In an earlier blog post (“Far From Bright Lights,” 16 Jan), we shared the expectations of our players and the point system we use to track their participation through the Winter and Spring seasons. We ask those who play another sport to attend that team’s practices as well as strength train for football at least once a week. Those who do not play another sport are expected to train three times a week. We post player workouts and track them in the “Train Heroic” app.
Also mentioned in the earlier blog, those who comply earn a point for themselves and concurrently, a point for the team. Each week of the training season represents a game week for the coming Fall season (Intra-squad scrimmage all the way to the State Championship game). The total number of team points earned during the week determines whether we win that week’s game.
The number of points we need to score, as a team, is 24. Not because it is a certain percentage of our total roster. Not because it is the number of points we need to score in a regular-season game to win. But rather as we have shared in other blogs, we hold ourselves to a standard of making evidence-based decisions.
To that end, on Day 1 of training camp, we will put every player through our combine test measuring them in Speed, Agility, Quickness, Power, Strength, Fitness and Muscular endurance. Maximum score is 160 points. During previously successful seasons, we have had an average of 24 players score 100 or more points. We need an average of 24 players demonstrating their commitment to our training program and the results of maximizing their genetic potential through athletic performance training. In addition to the score, time spent together reinforcing one another’s commitment to personal growth also reinforces commitment to the team and our culture.
Our players know the number we need and encourage each other to help the team reach the score and achieve the win, but we do not fret over those who choose not to. We give everyone equal opportunity and encouragement and recognize such a commitment may be too much for many of them. As the saying goes, “I’d rather 10 Lions than 100 Sheep”. We are looking for 24 Lions.
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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