There are a lot of things that you take away from games – win or lose. Many great teaching moments present themselves. As a coach (players as well I expect) first you must get the bitter taste of losing out of your mouth.
After you get past that disappointment you can dig thru the video and review your notes to find things to help your team improve. That is what makes coaching such a great profession – you are always searching for better ideas and techniques to give to your guys.
Oh yeah – sometimes you can overthink things as well. See things that really aren’t there.
From the outside looking in – it may seem like there is so much futility when teams are struggling as the Hounds are right now. There is obviously frustration to contend with, but when you have a group like we have right now – it is different.
Our guys are very resilient and they quickly rebound. Believe me no one is happy with our record at this point….but there is a lot of trust within our brotherhood. As coaches we believe in the troops – we know that before this group is finished they will achieve some really great things. I think that the guys are understanding this as well.
The players are willing to work and learn new concepts – and each week we make progress as a football team. I think that it is just a matter of time until we see the results on the field.
Interestingly, I ran into two former players who saw us play at Kings and then again this weekend at Homecoming. They both agreed that although we have a ways to go – the team is much better right now.
Obviously it is good to hear this from guys who have worked within our system and know how we approach football. They have lived it with us and they have achieved success as Hounds. Their input is very valuable to a person like me because they are honest to a fault.
They don’t need to hold back because we have walked on the field and thru the locker room together. We are connected and understand that truth is one of our core values and sometimes it might hurt….but to improve and achieve excellence we have to be clear.
So – as a team we continue to hammer away to build a better Greyhound unit. Like every week for the past many years on Sunday we go through our post game routine.
Coaches get together and review the video – then compare notes and brainstorm on how we can manage the next week. It is a grinding process that allows us to lay previous game out to the bare bones. You have to check your ego at the door because we have to be completely honest in our evaluations.
This can be an uncomfortable process. But to improve in almost any business or profession you understand that getting out of your comfort zone allows for growth. Anyway that is how we start every Sunday win or lose….it is what you do as coaches. (By the way it is a long day – but it is what we do – and yeah it is pretty much done all across the country by football staffs everywhere…..we aren’t the only ones doing it.)
The players first go to the trainers and have a medical review – this is so we can find out how we made it thru the game. How are the injured players from the day before? Also – have any of the bumps and bruises that seemed minor after the game blossomed into problems?
Then….we meet with the players and watch the special teams – usually a half hour or so. Then the players go to the weight room with Coach Long and get the kinks out.
Now Coach Long is one fired up guy……. He is going to get the guys going……he is going to push them – work them – encourage them etc. Tom is going to get every last drop out of them. The players really respond to him. What happens in the weight room will be a big key in our future as a team.
After that we have group meetings with our players. For instance Jim Newhard takes the defensive line, John Harrison will meet with the QB’s, Chris Leavenworth grabs the offensive line (for fu**ks sakes). Those meetings are where you really get things squared away.
Corrections are made….notes are taken….egos may be bruised. But, we all come out of these meetings better prepared for the next week’s game. It can be intense, but it is really a very cleansing and enlightening experience because you walk out of the meeting knowing that you have put the previous days game to rest. Time to move on to the next game.
That’s where we are now….moving on the the next week.
Go HOUNDS!
Nic visiting with many former players and friends for the Homecoming weekend. Always a good experience for everyone involved. I can vouch for the troops having a few beers.
Although I couldn’t join them at Roosevelt’s across from the stadium – I’m sure a good time was had by one and all!