwin Marion Local HS (Ohio)
WHY DO YOU COACH?
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
Dont focus on winning a state championship. If its meant to be it will happen. Focus on developing your student athletes in all areas to prepare them to be successful in life. Mike Boyd, Nouvel Catholic Central HS (Michigan)
If your goal is to win a state championship, change your goal!!! If your passion is to build young men of character, faith and a strong work ethic; to build men who will be fathers, husbands and sons, build relationships that change lives. - Greg McClendon, Midland Christian HS (Texas)
We believe that you develop the whole athlete with the mindset of becoming a champion in every area of your life. We believe that you become a Champion first and then you win championships. Winning a Championship doesn't make you a champion in our eyes. Kirk Fridrich, Union High School HS (Oklahoma)
EIGHTLACES.ORG
Be yourself. Do not focus on winning a state championship. Focus
on daily excellence.
Harry Welch, Santa Margarita HS (California)
My advice would be to coach one week at a time and don't make it about a championship. When teams work to get better each and every day, championships take care of themselves. - Andy Lowry, Columbine HS (Colorado)
How and why did you truly start coaching?

SECOND CHARACTERISTIC STAY THE COURSE Develop YOUR Philosophy

Stay the course. Dont change just to change. Have consistency and routine in the things you do. - Mark Buderus, Florence HS (Colorado)
I would tell another coach to stay the course and stay true to your philosophy and the culture you are trying to create as a coach. Once they buy in to what you are preaching not only will they be successful football players but they will be successful people as well.
- Eric Cumba, St. Thomas EIGHTLACES.ORG Aquinas HS (New Hampshire)
COACHFORE.ORG
The most important aspect of us winning championships is our commitment to consistency. We sell to our kids that winning in football comes from sticking with your system. - Rhett Farmer, Piedmont Academy (Georgia)
Every coach wants to win a state championship, but they also need to understand there isnt a perfect system, a definite blueprint for a program. Coaches should decide on their philosophical approach, and then implement a plan. Once the plan is deemed to be fundamentally solid, stick to it. - Jeff Gourley, Olathe South HS (Kansas)
MISSION STATEMENT FOR: LIONS FOOTBALL WILL BE KNOWN

A chievement in the classroom by each student-athlete C oaches who teach not only about football but life T heir sportsmanship in both victory and defeat S uccess based not on talent or ability but a nonnegotiable work ethic
Success never comes easy. There has to be commitment on your end as a coach to outwork the other coaches in your league. - Scott Sparks, Denton HS (Montana)
Stay true to what you believe in. Don't think you need to run the schemes that other teams do because THEY have success with it. Work hard at what YOU do and be good at it. Travis Cote, Bishop Guertin HS (New Hampshire)
Get a system you like and stick with it. Do not jump around adding aspects to a system that may look good to start with. Consistency in a system for grades 9-12 is vital. Carl Lemke, St. Croix Lutheran HS (Minnesota)
Are you staying the course with your program? If not, why?
THIRD CHARACTERISTIC
COACHING THE HEART OF THE ATHLETE

Focus on what is important, the kids....don't focus on what you don't have, or what your competition does have or the people that say it can't be done....the kids are the reason we are here. -Scott Bailey, Lamar HS (Missouri)
The biggest advice that I could give another coach is make connections with the kids; make them understand that you value each and every one of the players. - Michael Bates Little Snake River HS (Wyoming)
SEE THEM BEYOND FRIDAY NIGHT

Build relationships with your studentathletes. When you develop these kind a relationships, they will play harder for you, they will respect you, and problems outside of football will be minimized.
- Pat Murphy, Capitol HS (Montana)
PERSON
> PLAYER
As a Coach I believe we must Get in the Bubble of each Player. They must know you care about them as individuals OFF the Field even more than on the field. - Tim McMullen Letchworth HS (New York)
My favorite quote, which I tell our coaching staff that we will live by is they don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." EIGHTLACES.ORG - Strait Herron, South Point HS (South Carolina) COACHFORE.ORG
I truly believe the one thing that sets our program apart from other programs is our commitment to coaching the heart of the athlete. Most coaches get so caught up in the xs and os but they never spend time coaching the heart of their kids. - Jeremy Brown Jefferson County HS (Florida)
What is your greatest success in coaching a kid past Friday?
FOURTH CHARACTERISTIC
THE LITTLE THINGS

