Season of Thanks

It takes many dedicated individuals and a supportive community to see success at various levels in the football scene. In this season of giving thanks, I wanted to offer my reflection on some of the positives of the 2014 season.

Thank you to the athletes who gave their all at practices and games. Football is a demanding sport, and learning the game, improving skills, and performing with enthusiasm and sportsmanship is not always easy. The greatest aspect of football that it is the ultimate team sport. Bringing a group together and needing every single individual to commit to a common goal is what makes football great! Watching athletes "buy in" to the team concept is very rewarding as we watch our youth continue to advance in the game. When athletes realize they are playing for more than themselves, they play with more heart and conviction. Our kids give their all to physical development and the betterment of their team. They each have the power to make their teams great through their contributions, and that makes football the best team game of all.

Thank you to the parents who embraced their role in developing their athletes, on and off the field. Youth sports is a journey. Athletes go through many amazing experiences, and they also go through many tests and trials along the way. Athletes need supportive parents that embrace the good and the bad in the journey, and tirelessly support their kids on the sidelines, in their schoolwork, and their time away from the sport. Parents guide their athletes through learning about teamwork, winning and losing gracefully, understanding their role on the team, contributing through playing time, making mistakes, being respectful to officials and coaches, and having fun. We've all seen (or been) the parent who struggles with these lessons at times, but the vast majority of parents work very hard to support and help their players be their best. It does not go unnoticed or unappreciated!

Thank you to the countless volunteers that made youth sports a successful overall experience for kids and families. Youth sports would not be successful without those volunteers that help with reffing, working concessions, serving on boards, creating and working tournaments, and providing our youth with opportunities to learn, appreciate, and develop in the sport. Team sports for kids require an immense amount of 'behind the scenes' coordination, and the people who undertake the task of delivering excellent programs and tournaments deserve sincere gratitude.

Thank you to the many parents and community members who stepped into the difficult and thankless job of coaching. Coaches take on the responsibility for teaching the fundamentals of a sport, safe technique and skills, and all the aspects of managing young athletes in challenging physical and emotional situations. Coaches have to be able to nurture their athletes through all the ups and downs of a season, and they have to do that with kids who have various levels of understanding of the game, and the network of parents who question their every decision. It's an incredibly difficult job to do well, and those volunteer coaches have a huge impact on athlete and family experiences. Thank you, coaches, for donating your precious time to help our young athletes.

Thank you to the community of Sioux Falls for an unwavering support and vision for youth sports. We are so lucky to have a community that has such a strong commitment to youth athletics and the development of our kids. Our athletes want to get better, and our community wants to help them! From the newest facilities, fields, lights, or tournament opportunities, we are truly blessed in Sioux Falls in many different sports and youth activities. We have the best of the best!

Best wishes to you and your families for a Thanksgiving filled with family, food, friends, and football.

The Local Best

Check out media reports on any given day, and you will see that professional athletes live under a magnifying glass in our current culture. Everything they do is watched, scrutinized, reported, and judged. Unfortunately, most of the headlines are negative, and people are very quick to point out every shortcoming and mistake that a pro athlete makes. Whether the scrutiny is fair or unfair, these athletes need to realize that they are always in the spotlight, and kids are always looking up to them.

Athletes may not like the idea of being a 24/7 role model, but when they put on a jersey of a professional team, then they can't escape the media glare and the high expectations of their fans. There have been countless examples of athletes with serious personal issues of late, and plenty of disappointed fans seeking jersey returns and a new role model. These events provide an excellent opportunity to remind kids that they don't have to look very far to find plenty of other tremendous role models for young athletes. 

As the season winds down and teams come together for playoff games, it’s a great time to remember that parents, coaches, and local athletes can be great role models for our kids. All three are leaders that have the attention of our young athletes. Children learn right from wrong, the idea of sportsmanship, and all about the competitive nature in athletics from their parents. Coaches have an impact far beyond the field as they try teach the rules of the game, issues of sportsmanship, and the importance of working within a team.

Roosevelt High School

Local athletes, like pro athletes, are people that our young athletes try to emulate. Watch the end zone areas of any high school game in America, and you will see kids in jerseys cheering on their local best and dreaming that someday they will be in the same position as those Friday night superstars. Each of those people have the ability to be tremendous role models for young athletes, and they can really have an effect on their young fans' lives and love of the sport.

