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.