O Line Skills

Every season provides a new set of challenges: replacing starters, cultivating new leaders, forming, storming, and norming a new team.  This season presents never seen before challenges: no linemen in 7v7, no running game, no blocking and tackling, no locker room, no weight room and no opportunity to again compete for a state championship.  

The culture of our program is born in our weight room, thrives in our locker room and is driven by the pursuit of championships.  We use the complementary effects of these elements to reinforce character, culture, and commitment. Without those things, both players and coaches may have a perception this year is different, and therefore brings a different level of expectation…

The guiding principles and core values of our program will never change.  Adherence to the culture remains the expectation and the standard. Common vision, common purpose, common values… Together, we are so much more than any of us could be alone.   

In a recent conversation on this topic with a friend of over 40 years who now coaches football in Florida, he  shared an analogy with me “Commitment is key… A plug that is halfway in and halfway out of an outlet does not work.”  Every year we adopt a slogan or motto that we put on every practice schedule so that the players are reminded of it every day.  This year, despite the difference in circumstances, the Hilltoppers will be “Plugged In,” and committed.

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!

Focus on what you have, not on what you lost.

In Vermont, we still have an opportunity to play Fall sports, work with our athletes, and to motivate them to be the very best version of themselves on and off the playing fields.  This year, that will include managing distractions like COVID safeguards, playing 7v7 football, wearing a mask during practices and games, and tuning out the naysayers.

Each season brings a set of challenges we must overcome. As the saying goes, “If it was easy… Anyone could do it.” Although this year brings a couple new twists, and what we see on the field may look different, what we do as coaches remain the same.  We take a group of individuals, unite them, and develop them as a team.  We set goals and build focus in our players to overcome obstacles and achieve those goals.

An email below, from a mom who has two sons in our program, provides me with the motivation to embrace what we have, seek the good we find in both the game and each other, and reminds me not to fret over things we may have lost (things largely outside of our control anyway).

“As an educator and parent, I understand the challenges and time this (7v7 Football) took. Sometimes the criticism overshadows the positive. My observation over the past couple years is that you and your team have cultivated a culture of brotherhood that at times like these surpasses the actual game.  At least for my own sons the opportunity to still be part of that in a non-traditional manner is a true blessing.”

Helmets or not… Seven players, not eleven…the list of changes could go on, but the essence of developing a shared vision, shared values, shared understanding of where we want to go, who we want to be, and how we want to judge ourselves remains the same. The 2020 Hilltoppers will take the field with a sense of confidence, interdependence, and shared belief that together, we can do far more than any one could alone, and God willing, we will all carry those feelings and lessons forward for decades.

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 colleges across the country canceling Fall sports, I was both thrilled and relieved to hear Vermont Governor Phil Scott announce “We want to make it clear, there will be Fall sports.” It is evident the Governor, the Agency of Education, and the Vermont Principals Association understand how vital extracurricular activities are in the lives of so many students and families.  It is critical to their physical and mental health.  Cancelling cannot be an option.

When Governor Scott followed with, “but things will look much different”, what I had imagined seemed to become a reality.  We are not going to play “traditional” football.  It appears the option will be 7v7 football which will be played without offensive and defensive linemen as well as traditional protective equipment (e.g. helmets, shoulder pads, etc.)  As someone who has made a career out of coaching offensive line, it pains me to not coach the “Bigs”, to miss seeing them block for their running backs and protect their quarterback, to miss seeing five individuals form a brotherhood like no other, for the individuals to melt away, uniting to selflessly work as one.  Football will not be the same, but then again what is the same these days?

I wish we could play “traditional” football.  I wish our students could go back to school every day during the week.  I wish they could gather in the cafeteria to socialize.  I wish they could be closer than 6 feet apart.  I wish they did not have to wear a mask or have their temperature taken.  But things are different now.

