We hosted our football banquet last weekend and for all accounts by players, parents, coaches and administrators it was a great event so I thought I would share what we do to make it so well received.
To make the event accessible for all in a place that can accommodate our numbers and keep expenses down, we host the banquet in our school’s Dining Hall. Our food service provider does an excellent job providing white linen tablecloths and napkins to dress it up and we let them choose the meal (Pasta, meatballs, salad, and garlic bread). Something everybody likes.
We want our players to feel like it is a special event and to dress appropriately, but we do not set the parameters of what they should wear. We simply say “dress to impress” so they define the attire. Some will wear jackets and ties while others will don their best flannel shirt and trucker hat.
Although I have been a guest speaker at a number of high school banquets when I was a college coach, we do not have one. No one wants to hear a long-winded speech about something that does not pertain to the team.
Through the night, we hand out Varsity letters and pins, recognize seniors and give our superlative awards. All juniors and seniors and any underclassmen who were a varsity offensive, defensive or special teams 2 Deep receive a letter and pin. When we honor our seniors, we have our assistant coaches come up one-by-one to speak about the seniors they coached in their position groups. This allows all coaches to be involved in the event, gives the audience a chance to hear personal anecdotes, and gives me a break from the podium. When we present our superlative awards we want to send an intentional message to the audience that we award the behaviors we want exhibited:
• Our MVP exemplifies S.W.A.T. be Smart, Work hard And be Tough.
• Our Hilltopper Award is given to the player who shows the most Energy, Effort, and Enthusiasm.
• The Coaches Award goes to the player with the most Ability: Availability, Reliability, Accountability,
and Dependability.
• Our Scout Team Player of the Year goes to a player who exemplifies Selflessness on a daily basis.
Regardless of a particular season’s outcome, we find ways to reinforce the very best of what we want our players, coaches, teams, and culture to represent. While we send our Seniors off with best wishes in their new chapters, we also highlight the expectations for underclassmen to step up and take leadership roles in 2025.
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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