Building Your Team

**This column appeared in the Argus Leader on Sept. 14, 2015.

The season is well underway, and athletes are experiencing the grind of practices and games and the highs and lows of being part of a team. Developing a team first mentality is a challenge for young athletes, and it can be difficult for them to manage their inability to control things like playing time, play calling or ultimately winning or losing.

Teams need to work together and find their stride, and individual athletes contribute to the team mindset. I often talk about football being the greatest team sport, and at this point in the season, it is important to focus on the things you can still do to improve your team.

Helping with team chemistry. Team chemistry is the number one factor that I look for with all the teams that I have coached. Teams with tremendous talent that lack team chemistry become a very average team. Teams with average talent that have great team chemistry become excellent teams. A team with great chemistry finds ways to be encouraging, accepting and challenging to its individual members. That dynamic causes individuals to step up, and the team becomes stronger as a result. You can help build chemistry on your team by encouraging your teammates and coaches, accepting your role on the team and continuing to challenge yourself and your teammates every day.

Getting adequate diet, sleep and nutrition. Many young athletes never even factor in a diet plan or what is nutritional for them. Sleep is often neglected in this day and age of social media, and athletes don’t get enough rest because they are constantly connected to their social environment. If an athlete is truly going to be committed to his team, he must realize that the commitment is not only at practice or games, but all week long.

Your team needs to know that they can rely on you to get through the week, and you are doing everything you can to mentally and physically prepare your body for the season. Athletes should be getting at least nine hours of sleep, constantly drinking water,and continually monitoring what they are putting in their body and brain. You need to take care of yourself as an individual athlete in order to give your best contribution and performance as part of your team.

Finding a balance between school and sport. While young athletes don’t always have a mindset about the importance of school, they need to focus on being student athletes. We want kids to be involved in sports for a number of reasons, but they need to keep perspective about the odds of them eventually making a career out of sports. Remind your athletes that football is an extracurricular activity, and the reason they have this activity is because school provides this for them.

They will not be able to play high school or college football unless they have good grades and remain eligible. Sometimes athletes lose perspective because of the amount of time that is committed to practice, film and game prep, so some reminders from coaches and parents can definitely help. You should always take care of academics first.

As parents and coaches, we can help athletes avoid complacency in these areas and continue to improve physically and mentally every day. The best contribution athletes can make at this stage of the season is to focus on the things they can control and help raise their team’s performance. Athletes will learn a great deal about themselves and about the game if they learn what it means to do their part for something bigger than themselves. Your collective effort will make a successful team, win or lose.

Planning for the Unexpected: A Message for Coaches

**This article also appeared in the Argus Leader on August 19, 2015.

I have been coaching football for 17 years now, and as a coach, I love the excitement as football season begins. So much preparation has taken place during the off season, athletes have been working hard, coaches have been planning and designing plays, and everyone has high hopes for the season. 

At the beginning of the season, a team’s story is unwritten. Coaches are taking what they know and creating possibilities for their team to be its very best. Inevitably things will happen that you can’t plan for, and when those occur, coaches need to be mentally prepared. People tend to remember wins and losses, but it's those unforeseen challenges and the coach’s response that can define a career and write a team’s story as one of success or failure.

Regardless of careful planning, every team will face unexpected challenges at some point. Some teams are destroyed by them, but good teams find ways to turn these negatives into positives or find ways to sustain and keep moving in the right direction. What are some of the biggest challenges you will face as a coach?

Injuries. Athletes put their blood sweat and tears into their preparation for each season. For some athletes, it is over in seconds with season-ending injuries. Not only is this difficult for the team, but it can also be tough for the athlete mentally. What direction do they go? They instantly feel a sense of distance from the team. Coaches must focus on moving forward and getting the team to move forward.

Coaches and athletes can get the mindset of “next man up” and lose sight of the injured player. It is extremely important to keep the injured player involved with the team. Give him a role, and let him have a sense of responsibility. The athlete and the team need to work to keep a connection. Emotional and mental development can be just as valuable as physical development. A coach’s leadership is critical to a team finding its way after key personnel go out with injury.

