LIFE WILL SNEAK UP ON YOU BE PREPARED FOR THE UNEXPECTED

By Allen Gratts, THSCA Board Member and Head Boys Basketball Coach at Arlington Bowie HS

As a head coach, are you ready for all of the challenges that could face you and your team? Have you prepared them for the unexpected? Have you prepared your coaches? I’ve been in the coaching profession for 35 years, 27 years as a head coach, and I first thought about this eight years ago when I missed a regular season game with the flu. Was everything in place? The answer was NO. Even though we won, I knew I had to do better to prepare my team for any unexpected event.

On February 14, 2025 - Valentine’s Day, the unexpected came my way. Getting ready for our 1st round Bi-District playoff game, I got a call from my doctor during practice that I ignored. That night, I finally checked the message. It said, “Report immediately to the emergency room!” Come to find out, I had a 3rd degree heart blockage. Even after talking to my cardiologist about the severity of the diagnosis, all I could think about was coaching my team. It’s playoff time! We will play in three days. I must be there! Well, no I wouldn’t.

Every year you should do “drop the dummy.” Every player from every team should have an assignment just in case someone goes down during practice. From calling 911 and getting the AED to directing the ambulance to the correct door, every trainer should put your team through this drill every year. Don’t be the dummy!

Are your coaches prepared? As a head coach, have you prepared your assistants to take over? The head coach must set the standard that whatever your assistant says has the same meaning as if it would have come from the head coach. Players need to know that your assistant has the power to put you out of practice, suspend you for a game, and can enforce any necessary discipline at any time. For your assistant to have that kind of power, both you and your assistants must be on the same page. That only comes with constant conversations and trust. For this to happen, these three things are a must:

1. Relationship: If your assistant does not have a relationship with your athletes, then there are going to be issues. In many cases, the assistant has a stronger relationship with the players than the head coach. Often, the players will discuss a situation with the assistant coach before approaching the head coach. This is a good thing. It shows trust in your assistant coach.

2. Organization: At most schools, the first assistant is the JV coach. If he is not organized as a JV coach, your players are not going to expect him to be organized stepping into the head coaches roll. Practice should not change. It should have the same flow and pace as if the head coach was there. It also falls upon the head coach to observe sub-varsity practices to see if those practices are run efficiently. One way to build a cohesive and organized program is to have the assistant coach plan out and run a varsity practice. Afterwards, discuss what went well and how to improve.

As an assistant coach, he/she must have responsibilities during the season to take charge (inbound plays, presses, substitutions, conditioning). Keeping your assistants engaged makes for a better practice. Be willing to let them do anything you feel comfortable giving up. Do not expect your coach to be great at something if not given the opportunity to do it.

3. Discipline: The assistant coach has most likely had some varsity player on a JV or freshmen team. As sub-varsity coaches, athletes are already accustomed to their coaching and discipline style. If there was no discipline then, there will be no discipline when another coach takes over. Discipline is not inherited; it must be taught. And it must be consistent.

Your assistant must show discipline when players are not doing what is expected. If your assistant is responsible for a 2-2-1 press, they should be the one to discipline the players during that time, not the head coach.

If you have these three things, things will go well in the absence of the head coach. If your assistant is not capable of fulfilling these things, it is up to you, as the head coach, to train them or find someone that can step into your position when needed. Missing any games as a head coach is tough. If you coach long enough, it’s going to happen and, when it does, you need to have someone in place that will have the attention of your players and can maintain the flow of the program.

Want to read the entire April 2025 issue of Texas Coach magazine? Click here: https://issuu.com/thscacoaches/docs/texas_coach_-_april_2025_-_volume_lxix_no._8?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