As a football coach, I root myself in two pillars that are necessary to have a successful relationship with players, coaches, and staff, and are also essential to the on-field success of a football program. These pillars are loyalty and effort.
The scope and embodiment of loyalty is different to most individuals, so it is important to establish and help players see to what they should be loyal. It is imperative that players be loyal to their families, their education, their teammates, and the program. Sadly, many of the trepidations in a player’s journey is their loyalty to something harmful to themselves or other people. It is possible to be devotedly loyal to a caustic aspect of one’s life and, as coaches, part of the task of being a mentor is helping shape positive loyalties. Additionally, loyalty is not just the responsibility of the player. In fact, we, as coaches, have to be loyal to every person who touches and impacts the program. This takes a personal and diligent commitment to each player and forges worthwhile relationships.
Effort is a word that also comes burdened with shades of connotation. Effort to one player, or coach, may not be viewed equally by another. Part of establishing the norms and expectations of a program is to establish what effort looks like and how it is expected at all times. Players are expected to give relentless effort in the classroom, on the practice field or game, in the weight room, and even in the film room. Notwithstanding, it is our job as coaches to embrace this same effort. We need to give all we have to our players, other members of the staff, and our game preparation and execution. As with loyalty, effort must be established from the top down in order to have success. Ironically, results are not always equated to effort. Oftentimes this is difficult to understand, but the dialogue on this seeming paradox needs to be consistently addressed.
Lastly, a wise coach once said, “You don’t coach football; you coach people to play the game of football.” It is important to remind one’s self that this is a game that involves people. Thus, caring about them, supporting them, being loyal, and giving everything you have back to them will create something much greater than a final on a scoreboard. I would rather be known for helping mold players than my win/loss record, but I also know that it is possible to be successful in both. Enthusiasm is contagious, so be loyal, give unflappable effort, lead, have fun, and winning football games will take care of itself.