Descriptive Labels for Qualities in a Football Player(Reaching out for help)

[pnies20]

5 hours ago, NudeTayne said:

@pnies20

Pretty much

[buno67]

Here you go @TheeRealDeal

Couple seasons ago for my OL, I got a sledge hammer for the group. Painted it all up, put team logos on it, and made it a weekly award. Best lineman of the week earned it. They were in charge of bring it to practice and the game for the week. If you get a big enough hammer, and paint it up just right, your group will think they are badarses walking into the field with the hammer on their shoulders and having it proped up on the field where they do pregame Indy.  

Also got hammer decals. When they did things I wanted in a game they earned the stickers. 

I said HAMMER stands for

Hardwork

Attitide

Mentality 

Motivation 

Effort

Ruthlessness 

said that each word describes the characteristics I want to see from each and everyone of my linemen. I then went into detail on what I think the word means and what it looks like to me and gave examples of what  player has done to represent that word. 

Then I made a slogan out of it called Drop The Hammer. Because whatever that hammer head drops on will be destroyed by it. Also during the weeks used the quotes like be the hammer not the nail and all that stuff. 

You can totally steal the idea and totally incorporate it into the offseason. Have them earn it Being the best guy in the weight room for the work. Also make the group do hammer workouts on a truck tire. 

Each week in the offseason,  dedicate a special workout to each word. Like a challenge or something like that  like say it’s ruthless week, so you have competitions and you want your guys to just bury anyone they go up against  effort week, you want to see them kick it up a notch. Maybe allow them to earn stickers for their helmets then for winning those weeks. 

it works as a total team thing as well if you like it enough to share it with your HC. Also if it’s a team thing, can also make a weekly team event that before entering the field, they have to destroy a  Cinderblock with the opposing team logo or name on it with the hammer

[TheeRealDeal]

Weight lifting and the strength program are a given. We are working on that little by little each year. We have a good program that works it is the participation that is lacking right now.

@buno67, good stuff. We too award a sledge hammer weekly but it is for the biggest hit on defense each week.

We have competitions every week as well and they get pretty brutal some times. 

I like the Cinderblock Idea.

[buno67]

10 hours ago, TheeRealDeal said:

Weight lifting and the strength program are a given. We are working on that little by little each year. We have a good program that works it is the participation that is lacking right now.

@buno67, good stuff. We too award a sledge hammer weekly but it is for the biggest hit on defense each week.

We have competitions every week as well and they get pretty brutal some times. 

I like the Cinderblock Idea.

How big is your program? I know when I have listened to coaches from big schools,  allow freshmen and sophmores the ability to earn their varsity letter based on weight room participation. One it motivates the younger guys to be in the weight room and also allows them to earn their letter sooner so they can get more use out of a varsity jacket if they get one. By then they have fallen in love with the weight room process and so by the time they are juniors and seniors they are physically ready. 

I would almost change up the way you symbolize the hammer and the big hit. Use the hammer to preach those qualities I was talking about or the qualities you want it to stand for. Might be better than just a big hit 

[TheeRealDeal]

Small program. Very small. We are forced into playing freshman and sophomores all the time because we don't have enough upper classman. 

[candyman93]

Buno is right.

 

It starts in the weight room. I don’t care how “tough” you are if you’re physically getting planted on your ***.

[candyman93]

Also, learn from Brian White of Hilliard Davidson. He’s the PERFECT high school coach to model after.

[buno67]

1 hour ago, TheeRealDeal said:

Small program. Very small. We are forced into playing freshman and sophomores all the time because we don't have enough upper classman. 

do you do anything with the middle school kids? I know in the programs I worked with before. They would hold strength and conditioning sessions 2-4x a month in the offseason. It was a great way to introduce the kids to the weight room and the coaching staff but also get a chance to start perfecting their form. so when they came in as freshmen, they could hit the weight room running and not wasting time learning proper lifting technique because they got that in the speed and strength sessions with the varsity coaches.

[MSURacerDT55]

@TheeRealDeal Part of growth as a coach is realizing that you can always fit a square peg into a round hole, meaning if those guys are tough guys, glass eaters or maulers, they still have value on the offensive line (this is coming from a guy who was a fire and brimstone, typical meathead OL/DL coach). Part of being a high level coach is being able recognize a guy's individual skill set and putting him in position to be successful, that means coming off of our pedestal as a coach and maybe change our scheme in order to cater to the talent you have around you. We had a stud QB transfer mid summer on us, we went from running a spread offense to running a power I, T formation and double tight. We only had one returning starter on the OL, and 4 other underclassmen who are big and slow but strong we had zero intentions of having as starters, 10 weeks later we have a 2k yard rusher with 30 plus TDs, 7-2, city champs and are playing for a district championship in the state playoffs.

 

Basically, your growth as a coach will afford you the ability to view things from a different perspective, also your kids will always be a refection of you and your attitude/reflection as a coach.

[MWil23]

On 10/31/2018 at 9:05 PM, candyman93 said:

Also, learn from Brian White of Hilliard Davidson. He’s the PERFECT high school coach to model after.

Great coach and program. They’re fantastic. I’m excited to see them play Wayne this weekend. Two very contrasting styles of play.

[candyman93]

On 11/2/2018 at 2:00 PM, MWil23 said:

Great coach and program. They’re fantastic. I’m excited to see them play Wayne this weekend. Two very contrasting styles of play.

For people who like old school, they’d love Hilliard Davidson’s program. Nothing has changed and they’ve always had success.

[MWil23]

2 hours ago, candyman93 said:

For people who like old school, they’d love Hilliard Davidson’s program. Nothing has changed and they’ve always had success.

We played a home and away with them non conference in 2012-2013. We lost a heartbreaker in 2012 14 to 13 and went for two on the road and did not convert. Nothing but respect for what they do.

[buno67]

Hilliard is a big program?

he needs to build his program after Kirtland. My god the transformation that programs has made under their coach. Once just an avg D6 programs in the state to one of the best programs that prolly could compete with any team in the state and is a D6 power 

[MWil23]

2 hours ago, buno67 said:

Hilliard is a big program?

Is this a serious question? 

Aside from perennial conference dominance and playoff appearances, they’ve won 2 D1 state titles in the last 15 years...and there are 2 other rock solid Hilliard schools right there in Darby and Bradley.

[buno67]

19 minutes ago, MWil23 said:

Is this a serious question? 

Aside from perennial conference dominance and playoff appearances, they’ve won 2 D1 state titles in the last 15 years...and there are 2 other rock solid Hilliard schools right there in Darby and Bradley.

by big I mean arnt they D1/D2? I am not very familiar with them because of living in the Cleveland area, I know they are around the Columbus area.

I just said that because @TheeRealDeal makes it sound like he is at a small program. So it would be hard to try and recreate what makes Hillard good.