Coaching

Video Production Savant Part 5

Balancing Act Part 4

The Way of the Pioneer Part 6

The Way of the Pioneer

Move Knowledge Forwarad

Teaching, education, and moving knowledge forward should be the core of the coaching heart. Passing along generational know-how to players and young coaches creates excellent teams. This was the way of the pioneer. They did not hold information close to the vest. Sustainability was achieved by sharing expertise. When ideas are communicated, it gives others permission to create and perform at their max capability.

The timing of each message matters. Many players are not ready to receive certain coaching points. They need time to develop and not be overloaded by information. It’s important for them to unpack things slowly. Within a playing career, players often see things later that they didn’t see then. The same goes for developing coaches. There is a maturation process for both. Take on the way of the pioneer.

The Elite Football Coach Blog Series

Video Production Savant Part 5

Balancing Act Part 4

How Coaches Use Video to Maximize Production

Video Production Savant

The modern coach must use video to maximize production. Most programs do not have the budget to hire a videographer at the high school level. The progress of technology has required coaches to capture and share the film with opposing coaches. Coaches and players use film to assess and address unseen things. It is used to find statistical tendencies, schemes, and best players. Gameplans are created from the film.

Capturing Greatness

Every practice must be filmed to help review game plan implementation. It’s near impossible to see all aspects of the game in real time. There must be a designated coach who prepares camera operations for each practice. Oftentimes, an injured player films practice. To maximize teaching opportunities, two camera angles are used. This provides multiple angles for coaches and players to teach and learn from. Playcalling critiques, execution, and individual technique are all found via video production. It is a vital tool used every day.

Recruitment & NIL

The recruitment of athletes is made possible by the availability of film. College coaches can assess players by logging into hudl.com and watching their highlight tape. NIL Deals (Name, Image, Likeness) that are offered to student-athletes are made possible by the film. A business can now strike a deal with an athlete and pay them to tout their services or product. Schools on the front end of technology, with high-quality equipment, help promote their students. They help create collegiate and business advantages for their kids & use video to maximize production. No longer can programs afford not to film practice and games with low-quality, grainy film. If a play is missed, that was a potential highlight clip; there is missed opportunity to earn money for the athlete. More is at stake now than ever before. We are now talking about both $100,000 NIL Deals and Scholarships.

The demands of coaching have changed with the advancement of technology. The NIL deals, and scholarships have created substantial pressure on the coaching profession and should be taken seriously. The monetary compensation for coaches should reflect the importance of this vast responsibility. Coaches should no longer be paid cents for the hour. High-level coaches will plan accordingly. To be considered an upper-echelon program, a video production team must exist. If I were a head football coach, I would hire a 4th coordinator.

4th Coordinator Responsibilities

Videographer aka “Video Production Savant”
Hudl Consultant
Social Media Guru
Marketing Specialist
Player, Coach, & Program Promotion

In-Game Adjustments

In-game adjustments are made possible and effective through the use of film. Between series, offensive coordinators can revert to the previous possession to peek at the defensive scheme. It is the second set of eyes that can be a reassuring asset. A vital tool that must be in every coach’s tool chest. Players can look at how the opposing team plays them and make their own adjustments.

Use Video to Maximize Production

Players who utilize film to advance their craft create a substantial advantage over opponents. They can identify their tendencies and modify their behavior. The elite coach takes time to teach their players how to do this. They must know how to watch the film. Most players are ball watchers or highlight seekers. Coaches must show them how to see the game through a different lens.

When we pull back the curtain, an expansive operation occurs. So many pieces are in motion that is managed by a team. That team communicates and works for one another. All to create a production that constructs community wins and helps student-athletes achieve their goals.

The Elite Football Coach Blog Series

Balancing Act Part 4

Wrap Up

Check out the Emerging Coaches Guide at the Youniversalife Shop to download your Ebook version of this blog series. It is packed full of valuable coaching information. It is great for young coaches.

Hudl is the one-stop-shop for coaches and players. This software allows you to capture, create, share, and breakdown data. There is no better product on the market. Everyone across the country is using this for capturing athletic performance. Hudl allows you to use video to maximize production!

Balancing Act

Work – Life – Play

The coaching world is a balancing act, teetering from one obligation to the next. There is always something to be done. Operating through multiple phases of the day can be overwhelming. A colleague and I used to joke about the “3 Part Day.”