Choices on and off the field. Losing an athlete to injury is difficult, but sometimes you lose athletes to academic issues, or an athlete’s poor choices, or other circumstances beyond your control. Athletes will make poor decisions on the field that cost the team at times, and likewise they will make poor decisions off the field that will cost the team. As a coach, you hope you have created an atmosphere that largely prevents those things. Inevitably things go awry, especially with high school and college athletes.

Again, the coach’s leadership will define how a team rises to meet the challenge and persists in maintaining a successful, winning atmosphere. Remember, we are mentors and we have to guide athletes through these poor decisions. The choice they made might have been selfish and had a huge impact on the team, or it might have cost the team dearly on the field, but as a coach, you need to help the athlete and the team learn from the experience and focus on the future.

Parents. Not every challenge that you deal with as a coach occurs with players. Parents and communities are a huge contributor to the success of a team, and issues with parents can be some of the most emotionally charged and difficult challenges you face as a coach. Parents can be very zealous and protective. When things are not going the way they envision, not everyone has the wherewithal to trust the coach has a plan to help the young men. Many times, parents and communities can be overly reactive and not see the big picture. Communication is the key for coaches dealing with tough situations with parents. I recommend all parties utilize the 24 hour rule, to allow time to reflect, before engaging in difficult conversations. Remember that you all care about the athlete’s success, so let that be the starting point for discussion.

Mistakes. Maybe the most difficult situation of all is remembering that as coaches, we can and will make mistakes. Everyone is human, and there are times where you may not put the team in the best situation or call the best play. Can you own up to your mistake? Players will see the mistake, and if you can admit to it, they will respect you. Trust what your assistants are telling you. Many times they know you very well, and they will see things that you may not notice. They can tell you that you are wrong, and you need to trust their judgment. This will help minimize mistakes.

It would be great if a season went smoothly and according to plan, but in the event that life throws some curve balls in your team’s direction, remember the challenges make you better. Don’t dwell on the change of plans. Be the leader who writes a story of success for your team.

A Letter to Athletes

**This column also appeared in the Argus Leader on Aug. 3, 2015.

Dear athlete,

It seems like it has taken forever to arrive, but football season is finally about to begin. Whether it is going to be your first year playing, or you are putting on the pads for a final season in high school or college, there is much to be learned from the upcoming season. Many of us fondly remember our football playing days, and we will be lacing up our cleats along with you in spirit this fall. As I reflect back on those days and work with athletes of all ages in preparation for the season, there are a few reminders I can offer you:

Be a good teammate. Football is the greatest team sport. You have to work together with every person doing his best in his role in order to succeed. Individual glory is not the goal, and you will gain so much from standing together with your teammates through all the challenges and joys of a season. Remember that every single person has a role, and you will all be better in the end if you support each other in those roles.

Compete with respect. You are an athlete, and your competitive nature is what helps you to succeed in many situations. Just don’t lose sight of the fact that you always represent your team, your school or your community. Great competitors have respect for their opponents and their sport, so be sure to demonstrate your best sportsmanship during games and practice.

Be grateful. I know exactly how hard athletes work to achieve their goals, but they never reach that goal without a great deal of support and guidance. Families, coaches, teammates and communities all contribute to an athlete’s success. Don’t forget that you are fortunate to have the opportunity to play the game, and your successes come from a network of people who believe in you. Say thank you often, and mean it.

Play with heart. There is nothing I enjoy more than working with athletes who play for the love of the game. If your heart isn’t into long days of practice, training and the challenges of playing football, it will show in everything that you do. You don’t have to be the best athlete on the field, if you play with heart you will gain from every single experience. Play the sport you love, and love the sport you play.

Adjust your attitude. It is difficult to tell young players how grueling a season can be. There can be crazy ups and downs that face players and teams, and you need to be mentally prepared to face the challenges. Control the things that you can and face the things that you can’t with your best effort and attitude. Every player makes mistakes. It is your job to learn from them and use it to improve.

Enjoy every moment. Don’t ever forget why you play this game. It won’t seem like it during two-a-days, but seasons will pass quickly, moments of joy and frustration become memories, and you won’t stand beside your teammates every day with a common goal. I promise that win or lose, the moments that will play out on the field this fall will be some of your most cherished memories. Be sure to be enjoy the days and experiences.