Focus on the little things. This is the best piece of advice I ever received as a coach. Take care of the small things that are important and the big things like winning will come. -Rick Streiff Cathedral HS (Indiana) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
We never talk about winning. Winning is a by-product of out executing and out-working your opponent. Focus on what you can control, which are the little things: Footwork, technique and off-season training.
- Pat Murphy Capitol HS (Montana)
Resiliency and attention to detail. Our backup QB did a hook slide inbounds at the opponents' 3 yard line with 1:28 to go that allowed us to score and run the clock out. We had covered it only during August and he performed it in late November. Attention to detail is handled through film study and meetings.
- Joe Prudhomme, Nolan Catholic HS (Texas)
I feel we did the little things right. You cant just coach the big picture, because the big picture is made from several little pictures.
- Jon Ellinghouse Sierra Canyon HS (California)
I think something we did very well this year was to get our kids to buy into concentrating on the details and little things. Little things make BIG differences. Focus on the little things help with execution, penalties, and help prepare kids in making plays. Andy Lowry, Columbine HS (Colorado)
We believe that our attention to detail during the week and our number of reps allow our players to understand the game plan and play fast! - Pat Rice, Waunakee HS (Wisconsin) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
What do you need to do better in regards to the little things?
FIFTH CHARACTERISTIC
DEVELOPING A WORK ETHIC
Keep the vision alive with a great work ethic and have the ability to persevere. - Hal Wasson, Southlake Carroll HS (Texas)
We believe a program needs an identity to be successful. We build ours in the weight room the entire year. - Randy Dreiling, Hutchinson HS (Kansas)
The most important part of our team this year was their work ethic, specifically with the strength and conditioning. It was developed as a program from the winter, into the summer and through the season. EIGHTLACES.ORG - Keith Croft, Bishop Hendricken HS (Rhode COACHFORE.ORG Island)
We are 73-2 and have won the state championship the last 5 years not because we know something that others don't or have some unique scheme. Our players try harder on a year round basis than players at other schools. If anything but that last sentence is emphasized than my message on how to be a consistent state champion is missed. EIGHTLACES.ORG - Dale Mueller, Highlands HS (Kentucky)
COACHFORE.ORG
THE NUMBER ONE THING COACHES SAID THEY DID DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS IN THEIR LEAGUE, SECTION, STATE?
WORK ETHIC!
We provided the structure and program for our players to work their tail off. Hard work = success. - Mark Del Percio Middletown HS (Delaware)EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
I think our off-season program really got us over the top mentally and physically. Mentally, I think our kids believed they could beat anybody because of the work they put in during the off season. - Hal Lamb, Calhoun HS (Georgia)
WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER!
We break 12 months up into 1. Preseason 2. Season 3. Post-Season, and have specific goals that we want to accomplish during each of those periods. We use the old philosophy regarding plan your work, then work your plan. - Kevin Wright, Carmel HS (Indiana) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
Revised strength and conditioning program was the most important aspect of our Championship team this year. -Joe Kinnan Manatee HS (Florida)
Who two aspects of your program need a better work ethic?
SIXTH CHARACTERISTIC
LEADERSHIP
We had an incredible sense of unity, leadership, and confidence within our program this year. It can be attributed to the group of seniors we had leading and their willingness to listen to their coaches, and the group of underclassmen who were willing to follow. - Don Julian Sheridan HS (Wyoming)
The most important aspect would have to be the leadership from our seniors. Everyone bought into the conditioning and team concept because everyone saw our seniors working as hard as they could to just EIGHTLACES.ORG win. - Ray Steele, Indian River HS (Delaware) COACHFORE.ORG
FIVE WAYS TO BUILD LEADERSHIP
1.ONGOING LEADERSHIP TRAINING
We had great leadership from our studentathletes. Whenever I've had great leadership on our team our success followed. We do leadership training with our upcoming seniors and we talk about using those skills regularly. - Frederick Bouchard, Staley HS (Missouri)
Developing leaders started years before their senior year. Looking back at old team pictures, our strongest captains were managers as 5/6 graders. - John Schwartz, Mendon HS (Michigan)
2. COMMUNITY LEADERS
2. PUT LEADERS IN CHARGE AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!
The one piece of advice Id give to a Head Coach wanting to win a State Championship is as you seniors go, your season goes, and your best players must be your best workers and must be servants within your program. - Don Julian Sheridan HS (Wyoming) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
4. AGE DOESNT EQUAL LEADERSHIP
5. YOU MUST SET THE TONE

My advice to young and upcoming head coaches is to understand leadership is from the top down; just because someone is the head coach does not mean they dont have to do the work that they did as an assistant coach. - Rhett Farmer Piedmont Academy EIGHTLACES.ORG COACHFORE.ORG (Georgia)
What is your plan for developing leaders?

