Essential Outline For Developing A Winning Tradition
By Jim Bob Bryant, Co-Offensive Coordinator
Williamston High School, Williamston, N.C.
THE FOLLOWING outline is one that our program has used as a guideline to build program success over a number of seasons. Some parts may or may not be applicable to every program or situation, but you can modify it to fit your program’s needs.
I. Administration
A. Work closely with administration.
B. Administration and the coaching staff should be on the same page.
C. Neither should have a hidden agenda over the other.
D. Go through the proper administration channels before doing anything (using purchase orders, scheduling trips, camps, combines, etc.).
E. Get the administration to work and talk with athletes so that you’re allies and not enemies.
II. Develop, Hire A Quality Staff
A. Hire good people that share your philosophy, or teach and build on the staff that you already have.
B. A team is only as good as it’s coaching staff. Therefore, the staff must work together for the good of the program.
C. Each coach should be happy with his job and enjoy what he does. Remember:
• A happy coach is one that feels like he has real input as it pertains to offense, defense, special teams, conditioning and academics
• Find out what each of your coaches is good at and put them to work.
D. Outline a brief outlook of the season from summer, in-season and off-season workouts, to camps, strategies, coaching responsibilities, practice schedules, meetings, etc.
E. Have this printed before the season begins and give each coach a copy
III. Get To Know Your Players
A. Go to their homes.
B. Meet with them at school.
C. Organize a pizza party to bring the team closer together.
D. Find out everything about your kids, not just the athletic part. Remember the old saying, “Kids don’t care what you know, they just want to know that you care.”
E. If you win a player’s heart, you have a soldier that will go to war for you.
IV. Booster club
A. Approach boosters about fundraisers and season tickets.
B. If you do not have a Booster Club, start one.
C. Involve the players and their parents.
D. Start with small projects and get progressively bigger. For example: combine, camps, Lift-a-thons, etc.
E. Get cheerleading squad involved in fundraisers.
V. Academics
A. Check all players’ eligibility prior to your first game.
B. Check local graduation requirements.
C. Academics must be a priority, stress this to your players.
D. Initiate a study hall for athletes who are struggling with school work.
E. Communicate with the teachers and get them involved.
• Get a progress reports from each athlete after each 3-week period.
• Do not let your players get behind in their schoolwork — academics come first.
• Stress that athletics are an extension of the school day.
VI. Strength And Conditioning
A. Build a solid strength-and-conditioning program.
B. Install an In-Season, Off-Season and Summer program.
C. Make the players excited about training (Make lifting fun)
• Give rewards for players who attend workouts, make gains and for being on time
• Award T-shirts and certificates to those players who consistently show up for workouts and show improvement.
• Make charts, boards and clubs for those who show outstanding progress in the weight room.
D. Take your players to other schools and show them other workout programs and facilities
E. Go to colleges and mingle with college athletes and coaches
F. Start a power-lifting team that consists of your football players.
VII. Field, Equipment
A. Your playing field is your home turf, treat it as such.
B. Always update, recondition and keep your equipment looking great.
C. Never put off tomorrow what you can do today.
D. Your field and equipment must always be neat and organized.
E. Design signs and on the field to signify your team’s number of wins.
VIII. Enter Players In As Many Camps And Passing Leagues As Possible
A. Get your players involved, get your athletes some exposure!
B. Have players attend college camps and passing leagues, etc., — anything to bring them closer together and they learn while having fun.
IX. Start Your Own Camp, Combine
A. Have an offensive or defensive team camp.
B. Start your own football combine
• Bring college recruiters to your campus
• Get your players exposure and possible college scholarships
• Raise money for the needs of your program.
• Invaluable learning opportunity.
X. Teach Fundamentals
A. Blocking (All Angles).
B. Tackling (All Angles).
C. Catching passes.
D. Carrying ball correctly.
E. Taking handoffs.
F. Defending passes.
G. Techniques and fundamentals of each position.
XI. Install Offensive, Defensive And Special-Teams Systems That Best Fits Your Athletes
A. Your offensive system must:
• Use multiple set fronts, motions and shifts to confuse defense.
• Be simple to teach and learn.
• Stay hard for a defense to figure out.
• Spread the field and attack the defenses’ weakness.
• Get the ball in to the hands of your best athletes.
• Develop all phases of the game (the more the defense has to prepare for, the less time they will spend on each phase).
• Install a good short, intermediate and screen passing game
• Power running game
• Finesse running game
• Play-Action passing game
• Trick plays (These also help keep practices upbeat.)
B. Your defensive system must:
• Utilize an attacking and aggressive style of defense.
• Do not sit back and react to what the offense does to you.
• Make the offense adjust to what you are doing.
• Be predicated on speed.
• Stress tackling, tackling, tackling!
