PLAYOFFS!!!

In Vermont, the snow comes early so the high school football playoffs do as well.  We finished the regular season last week and begin playoffs this weekend.  Quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals…3 more weeks for those who win and advance.  (Although we will focus on one game, and one week at a time!)

We are thrilled to have secured the #1 seed and home-field advantage for the quarters and semis.  Our senior class has played particularly well at home.  We have only lost two home games in their four years and both to the same team, our rivals the Hartford Hurricanes.

There is an excitement in our community, on our campus, and within our team.  Our job as coaches is to keep it that way and channel that energy.  Although we will maintain the same schedule and focus as we did all season, we will cut back on rep and set ranges for our Monday and Thursday lifts; and we will end practices earlier each day.

We want practices, meetings, and training sessions to be fast and fun.  There will also be less yelling.  If a player does not know his assignments at this point in the season it is our fault not his, so no sense yelling.

We want our players to enjoy every and cherish every minute they are together.  Enjoy the camaraderie of the locker room and the brotherhood on the field that they have cultivated over the weeks and years together.

The worst thing about the playoffs is that only one team will end their season with tears of joy.  All others end with tears of sorrow.  Not so much because they lost… but because all they have come to love, the pride in the team, and their contributions to it, comes to an end.

Best of luck in the Playoffs!

Earn your victory!

Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!