THE
COMPLETE COACH BY SHANE ANDERSON
HEAD FOOTBALL COACH & CAMPUS COORDINATOR WACO MIDWAY HIGH SCHOOL It has been said over and over again that being a COACH is not a job, it is a calling. I truly believe that we, as coaches, are needed more now than ever before. Whether you are a seasoned veteran coach who has seen it all in this profession, a first-year coach who is still getting their feet wet, or someone who is aspiring to one day become a coach and change the lives of others, the ultimate goal is to be a complete coach who makes an impact on the lives of young people on and off the field; all while striving for that ultimate prize of hoisting that trophy over your head as a State Champion. In order to achieve these goals, you must develop a champion culture and capture the hearts of your athletes.
CHAMPIONSHIP CULTURE There have been many presentations and many books written on culture. Culture looks different for all of us. When setting the expectations for your program, the lowest behavior you accept is your team culture. We all have certain things that make our program unique and special compared to others across the state. Actions speak louder than words. It’s easy to talk about your culture and blast it out on social media, but if everyone in your program is not carrying themselves in a way that represents the definition of your culture, then your culture is NOT what you think it is. MAY 2023
HOW DO YOU “CAPTURE THEIR HEARTS?” 1. Must be Competent To be competent in your sport, you must be knowledgeable, fundamentally sound, a good strategist, etc.... In this day and age, with social media and all of the things accessible to parents and athletes, you must know your stuff! You have to have a passion for getting better and improving each and every day as a coach. Study your sport, study your position. You must strive to continually improve, no matter how long you have been doing it or how much success you have had. Attend clinics and other programs practices. Find people you admire and believe in who “do it the right way”, and go visit them. Find one thing that can help you, your staff, or your program. Watch videos, YouTube, and clinic tapes. You cannot fake it in 2023. You must be able to tell your players WHY!
2. Must Give Proper Feedback As a coach, we should all be eager to help our athletes improve in all aspects of life. We have to be able to give proper feedback and coach the specifics, NOT the results. Tell them “good job” and why; tell them “bad job” and why. Teach them how to self-correct and then let them make their 47