High School Coaches Can Change A Building

We can all remember what that first day of school is like. There is an air of excitement, nervousness and yes, in many cases chaos. Of course the responsibility of putting some sort of order to this chaos lies with the teachers, coaches and school administration. This is no small task. It ranks high on the priority list of those who run our schools on a day to day basis. After all, if there is no order then it’s hard to have education.

The majority of the time the football coaches in a high school will be either the official or unofficial overseers of order in that school. I saw it when I was in high school. My football coaches were often looked to as the people who maintained order in the school hallways.

As I became a college football coach and visited many high schools over a period of twenty some years I saw the same thing again and again. When something happens on the school grounds it is normally a coach who gets called on the school radio. Sometimes the coach may actually have this as his or her main responsibility in the school. However, often the coach is also teaching History or some other class. However, when all hell breaks loose they are the first people to get called. We have seen this repeatedly as coaches are some of the first to act when gun violence breaks out in a school.

Successful High School Coaches Are Usually Born Leaders

Why is this? Well, of all the many personality traits that a coach must have to be successful, being a leader ranks high. Coaches are used to conflict and aggressive behavior. They are used to taking charge in difficult situations. The best high school coaches seem to get the fact that they affect all of the students. Not just those students on their football team but also nearly every student in that school.

Some students may like him and some may not. Nearly all of them will be aware of his presence in that school. The best schools I have been in seem to have a great working relationship between the school administration and the coaching staff. If they are on the same page and have respect for one another it helps. This then shows up with how that school is run.

Unfortunately, I have seen the other side of that coin too. Where the coach did not embrace the responsibility to do anything but coach or the administration was at odds with the coach. Trust me when I say it shows up when you walk that school’s hallways also.

More FDPB: Game Management Is Important In Youth football Too

So as the prep football season has kicked off around the country coaches will be challenged with whipping their team into shape. The coaches understand that the media will criticize them. The parents and fans will second guess them. School administrators will expect them to produce a team that will be the source of school pride not embarrassment.

However, as you watch those men wearing the headsets this weekend keep this in mind. The most import thing they did for your child’s school this week might have happened on Monday through Friday from opening bell to the close of school.