O Line Skills

Coaching legend, Hal Mumme, recently shared a great post from another great, Hugh Yaughn:

 “If you’ve never played football, you could never truly understand what it means to put those shoulder pads and helmet on for the very last time.  Football can never be duplicated, NEVER.”

While I agree in general with Hugh’s statement about football, I do not think putting them on for the last time is as nearly impactful as taking them off for the last time…

As I referenced in last week’s blog, most players never realize it is their last game.  For me, it was on the field at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA.  I vividly remember everything about that moment when I pulled off the pads for the very last time.  

Over the past three and a half decades, I have played pick-up basketball, Rec league softball, competed in triathlons, played golf, tennis, racquetball and pickleball, enjoyed alpine and Nordic skiing in the winter, and wakeskating in the summer, none of those things will ever replace what it felt like to be a football player; a part of, and belonging to, something so much bigger than myself.

I don’t in any way want to minimize the experiences of those who derive satisfaction or meaning from those (or other) endeavors. I simply want to convey how in my experience as a player, and now observing more than 30 team evolutions as a coach, the dissolution of a team, and the loss of belonging, as the season closes is real. We’ve talked before about Professor Tuckman’s teambuilding steps of “Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing…” and I’ve also heard it suggested a fifth step, “mourning,” could be added to complete the cycle as the team experience concludes.

Players feel something special when they put on the uniform. It’s an overt declaration of purpose, shared vision, shared goals, and shared meaning between those who have endured adversity and enjoyed success. The culture we work so hard to instill and sustain lives on in the team, and will echo in the lives of those who have been teammates. However, when they take the uniform off for the last time, a little bit of their identity dies…  While in most cases, aspects of identity are reborn in new endeavors, the change from saying “I am a football player,” to “I was a football player,” is a loss worth mourning.

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! 

It is playoff time for the high school football season and we are blessed with a home playoff game.  Win and advance.  Lose, and the season is abruptly and unexpectedly over. That is the reality of the playoffs.  As they used to say at the beginning of every Wild World of Sports episode when I was growing up, “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”  Unfortunately, the latter awaits for most.  

We have been very fortunate to have made the playoffs in every season at St Johnsbury Academy, but in only one did we finish with a win, raising the championship trophy.  All others ended with a loss.  In two of those seasons, that loss was the first of the year.  Once again… the reality of the playoffs.  For the great majority of players, their last high school football game will be a loss, as only one ascends to the championship.

Our job as coaches is to prepare them for the win.  The win provides the gift of another week together, another game to play, and another week to be a football player.  If we link enough of those together, maybe just maybe we can be the fortunate ones to finish with a win, once again raise a trophy, and celebrate all we’ve achieved together.  

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This weekend’s game is the focus of effort, and we will take it like we have every other contest this season… one game at a time. Each teammate contributes to the whole… We work together to support one another, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm, and doing so with joy in our hearts because we are a team of character, perseverance, and together, far stronger than any of us would ever be alone.

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! 

On Saturday at 1 p.m., St Johnsbury Academy will host Lyndon Institute in the 118th playing of “The Game” as it is known here in the Northeast.  “The Game” dates back to the Fall of 1894, making it one of the oldest football rivalries in the nation.  In 2013, USA Today conducted an online poll to determine the country’s greatest high school football rivalries.  “The Game” easily won the Vermont, New England, and Eastern Regions before finishing fourth in the nation.

This week the campus and the entire St Johnsbury community are filled with Spirit Week activities.  Students will work on class floats for the parade, prepare skits for the Pep Chapel, decorate hallways, and collect cardboard for the bonfire.  There will be dedications to football players in the local media, the light in the clocktower will shine green to reflect our school color and alumni will gather for social activities sharing old stories until late into the night.   Alumni representing many decades fondly recall their contributions to such traditions, and this year’s freshmen through seniors seek their opportunity to contribute to traditions they’ll look back on decades from now.  It is truly the best of small town USA.

Please join me in wishing well all those who have contributed to this great tradition, and best wishes ahead to all who will contribute this Saturday and for years to come.

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! 

29 days and 540 miles driven between home football games…A brutal schedule to start the 2023 season. 

The term “home field advantage” is often used in sports and is a crucial factor.  The comfort and familiarity of the home environment can boost a team’s confidence and performance. Players are accustomed to the routine, field surface, and lighting giving them a sense of comfort and control that can translate into improved focus and execution.  The spirited support of the home crowd can also be a game changer.  The energy and enthusiasm of passionate fans can create an electrifying atmosphere, motivating players and intimidating opponents.  Moreover, logistical advantages such as reduced travel can contribute to home-field advantage.  

