Your mind set and actions rub off on your players and staff. This weeks article exemplifies that doing a great job is based on how you go about your business on a daily basis. Thanks Gerry for sharing this awesome piece on the intagibles you need to be great at any level!
THE FBS EXPERIENCE ON AN FCS BUDGET
There are countless things that FBS programs have access to that the majority of us who coach at the FCS level don’t have. Seriously. I could write pages of things that the Power Five ranks have at their disposal that I wish we had.
But it isn’t about what you don’t have, and you can’t afford to waste time bitching about what you wish you had. That clock is always ticking, and there’s a job to get done.
When coaches bring recruits on campus for me to talk to the message that I push is we will deliver an FBS experience on an FCS budget. Sure, that might seem like I’m overreaching, but I’ll detail some of how we deliver on that promise on two fronts; daily operations and coaching the athletes.
DAILY OPERATIONS
Track and record everything.
Strength progress. Conditioning evaluations. Injury modifications. Body Fat Percentage. Daily weigh-ins. Neck and Forearm sizes. Before and after pictures. Show tangible evidence to the athletes, administrators and coaches that your methods within the program work!
Maximize your environment.
Efficient set up of the room for training groups. Divide bigger groups/teams into smaller manageable sizes. Schedule training times appropriately for teams and staff to avoid any unnecessary conflicts. Delegate responsibly to assistants to get the most amount of work completed in an efficient and effective manner.
Be creative.
Utilize different areas; turf field, stadium steps, parking garage, an alley way, turn your surroundings into viable training areas. Set up different stations or circuits, and make sure your sequence of exercises flows properly to prevent wasted time.
Budget finesse.
Find ways to save money when feasible. Deep dive online to find quality products and equipment that allow your dollar to go father, it’s more effective to buy five generic glute ham machines than two name brand models. We received an NCAA grant a few years ago to be used for nutrition, we built a nutrition kiosk in the weight room, sold the naming rights and acquired a nutritionist to order inventory and meet with student athletes for dietary consultations. We are the only school in the Southland Conference to have such a program.
Prior to arriving in Hammond, America (that’s how us locals refer to the town) I had completed three professional internships at the Power Five level, Alabama, Virginia, and Maryland in that order. I had the opportunity to be a part of different cultures all of which were at different stages of building a program.
COACHING THE ATHLETES
Here are a couple qualities that I found as a constant when it came to coaching and interacting with the athletes.
Team First
The mission of the team is always at the forefront, remind the athletes of why they’re doing what they’re doing. You can dangle the reward of accomplishing the mission, or remind them of past failures. Have your finger on the pulse and push the right buttons.
Coach Hard
Be demanding, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to go 0-100 and jump a guy, but whatever standard/rules you set, make sure you demand that it’s completed the right way, or again… It’s not supposed to be easy!
Be Detailed Oriented
Point out the little details of the movements, or their body language. Be consistent, and make them aware. If they don’t know that they’re wrong, they’ll continue to do it. Praise what they do well and attack the weaknesses!
Be Enthusiastic
Energy is contagious. So is negative energy. Promote positive energy through your voice, mannerisms, and body language. Cut out energy vampires, and don’t allow them to suck the juice out of the room!
Accountability
Call them out, make them feel uncomfortable at times if they choose not to live up to the standards and expectations set. Nobody has grown while feeling comfortable. Reinforce to the team who can be counted on and who can’t.
Punctuality
Be on time, better yet be early! Show your teammates you care and show the staff you’re invested in your development.
Pride
Have a sense of pride for your program. It has to mean something to you. If you don’t feel a sense of pride to be a part of the organization, what are you doing here?
The coaching aspect is the easiest part of delivering an FBS experience. Especially when it comes to strength training. Create a program that focuses on what’s available to you, and violently execute that plan.
Within the painstakingly detailed Intern Manual issued to us by Coach Court, there is a line that says to “THINK AND ACT LIKE A BIG TIME GUY” if you take that approach daily you can deliver the FBS experience on an FCS budget.
Gerry Pacitti / Director of Sports Performance / Southeastern Louisiana University