Coaching Essentials

Your first practice is approaching. Kids, many of whom you may never have seen before, will be dropped off, in your charge, ready (you hope) to learn all about the sport. The question is this: Are you ready? Consider the important elements that go into planning and conducting the first practice of your season. Let’s start by hearing how our three coaches go about planning their first practice of the year.

Click on the Audio button under each photo to hear that coach’s comments.

Coach Simmons

Coach Hughes

Coach Ortega

After you’ve had a chance to listen to what the coaches have to say, click on Next to continue.

At my first practice, I do just a brief introduction of who I am, give the team a practice and competition schedule, and then go into some basic drills and such. I like to get right into it.

You know I like to set the tone right off the bat. So I lay out the rules, let the team know what I expect of them, and what I won’t tolerate. I also let the athletes know what we’re going to be working on during the year. I used to pick team captains at that first practice, but now I let a couple of practices go by before I name a captain or two.

At our very first practice, I let the team know a little bit about my basic coaching philosophy so they know what to expect from me. We also briefly go over team rules. Then, I'll do a few activities to check out their skills. It’s amazing what you can learn about athletes’ abilities and tendencies.

Coaching Football Technical and Tactical Skills by ASEP, 2006, Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
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