O Line Skills

You know your message is hitting home when you send a “Save the Dates” announcement to the president of your parents’ group asking her to share it with the other parents and she forwards it with the following message:

“In the body of this email, you will find the schedule (so far), from Coach, for this winter, spring, and summer. These are important dates! Please add them to your calendar to help you and your player stay on track.

Players should plan on attending the lifts on Thursdays beginning until February vacation. This keeps the guys in the weight room and continues the teambuilding bond. Games are not won on Friday nights or Saturday afternoons – They are won in the offseason working out, learning plays, and building that brotherhood!!“

Last week our blog focused on today’s players needing more extrinsic motivation.  It is a challenge to gather multi-sport athletes and players who work in the off-season, but when they hear the message at school and home, it has a much better chance of sinking in. The essence of “team” is found in a common vision, values, goals, and a common belief in our ability to succeed. Having parents reinforce these messages of unity and express their belief in the value of our objectives is pure gold!

Our upcoming Schedule follows. Our goals are to develop our student-athletes mentally, morally, and physically. Together, we’ll once again find we are more capable, dynamic, and stronger as a team than any of us could ever be alone.

	Day	Date	Location	Time
Team Lifts	Thursdays	18 Jan-22 Feb	Weightroom	3:30-4:30pm
Spring Ball	Mon – Fri	11-15 Mar	Turf/Fieldhouse	3:30-6:30pm
	Sat	16 Mar	Turf/Fieldhouse	9-noon
OTAs	M-W-F	10 Jun-19 Jul	Turf/Weightroom	5-7pm
Mini Camp	Mon – Fri	22-26 July	Turf	TBD
7v7 & Strongman	Sat	27 July	Turf	8am-2pm
Training Camp	Mon – Sat	12 Aug-17 Aug		TBD
	Mon – Sat	19 Aug-24 Aug		TBD
Essex	Fri	30 Aug	Turf	7:00 PM

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!

A New Year’s resolution is a tradition in which a person sets a goal or commits to improve some aspect of their life in the coming year.  For any and all offensive line coaches or anyone who knows a high school or middle school-age offensive lineman, mark your 2024 calendar.  The Alercio OLine Clinic dates and locations are set.  Sunday 14 April at The Hun School of Princeton NJ and Sunday 9 June at St Johnsbury Academy VT.  We’ll give you the tools of the trade, and techniques for the trenches, that will help you be the best offensive lineman or Oline coach you can be!

Alercio OLine Clinics have specialized in teaching techniques for the trenches for over 20 years.  We believe that the true “Skill Players” in football are the offensive linemen.  We teach the coordination and execution of learned physical tasks that allow linemen of any size to achieve both individual and team success.

Come see why American Football Monthly stated “Rich Alercio, a guru of offensive line play in the Northeast part of the country” and X&O Labs wrote, “The clarity of your teaching simplifies the game tremendously”.  

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!

Last weekend, our coaching staff gathered for an early Christmas dinner.  Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  But beyond the holiday’s religious significance, it is a time of togetherness and shared joy bringing families, friends, and communities together in festive spirit.  It is a time of giving, gratitude, and creating cherished memories with loved ones.  

Regardless of religious belief or affiliation, rituals, and relationships have been part of the human experience for millennia. Whether amongst teams, families, or friends, I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy the season, and its celebrations, and reflect on the blessings we all encounter and enjoy.

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!

A gentleman in our community recently approached me to inform me that he will be coaching his son’s youth basketball team and asked what advice I would give him as he begins to coach?

Without putting much thought into it, I replied “Make sure the players know that their interests are prioritized above yours.” He looked both puzzled and intrigued by my reply. Perhaps it was not what he was expecting. The goal of every youth sports coach should be first and foremost to see that the kids have fun and experiences catalyzing a desire to return to the sport the next year. Youth coaches should focus solely on altruism. Focus on giving to others without seeking personal gain. Best selling author Simon Sinek (and others) refer to this concept as “Servant Leadership.” 

Servant leadership flips the traditional power dynamic. Instead of leaders focusing on their own authority, they prioritize serving and empowering others. By fostering a collaborative environment and prioritizing the well-being of team members, servant leaders cultivate a high-performing and engaged group. This philosophy benefits individuals, teams, and ultimately, the entire organization.

Additionally, putting others’ interests ahead of yours demonstrates selflessness and fosters strong relationships. Prioritizing the wants and needs of others contributes to a positive and supportive environment that benefits everyone on the team.

Coaches should be process-oriented and not results-oriented. If you do all the right things during the process, more often than not, you will achieve favorable results. To quote Zig Ziglar, “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help other people get what they want.”

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!

Positive reinforcement is a powerful strategy in shaping good habits and desired performance.  At our annual football banquet this past Sunday, after recognizing our letter winners, all-division team members, and seniors we honor 7 team members with the following awards: Scout Team Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Most Outstanding Lineman, Most Outstanding Back/Receiver (which also includes Linebackers and Defensive Backs), Most Valuable Player, Coaches Award, and the Hilltopper Award.  

As I present these awards, I provide specific details of each player’s actions to earn the award, presenting a road map for the returning players to follow.  By reinforcing the most desirable actions with positive outcomes, individuals are motivated to repeat those behaviors leveraging the psychological principle of positive reinforcement.  Whether in personal development, workplace management, or parenting, recognizing and rewarding positive actions fosters an environment conducive to growth.  It creates a feedback loop where individuals are more likely to engage in behaviors leading to those rewarded outcomes, ultimately contributing to establishing lasting and beneficial habits.  The key lies in acknowledging and celebrating the steps aligning with desired goals, reinforcing success, and ensuring a continuous cycle of improvement which ultimately leads to a positive team culture.

