As we start the season, I had a few thoughts as we get ready. All coaches at every level are hungry for the new season to begin. We have put in the off-season time, formulated new game plans, gone over last year’s mistakes, and made it a mission to be a better football coach than we were last year. August is the worst month for any coach or players due to the heat and the lack of time without playing another team, 7 on 7’s, etc. Thank goodness we are getting so close to opening the season and seeing how good we have done preparing our teams with new groups of seniors, new ideas, and renewed dedication and commitment to our respective programs.
When we start August practices, we section off what we want to accomplish in chronological order. First, we want to test them mentally and get them in tremendous condition. Next we want to make sure they know backwards and forwards our base defenses and offenses that we will be calling the most. We then want to develop some leadership and start molding our offense and defense to the strength and weaknesses of our team. Yes, I said mold it to the strengths and weaknesses. There will always be a weakness on your team. We don’t run from it or hide it, we do try to get it to the point that it will not keep us from winning a championship.
Finally before that first game, we want to have enough stuff in to win. We go by the thinking of Sun Tzu from the Art of War. Those that do few things must prepare for the enemy. Those that do many, the enemy must prepare for you. I know their are two main coaching thoughts regarding football. One is, we are going to do a few things but we are going to do them better than everyone else. My own personal philosophy is, we are going to do a million things and give you a million looks, and we really just want to be pretty good at all of them. That way, we always have a chance to have an answer for everything.
Good luck to everyone as they begin their quest towards a championship. Not many people will win one. And contrary to the way the world is going today and the thoughts about this, we will not all deserve a trophy at the end of the year. But the great thing about football is that FOOTBALL IS HARD. And anyone who plays the game knows that and we do not need trophies to know that we had to have a commitment and dedication beyond normal to be a part of a football team.