The Vermont Principal Association recently announced that football practices will begin at the start of the school year. While it is great news to hear there is a plan to have football this fall in Vermont, it also means no pre-season training camp, no 2-a-days, no meetings, and no walk-throughs. In a nutshell, we have lost a great deal of teaching opportunities. In keeping with the theme of recent posts, we, as coaches, need to adapt to change. Fewer teaching opportunities mean fewer installations.
When I speak at clinics, I often share the analogy that playbooks are like closets. 
Most closets are filled with clothes you never wear, and playbooks are filled with plays you never call. Do you really need the 12 sweaters you have on the top shelf of your closet? No, nor do you need the 12 running plays in your playbook. Keep the 5 or 6 sweaters you wear most often and get rid of the rest. Do the same with your dress shirts, golf shirts, pants, sweats, etc. Then go to your playbook and do the same with your runs, passes, and screens. Only keep the plays you call most often. This year does not allow us time to teach plays we do not call.
Marie Kondo is a popular design/home organization consultant, and she’s become a multi-millionaire with her “KonMari” philosophy of encouraging clients to consider an item and ask “Does it bring you joy?” If not a resounding yes, she suggests removing the item from the home. I might suggest you not be sentimental with your clothes or your plays. If you do not wear it or call it, (if it does not “bring you joy”) now is the time to get rid of it. Simplify… and focus only on what you need so that your players can focus on what you will call.
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!
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