Football coaching and high school football training tips

Hall of Fame football player and now erstwhile coach Mike Singletary once said: "If anyone would ask me what coaching really means, it's not really about winning. It's not really about Xs and Os."

Cultivate Your Character and Coaching Philosophy

Your personal character will speak volumes to the players you influence. If your players respect you - and do so genuinely, not only for Xs and Os, but for who you are as a person - you will be on your way to coaching success.

What's more, your philosophy as a coach is critical. "Why are you coaching?" ask Flores and O'Connor. "Is it for your ego or to develop young people to be the best they can be?"

O'Connor and Flores agree that, as players get older, the need to develop them as individuals gives way to the business of football and the goal of winning. Still, they argue that the coach who pushes his players "to be the best they can be" is on track to a winning philosophy and a fulfilling career.

Learn the Game and Everything Related to the Game

Different coaches have followed different career tracks over the years, but a common thread is, as found in Kenya online casinos, that they took the time to master the game - and all that was related to the game.

In addition, articles on the subject across the Internet encourage wannabe coaches to read as much on the game of football as possible, to play the sport themselves, and to volunteer in community youth leagues. Some coaches master youth football, then move onto high school, and try for a "lucky break" into collegiate sports. One coach, writing on the Internet, related how he got his start as a referee!

Look for Coaching Clinics and/or Classes

Several experts recommend coaching clinics and/or classes offered at various times around the country. These clinics provide nuts-and-bolts training for aspiring coaches and terrific networking opportunities.

Reality Check

This author would suggest a "reality check" before heading too far down this career path. If you're in your thirties, forties, and fifties and haven't yet coached or even played football, the odds for making a successful career change into big-bucks professional coaching (of any sport) are pretty slim.

Of course, if you are content to coach youth football and possibly high school at some point, then it's worth a shot - no matter how old or inexperienced.

High School Football Off-season Training Tips

The high school football circuit is all about who wants it the most and who works hardest in the off-season.

The four-year window most high school players have closes extremely fast and it will be over before you know it. With that in mind here are exercise tips for the high school football player's off-season:

High School Football Workout Tip #1: RUN

Speed kills. College football scouts won't pay attention to you in today's day in age unless you're either fast or a massive hulk of a player.

Even in the northern states, nothing substitutes for a good run. Since there will be plenty of time for conditioning runs in the summer during two-a-days, focus on quickness and explosion in the off-season.

If you can't run outside and the temperatures are too cold then go to a gym and run on the treadmill at an extremely high speed for sprints or better yet go to an indoor training facility and find an indoor track to run on.

Sprints are probably the most important since they simulate football-style body reactions.

Also consider running in the shapes of letters such as A,B,C, etc. Run the whole alphabet. Running in the shape of each letter will give you better short-area quickness for your high school football season. It's a simple-but-effective high school football workout.

High School Football Workout Tip #2: Focus on Legs

Leg exercises are not very fun to most people. It's a simple fact. But they're great for high school football off-season workouts because they lend themselves well to translating power on the football field.

Do legs twice a week and learn to like it or at least tolerate it. No questions asked.

The foundations of your workouts should the squat and deadlift exercises. Lunges are also very good as are plymometrics like box jumping.

Don't waste time with machines unless you use them as a supplement to the main power lifts mentioned above. Machines are good if you really need straight bulk to hold up at the point of attack but your time is better spent doing squats or deadlifts.

High School Football Workout Tip #3: Have a Partner

Don't just go off on your own once the season ends. Work out with a friend who knows what they're doing. This will push you to achieve more in your high school football off-season workouts.

High School Football Workout Tip #4: Communication

Make sure you know what your coach wants from you in the coming year. Study the depth chart of your high school football team. You may be a tight end coming up but the varsity team could have a star already there and a young guy behind him ready to play.

High school football coaches are very conservative by nature and usually play more experienced players so make sure you are working towards gaining a spot in a position that is not already filled unless you're just an incredible talent.

Talk to your coach every day in school if possible and ask him for advice. And let him know you're working hard and willing to do anything for the team.

With 60-80 kids on every high school team many kids get lost in the shuffle. Use the off-season to workout, get stronger and faster, and to get in the good graces of the coaching staff.

If one of your coaches is also a high school coach in track or another sport you like, try out for that sport and show them what a great athlete you are. Little things make all the difference when it comes to getting playing time in high school football where politics are often an unsavory part of the whole experience.

Above all else, always remember to have fun and work hard.