• Every player on defense must get to the ball.
C. On special teams you should:
• Spend some quality time every day working on special teams.
• Set up designated times for specialists to work before practice (Kickers, Punters, Holders, Long Snappers and Returners).
• If your school has a soccer team, use that resource to find kickers.
• Focus on special teams as you do on all other phases of the game (If the players see that you’re serious about it, then they will be serious as well.).
• Kickers and punters should start kicking during summer.
• Do not assume that your kids understand everything about special teams, teach them your philosophy and make it theirs.
XII. Embrace The Past
A. Seek out athletes from your program’s past and use them to promote the program.
B. Have former players come back and talk to your team.
C. If the former athletes feel that they are involved, then they will get involved (fundraising, donations, taking active roles in athletics again, etc.)
D. Get the community behind you.
• Have a “Meet-The-Players” night.
• Involve the cheerleading squad.
• Give away coffee, doughnuts or something to bring them there
• Once they are there, sell your kids and your program (make them want to see these kids compete)
E. If you have to bring in a famous athlete to draw the crowd, then let the athlete help with the selling of the program.
XIII. Feeder Program
A. Go and talk to the players who are participating in your feeder programs.
B. Make sure to go and talk to your middle school coach, recreation coach and hire a good JV coach.
C. Get them involved in your program (give them free passes to games, have them on the sidelines, have them at practice and get them to come and work your camps and combines.)
D. Your feeder coaches must install a basic version of your offense and defense with the same terminology and assignments.
E. Every feeder program from recreation to JV should be done basically the same way.
XIV. Win! Have Fun! Win!,,Essential Outline For Developing A Winning Tradition
By Jim Bob Bryant, Co-Offensive Coordinator
Williamston High School, Williamston, N.C.
THE FOLLOWING outline is one that our program has used as a guideline to build program success over a number of seasons. Some parts may or may not be applicable to every program or situation, but you can modify it to fit your program’s needs.
I. Administration
A. Work closely with administration.
B. Administration and the coaching staff should be on the same page.
C. Neither should have a hidden agenda over the other.
D. Go through the proper administration channels before doing anything (using purchase orders, scheduling trips, camps, combines, etc.).
E. Get the administration to work and talk with athletes so that you’re allies and not enemies.
II. Develop, Hire A Quality Staff
A. Hire good people that share your philosophy, or teach and build on the staff that you already have.
B. A team is only as good as it’s coaching staff. Therefore, the staff must work together for the good of the program.
C. Each coach should be happy with his job and enjoy what he does. Remember:
• A happy coach is one that feels like he has real input as it pertains to offense, defense, special teams, conditioning and academics
• Find out what each of your coaches is good at and put them to work.
D. Outline a brief outlook of the season from summer, in-season and off-season workouts, to camps, strategies, coaching responsibilities, practice schedules, meetings, etc.
E. Have this printed before the season begins and give each coach a copy
III. Get To Know Your Players
A. Go to their homes.
B. Meet with them at school.
C. Organize a pizza party to bring the team closer together.
D. Find out everything about your kids, not just the athletic part. Remember the old saying, “Kids don’t care what you know, they just want to know that you care.”
E. If you win a player’s heart, you have a soldier that will go to war for you.
IV. Booster club
A. Approach boosters about fundraisers and season tickets.
B. If you do not have a Booster Club, start one.
C. Involve the players and their parents.
D. Start with small projects and get progressively bigger. For example: combine, camps, Lift-a-thons, etc.
E. Get cheerleading squad involved in fundraisers.
V. Academics
A. Check all players’ eligibility prior to your first game.
B. Check local graduation requirements.
C. Academics must be a priority, stress this to your players.
D. Initiate a study hall for athletes who are struggling with school work.
E. Communicate with the teachers and get them involved.
• Get a progress reports from each athlete after each 3-week period.
• Do not let your players get behind in their schoolwork — academics come first.
• Stress that athletics are an extension of the school day.
VI. Strength And Conditioning
A. Build a solid strength-and-conditioning program.
B. Install an In-Season, Off-Season and Summer program.
C. Make the players excited about training (Make lifting fun)
• Give rewards for players who attend workouts, make gains and for being on time
• Award T-shirts and certificates to those players who consistently show up for workouts and show improvement.
• Make charts, boards and clubs for those who show outstanding progress in the weight room.
D. Take your players to other schools and show them other workout programs and facilities
E. Go to colleges and mingle with college athletes and coaches
F. Start a power-lifting team that consists of your football players.
VII. Field, Equipment
A. Your playing field is your home turf, treat it as such.
B. Always update, recondition and keep your equipment looking great.
C. Never put off tomorrow what you can do today.
D. Your field and equipment must always be neat and organized.
E. Design signs and on the field to signify your team’s number of wins.
VIII. Enter Players In As Many Camps And Passing Leagues As Possible
A. Get your players involved, get your athletes some exposure!
B. Have players attend college camps and passing leagues, etc., — anything to bring them closer together and they learn while having fun.