Part 1 = Teaching school for seven hours.

Part 2 = Football practice for 3 hours.

Part 3 = Returning home for time with the family and preparation for the next day’s reset.

The internal dialogue always exists within each part of the day. There is a constant configuration of scheme development, player management, scheduling, nuances of competition, and overall organization. The mind is always at work and rarely rests or redirects. Turning off the coaching mind in season is hard. Part 3 of the day should be entirely dedicated to family and other endeavors. Teaching the mind to redirect and remain focused on other priorities is a must. Do not fall into the trap of constant coaching.

Subconsciously, an uneasiness swells up when football season arrives. Football coaching families routinely say,

“It’s football season, see you in December.”

The undertone of this quote is unnerving. From July to December, football coaches enter into unending work and the family and friendships suffer. It is difficult to remain focused on spiritual growth. Physical health is placed on the back burner. By saying yes to coaching we say no to these essential life-giving experiences.

Finding balance should be a priority within the coaching staff. When applying for a coaching position, a work-life balance conversation needs to take place. Where are the breaks built-in and how mindful are we of family health and growth?

The days of the tireless grind are over. Do not burn the candle at both ends. This form of approach is not sustainable over time. When the balancing act is lost, relationships with self, family, and team erode.

The Elite Football Coach Blog Series

Finding Balancing Education

I was fortunate to find Aaron McHugh’s terrific “Field Reports” on Work-Life-Play. He’s been able to help frame this category in my mind. I’ve spent many hours washing dishes and exercising while listening to his podcast. Aaron’s unique style and delivery has inspired much of my work.

Design the Unique

The Elite Football Coach Part 3

Creativity at Work

Pioneers of sport are those who continually design the unique idea and implement it. This is known as the creative process, where ideas are put into the world. Good coaches try things on and see if they work. The offseason is when quality coaches spend time in study. They research schemes, create and modify their offensive, defensive, and special teams playbook. Coaches identify previous season deficiencies and build solutions. Establishing unorthodox ways of doing things and considering if they stand the chance of succeeding. It is important that we do not construct walls around the creative mind, but allow it to breathe.

Position Assignment

Successful coaches are able to effectively solve personnel equations. They place players in positions that allow them to succeed through a thought process. Constant analysis of player development is always underway. Structuring depth-charts according to player assessment takes creativity and effective communication among coaches. It’s difficult as a head coach to have eyes on everyone. Trusting those around you to deliver accurate feedback is key. Design the unique assessment process that creates lethal personnel groupings.

Staff Assembly and Use

Constructing a coaching staff requires savviness. Understanding strengths and weaknesses allow the head coach to assign responsibility. Identifying specific responsibilities can be tricky. Constant assessment is used to figure the needs of the team. Once those needs come to light, the head coach must select an assistant to make sure the need is met with diligence. If someone is not assigned, the head coach must take on the duty.

Scheduling

Building a yearly calendar is challenging. It plays out like a puzzle. Oftentimes, coaches must schedule important events with little information about potential time conflicts. The head coach should be the primary decision-maker when scheduling opponents. They must be creative and forecast the strength of their team and those of the opponents in the macro. The quicker calendars are developed and distributed, the better. This allows families and the community to plan accordingly.

Meeting Structure

Time is valuable to all people. Meetings should be organized with a written timeline. Creatively facilitate meetings and make them streamlined. Do not hold meetings to hold meetings. Lean into technology to extinguish potential multi-hour-long gatherings. There are countless tools that allow us to communicate. Figure out how to optimize them to maximize productivity.

School Communication

Creatively navigating communication with staff and the student body is critical. A significant role of the coach is relationship building and giving time to others. Face-to-face conversations, social media posts, email, speaking at assemblies, or simply being present is a must. There needs to be a community connection that is reciprocal. A coach who consistently shows appreciation to those who support the program will ultimately win. This is not a political approach, but a genuine approach.

Younique

Design the unique thing that is from your heart, mind, and spirit. When we do this we unconsciously allow ourselves to be free. Joy becomes more accessible when the creation is from us and not another. New things move the world forward. Take parts of what was learned from others and experiences, then craft a masterpiece of your own. Creativity is found in all things. We are not restricted to one way.

Below you will find links to:

The Elite Football Coach Part 2 Human Behavior

Human Behavior