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.

To the Kid in Right Field...

**This column also appeared in the Argus Leader on March 31, 2014.

Dear Right Fielder,

I've watched you play since your T-ball days with my son, and in case nobody else has told you lately, you are awesome. During these long baseball seasons, I enjoy watching you scamper out to the same spot and try your hardest to focus on the game while swatting at bugs and pulling the occasional weed. You sprint to your spot every time, hoping to impress your coach and get a shot at playing in the infield next inning. Your coach doesn’t always notice you putting in that little extra, but don’t ever let up with your efforts, no matter what happens!

I love watching your enthusiasm at the end of each inning when you sprint back to your buddies in the dugout to share the excitement of getting up to bat. You get disheartened sometimes when you strike out or things don’t go well for the team, but it is great to see you work with your teammates to overcome your challenges and get excited about the next opportunity. One of the things you will learn much later in life is that it’s hard to remember if you won or lost these games, but you will always remember being part of something special with your friends.

Finally! A fly ball comes your way, and I hold my breath in anticipation of your nerves and excitement. I love cheering you on when you catch a fly ball to end the inning, and your “I did it!” dash back to the dugout to celebrate with your team! But you should know that I’m cheering for you when you miss those fly balls too. I want you to keep playing your heart out because it’s clear just how much you love being on the field. It might not feel like it if you drop a ball, but in the end, your passion for the game is much more important than whether you make every catch.

It is great to see how proud you are in your team uniform. Never mind that your jersey is twice as big as you, it’s the number of your favorite player, and that makes it a perfect fit. The dirt and grass stains you take home are badges of honor for your very best efforts. I can’t see your heart on your sleeve, but I know it’s there because I watch you ride the waves of emotion that come with giving it your all in a sport that you love. You are learning that winning and losing are part of the game, and even though it is difficult, it is rewarding to see you do both with pride and respect.

I know that sometimes in the middle of crazy games and screaming fans, it isn’t easy to feel that you made any difference in the outcome. I hope you listen to your coach when he says every chance your team gets to play baseball is another chance to have fun, improve and come together as a team. Being part of the team helps you see that when every person works together for something bigger than one person’s performance, some really amazing things can happen. Whether you are hitting a home run or catching a fly ball, don’t ever question that your contribution makes a difference. We are all better when we work together.

There will be challenges ahead as an athlete, but remember, the most important thing you can do is keep playing the game. Don’t ever let anything stand in your way of being part of the team and part of the experience. Take pride in your involvement, and stick with it a little extra on those days you feel like quitting. You will never regret trying a little harder or playing just one more game.

When chances come your way, I really hope they turn into home runs and the shot at playing infield. But if they don’t, remember that your efforts and passion for the game have not gone unnoticed. The dedication, effort, and teamwork you are experiencing now will never leave you, and they will make you better at everything you do in your life.

Love the sport you play, and play the sport you love. And keep being awesome.

Sincerely,

A Fan

We all enjoy watching our kids in the sports spotlight. We cheer for them to make the winning basket, hit a home run, set a race record, or get a first down. It is important to remember that many young athletes put in endless hours of practice without necessarily having the opportunity to be the star. Those athletes are the unsung heroes of youth sports, and it’s important to recognize their talents and commitment. Be sure to offer your support to those athletes when you have a chance!

Catching Up with Tyler Starr

Former USD Linebacker, Tyler Starr, trained very hard to get ready for Pro Day at the Fieldhouse, and he had a great performance! Coach Siegfried said, "Tyler stood out physically and athletically at the Pro Day! After running an improved 40 yard dash, Tyler made quick work of remaining tests of speed and agility. He topped off his great day with an impressive linebacker drill session that displayed his capacity to transfer it all to on-the-field movements."

We have enjoyed working with Tyler, and Coach Riggs asked him to share a few thoughts about his goals and the possibility of playing in the NFL. We are hoping for the best for him as he pursues his dreams!

Has it always been your goal to play football at a higher level?
Playing in the NFL has been a dream for me for as long as I can remember.

What have you been doing to get ready for your Pro Day?
I have been partaking in strength, speed, technique, and position work at the Sanford Fieldhouse.

What has been the most enjoyable part of this journey toward the NFL? What has been the most difficult?
It is always exciting to take the next step and see how I evolve as an athlete. On the difficult side though, I feel a lot of pressure being this close to my dream.

What do you think your strengths are as an athlete?
I think I have a high motor and the skills to play several positions.