  Things will continue to be different.  7v7 football is a temporary solution to a devastating situation, but a very workable one nonetheless.  I am thrilled to still be able to coach football.  I am thrilled our kids and teams across the state will be able to participate and compete.  I am thrilled they will have something to do after school to keep them fit and engaged.  I am thrilled my staff and I have an opportunity to lead, teach, and develop student-athletes to maximize their potential on and off the football field. And, during these challenging financial times, I am relieved our coaches will still receive their stipends. Cancelling cannot be an option. Now it’s up to us to make the most of the opportunity we’ve been given.

For more on Vermont’s 7v7 program check out the coverage from WCAX, Burlington here:  “High School Football This Fall; Is 7v7 The Answer?”

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 top football players from the state of Vermont gathered on Saturday, August 1 in Hanover NH, but it was not to play in the 67th Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl vs the all-stars from New Hampshire.  It was for a picnic.  Players, parents, coaches, and Shriners gathered to honor the best of the Green Mountain State.  Players were presented game jerseys with their names on the back, as well as jackets and t-shirts.  Coaches were given their gameday polo and t-shirts.  While the Shriners went above and beyond to make the players feel special, it will never replace what they missed.

Tom Haley, of the Rutland Herald, used Joni Mitchell’s lyrics in his article this week to remind us, “…You don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.” Players and coaches echoed those sentiments discussing their excitement, anticipation, and ultimately disappointment at the loss of what for many young athletes has been a long-standing goal.

As Phil Collins sings, “I can feel it coming in the air tonight, oh Lord… and I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life, Oh Lord!”  Vermont football players dream of someday playing in the Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl. From the moment they hung up their cleats last winter, they’ve looked forward to one last chance to represent their teams,  the honor of wearing VERMONT across their chests, seeing parents and friends in the stands, and the excitement in the air moments before kickoff.  One last chance to celebrate all they’ve accomplished over the last four years, one last transformation to something bigger than self, and the magical experience of turning former opponents and rivals into teammates and brothers.

Despite the obvious disappointment, we took the time to reflect on all we have to be grateful for: To be thankful for teams and teammates who helped us earn selection to the Vermont team, the parents, coaches, and communities supporting these young men, and the Shriners who set such a great example of giving back to make others lives better.

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 sharehttp://www.olineskills.comwith your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!

Photos from the team picnic hosted by the Shriners:

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Neither the Executive Director of the Vermont Principals Association, the Vermont Secretary of Education, nor the Governor of Vermont have called me to ask how I want to conduct the fall high school football season…

At some point in the coming weeks, they will make a decision about fall sports that is out of my control.  In the meantime, I will not worry about it.

I will continue to focus on those things I do control:

• Continuing to get our players mentally and physically prepared to play through our Summer Organized Team Activities (OTAs)
• Preparing practice & installation schedules for Mini Camp and the start of practices whenever they begin
• Remaining flexible in implementing the ever-changing guidelines to keep our kids healthy, and hopeful high school sports and activities remain part of our students’ lives (even if they do not look the same as they have in the past)

In the 2015 movie, “Bridge of Spies,” Tom Hanks plays a lawyer counseling a Russian spy whose life is on the line while the two superpowers consider whether to conduct a prisoner exchange or have the spy executed. At the conclusion of a tenuous court scene where things are looking particularly bleak, Tom Hanks’ character asks, “Don’t you ever worry?”  The Russian responds stoically, “Would it help?” Tom Hanks smiles at the simplicity and accuracy of the candid response…

No doubt, these are challenging times… There is plenty to fret about if we choose to. Do not make life more difficult and stressful by consuming yourself with worry about things you do not control. Put your thoughts and efforts directly into those things you can influence and let the chips fall as they may, knowing you’ve done your best.

