There is only one thing in life you do not get a second chance at, and that’s making a first impression. For almost anything else, everyone deserves a second chance… Especially kids.
Kids decide to leave teams for a variety of reasons. Sometimes influenced by parents, some by friends who lure them away with options that seem easy but are ultimately not so positive. Others leave because they would rather work (sometimes because families need them to work). But many choose to leave a team because they were just not ready for their first chance.
I tell our players at the start of every season, “football is not for everyone and Hilltopper football is for even fewer.” Not everyone is prepared for the demands placed upon them. We ask for commitment to team and to teammate, and to place the good of the team above self, and to confront adversity, sometimes even fear… It’s a lot to ask, and for some, it’s more than they expected, and can be overwhelming. So they take what they think is the easy way out and quit.
On the morning after Thanksgiving, while I am still reflecting on how much the great game of football has given me, I look to give a second chance to those kids who left the program on good terms. Those players who may have left for a variety of reasons are added back to the roster in “Hudl,” and are offered a second chance. I understand many may choose not to return, and others may return only to leave again. I also understand most of those kids will not help our football program nearly as much as our football program has the potential to help them. Ultimately, that is the reason they are given a second chance. What they do with it is entirely up to them.
Our mission is to build teams, win games, and develop quality citizens. A mission and ultimately a community that benefits from second chances.
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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