Champions are Made in the Off-season

The best teams get after it during the summer months. The best coaches effectively engage their athletes and motivate them to put in the work the work that helps them to improve. Whether it’s lifting weights, hitting balls, running miles, swimming laps, or working on technique, the old adage holds true: champions are made in the off-season.

As a coach myself, I admit it can be overwhelming to put together a schedule, communicate consistently, and deliver your off-season workout plans to your athletes.  Being organized and efficient with one’s time is the key.

Programax – The One-Stop-Shop for Summer

A few months ago I came across Programax, a coaching app with a wide range of functionality designed to help coaches lead a better program.  I gave a full product overview here: Engaging Your Athletes In this article, I want to particularly highlighting the effectiveness of Programax for coaches as a tool for off-season athlete engagement.

The benefits of Programax for off-season training are tremendous. As a coach, the easy-to-use web-based tool allows you to:

• Build mobile-friendly skill and strength workouts
• Communicate through sync-able calendars, texts and emails
• Manage your camp-sign up process

Check out the details for these features below. Also, I worked with Programax to secure a limited-time 10% discount for Coachestoolbox subscribers.  Make sure you ask about it when you sign up.

Mobile Strength & Skill Workouts
Your Strength and Skill Workouts Delivered to your Athletes’ Phones

Every coaching staff has an off-season workout program in place. So often the challenge is motivating the athletes to actually participate in the workouts.  Many coaches are still using paper handouts that quickly make their way to the recycle bin, or at best become a poster on the athlete’s bedroom wall. Only the most diligent actually take the time to track their workouts

As we all see everyday, kids are effectively engaged in and through technology. Programax makes it easy for you to capitalize on that trend.

The technology-based coaching tool makes it possible for you to compile a video library of drills and exercises that instruct athletes in the precise way you want the activities executed.

As a coach, you can populate your account with your favorite drills or upload videos already offered on YouTube.

Athletes can then access their own Programax accounts through their smartphones, and then view and execute the workout for the day as instructed and record their performance. Results are posted in real time on program-wide leaderboards, permitting coaches and other athletes to see who is putting in the work..

Communicate in one Place
Messaging and Scheduling

A huge challenge for summer is organizing schedules and getting the word out to your program. Programax has you covered with built-in calendars, text and email messaging services, and team roster organization.  It turns into your communication hub for reaching out to parents, coaches and athletes. Programax also eliminates the need to constantly be collecting and updating contact information by putting it in the hands of the athletes and their parents.

 

 Make Camps Easy
Summer Camp Registration

Summer camps and summer leagues can be particularly demanding of a coach’s time. The Programax Events feature enables coaches to easily create an event, invite participants through the app, and even collect registration fees. The tool populates a real time roster of sign-ups and key information on those individuals–amounting in a huge timesaver for coaches..

 

For more information about Programax, visit their website (www.programax.org) or schedule a demo. 

Don’t forget to ask about the CoachesToolBox discount.

I. Education – Academics

1. What is the national academic reputation of the school?
2. What is the national reputation of my intended major at this school?
3. What is the student/Professor ratio in my major?
4. What is the accreditation rating in my major?
5. What is the degree of difficulty of school generally? of your major specifically.
6. Do coaches emphasize academics?
7. What is the graduation rate of scholarship athletes?
8. Is there an academic plan for athletes?
9. Academic Advisor and Academic Counseling
10. Preferred scheduling
11. Tutoring program
12. Study table (ask for an explanation)
13. Library and Study Areas
14. Required class attendance
15. Is summer school education part of the scholarship offer?
16. Is a 5th year available if necessary to complete my degree?

II. Head Coach – Assistant Coaches

1. What is the national reputation of the Head Coach?
2. What is the national reputation of the coaching staff?
3. What kind of reputation has the recruiter developed with your Senior High School?
4. Do the coaches treat players as people?
5. Do the coaches treat players as students?
6. What is the philosophy towards working with athletes?
7. Will the coaching staff help me plan for my future?
8. Job opportunities, including summer work (ask for explanation)
9. Future placement
10. Alumni
11. Type/Character of head coach and position coach

III. The Athletic Scholarship (also called an Athletic Grant-in-Aid) Will I be offered a scholarship during my visit? What does the scholarship cover? What is it worth in dollars and cents? How much will I have to pay myself? Ask for an explanation of the “National Letter of Intent.” Ask about a conference or league letter of intent.