Best of luck to you as the season begins. Win or lose, I hope you take pride in your contributions to your team and to the sport.

Sincerely,
Coach Riggs

Adversity Adds Value

**This column also appeared in the Argus Leader  on July 20, 2015.

Adversity is a reality in sports and in life. Every game has a winner and a loser, and every athlete experiences highs and lows, both on and off the field. One of the things I see all too frequently is parents working very hard to prevent their kids from having to experience adversity. 

As parents, we try to give them every opportunity to succeed, we support and encourage during competitions, and we drive young athletes all over the country to help them have a great experience. But we also work hard to disguise adversity. 

We do not want our kids to experience challenges and disappointment, and we hide it from them in many different ways. We blame officials, we question coaches, and after the game we create excuses for why our team did not win or why our child did not get to play enough.

I would encourage parents to shift their thinking and let adversity be a valuable teacher for their kids. Young athletes need to remember that in every game there is a winning team and a losing team. Kids often only focus on winning and playing time, and when their team loses a game they are not sure how to handle the loss. We need to help them find value in learning the game, bettering their skills, and turning adversity into an opportunity to improve. An athlete who develops a mindset to face a challenge and find a way to overcome it is one who will go far in the sport and in life. As Dan Reeves said, ‘Difficulties in life are intended to make us better, not bitter.’

There are key factors in developing a mindset to overcome adversity: 

Adaptability. Especially in the game of football, we are teaching athletes to respond to whatever comes their way. They need to be able to make quick, smart adjustments and adapt to continually changing situations. Much of what happens during a game isn’t within an athlete’s control, so he needs to focus on the things he can do and work with the team to overcome difficulties. They also may be asked to play out of position, or step aside in certain situations to allow another athlete to perform. If athletes can learn to fulfill their role, rely on their teammates, and be smart in the face of changing conditions, they will find ways to overcome those challenges.

Solid skill foundation. When the going gets tough, athletes simply must possess a solid skill set to fall back on. If athletes have a solid skill foundation, then a coach can always find a place for them on their team. Those skills need to be reliably present in every situation, so never lose sight of reinforcing fundamentals with your athlete. Young athletes need solid skills in every situation that they may face.

Positive mindset. One of the greatest aspects of athletics is the challenge that we face with every practice and game. We continually push ourselves to set goals and reach new limits. We do not always reach these goals right away, and many athletes will quit at this point. Positive thinking is the key to creating mentally strong athletes who can overcome any challenge they may face. A positive mindset will help the athlete turn disappointment into an opportunity to get better. Losing will never deter an athlete with a positive mindset!

Work ethic. Not every athlete has the God-given ability to go out and run the fastest or jump the highest. However, every athlete has the ability to develop a solid work ethic that will allow them to succeed. Talent can take an athlete to a certain point of success, but it’s the work ethic that really separates good athletes from great athletes. Teaching our kids to work hard for something they want to achieve is a benefit on the field and in life.

As we worked with athletes at SD Junior Football Camp last week, I was reminded of the difficulties kids face in learning the game, finding their place on the field and on a team, and facing the numerous challenges that come their way during a season. Those difficulties present many teachable moments for parents and coaches who are interested in the overall success of young athletes. 

We will make them better in the long run not by sheltering them from challenges, but by helping them develop skills to overcome the adversities they face.

Things to Avoid as a Sports Parent

**This column also appeared in the Argus Leader on July 6, 2015.

Summer is the height of youth sports season with many families hitting the ballparks and fields to watch their favorite young athletes play.  We've all been at a youth sporting event where an overzealous parent made things difficult for other families or their own athlete. In an effort to avoid those moments, it is a good time to remind parents of some critical things to avoid as a sports parent:



Never Criticize.
As the biggest supporters of our young athletes, we all have answers and input to make the team better. It is extremely important that parents never criticize and critique the coach, officials, or teammates in front of young athletes. Criticizing can become contagious. Athletes see criticizing as an outlet for failure and respond by criticizing teammates, officials, and coaches. Young athletes need to learn that things will occur outside of their control, and they need to accept it and move on.