IX. Start Your Own Camp, Combine
A. Have an offensive or defensive team camp.
B. Start your own football combine
• Bring college recruiters to your campus
• Get your players exposure and possible college scholarships
• Raise money for the needs of your program.
• Invaluable learning opportunity.
X. Teach Fundamentals
A. Blocking (All Angles).
B. Tackling (All Angles).
C. Catching passes.
D. Carrying ball correctly.
E. Taking handoffs.
F. Defending passes.
G. Techniques and fundamentals of each position.
XI. Install Offensive, Defensive And Special-Teams Systems That Best Fits Your Athletes
A. Your offensive system must:
• Use multiple set fronts, motions and shifts to confuse defense.
• Be simple to teach and learn.
• Stay hard for a defense to figure out.
• Spread the field and attack the defenses’ weakness.
• Get the ball in to the hands of your best athletes.
• Develop all phases of the game (the more the defense has to prepare for, the less time they will spend on each phase).
• Install a good short, intermediate and screen passing game
• Power running game
• Finesse running game
• Play-Action passing game
• Trick plays (These also help keep practices upbeat.)
B. Your defensive system must:
• Utilize an attacking and aggressive style of defense.
• Do not sit back and react to what the offense does to you.
• Make the offense adjust to what you are doing.
• Be predicated on speed.
• Stress tackling, tackling, tackling!
• Every player on defense must get to the ball.
C. On special teams you should:
• Spend some quality time every day working on special teams.
• Set up designated times for specialists to work before practice (Kickers, Punters, Holders, Long Snappers and Returners).
• If your school has a soccer team, use that resource to find kickers.
• Focus on special teams as you do on all other phases of the game (If the players see that you’re serious about it, then they will be serious as well.).
• Kickers and punters should start kicking during summer.
• Do not assume that your kids understand everything about special teams, teach them your philosophy and make it theirs.
XII. Embrace The Past
A. Seek out athletes from your program’s past and use them to promote the program.
B. Have former players come back and talk to your team.
C. If the former athletes feel that they are involved, then they will get involved (fundraising, donations, taking active roles in athletics again, etc.)
D. Get the community behind you.
• Have a “Meet-The-Players” night.
• Involve the cheerleading squad.
• Give away coffee, doughnuts or something to bring them there
• Once they are there, sell your kids and your program (make them want to see these kids compete)
E. If you have to bring in a famous athlete to draw the crowd, then let the athlete help with the selling of the program.
XIII. Feeder Program
A. Go and talk to the players who are participating in your feeder programs.
B. Make sure to go and talk to your middle school coach, recreation coach and hire a good JV coach.
C. Get them involved in your program (give them free passes to games, have them on the sidelines, have them at practice and get them to come and work your camps and combines.)
D. Your feeder coaches must install a basic version of your offense and defense with the same terminology and assignments.
E. Every feeder program from recreation to JV should be done basically the same way.
XIV. Win! Have Fun! Win!,By Jim Bob Bryant, Co-Offensive Coordinator
Williamston High School, Williamston, N.C.
THE FOLLOWING outline is one that our program has used as a guideline to build program success over a number of seasons. Some parts may or may not be applicable to every program or situation, but you can modify it to fit your program’s needs.
I. Administration
A. Work closely with administration.
B. Administration and the coaching staff should be on the same page.
C. Neither should have a hidden agenda over the other.
D. Go through the proper administration channels before doing anything (using purchase orders, scheduling trips, camps, combines, etc.).
E. Get the administration to work and talk with athletes so that you’re allies and not enemies.
II. Develop, Hire A Quality Staff
A. Hire good people that share your philosophy, or teach and build on the staff that you already have.
B. A team is only as good as it’s coaching staff. Therefore, the staff must work together for the good of the program.
C. Each coach should be happy with his job and enjoy what he does. Remember:
• A happy coach is one that feels like he has real input as it pertains to offense, defense, special teams, conditioning and academics
• Find out what each of your coaches is good at and put them to work.
D. Outline a brief outlook of the season from summer, in-season and off-season workouts, to camps, strategies, coaching responsibilities, practice schedules, meetings, etc.
E. Have this printed before the season begins and give each coach a copy
III. Get To Know Your Players
A. Go to their homes.
B. Meet with them at school.
C. Organize a pizza party to bring the team closer together.
D. Find out everything about your kids, not just the athletic part. Remember the old saying, “Kids don’t care what you know, they just want to know that you care.”
