O Line Skills

For most teams in the country, this is the first weekend of the high school football season. With it comes an opportunity to set a positive tone for the rest of the season.  It can help build both momentum and morale which are crucial in a sport as mentally and physically demanding as football.  For those of us fortunate enough to have the opening game at home, it is a significant event for the school and local community.  A strong performance can ignite both school spirit and community support which can be a significant source of motivation throughout the season.  A  good start can be the first step toward achieving long-term goals, such as making the playoffs or winning a championship. It creates a foundation on which the rest of the season is built.

Both team and individual goals are established, and as coaches, we’ll seek to reinforce the very best effort, attitude, and performance we see across all three phases of the game. We’ll also reinforce the efforts and performance of those on the scout team and the staff who, “as iron sharpens iron,” have helped us hone the skills necessary for Friday night’s performance.

Whether the outcome is a win or loss, the first game provides a learning experience. It can highlight successes to be reinforced, areas where the team needs to grow and improve, and it helps to build resilience in facing future challenges.  After the weekend, half of the teams will remain undefeated while the other half will have experienced the adversity of their first loss. Regardless of wins and losses we wish they all compete at their best, and complete their games injury-free.  

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 uniform remains the same but the loss of the previous year’s seniors and the addition of incoming players challenge coaches at the start of every football season by bringing together a new team and dealing with new team dynamics.  Following Tuckman’s stages of team development is always an interesting process as we go through the start of every season. While some aspects may have ebbed and flowed throughout Winter Drills, Spring Practice, and our Summer OTAs, Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing must commence and phases must transition in relatively short order to be prepared for our opening kickoff.

On days 1-3 (Monday-Wednesday of this week), we go through the initial Forming stage where new members are introduced and they start to understand the team goals and their roles within the team. This stage is filled with a high level of uncertainty for most team members.  Not just the new ones.  Coaches are typically very directive as the basics are explained and the foundations of our culture are clarified and confirmed.

Days 4-6 bring the Storming stage which is characterized by conflict and competition.  This is when we put on full pads and begin to compete in competitive drills culminating week 1 with an intrasquad scrimmage.  It is a challenging phase where differences between players may arise vocally and even physically, but working out of these differences is crucial for team growth. Coaches reinforce expectations of performance, character, and culture.

Week 2 brings the Norming stage where conflicts are resolved and a cohesive working environment really starts to gel.  Players develop a mutual respect for each other, begin to really understand interdependence, and work collaboratively to establish team norms and how they will complement one another to function effectively as a team.  Coaches work hard to positively reinforce these traits and characteristics.

Week 3 is Game Week and brings the focus necessary for the Performing stage.  At this point the team must be fully functional, collectively grasping goals and objectives, as well as working diligently and efficiently towards collective achievement.  There is a strong sense of unity and focus on performance.  Individual aspirations take a back seat to team priorities and culture. Further, the team is well-organized and is ready for the complex tasks and challenges it will face on the field against a thinking and performing opponent in Game 1.

Understanding these stages helps teams and coaches navigate the team development process to maximize their performance over time. Through nearly four dozen iterations as both a player and coach, Tuckman’s Teambuilding Phases ring true and remind us of the growth and maturation coaches must lead, guide, and direct each year.

 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 stand on the cusp of the 2024 football season in Vermont, the air is thick with anticipation and promise. Our team has poured sweat and determination into weight training and conditioning, reaping the rewards of our labor in recent 7v7, OLine, and Strongman competitions. Yet, as we set our sights on both team and individual aspirations, I’m drawn to reflect on a goal that transcends the gridiron—one that speaks to the very essence of what makes this game truly extraordinary.

Football, at its core, is a crucible. It’s a forge where raw potential is hammered into strength, where individual talents are melded into cohesive units, and where the fires of shared adversity temper the bonds of friendship into something unbreakable. If we approach this season with the right mindset, the experiences we share, the lessons we learn, and the friendships we forge have the power to echo far beyond the final whistle of our last game.

I think about my own football journey, where 45 years ago, a group of unpracticed, unpolished, and uncertain young men came together wholly unaware of the profound connections we were about to form. In the cramped confines of a locker room and on the unforgiving expanse of a dusty and sun-baked field, we discovered the true meaning of teamwork. We learned to rely on one another, to put the needs of the many above the desires of the few, and to find strength in our collective identity.