Parents, coaches, and athletes need to remember and model the elements that will help those young fans be better on and off the field. We all hope that our young athletes can observe and learn things like listening, being coachable, being a good teammate, and learning to value team goals and not just personal goals. Parents, coaches, and athletes can help young athletes understand the consequences of skipping practice or losing their cool during a game or practice. We can also help them learn to take pride in their efforts and not just winning. If you are a parent, coach, or athlete who interacts with these young athletes, you are in a unique position to mentor them and help instill these values.

Not sure who some of these local athletes are? I asked some of our local high school coaches to recommend players who model sportsmanship on their teams. These are a few of the athletes who were recommended:

Washington High School

Roosevelt Head Coach Kim Nelson recommended Tyler VanVoorst. Tyler is a junior WR at RHS, and Coach Nelson stated, “He puts his teammates first all the time. He is the first to celebrate other players' good plays and touchdowns. He thanks his teammates when he scores, or has a good play. He will play anywhere we ask him to play and give a great effort. He is also a good student and a very good person in school and in the classroom. He respects everyone and is a great example of a "servant leader."

Harrisburg Head Coach Brandon White recommended Cody Cook. Coach White stated,  "Cody Cook is our role model! The way he treats his teammates is tremendous, and I appreciate the way he coaches up the young guys, on the field and off."  Coaches at the Academy have always been extremely complimentary about having the opportunities to work with Cody. He gives maximum effort in everything that he does, but more importantly is very coachable and respectful.

Washington High School Head Coach Chad Stadem recommended Logan Eckoff. Coach Stadem stated, “Logan is an outstanding student. He is involved in many activities at Washington including football, choir, baseball, etc. He is always at practice and willing to do anything we ask him to do for the team. He treats everyone with respect and is respected by all of his teammates.”

Cody Cook

We are accustomed to recognizing the accomplishments of teams that win championships and athletes who make big plays, but it is just as important to recognize those athletes who are champions off the field and during practice. Congrats to these athletes who are leading by example in their football programs!

It is easy to get caught up in the headlines about professional athletes, but remember that kids value the people around them. If you have the opportunity to interact with young athletes, take advantage of that time to model the qualities of great sportsmanship and help instill positive values. Today’s impressionable young athletes will be tomorrow’s Friday night superstars. Let’s lead them by example to be excellent, on and off the field.

Tips for Sports Parenting Success

*This column also appeared in the Argus Leader on August 18, 2014.

Photo-Joe Ahlquist Argus Leader

It's hard to believe another football season is upon us, but teams are already well into their practice schedules for the fall. We all want to be great parents, so it is good to reflect on the qualities we display that will help young athletes. These are some thoughts to help parents as the season gets into full swing.

• Embrace your role: You are the number one fan for your child and team – you are not the coach. Let the coaches do their job, and don't coach your kids when they get to the car.

Be mindful of your words and tone. Remember it is your job to help your child grow in skills and confidence with his team and coach. You don't need to correct things the child or team did after games and practices. Kids have magnified every mistake and are already processing it.

Make sure you convey positive, constructive thoughts.

• Support good off field habits: Things like getting enough sleep, good nutrition, school performance, and scheduling downtime are critical for young athletes.

All kids should be getting at least nine hours of sleep, and Pop Tarts are not the ideal breakfast for every morning. Try to encourage healthy food choices and well-balanced meals.

Finding downtime is important so kids can do homework and recharge. As the football season starts, a time balance is critical, but it can be very difficult to create. Pay extra attention to cues from your athlete that they need more sleep or a break from the intensity of the season. These are simple things for parents to monitor, and they make a huge difference for athletes.

• Help kids with confidence and skills: We all want our athletes to be stronger, smarter and safer players. The traditional season doesn't allow for much individual coaching or for the opportunity for teams to function outside regular practice.

If your athlete or team is interested, take advantage of training or tournament opportunities. Not every child or team will want to do this – and if they don't, that's fine. But sometimes a little focused attention on confident tackling or running reps can do wonders for confidence, and that can result in a really great season.

Don't be afraid to take advantage of opportunities that are available for young athletes. As long as it is fun and not too grueling for the schedule, it can really be a benefit.