Never Bribe.
We want to help motivate our young athletes, and giving incentives or bribes seems like such an easy strategy. Using flashy uniforms or extrinsic secondary rewards to encourage kids to play and work hard can really come back to work against those well-meaning parents. Athletes will begin to only work for those incentives and develop unrealistic expectations of flashy and expensive gear for minimal performance. Any coach will tell you, the best motivation comes from within your athlete, so resist the temptation to motivate extrinsically.

Never question a coach at practice or in front of the kids.
There is a line here that parents need to respect. Asking questions of your coach is fine, and should be expected in all sports. It's choosing the wrong time and place for those questions that can cause
problems. Questioning a coach in front of the athletes at practice creates an atmosphere that quickly takes away respect for the coach, parent, and athlete. People view confrontation and instantly take
sides, and that will seriously undermine your team environment. Always remember to take time to reflect, and then if you still have questions, reach out to the coach at the appropriate time and place.

Never "coach" after the game.
I have frequently written about an eye opening article about the worst part of youth athletics: The car ride home. Parents try to be sensitive since they don't want to be "that parent" who will coach
from the sideline. Instead, they wait until they get into the car and begin giving what they believe is "superior guidance" to their young athletes. Kids want to enjoy and talk about the fun things from the
game. They want to hear that you loved watching them play, and you are proud of their efforts. They see their coach as the person who should be giving that "superior guidance," and mom or dad should be giving support. They need to know that you are their biggest fan, no matter what, so don't lose perspective on their needs.

Never teach them that winning is the most important thing.

In youth sports, parents who are focused exclusively on wins and losses can create an environment that takes away from FUN and equals FRUSTRATION. When parents get wrapped up in wins and losses, kids start to feel unbelievable pressure that causes frustration and can lead to displeasure with the sport altogether. Set realistic goals with your young athletes that are about individual performance and seeing improvement in themselves and their team, then be sure to help them work toward those goals. They learn far more about work ethic and long-term rewards from that approach than they do from watching the scoreboard.

It is difficult to always get it right as parents, so even when we fall short on these it is important to keep trying to do our best as role models and leaders for our kids. After all of these cautions and “nevers,” perhaps the most important of all is to never forget how important you are in your young athlete’s eyes...and never forget to enjoy their efforts and your time together

Team Players Elevate the Game

**This column also appeared in the Argus Leader on June 21, 2015.

One of the questions I am asked by parents and athletes at every level is, “What do I need to do to be great?”

The answer obviously varies depending on the athleticism and circumstances of athletes, and the variables that can make athletes successful are not always within their control. That being said, in my experience there are some things that all truly great athletes have in common, and many of those things are within an athlete’s ability to define. We tend to think about physical training as the key to being the best at your sport. Physical training is definitely important, but it goes beyond that. If you want to be a great athlete, think about these things:

1. Work ethic

At every level of competition, hard-working players will find a place on a team. Athletes who want to compete at the top of their game must be willing to put in the time to get better, even outside of practice hours. The greatest players usually are the ones who arrive first and leave last. They simply put in as much time as they can because they want to get better. They also put 100 percent effort into every moment of practice. They work so hard that everyone else has to raise the level of play to be able to compete. Consider the message you send to coaches and teammates with your work ethic, and make sure it is a positive one.

2. Coachability

The best players know that they can always improve their game, and that they need guidance and advice to do so. Even the most successful players have flaws, and they must be willing to accept coaching to improve their skill set. If a great player is not willing to work within the team concept, then it can destroy a team. Great athletes who are not coachable are not great players. The willingness to listen and accept coaching advice can help elevate a player to be his/her very best. Be sure to listen to the suggestions your coaches give to you, and incorporate their suggestions.

3. Positive mindset and attitude

All athletes are going to face adversity. Great players are able to meet and overcome those challenges. The best players have persistence that will not allow them to quit, and they learn from facing their obstacles. Defeat is never permanent, and they take the things they learn from meeting adversity and use them to get better. When the going gets tough for the team, remind yourself that you are there to learn and find a way to turn adversity around.

