Learning Day For Me

I am really enjoying coaching this year...for a completely different reason.  Facts are that I joined the football staff very late in the season....even though the regular season has just started.  I missed all the 7 on 7 sessions, and I missed spring football as well. Therefore, I am really behind on trying to figure out the offense and what exactly we are doing offensively.  Right now, Coach Lenny has me floating around the offense, watching what is going on, and allowing me to input where I can.  All the guys are giving me plenty of room to learn the VBHS way of doing things, and for that I am thankful.  Right now I am loving being with the kids, and showing them I am sincere and "For Real" as they would say.  I love walking up to the players, greeting them, putting my arm around their shoulder and just talk about something other than football.  Like I said, this coaching season is just different.  I am now the senior staff member...this season marks my 30th year in coaching football at one level or another.  Some of this time was coaching the freshman or JV players.  I have quite a bit of experience with the 9th graders...and these young high school players present special problems all their own.  

We have a young coach named Mickey Groody who is a first year Head Freshman coach.  Groody also coaches the varsity running backs, so I get to work with him quite a bit.  Mickey is about 25 years old I guess...a young good-looking kid with lots of piss and vinegar in his drawers.  He played high school football at St Thomas Aquinas in Ft Lauderdale, and later punted for Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, Florida.  Obviously, he has seen or worked with (or against) some major football talent in his young life.  Groody really reminds me of myself when I was his age.  I think his talent will carry him far in the coaching profession if he chooses to go forward with it.  I think he was the perfect choice to lead our talented freshman team.  

I always try to ask about the 9th graders to our young staff.  It is funny to hear some ( all too familiar) stories about what it is like dealing with the young guys.....and dealing with the parents of those players.  I find myself constantly saying: "Yeah man, that's how they are at that age" when one of the coaches tell a freshman story.  At the very first day of my tenure here, I asked one of the young guys:  "Hey young buck, can I offer you some advice?"  He said: "Of course coach, anything would be appreciated"  I said: "Never Assume ANYTHING with a freshman player."  LOL.  So far, this single statement has proven to be true in every season I have ever coached.  You cannot assume a freshman player knows a damn thing about football at all.  Most times, you must start out with the statement: "THIS IS A FOOTBALL"  during the initial team meeting.  Most times you can take anything the youngsters learned in youth leagues and throw it out the window.  High School football is completely different, and anything that a player did in youth football no longer matters. This is no longer pay-to-play, and not everyone gets a trophy. Many parents have difficulty with this fact unfortunately.  Contrary to popular belief, coaches do not play favorites...we are going to play the best 11 players on both sides of the ball to secure victory for our school.  This is our job.  I love working with the young coaches...maybe my experience can help them a little bit.  Great bunch of guys.  

Due to severe thunderstorms, we were rained out of on-the-field practice today. We spent the day looking at film....and this was just fine with me.  I rested my knee, and I learned quite a bit listening to Coach Lenny talk.  Good coaches never stop learning either.  

GZ