WHAT MAKES A GOOD COACH (BY MIKE POPE)

[BillMountjoy]

From my friend - Coach Mike Pope.  Mike has coached at the Jr High, HS, & College levels.  Mike lost BOTH of his legs a few years ago, & still coaches the O-Line at WINGATE U.  (I might add - he is an EXCELLENT O-Line Coach).  I will be at his Camp in Richmond this summer.


COACH MIKE POPE

WHAT MAKES A GOOD COACH?
It is my belief that a good coach is one that is dedicated to his GOD, family, and team, spends his time with kids he learns to know, teach to grow and learns to love as his own. One that can learn from them as much as he expects them to learn from him. One that can overcome adversity at any givin time that can endure critisim when things get tough, be objective in questionable times, and still keep the composure needed to take his kids without question and look them in the eyes and call them champions no matter the cost when the day is done. One that will be honest to his team as he expects them to be with him. Coaches that will stick up for a kid in trouble do the best he can to right the wrongs within his god givin ability. It may also be he that sheds a little blood in the trenches with his troops will also be considered a good coach meaning selling out to your team with all the knowledge, work and effort it takes to play this game.

We are not only coaches we are leaders of a young band of brothers that can't be defeated, unless we choose to allow them give up or quit. That is for all coaches we are at the beckoned call of these youth to lead them where we dare to toreador have once walked. Don't mean to sound military here but we are training these kids for a war on the gridiron and WE damn sure better do our best. If we don't the other good coaches are gonna kick it. So at the end of the season as you look around at your kids cheering after the victory or crying because of defeat, that one kid will come to you and say thanks coach for teaching me to play, then you know you’re a great coach.
It may not happen all the time and may not be the most talented kids that do this but keep in mind that one kid that doesn't have a great ability to bethe show stopper may be the one that is grateful for the time you took to be a part of his life. These are what I would say are the makings of a good coach.

I say this from my experience as a coach of 34 yrs, I have felt like quitting during adversity during a bad season, in my own suffering with personal illnesses, and simply not following my LORD the way I should have. I still coach because I have had on different occasions in those 34 yrs.; several kids come to me and say Thank you coach for being there for me. That is why I still coach not to mention my wife hates me being at home during football season because I'm a grouch! I love football, the kids, and the families I meet most of all, I feel good when I see the smile on a kid’s face when he overcomes his fear.

ATTACHED IS MIKE'S BIOGRAPHY:

http://www.hawgtuff.net/COACH%20MIKE%20POPE%27S%20%20BIOGRAPHY.pdf

[DumCoach]

Greetings, Bill:

Would you mind starting your new posts in the BillMountjoy section?  Coaches have asked them to be in one spot instead of spread everywhere.  We started that forum section specifically for you.

Thanks in advance.

::Clark::

[CoachCalande]

Thanks for sharing that Bill.

Based on my experience in this last job.

I have learned that its important to TOLERATE various personalities. "like has nothing to do with it"

What that means is that you may not LIKE a kid, but hes a football player and hes a PERSON who needs the game.  As troubled as some of these kids are (drunken Moms, absent Dads, friends raising them) chasing them off because they are difficult to coach is NOT the answer.

a good coach to me:

1) knows his subject matter and his students
2) has a thick skin and is empathetic and sensitive to the needs of others
3) Has tunnel vision for the methodology for success and refuses to be micromanaged yet allows his own coaches to coach.
4) Makes a point to remember that this is A GAME and that FUN is an expectations of coaches and student athletes.
5) Involves as many people as possible in successes. Takes all of the blame for failures.
6) Constantly reteaches the fundamentals of the game, reinforces life lessons and rewards the underdogs for valiant victories.

[jkoester]

Not saying it's not any of those things, or it is.

Just saying, to me - look up good teacher, and you see good coach.  One and the same, ideally.  Just a different subject...

[BillMountjoy]

Note clinicians and their personalities.  ALL different ways of being successful

The ONE thing all GREAT ones I have know (from quiet guys like Bud Wilkinson; to DEMANDING personalities like Bear Bryant; Vince Lombardi; etc.) is CONTROL of his program.

[CoachGuy]

Moved to the Pearls of Wisdom section.