SEVENTH CHARACTERISTIC
CHEMISTRY: The Most Overlooked Key To Success

TEAM CHEMISTRY was the most important aspect of our championship. We have good team chemistry year in and year out in our program, but this team bonded like no other. - Bob Godsey, Hartselle HS (Alabama)
We felt that we had the talent and capabilities to be successful. However, felt strongly that we needed to work hard on TEAM CHEMISTRY! - Ken Lucas, Annapolis Area Christian School (Maryland)
Our team first mentality was really our key this seasonthe idea that everyone has roles and no matter what your specific roll is it is critical to the team and to the success of the team. This really led to tremendous team chemistry and leadership.
- Pat Rice, Waunakee HS (Wisconsin) EIGHTLACES.ORG

COACHFORE.ORG
They were playing for each other and not themselves. It took a tremendous amount of group mentoring and teaching. We would read any newspaper articles or relative current events that spoke to the team 1st mentality. - Dan Higgins, Piscataway HS EIGHTLACES.ORG (New Jersey) COACHFORE.ORG
Team unity and love for each other. Plan for it; practice it daily, it is the single most influential factor. We preach common purpose, mutual dependence and shared honor. EIGHTLACES.ORG - Willie Amendola, Dekaney HS (Texas) COACHFORE.ORG
Team Chemistry is everything! The 2010 State Runner Up had more talent than this year's 2011 Championship team did, but could not all get along. We stressed respect and had several team building activities. - Kevin Swift, Gold Beach High School (Oregon)
ORIENTATION GROUPS
I would say the belief in each other we call Brotherhood. It helped sustain us through our year round strength and conditioning program, helped us overcome a week 6 loss in a big game environment and made the process of building a football program more enjoyable. - Scott Bailey, Lamar HS (Missouri) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
Our Team unity was outstanding. It started with our seniors and filtered through all the classes. We have been very blessed over last thirty years winning the state championship eleven times and playing for the title seven more times. The main ingredient of those teams was unity. - Barney Hester, Tattnall Square Academy (Georgia) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
The most important aspect of our state championship season was definitely, our Team Chemistry. Our kids really cared and loved each other.
- Hal Lamb, Calhoun EIGHTLACES.ORG HS (Georgia) COACHFORE.ORG
Without question, the most important aspect of our team this year was unity. This particular team came together and held each other accountable better than any team I have ever coached. - Jason Herring, Refugio HS (Texas)
How can YOU do a better job developing team chemistry?
EIGHTH CHARACTERISTIC
MENTAL TOUGHNESS: Getting the mind right

What Is This Thing Called Mental Toughness? An Investigation of Elite Sports Performers (2002) Jones, Hanton, and Connaughton of the UK EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
3 KEYS TO TEACHING MENTAL TOUGHNESS
1. Define it; keep brining the kids back to it
We spent a great deal of time on the mindset each week. Mental toughness is being able to go from play to play/ stay in the moment and being able to focus. Being excellent is the ability to do common things with uncommon discipline and enthusiasm. This takes mental toughness; which is a learned behavior. - Hal Wasson, Southlake Carroll HS (Texas)
I believe the biggest task of a head coach in High School Athletics is creating a mindset and an expectation in your players. - Jon Ellinghouse, Sierra Canyon HS (California)
2. Youve got to practice it; not going to happen overnight!

It is just as important to develop players mental toughness and heart power as it is to develop their physical talents and skills. In crucial moments these often are more important in the determination of success and failure than physical attributes. - Joe Harbour, Norwayne HS (Ohio)
I think our kids are very poised and show a lot of mental toughness. We focus on that in everything we do throughout the year. EIGHTLACES.ORG - Hank Carter, Lake Travis HS (Texas) COACHFORE.ORG
We were always able to respond to adversity, no matter what happened our kids responded like champions. I believe that our coaching staff taught our players how to respond to pressure and how to respond to those situations.
- Seth Stinton, Melissa HS (Texas)
3. Teach your kids to be confident by putting them in positions to succeed!

This was displayed no more clearly than in the state finals game when we feel behind for the very first time in the game late in the fourth quarter in a manner that could have broken the spirit of many teams. Our senior quarterback walked into the huddle simply said No Doubts we got this and then we marched down the field to score the game winning touchdown with 30 seconds left in the game. EIGHTLACES.ORG - Joe Harbour, Norwayne HS (Ohio) COACHFORE.ORG
What can you implement to teach mental toughness next year?
NINTH CHARACTERISTIC
PREPARATION Leave no stone unturned

Championshipcaliber football programs know how to prepare their kids to be successful on Friday nights
My best advice would be the same advice I would give to a first year head coach, and that would be the only thing guaranteed concerning your next football season is that you are going to have adversity. So plan for it. -Kevin Wright Carmel HS (Indiana) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
Be well prepared and have a sound plan. You must have more than one plan in case things don't go as well as you hope for. Keep your plan simple so adjustments can be made at any time. -Scott Rials Elba HS (Alabama) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
As a staff, we were better at practice planning and time allocation for all of our practices. Specifically, we tried not to have a period go over 8-10 minutes max. This allowed us to make sure we could rep more technique daily. - Jeff Lindsley, Grangeville HS (Idaho)
3 Keys To Great Practices Be organized Be prepared Be enthusiastic

