One of the four core values that I focus on each year as a Head Coach is what I called a “Player Centered Environment.” You will find this in my 4 Ps of the Program. These are my four values.
I’m a big believer that the players, not the Head Coach or coaching staff, need to be at the center of the program. I’ve seen some programs fail miserably because it was so centered on a coach, and when he left, the program fell flat on its face.
I’m also a big proponent of allowing for the players to have a voice, and to have a say in what happens. This creates a natural process of ownership. Many times, I can even kind of steer the direction of the players, but allow them to think that they are making the choice about something. When that decision is made, they have immediate ownership over it.
For example, one year I had set our summer calendar, in conjunction with the rest of my coaching staff. We set a four day a week program, for seven weeks. Two hours per day. A total of 56 hours lifting weights and running. The Player Committee came to me and said “we would rather go for a longer period of time, and less days per week.” They gave me a list of reasons why. I talked it over with my coaching staff. Some coaches liked their idea, some were dead set against it.
I made the ultimate decision to change to a three times per week format, as the players suggested. But I told the players we would need to add an extra week, and they were fine with that. So, we went to three times per week, for three hours per day, for eight weeks. A total of 72 hours. So, we ended up getting an extra 16 hours of work with the kids during that summer!
And the best thing, the kids LOVED it! I don’t think they ever even bothered doing the math on the total hours we had. This idea was born out of the Player Committee. I’ve used a Player Committee every year that I’ve been a Head Coach. I outline below what my Player Committee looks like. Take a look! (This is from my 2007 season.)
EAGLES FOOTBALL ‘07
Player Committee
The Player Committee for the 2007 football season will consist of 4 seniors, 3 juniors, 2 sophomores and 1 freshmen.
To be on the Player Committee
- Must be selected by peers and approved by coaches.
- Must have a 3.0 G.P.A.
- Must have a 90 % attendance rate at weight room workouts
- Must have been a part of this program last season
- Must live a lifestyle consistent with the Christian values that Capistrano Valley Christian teaches
Player Committee responsibilities
- Report to meetings with the Head Coach and other coaching staff
– Meetings will be held every other week during the season and at other needed times.
- Take responsibility of being a leader in the football program.
- Bring to the attention of the Head Coach and coaching staff any kind of problems, questions, concerns that the football players might have. Simply be a voice to the Head Coach.
- Bring to the attention of the players any kind of problems, questions, concerns that the Head Coach and other coaching staff might have. Simply be a voice to the players other than the coaching staff.
- Represent the CVCS football program at various events.
- Go above and beyond your peers to represent this football program in the classroom, on campus, on the field, at your church, in the community, etc.
- Help decide on the theme, logo, spirit package clothing, uniform look and other various ideas that go with a football program.
- Give a player’s point of view in regards to discipline issues that might come up. The coaching staff reserves the right to remove any player from the Player Committee should they feel the need to do so.