E. If you win a player’s heart, you have a soldier that will go to war for you.
IV. Booster club
A. Approach boosters about fundraisers and season tickets.
B. If you do not have a Booster Club, start one.
C. Involve the players and their parents.
D. Start with small projects and get progressively bigger. For example: combine, camps, Lift-a-thons, etc.
E. Get cheerleading squad involved in fundraisers.
V. Academics
A. Check all players’ eligibility prior to your first game.
B. Check local graduation requirements.
C. Academics must be a priority, stress this to your players.
D. Initiate a study hall for athletes who are struggling with school work.
E. Communicate with the teachers and get them involved.
• Get a progress reports from each athlete after each 3-week period.
• Do not let your players get behind in their schoolwork — academics come first.
• Stress that athletics are an extension of the school day.
VI. Strength And Conditioning
A. Build a solid strength-and-conditioning program.
B. Install an In-Season, Off-Season and Summer program.
C. Make the players excited about training (Make lifting fun)
• Give rewards for players who attend workouts, make gains and for being on time
• Award T-shirts and certificates to those players who consistently show up for workouts and show improvement.
• Make charts, boards and clubs for those who show outstanding progress in the weight room.
D. Take your players to other schools and show them other workout programs and facilities
E. Go to colleges and mingle with college athletes and coaches
F. Start a power-lifting team that consists of your football players.
VII. Field, Equipment
A. Your playing field is your home turf, treat it as such.
B. Always update, recondition and keep your equipment looking great.
C. Never put off tomorrow what you can do today.
D. Your field and equipment must always be neat and organized.
E. Design signs and on the field to signify your team’s number of wins.
VIII. Enter Players In As Many Camps And Passing Leagues As Possible
A. Get your players involved, get your athletes some exposure!
B. Have players attend college camps and passing leagues, etc., — anything to bring them closer together and they learn while having fun.
IX. Start Your Own Camp, Combine
A. Have an offensive or defensive team camp.
B. Start your own football combine
• Bring college recruiters to your campus
• Get your players exposure and possible college scholarships
• Raise money for the needs of your program.
• Invaluable learning opportunity.
X. Teach Fundamentals
A. Blocking (All Angles).
B. Tackling (All Angles).
C. Catching passes.
D. Carrying ball correctly.
E. Taking handoffs.
F. Defending passes.
G. Techniques and fundamentals of each position.
XI. Install Offensive, Defensive And Special-Teams Systems That Best Fits Your Athletes
A. Your offensive system must:
• Use multiple set fronts, motions and shifts to confuse defense.
• Be simple to teach and learn.
• Stay hard for a defense to figure out.
• Spread the field and attack the defenses’ weakness.
• Get the ball in to the hands of your best athletes.
• Develop all phases of the game (the more the defense has to prepare for, the less time they will spend on each phase).
• Install a good short, intermediate and screen passing game
• Power running game
• Finesse running game
• Play-Action passing game
• Trick plays (These also help keep practices upbeat.)
B. Your defensive system must:
• Utilize an attacking and aggressive style of defense.
• Do not sit back and react to what the offense does to you.
• Make the offense adjust to what you are doing.
• Be predicated on speed.
• Stress tackling, tackling, tackling!
• Every player on defense must get to the ball.
C. On special teams you should:
• Spend some quality time every day working on special teams.
• Set up designated times for specialists to work before practice (Kickers, Punters, Holders, Long Snappers and Returners).
• If your school has a soccer team, use that resource to find kickers.
• Focus on special teams as you do on all other phases of the game (If the players see that you’re serious about it, then they will be serious as well.).
• Kickers and punters should start kicking during summer.
• Do not assume that your kids understand everything about special teams, teach them your philosophy and make it theirs.
XII. Embrace The Past
A. Seek out athletes from your program’s past and use them to promote the program.
B. Have former players come back and talk to your team.
C. If the former athletes feel that they are involved, then they will get involved (fundraising, donations, taking active roles in athletics again, etc.)
D. Get the community behind you.
• Have a “Meet-The-Players” night.
• Involve the cheerleading squad.
• Give away coffee, doughnuts or something to bring them there
• Once they are there, sell your kids and your program (make them want to see these kids compete)
E. If you have to bring in a famous athlete to draw the crowd, then let the athlete help with the selling of the program.
XIII. Feeder Program
A. Go and talk to the players who are participating in your feeder programs.
B. Make sure to go and talk to your middle school coach, recreation coach and hire a good JV coach.
C. Get them involved in your program (give them free passes to games, have them on the sidelines, have them at practice and get them to come and work your camps and combines.)
D. Your feeder coaches must install a basic version of your offense and defense with the same terminology and assignments.
E. Every feeder program from recreation to JV should be done basically the same way.
XIV. Win! Have Fun! Win!