Find an offensive and defensive system that you are comfortable with and stay with it. We have run an Iformation option offense and a 52(34) defense for 30 years. - Barney Hester Tattnall Square Academy (Georgia)
The coaches taught on the field each day and kept practices well organized. Watching film and making the daily improvements was a big help in the stretch run of the playoffs. - Bruce Hardin, Providence Day EIGHTLACES.ORG HS (North Carolina) COACHFORE.ORG
Dont get too fancy with the offense and defense. It's like the KISS method. Keep it simple stupid. Some coaches want to run 10 different offenses and defenses and the kids are so confused they can't execute anything. - Larry Glatczak, Centralia/Wetmore HS (Kansas)
In what area do you need to get better preparing your kids next year?
TENTH CHARACTERISTIC
BUILDING TRUST AND CONFIDENCE
If you want to win a state championship you have to get the players bought into You as much as the program. - Tim Brabant, Carsonville-Port Sanilac HS (Michigan)
Your players need to trust you and buy in to the offensive and defensive schemes that you implement. - Travis Cote, Bishop Guertin HS (New Hampshire)
The one important aspect this year was trust. We had 9 seniors that came together around week 5 and got better and better as the season went. By the playoffs, our kids trusted each other and had a ton of confidence. - Larry Glatczak, Centralia/Wetmore HS (Kansas)
EIGHTLACES.ORG
When HC loses trust and confidence of his players, coaches, administration and community, he becomes nothing more than an obstacle for his team to reach peak performance.
Trust. The most important characteristic of a great leader is they can be trusted. Trust is developed by being honest, consistent and always following through with what you say you are going to do. - Mike Favero, Logan HS (Utah) EIGHTLACES.ORG
COACHFORE.ORG
not be afraid to give the kids some ownership. We let the kids come up with the verbal calls to communicate the plays to the entire offense. When the kids had a suggestion we listened. They took ownership. Ray Steele, Indian River HS (Delaware)
Do
BUILDING CONFIDENCE
Believe you can win or have a chance to win every game; use extreme preparation and situations in practice. - Mark Buderus, Florence HS (Colorado)
BUILDING CONFIDENCE
DO WHAT YOU SAY; SAY WHAT YOU DO
How are you building trust and confidence in your football program?
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[email protected] eightlaces.

Athletic Director Excelsior Charter School

366 STATE CHAMPIONS IN 2011 tracked down 320 of them

108 from 42 states responded to my survey

LESSONS FOR BUILDING A CHAMPIONSH IP-CALIBER FOOTBALL PROGRAM

WHY DO YOU COACH?

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Be yourself. Do not focus on winning a state championship. Focus

How and why did you truly start coaching?

SECOND CHARACTERISTIC STAY THE COURSE Develop YOUR Philosophy

MISSION STATEMENT FOR: LIONS FOOTBALL WILL BE KNOWN

COACHING THE HEART OF THE ATHLETE

SEE THEM BEYOND FRIDAY NIGHT

What is your greatest success in coaching a kid past Friday?

THE LITTLE THINGS

- Pat Murphy Capitol HS (Montana)

- Jon Ellinghouse Sierra Canyon HS (California)

What do you need to do better in regards to the little things?

DEVELOPING A WORK ETHIC

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER!

Who two aspects of your program need a better work ethic?

FIVE WAYS TO BUILD LEADERSHIP

1.ONGOING LEADERSHIP TRAINING

2. PUT LEADERS IN CHARGE AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!

4. AGE DOESNT EQUAL LEADERSHIP

5. YOU MUST SET THE TONE

What is your plan for developing leaders?

CHEMISTRY: The Most Overlooked Key To Success

- Pat Rice, Waunakee HS (Wisconsin) EIGHTLACES.ORG

- Hal Lamb, Calhoun EIGHTLACES.ORG HS (Georgia) COACHFORE.ORG

How can YOU do a better job developing team chemistry?

MENTAL TOUGHNESS: Getting the mind right

3 KEYS TO TEACHING MENTAL TOUGHNESS

1. Define it; keep brining the kids back to it

2. Youve got to practice it; not going to happen overnight!

3. Teach your kids to be confident by putting them in positions to succeed!

What can you implement to teach mental toughness next year?

PREPARATION Leave no stone unturned

3 Keys To Great Practices Be organized Be prepared Be enthusiastic

BUILDING TRUST AND CONFIDENCE

DO WHAT YOU SAY; SAY WHAT YOU DO

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