4. Being a team player

Great players know that their success depends on the strength of the team. No matter their role, they will work to get their teammates involved and help utilize whatever strengths they offer. The best players will challenge their teammates in a positive way to benefit the team. The players who succeed want to contribute to a team environment that says individual accomplishment is less important than succeeding together. When you attend games and practices, ask yourself whether your words and actions are contributing to a positive team environment.

In all my years of coaching and at every level of competition, there are always athletes on a team who exemplify these characteristics of success. You should always work on the physical side of your game, but what will truly make you great is your passion for the game, dedication to improvement, and extraordinary commitment to the team. Focus on your training, but also be the person on the team who never complains or gives up, who looks out for teammates, and who works tirelessly to make himself and the team better. If you do those things, you will be a good athlete and a great player.

Flag or Tackle? Making the Choice

As a long time coach, parents often ask me questions about their child’s development. One of those recurring questions is whether or not a child is ready to move from flag football to tackle football. The safety of the sport has grabbed a lot of headlines lately, so I understand concerned parents who are hesitant to make the move from flag to tackle or are reluctant to try football at all. There are advantages to playing at both levels, and it is important that families make the decision with good background information.

What are the benefits of flag football?

1. There is no risk of being tackled, having to block, or encountering extremely physical play. Athletes can work their basic skill development on every play and have more opportunities catching and throwing the ball.
2. The flag environment is very controlled with tighter rules and coaches on the field.
3. Athletes establish confidence in game fundamentals and on-field skills that can carry over to tackle football.
4. Flag is the best place to begin the process of Heads Up Football training. There is no substitute for learning proper fundamentals!
5. Athletes can easily transfer the fundamentals they learn in practice onto the game field. Kids can run plays and routes, and practice concepts that are more difficult to reinforce in youth tackle football.

What are the advantages to tackle football?

1. Playing tackle football is a great team sport where teammates rely on each other during every single play.
2. OLine and DLine players have an opportunity to work fundamentals and succeed at the positions suited for them.
3. In a positive environment with good coaching, young athletes can establish confidence that carries over to things on and off the field.
4. Transitioning through established programs promotes proper skill development. SDJRFB does an excellent job helping develop young athletes to successfully transition into middle school and high school football.
5. There has been tremendous effort through Heads Up Football to improve the safety of tackle football and increase concussion awareness for youth players. Learning proper fundamentals is proving to be key to improving safety for kids.

Most young athletes will play flag football in their early years in the sport, and at some point, they will look at transitioning to tackle. When parents ask me if their child is ready, these are the things I ask them:

1. Does your child ever physically shy away from contact on the field?
2. When you see a group of athletes participating in an event, do you feel that your child is at all behind the other kids in coordination, motor development, or processing the movements needed to compete?
3. Do you think your child needs continued focus on game fundamentals and skill development?

If you answered any of these with "yes," then you should consider staying with flag. 

There are definite advantages to both flag and tackle, depending on the skill level of the athlete and the comfort level of his/her parents. Be sure to talk to your coaches and get informed opinions about what is best for your child! It isn’t just a question of age and equipment, it is a question of development and readiness, so consult with people who are familiar with your child’s abilities. We will see a lot of elementary-aged athletes this summer at the Fieldhouse, so don’t hesitate to ask our staff if you have questions about your child’s readiness for flag or tackle.

Whether parents choose flag or tackle, they should know their child will be gaining valuable skills that will have lasting benefits on and off the field. Have fun, and enjoy the game!

2014: A Year in Review

2014 was an exciting year of growth and improvement for Riggs Premier Football. We had a large number of new clients and new events that really set the tone for excellence and hard work! 

We had 125 elite high school athletes at our 1st annual Combine, and over 300 kids attended the 2nd annual SD Junior Football Camp. Along with the larger events we were able to offer individualized training and position clinics to utilize our talented, diversified coaching staff for the benefit of area athletes.

Our coaching staff continued to grow professionally, and our Academy athletes enjoyed great success in their individual endeavors, development as teams, and finding excellence on and off the field. It is a privilege to work with such committed coaches and athletes. Looking forward to more great things in 2015!