The difference between winning and losing is preparation. The following are key ingredients to winning on the scoreboard.
Guest Post by Mark Jackson
Superior Personnel. Not just talent, but personnel.
As in, who you are using and where you are utilizing them. Yes, a team needs
highly skilled (fast, strong, talented) players. However, it needs football
players more than it does athletes. Putting players in the right spot for your
offense/defense is what makes your personnel. Make sure it is maximized
Superior Condition
Both physical and mental conditioning are vital. Strength
of mind often determines strength of body.
Superior Attitude
Players need to be taught how to focus and to develop
their mental attitudes. Too many times I've been around people who could not
re-focus once some unfortunate happened. Their mental attitude was poor, and it
typicall led to more 'misfortune' as they were unable to overcome that small
bit of adversity.
Superior Teaching
I call it teaching, rather than coaching, because I
truly believe we are teaching our players football (much like a professor
teaches his class about chemistry). Coaching, well, that is merely the name I
give to it. The coaching staff that can teach their players the proper
techniques to execute their schemes will have a distinct advantage. It is easy
to talk football, and hard to apply. Teaching movements, blocking, tackling,
etc. are the things that win. What you know has very little bearing on the
game, it's what your players know and can execute.
Fewer Mistakes
If you properly take care of the first 4, then, by the
nature of your teaching, conditioning, attitude, and personnel matchup, your
team should make few mistakes. Elimination of missed assignments, penalties,
missed blocks, and missed tackles is the real proof of your ability as a coach.
Sell Your System
Decide what offensive/defensive system you will use.
Totally sell your team that your system is the best. Make believers of them and
use "propaganda" whenever possible. Make sure to use the words
"our program" as opposed to "my program" (and even
"their program"). Using "our", "we",
"us", etc. helps bring everyone together and show that we are all in
the same boat together. Convince them you have a well thought out reason for
everything you do and everything they are asked to do. They must believe that
what you are asking them to do is for their ultimate good. Sell your program to
the public as well. This includes student body, faculty, parents, boosters,
news media, and the 'future' players (elementary & middle school). What
they think of you and your program is highly important. Their opinion and the
environment it creates affects your players. The more successful you are in
handling the people in these areas, the more success you should enjoy.
Likewise, you will have fewer headaches and problem.
You Must Have Discipline
Instill in each player at the
very beginning what you expect of them in regards to: practice, equipment,
locker room, dress, school work, training guidelines, relationship with
teachers, coaches, teammates. Get rid of those who can't follow the rules. It's
usually ok to have one jackass, but not 2, because they'll breed. You won't win
with jokers and without discipline on the team, you have nothing. Be firm and
fair. Teach and stress character, accountability, and self-discipline.
Be For the Players
Do something extra for your players.
Let them see you "going to battle" for them. They must see you
throughout the year. Attend other sporting events. Be visible. If a player is
convinced of your extra efforts for them, then he is more likely to give extra
effort of his own. Be sincerely interested in them outside of football. Take
pride in their achievements, both athletic and otherwise. Show interest in
every player on the team. Remember, each one goes home and talks to their
parents about their coach.
Coach Mark Jackson has 20 years coaching experience in junior and senior high school football in Missouri and Tennessee. Currently, Jackson is the offensive coordinator at Obion County Central High School located in Troy, Tennessee. Jackson and his wife, Kim, reside in Union City, Tennessee. Follow Jackson on Twitter @CoachMAJ, or on his blog at coachmaj.blogspot.com