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 rewards of coaching have magnified during these challenging times.  That was never more evident than last week as we hosted our annual youth football camp at St Johnsbury Academy.  We had 32 kids (31 boys and 1 girl) grades 3rd-8th in attendance.  Coaches wore masks, wiped down balls and bags, and did their best to maintain social distancing.  Kids learned the skills and drills associated with each offensive, defensive, and special-teams position; but, more importantly, they played, they smiled, they had fun with their friends again.  The biggest smiles were on the faces of the moms and dads at drop-off and pick-up, seeing their kids so happy again.

My favorite smile of the week was worn by the mother of the one girl who attended our camp.  However, her smile did not really shine until the middle of the week.  Early days were filled with concern of how her daughter would fit in as the only girl in a football camp.  Those concerns were quickly erased when she saw both her daughter’s success on the field as well as how well she fit in with the other kids.  Now, Ahna and her mom are looking forward to flag football this Fall.  She will be every bit as good as any boy out there and will hit the field with newfound confidence and skill.

Girls like Ahna are the future of football.   Hopefully, by the time she reaches high school, girls’ flag football will be a varsity sport.  Maybe she will go on to play college flag football, and along the way enjoy all the benefits of character development, team building, and interdependence so integral to the game at every level.

For now, I was just happy to see the smiles on her and her mother’s faces as well as the faces of all the other kids and parents who participated in the St Johnsbury Academy Youth Football Camp. The smell of fresh-cut grass, the warmth of the sun, and the sounds of kids laughing and playing were welcome alternatives to so much of what has dominated most recent days. Best of all, they remind me again of the rewards of this job and the game of football.

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 Vermont Principal Association recently announced that football practices will begin at the start of the school year.  While it is great news to hear there is a plan to have football this fall in Vermont, it also means no pre-season training camp, no 2-a-days, no meetings, and no walk-throughs.  In a nutshell, we have lost a great deal of teaching opportunities.  In keeping with the theme of recent posts, we, as coaches, need to adapt to change.  Fewer teaching opportunities mean fewer installations.

When I speak at clinics, I often share the analogy that playbooks are like closets.   Most closets are filled with clothes you never wear, and playbooks are filled with plays you never call.  Do you really need the 12 sweaters you have on the top shelf of your closet?  No, nor do you need the 12 running plays in your playbook.  Keep the 5 or 6 sweaters you wear most often and get rid of the rest.  Do the same with your dress shirts, golf shirts, pants, sweats, etc.  Then go to your playbook and do the same with your runs, passes, and screens.  Only keep the plays you call most often.  This year does not allow us time to teach plays we do not call.

Marie Kondo is a popular design/home organization consultant, and she’s become a multi-millionaire with her “KonMari” philosophy of encouraging clients to consider an item and ask “Does it bring you joy?” If not a resounding yes, she suggests removing the item from the home. I might suggest you not be sentimental with your clothes or your plays.  If you do not wear it or call it, (if it does not “bring you joy”) now is the time to get rid of it.  Simplify… and focus only on what you need so that your players can focus on what you will call.

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 67th Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl has been canceled. I genuinely appreciate the Board of Governors’ invitation to their meeting and affording me the opportunity to share some thoughts on how we may have been able to make changes allowing us to play.

In the end, the financial burden, health risks, and volunteer time to transition and incorporate changes needed to follow the emergency health guidelines made it an easy decision for the board. While the Board of Governors would have truly enjoyed hosting and presenting the 2020 Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl, their rationale and desire to safeguard the players, families, and communities was clear.

Plans are in place to bring the Vermont team together in an outdoor environment to recognize them and give them their Shrine football jerseys.  While they will never play in the Shrine game, they will always be Shrine players.  They join an elite fraternity of the best who ever played the game in the Green Mountain State. They would have been a great team and a formidable opponent for our friends in the Granite State.

As we discussed in last week’s blog post, the species that is most adaptable to change is the one with the greatest chance of survival. I’m confident these young men will indeed adapt to the changes we face, and find ways to thrive while representing their teams, towns, and families in the coming months.

Coach Rich 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!