6 minute read
10 Things I've Learned
BY CHARLEY DRUM THSCA PAST DIRECTOR - STONY POINT HIGH SCHOOL
After 26 years of coaching and 12 years of being an Athletic Coordinator and Head Coach, I just recently decided to step down from my position. After reflecting on the past years, I decided to produce a top ten list of lessons I have learned during this time. I wish I had known most of this when I started, but hopefully some new head coaches can take a few of these lessons and find them useful.
10. Know your priorities in life: Head coaches in general are driven and highly motivated and take their jobs home with them seven days a week. The time you spend at home working or thinking about your job is time you will never get back with your loved ones or with different interests you may have. Something I wished I could have done was have a side hobby, something to take my mind off the job and get away for a few hours.
9. Do not let your ego get in the way: Coaching is not about coaches, but the kids. We are extremely competitive people and want to win at everything we do, but at the end of the day it is about providing student athletes with the lifelong lessons they will utilize later in life. As I have learned, if you concentrate on this concept, winning usually takes care of itself. Also, a head coach should be a collaborator and be able to accept advice from your staff and even your players. There are so many great ideas that are dismissed because of the source.
8. Be a great listener: As I stated before, do not be afraid to listen and acknowledge ideas coming from your staff or players. Getting as many people invested in your goal will be extremely beneficial in the execution. I have also learned that listening is the best way to deescalate a situation with a parent. Often, once the parent unloads without an interruption or argument, the situation becomes less volatile, and the conversation becomes more productive. Listening to parents does not mean you have to agree with their position, but it signals you have acknowledged their concern, and in most cases, you can agree to disagree.
7. Know your staff: Evaluate people’s actions, not their motivations. Know their strengths and weaknesses and put them to work for your program. Try not to put people in untenable situations and reward them with tasks or positions that match their abilities. Assistants all over the state have the goal of becoming a coordinator or a head coach, but do not realize the time, stress, and work involved in the position. Honestly, there are coaches that are much more suited to an assistant role. Being able to recognize this with their actions over the years will help in making decisions about promotions.
6. Complaining never solves anything: Whether it is facilities, talent base, or scheduling, complaining has never been the answer. We teach kids to be accountable and being able to overcome adversity; as head coaches, we need to be able to model this behavior no matter what the situation is. As a head coach, we can only control what we can control and whining or making excuses for any kind of setback can be extremely detrimental to the overall message we are trying to convey to our players.
5. Appreciate the hard times: Few people talk or write about the tough and challenging times as a head coach. As we all know, depression, sadness ,and frustration are all part of the life of a head coach. You need to embrace these struggles, not linger in them; but acknowledging these feelings makes the successes later that much more rewarding. Talking about these emotions with your athletes provides them with a blueprint on how to handle real life situations later in their adult life.
4. Positive energy: Try and surround yourself with positive people. There is nothing more draining than being around “glass half empty” individuals. There is so much negativity in our society today, kids and coaches need the positivity that athletic programs provide. Try and find the unseen benefit of any situation and vocalize this to your coaches and kids. This often becomes contagious within your program.
3. Do not hold grudges: Being a head coach, you will encounter many negative comments within your organization and in your community. In my experience, you must have thick skin and be able to take this criticism and let it fuel you and your team. I have always chalked it up to passion for their kid or the program or in many cases, just plain ignorance. Unfortunately, head coaches must work with everyone, both supporters and detractors. A pet peeve of mine is a coach that holds a grudge with a kid. We often forget the mistakes and stupid mistakes we made as kids. Some of the best success stories in high school athletics are kids who overcame mistakes in their younger years and become important and vocal leaders for their programs.
2. Things will end: No matter how long your tenure as a head coach might last, enjoy and be grateful for everything you have accomplished, and more importantly the relationships you have formed during your stint. Head coaches impact more kids yearly than most during their entire lifetime. Have fun, laugh, and enjoy your athletes and coaches. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule had a great quote earlier this year, “This is a life we have chosen. This world, to me, is always like the mafia. You get hired, eventually you get whacked, and you live as much as you can in between.” No matter how your tenure ends, do not forget to have fun.
1. Be yourself: Remember you are in this position because people believed in you and your skill set. The position of head coach is something people everywhere can only dream about. Everyone thinks they can do your job and will often tell you about it or give you advice concerning your program. Remember what got you here and stay strong with your ideals and philosophy. Everyone outside of your program has some sort of agenda. There is nothing more satisfying than doing it “your way.” To all the new head coaches across the state this year, good luck and enjoy the ride.
Read the entire October 2024 Issue of Texas Coach here: https://issuu.com/thscacoaches/docs/oct24upload?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