Day one we taught the fundamentals of alignment, stance, read step, reacting to run/pass, proper angles, and zone drops. Day two we want to review the fundamentals you taught on Day 1. Asking your players questions not only allows you to see where they are mentally, but it also allows you to see where you are as their teacher. If you are not communicating well them, you need to ask yourself some questions about your teaching techniques and more importantly what kind of relationship you have with your players. Here are some questions you need to ask yourself if you want to get the best out of your players:
- Are you a good teacher? Are you asking questions to only your starters or are you asking questions to your fourth string players as well? I currently have fourth string linebackers who I ask questions equally to as if they were my starters. In meetings, I want them to fill as important as our starters. It helps them to pay attention and also helps build a foundation for the future. It is also good for my first teamers to listen to all responses and retain the questions I ask others.
You never know when you will have to call on them to play. Last year, I lost both my starting linebackers in preseason the first week in July for the year. One player fell and separated his shoulder going though bags and the other one popped his ankle out doing an angle drill.
- Can you communicate to your players what you want them to do before you get on the practice field? Meeting times may be short, but convey to them on the board what you want. Draw diagrams to give them a visual of the drills you will run and even demonstrate yourself before each drill on the practice field. If you want them to become great technicians you must teach them what you want so they can execute what you have asked on every play. Most great coaches are great teachers and communicators.
- Do you sincerely care about your players? We are fathers to many! Do you call them by their first name, do you spend time talking to them about their lives, do you teach them values, do you ask them about their family situation, what is important to them, what do they want to become someday, do you teach them right from wrong (socially), are you preparing them for their future, do you know their dreams in life and most of all do you share and want to help them achieve their dreams? Or are you a coach who uses your players to get wins on your resume without making the time to build a positive relationship with them. Unfortunately, I have worked for and with coaches like that. I know if you sincerely care about them, they will give you everything they have on the field. The championships I have been blessed from above mean nothing without the relationships I have had along the coaching journey.
I have found throughout my experience that being a great teacher, communicator and caring for your players separate good coaches from bad coaches.
Walkthrough
Begin Day 2 with a walkthrough. Walkthroughs allow you to review and ask questions to get a feel for where each player is mentally. It is vital that you build their football knowledge from day to day. If you don’t, it is like teaching a child their ABC’s the first day and asking them to write you a sentence the second day. You must build each day what you have taught the day before. Review and ask specific questions. Make them give specific answers. I have worked with coaches who will ask a question and then blurt out the answer without giving the player time to respond. It is ok to give your players clues. Clues help them in retaining information. Do not yell at them if they do not know the answer. Yellers and screamers are for the most part ineffective. Save your louder tones for the things that hurt the team. Good teachers do not have to yell. Slow down the learning process. The first few days are great for teaching the fundamentals. The less a player has to think about on the field, the more productive and faster they will play.
Review Day 1
Day 2 is a repetition of Day 1. Go through the fundamentals you taught from the day before. You must be conscious to build a base. Stress playing great technique (stance, read steps, playing low, angles), reading the triangle, reacting to flow for run or pass, gap responsibilities, option responsibilities and pass drops.
See what they have retained from the day before. It is amazing sometimes to see the growth of your players technically from day one to day two (especially your young ones). You have been evaluating your linebackers along the way. Day 3 you will incorporate drills that build upon what you have taught technically and will zero in on the evaluation process.