• Be a positive force: Teams have different kinds of energy, and that energy comes from the attitude of all its members. (Athletes, coaches, and parents.) Let coaches and players create an energy, and then rally around that energy. Don't be the parent who brings antics or negativity to practices or games. Find the positive in your team. If there is a problem, approach it constructively with direct communication.

• Keep healthy perspective for you and your child: Young athletes' primary goals should be to learn the game, become part of a team, and to have fun in the process. It is not the Super Bowl or a National Championship. It is about physical and mental development for our kids. Don't lose sight of the bigger picture.

Best of luck to athletes, coaches and parents with the upcoming season.

Off Season Tips for Coaches

*This column also appeared in the Argus Leader on July 21, 2014.

Junior Football Camp came and went last week, and it was great to see so many young athletes using the summer months to train and improve.

The options for athletes to improve their performance during the offseason are fairly apparent and available, but the same can't necessarily be said for youth coaches.

With that in mind, here are a few practical suggestions for coaches who are looking to use the waning days of summer to make meaningful improvements before the season begins:

• Set performance goals that aren't just about winning: I've said this before, but think about the strengths of your team and the things you want your players to accomplish during the season. What skills can they improve or master? Can you help them learn new schemes or plays and reward their efforts as they improve?

Think about ways to motivate your team with shared performance goals. Attitude, mental toughness, and rules of the game are all areas where we can set goals and work to improve.

• Evaluate your practice plans: You always want to keep practices moving along and fun for your athletes.

As you evaluate your plans, ask yourself: Is there wasted time in your practice? Are you spending time on things that you do not use during the season? Are you working all areas of the game during practice? This includes situational drills, special teams, basic plays, etc. Thoughtful evaluation and fine-tuning will go a long way toward getting the most out of practices.

• Be a great communicator: If you are going to work with young athletes, you are best served communicating with them using the tools that they use.

Social media is here to stay, and it is a fast and accessible way to communicate with athletes and their families. You can use social media as a simple tool for team announcements, motivational messages, and feedback from games and practices. Take advantage of the versatility that comes with social media for team communication.

• Get to know your team: One of the keys to your team's ability to function during good and bad moments comes from the quality of the relationships you have built. Likewise, the relationships among your players are important.

You need to know how to motivate your players as individuals – what learning styles do they possess? How do they respond to compliments and criticism?

• Identify strengths and weaknesses: As a youth coach, you need to assess your players' abilities to build on their strengths and improve their weaknesses.

What did your team do well and where were there struggles? Are your performance expectations realistic given your team's abilities and practice time? Can you spend more time on what you do well and branch off of that concept?

You do not want to set your team up for frustrating practices and a tough season. Help your players build on their strengths, and keep a realistic focus on improving weaknesses.

The season is just around the corner, and as athletes wrap up their offseason work, hopefully their coaches will also find ways to bring renewed energy and excitement to the field.

We are all looking forward to another great football season.

Planning for College

This column also appeared in the Argus Leader on June 9, 2014.

One of the most common questions I am asked as a coach is whether or not a high school athlete has what it takes to play college football.

Every parent and athlete dreams of big scholarships to major Division I programs. Whether an athlete goes on to achieve that dream often depends on circumstances outside his control and comes down to whether or not he is a "fit" for a particular program or coaching staff.

The recruiting process is daunting. Without meaning to, athletes can end up missing opportunities to advance their education and to play the game they love. However with some planning and flexibility, athletes can achieve their goal of playing in college.

What can athletes do during their high school careers to get ready for college recruiting?

• Focus on academics: Grades are the No. 1 factor and can easily determine if schools will even look at you. Your grades in high school will determine the range of options for college. Will you be able to attend your major college of choice or will you be asking a program to take a chance on your success and let you walk on?

For most athletes, football will not last forever and you need to plan for a career. Your grades dictate your career options.

• Explore all levels: Don't just focus on major D-1 programs. Research all your options. Look at whether or not the college is somewhere you want to spend the next four or five years.

You may want to get away from home, but can you financially survive being away from home? Does the school offer the major you want to pursue? Is the coaching staff secure? Would you still like to be at the school if the staff changed? What are the school's graduation rates and job placement rates in your chosen field?