When Sir Henry Bishop wrote “ ‘Mid pleasures and Palaces though we may roam, be it ever so humble there’s no place like home,” he was undoubtedly not referencing sports teams; but after watching the outstanding performance of our team after all those days and miles, I know exactly how he must have felt the moment he penned those words.

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! 

In the top right-hand corner of the whiteboard in my office are the words “Culture Trumps Everything.”  It is a daily reminder of the importance of the people in the program over all else.  Below I share a recent email from a longtime coach:.  

I get asked fairly regularly why this program, or that program, is so much better than others that have the same number of kids or even may have fewer kids.  Inevitably my answer is usually coaching, their feeder programs, and the support from the AD/Admin or the community.  There are exceptions to that rule but good coaching matters.  Reminds me of the plaque we had to memorize when I was a player at Mass Maritime quoting Joe Kennedy Sr.

I’d say the same of football coaches

In his book “Principles,” Ray Dalio, Chief Investment Officer of the world’s largest hedge fund, states, “The WHO is more important than the WHAT.  Focus on being the best person you can be, and surround yourself with like-minded people. That is a formula for success.”

Jim Collins in, “Good to Great,” when analyzing some of the world’s best-performing companies emphasizes “…get the right people on the bus…”

Each of these examples is about “The Team,” and teammates’ and coaches’ commitment to shared values, shared purpose, and shared vision. I find it comforting to see these commonalities across a variety of teams even though they’re focused on widely varying endeavors.

Circling back to football (and tangentially to “the finest ships afloat”), this Friday night Sept 29^th, Alumni teammates from seven different decades will gather in Annapolis, MD to see Navy’s Sprint Football Team take on Mansfield University. (Sprint Football is full-contact varsity football only with a weight limit). When I think about the commonalities of culture and culture’s importance in underpinning success, it’s not surprising to see so many former players who collectively represent so many victories on the playing field, the battlefield, and in life, return to the cradle of their culture and celebrate its legacy.

What kind of culture do you cultivate?

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!  

The weather wreaked havoc with Vermont high school football’s week #2, and the shortage of officials made the situation even more challenging.  

Vermont Teams had three games cut short and not rescheduled.  One of them was declared a tie.  Another game took three days to complete.  It was scheduled for Friday, rescheduled for Saturday, then again on Sunday.  Our team made the 2-hour drive across the state to Colchester and our only time on the field was for pregame warm-up.  Lightning struck just as captains were lining up for the coin toss.  We spent 2 hours in their gym as kickoff was pushed back 30 minutes with every strike of lightning.  One might think this situation would be disappointing, aggravating, or frustrating, but our team’s reaction was just the opposite.  Our players asked if they could bring in a Bluetooth speaker and get the bag of footballs so that they could play music and toss the ball around for as long as it took to resolve.  It became an opportunity for our team to bond, to have fun together, and to just play as friends.  

As lightning continued and 9pm approached, both schools agreed to postpone the game until Sunday at 11am.  Saturday was not an option as we could not secure officials.  Our team remained spirited for the 2-hour return home then showed back up early Sunday morning for Round 2 with the same enthusiasm.  At a time when people traditionally gather for church services, we were taking the field to play a football game.  I was initially concerned with how the long weekend of travel coupled with the early Sunday morning would impact our performance, but my concerns were eased quickly.  This past Friday night’s storm brought us a silver lining: our time bonding and playing together paid off with a cohesive and impressive road win over a good team.  One of the benefits of mutual struggle is that it brings people together.  Sharing privation and being thrown into a difficult situation with others facilitates the bonding process.

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!

Two mottos I have tried to live my life by are “no job is too big or too small” and “leave things better than you found them.”  Both of those were exemplified by a fellow coach after our home opener last year.  After a Week #2 win over Middlebury High School, I walked through both locker rooms to see everyone was cleared out before heading home.  There was one person left in our visitor’s locker room, the Middlebury head coach, with broom in hand, he was sweeping the locker room floor.  We have always tidied up before departing the visiting locker rooms but have never taken it to that level.  

Recently, I started reading the book Legacy and discovered the inspiration for sweeping the locker room.  The book is the story of the New Zealand rugby team the “All Blacks,” a team with three Rugby World Cup victories and one of the most successful teams in match play. I’m amazed by the simplicity of some of their traditions, and the lessons they impart.  After games, their senior leaders pick up a long-handled broom and sweep their shed.  They make sure to do it properly so that no one else has to.  Both personal example, and attention to detail matter. The “All Black,” leaders both believe and demonstrate that if they have personal discipline in their lives, they are going to be more disciplined on the field. In a world of highly paid (and often pampered) professional athletes, no job is too small, and no detail goes unnoticed.

So this weekend as the Rugby World Cup kicks off in France, and we have our first road game of the season,  I will have to add a long-handled broom to our travel checklist so that we can leave Colchester even better than we found it. 

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!

