You Win with People

Top 5 People/groups to Befriend when starting a new head coaching job.

“You Win With People” – Woody Hayes

I was lucky enough to learn this simple fact early in my head coaching career. Involve people that can help you be successful in your program. The last thing you want to do is cast a shell over your program and try to do it all by yourself. There are many people within the community and the school that know more than you. They may not know more than you about football, but they will probably know more than you about the community and the school and can be very useful resources for you as you try to build your program. The key is to find out who these people are and build relationships with them.

Top 5 people/groups to make friends with?

School/Athletics Secretary

This is the person that typically runs the school behind the scenes. You need to make sure this person knows that you appreciate them and find out what they need you to do to make their lives easier. Ask them what you need to know about the school procedures. The school secretary can be very helpful in your transition into the school.

School treasurer

The treasurer is a great resource for how the school does things financially. This is important because as a head coach, you will be ordering all kinds of equipment, clothing, food, etc. Sit down with this person and ask them to show you how to fill out all required documents to get things ordered and purchased. Every school is different and has different procedures that are unique to the school.

P.S. When you have to turn in money (which you will), make it all face the same way and have it sorted by denomination. Give the treasurer a clean, neat deposit. They will be very grateful for you doing this and saving them time. You would be very surprised about the number of people that do not do this.

The Faculty

It would be wise to send an email to the faculty and staff. Let them know that you expect your athletes to be students first. Too many times, head coaches are immediately labeled as only worried about their sports team. The faculty must know that you are on their side. Discuss with them your procedures and what you are going to do to help your student-athletes balance being a student as well as being an athlete.

Follow up the email with visiting each classroom and introducing yourself to the teacher so they can put a face with your name.

The custodians

Find the custodians, introduce yourself and give them all a team t-shirt. Treat the custodian that cleans your locker room like gold. Give them everything possible item of gear you can. If you order a coaching shirt, get your custodian one. Treat them as a member of your program (because they are). Keeping your custodian happy can save you a lot of headaches, because high school athletes can be very messy.

The Community leader

No, I am not talking about the mayor, although it could be the mayor. Every community has that person or group of people that have pull and the respect of the community. The person that you can lean on to get the community support you need to be successful. If you are having trouble figuring out who this person is, ask the principal and others within the school. I always ask the principal who the community leaders are that I need on my side. I call these people and set up meetings. I share my vision and goals for the program. Tell them your plan and let them know what you are going to do for the kids and the community. You are not always going to be successful right away and having these people in your corner will go a long way.