• Leave all options open, but be realistic: So many athletes refuse to look at recruiting letters from schools below D-1. They are enjoying great success in high school, and they don't talk with anyone other than premier programs. When signing day arrives and passes and they are asked to walk on, they have severely limited their options.

The goal for most athletes is to play in college. If only one D-2 school is talking to you then this may be a difficult level for you to be competitive. You may not even step on the field until your junior or senior year. Consider whether you are willing to put in the time required if your playing time will be limited. I strongly recommend athletes research all levels (NAIA, D-2, D1-AA and D-1) and go where they have the best chance to contribute to the program.

• Maximize experience and exposure: It is important for athletes to put together top-quality highlight tapes, but there is no substitute for being seen by college coaches. There are plenty of chances to attend recruiting combines and camps, and I strongly recommend you take advantage of those opportunities to be seen.

If coaches don't know anything about you, then you won't have a chance to go on playing. Take advantage of every chance to get better at your sport and to be seen playing.

• Work hard at everything you do: A solid work ethic is critical to playing in college. The entire college experience is demanding. Coaches want to know that you will give your best effort on the field, in the classroom, and to the program. What will your high school coaches and teachers say about your willingness to work? The recruit who is enthusiastic and works hard in every circumstance will have a better shot than one who was chronically late, absent, or lazy.

It is important for athletes to consider the total package when it comes to college football. Remember that many of the factors that improve your chance to play in college are things that will lead to your overall success. Dream big, work hard, explore your options, and remember: Plan for college, not just college football.

The Power of Sportsmanship

**This column also appeared in the Argus Leader on May 19, 2014.

Legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne once said, "One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than a hundred teaching it."

Photo-Elisha Page Argus Leader

One of the challenges we face as coaches and parents of young athletes is finding the best way to teach sportsmanship. The games offer many opportunities to learn life lessons and become better people. However, those lessons aren't always readily apparent to kids living in the hyper-competitive athletic world we've created for them.

We all need reminders that the final score and the win-loss record aren't why we play the game in the first place. Sometimes, those reminders come from unexpected places.

During the state basketball tournament this year, I could not help but notice a young man on the Roosevelt High bench. He was not one of the players, but you could tell that he was 100 percent committed to and invested in everything that the team was doing.

Scotty Briggs, a senior and Special Olympics athlete, was providing a powerful example of sportsmanship to his peers.

Every time the Rough Riders scored, he would celebrate as if they hit the game winning shot. Every time the players came over during a time-out looking dejected, he was there to cheer them up. He helped them realize what an amazing opportunity they had playing in the game.

There are three values of sportsmanship that I hope every child takes away from his or her involvement in youth athletics:

• Build self-confidence.

• Understand the value of teamwork.

• Deepen your love of the game.

Anything that communities and coaches can do to help promote those values for kids is a worthwhile effort.

The Sanford POWER Football Academy, for example, is committed to finding ways to teach not just football, but to practice the greater lessons of sportsmanship. As a result, we will be providing a special opportunity for athletes ages 8-18 in the Sioux Falls area this summer with an event we're calling "All Champs Camp."

All Champs was born out of a partnership with Special Olympics South Dakota. Football has not been a sanctioned SOSD sport, and there have not been opportunities for kids to learn football skills or play the game. Riggs Premier Football will be offering a Skills Clinic (June 8) and Flag Football Camp (July 20) as unified events, free of charge to all athletes.

Unified sports have been around for the past twenty years or so, and they build on the premise that the power of sport is most fully realized when you pair athletes with and without developmental disabilities to play the game together. Unified sports have the power to break down social barriers and reinforce the values of sportsmanship for everyone involved.

All Champs Camp will include SOSD athletes and Academy partners learning skills and playing football together. We think it will be one of our best events, and we hope for a great turnout. We sincerely hope this event is the only the beginning of the football story for SOSD athletes in Sioux Falls.

As a coach, one of the things I enjoy most about youth sports is that pure love of the game requires no translation. Bonds of friendship form quickly and deeply. Sports can transform lives. We see it every day as kids develop discipline and work ethic, turning everyday challenges into monumental triumphs.

I believe that providing All Champs Camp to young athletes in the area is a powerful way to demonstrate our belief at the Academy that football is for everyone.