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!

With the playing of the Vermont North v South All-Star game, the 2023 football season is in the books.  Now, we encourage our athletes to participate in a Winter sport.  We believe engaging in multiple sports cultivates a more well-rounded athlete, enhancing physical fitness, imparting diverse skills, and fostering mental resilience.  

The versatility gained from engaging in different sports improves agility, coordination, and adaptability.  It also reduces the risk of burnout and overuse injuries associated with specializing early in a single sport.  The multi-sport athlete also develops a broader social network increasing their circle of friendships.  

We will have players participating in Alpine Skiing, Basketball, Ice Hockey, and Indoor Track and I look forward to watching them compete.  For those athletes who choose not to participate in a Winter sport, we have a 3-day/week strength and conditioning program that will better prepare them for their Spring sport as well as the 2024 football season.

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!

Thanksgiving is more than an indulgence in a festive meal…More than Holiday travel… More than cardboard Pilgrims and Turkeys at the grocery store or elementary classroom…

Thanksgiving is a day of unity, appreciation, gratitude, and reflection… A day for families and friends (both old and new) to gather with loved ones and acknowledge the many blessings in their lives…

I encourage all to put some patient thought into their circumstances. While we must all undoubtedly endure uncertainty, adversity, and setbacks, focusing on what we have rather than what we lack fosters a sense of fulfillment and contentment. In preparation for the day, put some thought into a person, place, thing, experience, activity, and blessing you are thankful for. Take some time between turkey legs, pumpkin pies, and casseroles to truly recognize and account for the many blessings we enjoy.

Then… after the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie are put away, let this serve as a reminder to live every day with a heart full of appreciation and gratitude, and seek opportunities to engage, enrich, and empower the lives and success of others.

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!

With the 2023 season behind us, we begin our off-season with 1-on-1 meetings with every player to discuss their reflections on the season, seniors’ plans for the future as well as off-season and next-season expectations for those expecting to return next fall.

The meetings revealed a common thread of communication from many underclassmen when asked why their production on the field was minimal in the first half of the season but maximal in the latter:  “I lacked confidence in the beginning,” was the most common refrain….

In my 35 years of coaching, I have never heard such an epidemic proportion of a lack of confidence… 

In recent years, I have had concerns that student-athletes are overconfident due to so many (helicopter or snowplow) parents telling them how wonderful they are every time they accomplish a minor task.  (Growing up in an era where everyone gets a trophy…) Perhaps I need to reevaluate how I distribute praise to players to make them feel more confident going into the 2024, season.  

In a recent “Knowledge Project” podcast episode, Shane Parrish, the host is speaking with a guest about resilience, and in particular, parenting for resilience. In doing so the conversation turns to how parents (or coaches) characterize a child through feedback. Telling a boy or girl they are “so smart,” “so brilliant,” or “so talented.” Has the potential to sew seeds of overconfidence, and set children up for a shock when confronted with the reality of being “relatively average.” (Remember, on a planet with nearly 8 Billion people, a child who is truly “one in a million,” has 8,000 more kids out there, just like him/her)  

Rather than overcredit some attribute like intelligence, talent, or athletic ability, parents (and teachers or coaches) are much more likely to breed resilience with comments like, “You’re such a hard worker,” “You don’t quit when things get tough,” or “Others may have given up, but not you,” has the potential to instill confidence in a child’s ability to overcome adversity rather than unfounded belief in what may ultimately prove to be less than pure excellence in talent.

To Quote Mahatma Gandhi, “Man often becomes what he believes himself to be.  If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it.  On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”

I continue to believe in the potential for football to help inoculate student-athletes and teams against adversity, loss, and fear. Nonetheless, as coaches, we have the responsibility to set the conditions for a player’s and a team’s resilience, and ultimately success on and off the field.

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!

As we discussed in the two previous blogs, a loss in the playoffs ends the season abruptly and without celebration.  During those years when we advanced to the State Championship game, given the obviously forecast conclusion to the season, we planned and executed a celebration of our seniors’ last practice. 

We established a tradition where we would all meet in the middle of our field and invite the seniors to go to their most memorable spot on the field.  The underclassmen make notice of each senior and his/her location.  Then the seniors are asked to return to the team and explain where they went and why it was so meaningful. 

For some, it is the spot of their first start, first tackle, or first score.  This year, one player, who played for us as a freshman then stepped away for two years before returning for his senior year, went up into the bleachers. He later explained that is where he was during games his sophomore and junior seasons.  He shared that he had a lot of fun cheering on the team along with his classmates but that there was something missing.  He needed to be a part of something special… Part of something bigger than himself… Part of a family.

After the last senior shares their story, the underclassmen line up in a gauntlet at the edge of the field so they can have one last hug and share parting words with each senior as they make their way off the field one last time as a football player. On more than one occasion, I’ve heard a senior with tears in his eyes say to an underclassmen, “This team is yours now, and it’s special. Treat it with care and respect. Before you know it, you’ll be passing it on to someone yourself. Make sure they treat it with care and respect too…” 

This tradition is too extraordinary to only do on those years when we reach Championship Saturday, so now we come out to the field on the first Monday after our last game.  Regardless of how far we advance in the playoffs, our seniors are celebrated, their legacy passed on, and the tradition continues.  

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!