Hours, days, weeks, and months of preparation culminate tonight as we turn the page from pre-season, to begin a new chapter: “In Season.” The Vermont high school football season kicks off tonight at 6:00PM on the campus of St. Johnsbury Academy as we welcome our rivals from down Interstate 91 the Hartford Hurricanes.

While today is but another day on the calendar, it’s one we’ve all waited for with anticipation. Coaches, players, parents, faculty, and staff alike have sacrificed their time, talents, and treasure to help our team prepare for tonight’s game and the start of this year’s season. Individual and collective skills… lessons in character… teambuilding… efforts to foster a culture of interdependence, and a belief in something bigger than ourselves…

Tonight we step on the field with a common vision of who we are and want to become. Common values: a belief in each other, and a belief in our team. A shared sense of purpose, and a belief in what we together, can achieve.

On our locker room board, we have a sign with our motto… “Play For 11.”  It is a daily reminder for our players to play for the 11 on the field and never for themselves.  To practice every day to be one of the 11 on the offense, defense, or any special team depth chart. To play for the 11 letters in St Johnsbury, our town.  To play for the 11 letters in Hilltoppers, our team name.  To play for 11 games which would have us in the championship game.  And to play for 11 wins making us undefeated state champions.  

Tonight marks an important step on our journey; a journey not to be taken lightly, and one best taken together. “Play for 11.”

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!

Coaches always stress the importance of leadership and the development of team leaders.  I tend to follow a definition stating, “Leadership is the sum of those qualities of intellect, character, and interpersonal skills enabling an individual to guide a group of people to successfully achieve a goal.” It is inarguable that strong leadership is critical to the success of any team, and personal example is one of the strongest attributes of a good leader. 

At the same time, it is also critical to develop followers.  Followers, especially the first follower, reinforce the leader’s example, and by doing so, set an example of their own.  Like the leader, he or she will stand out and is vulnerable to questioning and perhaps even ridicule by the group.  The first follower transforms the leader’s lone idea into a group’s thought, and at the same time makes it acceptable for others to join and follow as well.  The first follower is key in starting any movement, changing, or reinforcing any culture.  

The picture here includes a link to Derek Sivers’ video and discussion of the first follower’s power.  In it, you will see a lone dancer in a field at a music festival who appears to be ostracized or at least segregated from those around him.  When one person shows the courage to join him, it opens the door for others to follow.  The first follower emulates the leader and makes the leader’s actions acceptable to others, and in turn, creates a movement.  At the same time, take note of the leader’s response to the first follower; he welcomes him and makes it about “them” rather than about him.  In doing so, he demonstrates the importance of the team, builds trust, and together the leader and first follower create an atmosphere many others find inviting. The first follower is an often underappreciated form of leadership.  

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!

During the weeks of training camp, coaches teach players the plays, schemes, and techniques they need to know in order to have success during the season.  But, more importantly, coaches are developing a team that will work together to accomplish the mission.  

During the year I was born, 1965, psychologist Bruce Tuckman came up with the development sequence that describes the path a team follows on their way to high performance.  He labeled the four stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, and performing.

The “forming” stage is the beginning when a new team is formed.  Individuals will be unsure of the team’s purpose, how they fit in, and whether they will work well with one another.  Players will be anxious, curious, and excited to get going during this stage.  They will be looking to the team leaders for direction, and coaches need to be clear, concise, and candid in their directions and expectations.

Next comes the “storming” stage when conflict or friction can arise between team members competing for positions on the depth chart or with team leaders as they challenge their authority.  Left unchecked, this can lead to confrontations and simmering tensions.  This stage can make or break a team. Again, as coaches, we are responsible for reinforcing expectations and aligning behaviors toward the culture we want to create.

When properly guided through the storming stage, the team moves into the “norming” stage.  People start to resolve their differences, appreciate one another’s strengths, have more respect for team leaders, and begin to work together with a shared commitment to the team’s goals. The elements of culture we’ve been working on all spring and through summer OTAs are becoming natural and common. 

When teammates develop a common purpose, common vision, common values, and common goals, we enter the “performing” stage where differences among members are valued and used to enhance team performance to work at its full potential. We’ve grown to become interdependent, value each other’s contributions, and demonstrate proficiency at the scale of the team. As Coaches, we look to reinforce the very best aspects of teamwork, camaraderie, character, and culture.

As stated in previous blogs, we do not end our last practice of each day with a demoralizing conditioning drill that has little translation to increased athletic and team performance.  Rather, we play full-speed team-building games requiring athletes to work together, use strategy, and make good decisions while they are running, changing direction, accelerating, and decelerating.  They are working through Tuckman’s phases, getting conditioned, and increasing athletic performance without even knowing it.  They think they are just playing and having fun.  As playing football should be.

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!