When we accept that everyone brings something to the team, kids feel good about their contribution and they get to play a game they love with friends old and new. I think athletes and coaches alike will see firsthand the power of the game to change hearts and minds.

That is the power of sportsmanship, and that is what will define all these participants as "champions."

Make it a Winning Summer with Young Athletes

**This column also appeared in the Argus Leader on April 27, 2014.

Warm weather is finally here, and everyone seems ready to jump into summer activities. Many families will spend time at ball parks and practice fields cheering on their favorite young athletes over the coming months. I look forward to many rewarding interactions with parents who bring their kids to camps, clinics, and tournaments. But I dread the situations that will unfold around me where there is tremendous conflict between parents and athletes or coaches, and the parent is behaving badly. What should be an enjoyable experience for kids can turn into a nightmare for everyone, and make for a very long summer. If parents can keep these things in mind, summer sports can be a win-win experience.

Focus on success, not winning.
One of the things I really hate to see is kids who believe success is only defined by winning a championship. I watch these young athletes have great performances and great seasons, but they don't think those things mattered at all unless they win the big game. They become incredibly dejected if they lose, and that defeats the entire purpose of youth sports. Parents need to help kids set individual and team goals that focus on performance and enjoyment of the process, not just the final score. Did they try a new scheme? Play at a different position? Did everyone get a chance to make a play? Reality is that kids are going to play a lot of games, and they aren't going to win them all. That doesn’t have to be an awful experience if parents remember to reinforce their pride in the child's effort and performance. Watch them play, share their joy at learning and trying, and applaud their part in the process no matter who walks away with a trophy.

Make motivation fun.

Nothing is more difficult for motivated parents than for them to perceive their young athlete is losing focus and motivation. This is a common area of disagreement for athletes and their parents! For young athletes motivation should mean FUN. If athletes are not having a good time, then they lose interest in participation very quickly. Parents need to remember that kids are kids. They will not be performance driven like an adult, and they will be sporadically uninterested and unmotivated. Expect it, embrace it without conflict, and provide your athlete the opportunity and support to renew his energy for the game. If the sport becomes a topic where there is ongoing conflict with parents, you will do more damage by forcing the issue. Keep it fun for kids, and they will find the motivation to stay involved.

Talk about goals, not the score.

In a long summer of sports, I think parents should help kids set realistic but challenging goals to improve performance. This could be as simple as becoming a better dribbler, practicing a new play and executing it in the game, completing one more pass than the last game, shooting 100 free throws a week together, or displaying good sportsmanship. Help them select whatever small details they think can make them grow as an athlete and keep them interested in the sport. None of those goals should involve winning games. They should be focused on individual and team performance. It's an an entirely different and constructive conversation between parents and athletes when they are both focused on those personal goals and work together for the young athlete to reach them.

Find a healthy balance.

Balance is so important for kids. When our kids love sports, how often do we try to find a balance with things outside of sports? Without that balance, sometimes our kids become so invested in the sport that they lose sight of everything else. And we do the same as parents. Make sure your kids take the time to be outdoors, hang out with friends, and not focus exclusively on competition and their sport. So many families go from football to wrestling/basketball, and then baseball season, they never have a chance to enjoy down time at the lake and a break from the grind of youth sports. If at some point, the child starts to lose interest in the sport, then what is next? We need to help our kids find a sense of balance with their activities and unstructured time.

Embrace the process, mistakes and all.

One of the things I have learned from working with young athletes is that there is nobody harder on a child's performance than the child himself. Kids who make mistakes will replay them and beat themselves up on it forever. Parents often don't realize that they need to help their kids move past those moments. They will "coach" their kids and unintentionally reinforce the child's view that his mistake was huge and means he is a failure. As a parent, you need to be the great encourager. Trust that your coach will help the kids through mistakes and help them work to improve, but as a parent, you need to keep your athlete confident and feeling good about his effort and performance. Let the coach do his/her job, and let your kids make mistakes and learn from the process. Parents know that they love and support their athletes NO MATTER WHAT. Make sure you communicate that fact to your young athlete in ways that they can understand.

Summer should be a time for families to enjoy shared activities and grow together. By taking the focus off the scoreboard and putting it on our athletes and their small successes, hopefully parents and kids can enjoy the summer just a little bit more. Together.