Chris Ross, Offensive Coordinator, Tarleton State, and former Texas High School Head Football Coach.
Full video on Glazier Drive: Being a Head Coach is Not an Individual Sport
OVERVIEW
This lesson, presented by Chris Ross, focuses on the fundamental shift in mindset required when moving from assistant coach to head coach. The core message: being a head coach is a team sport, not an individual one.
THE ROLE CHANGE
As an assistant, you executed the plan. As a head coach, you now produce results through the efforts of others — athletes, assistant coaches, parents, boosters, and administration. Leading adults is profoundly different from leading players, and requires an entirely new skill set.
SELLING YOUR VISION
A head coach must sell their vision to every group in the program. This means communicating not just where the team is going, but showing each individual — especially athletes — that they will personally benefit from the journey. People will work hard if they believe it will be worth it.
DELEGATION AND STANDARDS
Great head coaches delegate responsibly, then train and evaluate consistently. You must define success for every group, set clear roles and expectations, and establish standards for how your program prepares, practices, communicates, and conducts itself.
HIRING AND PEOPLE MANAGEMENT
Hire for character first — intelligence, creativity, and high character matter more than sport-specific knowledge. Coaches rarely get fired for aptitude; it’s almost always attitude. Also remember: every hour your staff gives you is time away from their families. Respect it by being productive, not just busy.
CULTURE
Culture is your beliefs and what it feels like to be part of your program. It starts at the top but must be owned at every level. If you don’t define and consistently reinforce it, it will drift — and that can unravel a program quickly.