IV. The College

1. Where is it located? ( inner city, rural, suburban)
2. What is the distance from home?
3. What are the campus, the dormitories, fraternities/sororities, apartments and facilities like?
4. What are the dining facilities quality/quantity of food, training table?
5. Spiritual, aesthetic, cultural opportunities?
6. Quantity, quality of student body?
7. Attitude faculty, student body, and community towards athletes in general, your sport in particular.
8. What are the students like? What are the other players like? Do they seem to be quality people?
9. Does the school have character and spirit?
10. Consider the social aspect of the school.
11. Will I fit in financially?
12. What is the social climate of the
    school?
13. Can I attend the church of my choice?
14. Private, public, denominational school?
15. Climate—weather conditions
16. Quality of recruiting

V. Other Things to Consider

1. What is the athletic tradition of the school?
2. Are they a regular post season participant?
3. Are they a
   consistent winner?
4. Are they rebuilding?
5. Is the head coach secure in his/her job? How long does he or she intend to be at this school?
6. How long has
   he or she been there?
7. Where else has he or she coached?
8. Can I play/start as a freshman?
9. At what position am I being recruited?
10. What is the number of returning players, lettermen, or starters at my position?
11. How many players are they recruiting at my position? How many do they want to sign?
12. How many scholarships are they offering this year?
13. What are their offensive and defensive tendencies or philosophies?
14. What are the athletic facilities like? Fieldhouse? Locker Rooms? Practice Areas?
15. Strength Program and Weight Room?
16. What is their conference affiliation?
17. What teams do they play?
18. Can this program help me reach my full potential?
19. What is the medical staff comprised of? What is the quality of prevention and care of injuries?
20. Doctors, trainers, medical facilities?
21. What is the policy toward serious injury and graduation?
22. If I sign early and am injured, do I still have a scholarship?
23. Is there media exposure? (Press, TV, Radio)
24. Has there been honesty and fairness in recruiting?
25. Has there been any history of NCAA probation or
    Investigation?
26. Are there any local kids or other friends going to the school?
27. Alumni—job opportunity summer/after graduation.
28. Recreation facilities
29. Quality/type of athletes in general and your sport in particular?
30. Is the system of play compatible to your abilities?
31. What is their redshirt policy?

These two lists were written by Alan Stein

Alan is the Performance Coach at DeMatha High School.

I hope this gives you an idea or two that you can add to what you do or just a different way to present your program’s values to your fellow coaches and to your athletes.

13 Ways to Build Culture

Successful programs have created a palpable culture, sound habits and high standards:

1. Program > Team > Athlete
2. Players and coaches talk to each other, not at each other. Big difference.
3. No one is perfect. Mistakes will happen on and off the field/court. Learn from them.
4. Every player and every coach is important to the team and plays a role. Respect that.
5. Focus on effort and attitude. Those are the only 2 things we have complete control over.
6. You either accept it or you correct it. There is nothing in between.
7. Repetition is not viewed as punishment. Repetition is necessary to development.
8. Confront issues, not people.
9. Goals match behaviors and habits.
10. Be on time. It is a sign of respect.
11. Discipline = Love
12. If you aren’t prepared to put the team first… don’t play.
13. Believe or leave…

Being a part of program is not a part time endeavor. It’s something you get to pick and choose. You belong to and represent your program 24-7-365. Act accordingly.

12 Keys to a Winning Program

Please note, when I say winning program – I not referring to W’s & L’s exclusively.

I am referring to a winning culture, developing winning habits and setting winning standards.

Winning is all about commitment.

Every player and every coach must be committed to…

1. Academic work. Aim for success in everything you do, not just the stuff you want to do.
2. Behavior. Carry yourself in a first class manner at all times. Be respectful.
3. Character. Doing the right thing all of the time (not just when someone is watching you).
4. The program. No one is bigger than the team and no team is bigger than the program.
5. Working hard. There is never an excuse to let someone outwork you. Never.
6. Working smart. Work out with efficiency & purpose. Learn how to play the right way.
7. Working consistently. Anyone can be good for a day. Work hard/smart every
8. Unselfishness. Be a servant leader. Put other’s needs first.
9. A winning attitude. Earn confidence through effort and demonstrated performance.
10. The team. Commit to your team’s philosophy and system of play.
11. Your role. Know it. Embrace it. Take pride it. Fulfill it to the best of your ability.
12. Your teammates and coaches. They are your brothers/sisters. You are a family.

Alan Stein

By Stephanie Zonars, Life Beyond Sport

Every coach I meet wants to make a difference in the lives of others. But not every coach maximizes that opportunity.

Every coach I meet takes time to define team and perhaps, personal goals. But not every coach invests time in defining his/her purpose.

There’s a big difference between goals and purpose.

Goals: shorter in duration; focused on the “what”; task-oriented; measurable

Purpose: spans longer time frame; focused on the “why”; relationship-driven; largely immeasurable

On the long highway of life, goals are the signposts and purpose is the road itself. As you move through your career, you will achieve goals. But if your identity is tied only to performance goals, you’ll always be looking backwards to find validation.

It’s why some pro athletes come out of retirement and why coaches oftentimes feel lost at the end of their careers—they don’t know their purpose apart from achieving performance goals.

But knowing your purpose—why you coach—sustains you for the whole journey. —Tweet that!

You will achieve lots of goals along the way, but your validation will come from your underlying purpose, not the goals themselves.

I can’t overstate the importance of taking the time to explore and understand your purpose as a coach or leader. The biggest reason people don’t?

