It is important for every team to strive to reach their potential. The following are some essential characteristics of many successful sports programs. These will be used as guidelines for improving the Shell Lake football program.
1) It's not about winning - Focus on daily excellence and winning will take care of itself.
2) Stay the Course: Developing Your Philosophy - Coaches need to create a philosophy and culture. Once the athletes and parents buy into the overall purpose, not only will the athletes be successful football players but they will be successful people as well.
3) Coaching the Heart of the Athlete - Coaches need to develop a positive relationship with their athletes throughout the year, not just during the season. Coaches must value each and every one of their players.
4) The Little Things: Daily Discipline With Fundamentals - Focus on the fundamentals on a day-to-day basis.
5) Developing a Work Ethic: Teaching Your Team to Put in the Time - Coaches need to develop a year round philosophy that includes high expectations, holding athletes accountable, and developing a strong work ethic.
6) Leadership: Creating Influence and Direction - Develop a system to train athletes to be leaders on and off the field.
7) Team Chemistry: The Most Overlooked Key to Success - Create opportunities for athletes and their coaches to develop team chemistry; create a family-like environment and brotherhood amongst players.
8) Mental Toughness: Getting the Mind Right - Coaches must condition the athlete's mind just as much as the body, defining, teaching, and working on mental toughness throughout the year.
9) Preparation: Leave No Stone Unturned - To get the most out of each practice, coaches need to be organized, prepared, and enthusiastic. Coaches need to have an offensive, defensive, and special teams system that they believe in and know how to coach it to the athletes.
10) Building Trust and Confidence - Players must have trust and confidence in not only the head coach, but the overall program philosophy, the assistant coaches, the off-season program, and the offensive and defensive systems.
*Based on the book, Building Championship-Caliber Football Programs by Chris Fore