What do you enjoy about playing linebacker?
I love the versatility of the position. You get to pass rush, stop the run, and cover in space!

What advice would you offer to young athletes who hope to someday be in your current position...hoping to be drafted by an NFL team?
No matter what you do, continue to move forward with your goals in your line of sight.

Tyler has been extremely focused on his goals, and we are excited to see how his journey continues. Coach Riggs added, "Congrats to Tyler on a great showing! His hard work with Coach Siegfried has really paid off!"

We will keep you posted on Tyler's story, and wish him the very best with all that is to come.

What Makes a Great Youth Sports Coach?

 If you ever participated in sports, I hope you can think back and remember a great coach...someone who believed in you and helped you be your best, even under difficult circumstances. Coaches have the power to make or break the entire sporting experience for young athletes, so it’s important to find and recognize what makes a great coach. I have attended my fair share of youth sporting events over the years, and I have been impressed with the quality and commitment demonstrated by volunteer coaches working with all ages of athletes. In my experience, these are the “winning qualities” I think parents should look for in their coaches:

1. Winning is great, but it isn’t why you are there. It is very easy to get absorbed in winning games and tournaments with youth sports teams. We all want our kids to succeed and be part of a winning program, but as coaches we have to keep perspective on what is important and teach kids to win and lose gracefully. A coach’s primary job has to be keeping things positive for every member of the team, and that means giving every athlete the chance to contribute on the field. No matter what the score is or how much time is left.

Winning a 4th grade game or tournament is really not going to be the deciding factor in these young athletes’ futures, but whether they enjoy themselves and feel like a valued member of the team will definitely dictate whether kids continue to participate. In youth sports, keeping kids involved and having fun is really what counts as a “win”. Coaches need to invest in each child's potential and help them see how they can contribute to the team. Creating this atmosphere will help with team building and individual confidence, Coaches who understand the importance of building up kids, instilling skills and confidence, and strengthening their team are the ones you want working with your young athletes!.

2. Developing skills and developing a person go hand in hand. Young athletes are there to learn the fundamentals of a sport, and coaches need to help them develop their athletic ability through practice and repetition, but there is so much more opportunity for development in youth sports. We fully expect our kids to learn the rules of the game, fundamental skills, and safe technique, but coaches also can help kids learn to respect officials, opponents, and the game itself. Coaches are in an awesome position to help athletes develop respect, learn to play fairly, and practice solid sportsmanship. Gracious winners on the field can translate those skills to all areas of their lives, and the power of that development message should come through loud and clear from coaches. 

3. Patience and process...process and patience. Working with young athletes is definitely about process, and If a coach cannot be patient and enjoy the ups and downs and the process of individual and team development, then youth sports is not the place for them. Kids all have different learning styles, different motivational responses and different ability levels. These are all things that can easily "test" a coach's patience. A coach has to be able to take a step back and remember the process is extremely important to meeting the goal of youth athletics. Working with those individual athletes to develop their strengths and help them find their path to contributing to the team can be a slow and daunting process. The best coaches have tremendous patience and a strong desire to see the process through to develop their team. Those coaches find tremendous reward in the milestones their athletes reach and in seeing their team get better over time.

4. You need enthusiasm for a sport and for working with kids. Enthusiasm is a something that all coaches need to help motivate and inspire young kids to reach their potential. Many coaches are enthusiastic about games and about competing, but that enthusiasm becomes an especially effective tool when kids feel their coach is enthusiastic about their performance and involvement. Have you ever been around a teacher that didn’t seem to really like kids? The same thing happens with coaches, so it’s important to find a coach who loves the sport, but who also loves teaching fundamentals and working with children. Their love of the game is enhanced by their young proteges’ understanding and skill development. When you find a coach who is enthusiastic about the game itself and teaching a group of second graders to love it too, that is a great quality!

5. Communication is key. Great youth coaches need to be solid communicators. They have to be able to communicate with athletes during practice and games, and they need to communicate well with parents. Many team issues arise in youth sports because of poor communication, so the coach that understands his/her responsibility to communicate rules and decisions to the athletes and to their parents is a coach you want to keep. People tend to fill in with misinformation and negatives if they aren’t provided adequate information and details. Coaches who keep communication open and keep the messages positive are really excellent for youth sports!

Thanks to the many volunteer coaches who keep our youth sports organizations functioning. It is great to have people in our community who will commit to improving our kids’ abilities and sportsmanship!

**This article also appeared in the Argus Leader on March 10, 2014.