Because they can’t figure it all out in an hour at Starbucks.

It takes time.

It requires slowing your pace and creating space in your brain so you can think.

It means asking yourself some tough, and sometimes uncomfortable, questions.

But here’s why it’s crucial:

If you’re a head coach, your team culture starts with you. It’s a reflection of you. And the more clarity you have about who you are and why you coach, the more clear you’ll be about the kind of culture you seek to create.

If you’re an assistant coach, you’re looking for a head coach and team culture that fits you. Nothing is more miserable than working for someone whose core purpose diametrically opposes yours. But you can’t determine what a good fit looks like if you don’t know who you are and why you coach.

Randy Hatch and Patrick Steele know why they coach the Lady Jags at Carroll Academy—to teach life skills.  Their team provides refuge, family and hope to girls who’ve experienced very little of those things in their lives.

Winning is not the main objective for Coach Hatch and Coach Steele—the Lady Jags have won 6 games in 14 years. But the record isn’t the most important thing to these coaches and players (just listen to the girls’ emotion in this ESPN video).

What matters? That they are a family. That the players learn responsibility, discipline and a whole list of other lessons.

Success to them is a team full of girls who are doing their schoolwork and not drugs.

“The losses give us the tools that we need to teach, to build self-esteem and courage.”

—Patrick Steele

These coaches are ultra clear on their purpose and fulfilling it fuels their satisfaction.

You may be familiar with Joe Ehrmann and his book InsideOut Coaching. He asks 4 poignant questions that will help get your brain working around this concept of your purpose.

If you’re serious about creating a culture where your staff and players thrive, schedule time to write down your answers to these questions. If you’ve answered them before, revisit your answers and evaluate your current season to see if they still hold true.

Why do I coach?

Why do I coach the way that I do?

What does it feel like to be coached by me?

What do I want to accomplish by my coaching?

If you’re not a coach, just replace that word with “lead.”

These questions will surface some concepts and words that will help you get closer to articulating your purpose—one of the most important steps in creating the best culture for your team.

Here’s a Method That Helps Coaches Build Stronger Team Culture appeared first on LifeBeyondSport.

About Stephanie Zonars

• Certified Real Colors® team building facilitator
• Author of Wisdom for the BusyCoach (2011), Leader of the Pack: The Legacy of Legendary Coach Kay Yow (2009) and Timeout: Moments with God for Winning in Life (2008)
• Certified Life Coach through the ICF accredited Institute for Life Coach Training
• Certified Leading From Your Strengths assessment practitioner
• Presenter at Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Convention (2009—2014).
• Presenter at American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Convention (2011, 2012)
• Panelist at National Soccer Coaches Association seminar (2010)
• Facilities Chair & Keynote Speaker, 2012 Rae Burick Women in Sports Award Celebration
• Member: Women’s Basketball Coaches Association
• Fifteen years coaching/directing sport tours with Athletes in Action
• Thirty years experience in sport as an athlete, coach and administrator

The following post was written by Coach Alan Stein. With some modifications for the sport you coach, it would make a great handout for your athletes.

At the least, I hope it provides some food for thought for you and your staff to help athletes understand the value of their attitude, the vibrations that they give out, and their body language. I definitely believe that everyone on the team either makes the atmosphere better or worse and that no one is ne

Energy Givers

Every time you interact with another human being… you either give them energy (‘fill their bucket’) or you take their energy (‘drain their bucket.’).  In every instance you are either an energygiver or an energy taker.

If you want to be successful in life, you need to not only be an energy giver… you need to surround yourself with energy givers.

Energy givers make those around them better.  9 out of 10 people adamantly admit they are more productive when they are around positive people (aka ‘energy givers’).

It’s pretty simple… if every member of your program (coaches and players) is an energy giver during a workout… the workout becomes more intense and more productive by default.  Nothing else is possible!  Obviously, if you have productive workouts on a consistent basis, you will make progress.

Not everyone can be 7 feet tall. Not everyone can jump out of the gym.  But everyone can be an energy giver.  Being an energy giver is a conscious choice.  It is an attitude.

Energy givers raise the confidence of everyone they come in contact with.  Energy givers improve morale, chemistry, and performance.  Coaches and teammates covet players who areenergy givers.

Are you an energy giver?

During your off-season workouts, do you give energy by listening and being coachable? By being a supportive teammate? By being enthusiastic? By working as hard as you possibly can?

Or do you drain energy by loafing, arguing, and complaining?

If you want to stand out and really have college coaches take notice… then you need to be an energy giver!

Energy givers thank their teammates for a good play.

Energy givers help their teammates up.

Energy givers cheer their teammates on when they are not in the game.

Energy givers listen to their coach with their ears and their eyes.

Energy givers communicate with teammates.

Energy givers show up early and are prepared to workout, practice or play.

Energy givers always give that little extra.  And it goes a long way.

Make a conscious effort to be an energy giver… it will pay off… trust me.