While the varsity squad won the 1979, NJ state championship, our freshman team didn’t win nearly as many games as we had hoped. It’s a fact that still frustrates me given our collective talents, but it’s tempered by an overwhelming sense of pride. When faced with adversity, we didn’t crumble—we stood tall. We recommitted ourselves to improvement, refusing to let defeat define us. We nursed injuries, wrestled with self-doubt, and faced uncertainties that mirrored the challenges we would encounter in the decades to come. Yet through it all, we found joy in our camaraderie and strength in our shared purpose.

Little did I know then that those early days would plant the seeds of friendships that would flourish for over four decades. Today, nearly 45 years later, we still communicate almost daily. The bonds forged in the crucible of that first season and high school career have become a lifeline, a support system that celebrates our triumphs and softens the blows of our setbacks. Our coaches’ words—”we would be stronger together than any could ever be alone”—have transformed from an abstract concept into a living, breathing reality.

Though time and distance have scattered us, we still find ways to reunite, to reminisce about the lessons learned on that dusty field, and to marvel at how they’ve shaped our lives. These enduring connections are a testament to the power of shared experience, shared adversity, and the unifying force of a common goal.

As the 2024 season begins, coinciding with the 45th anniversary of my own first foray onto the gridiron, my deepest wish for this year’s Hilltoppers—and indeed, for every team taking the field this season—is that they discover the same transformative power of football that I experienced. May they find not just athletic prowess, but also life lessons, character growth, and most importantly, the kind of lifelong fellowship and brotherhood that has enriched my life for nearly half a century.

 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 was a clean sweep for the Hilltoppers at the Northeast Kingdom 7v7 Tournament, OLine Challenge, and Strongman Competition. The hard work and great effort put forth by our players during the six weeks of OTAs paid off.  But our players did not just leave the field with hands full of trophies.  These competitions served as a team-building activity that further solidified relationships and interdependence. 

Throughout the day you could see individuals unite and create a sense of camaraderie as they worked toward a common goal or to overcome a shared challenge.  Celebrating each win together reinforced a sense of unity and shared accomplishment, as well as fostering deep, lasting connections, and a strong sense of brotherhood that we will lean on during the season ahead, and one I hope they will return to again and again for decades 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!   

This week, we conclude our Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and prepare for our weeklong Mini Camp which starts Monday. This crucial period culminates with our 7v7 Tournament, Strongman Competition, and OLine Challenge, offering a perfect blend of skill development and team building.

Mini Camp serves multiple essential purposes:

1. Individual Growth: Players have the opportunity to hone their position-specific skills and dive deep into the team’s playbook, studying alignments and assignments.
2. Team Development: This period fosters camaraderie and develops chemistry across position groups, laying the foundation for a cohesive unit.
3. Coaching Evaluation: Coaches can assess players’ strengths and weaknesses, informing decisions about positioning, playing time, and strategies to optimize the team’s talent.
4. Integration: New players acclimate to the team’s culture, dynamics, and expectations before Training Camp begins.
5. Strategic Planning: Mini Camp provides a platform for foundational preparation, setting the stage for Training Camp and the regular season.

Perhaps most importantly, Mini Camp is our daily opportunity to enjoy the game we love. As longtime Ithaca College coach Mike Welch, crediting his predecessor Jim Butterfield, once said, “When I walked down to the field before practice if I did not hear laughter, I knew that something was wrong with his team.”

As I prepare to walk down the hill to our stadium, I look forward to hearing that laughter – a testament to the joy and passion that fuels our team’s pursuit of success.

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!   

“Football is hard…”

That’s what I tell every prospective player and family when they express interest in playing football at St. Johnsbury Academy. I don’t say this to scare them away, but rather to draw them in… to call them to a challenge, to ask them to consider doing and being more than they may have ever thought possible.

As parents, we want “what’s best for our children,” but I contend that many well-meaning parents confuse “better” with “easier.” Too often, these parents (and our society) try to protect youth from stresses, challenges, adversity, risk, and failure. The unfortunate result is young adults less prepared to contend with the inevitable challenges life throws at all of us.

My goal is to help student-athletes and parents understand how football provides ample opportunities for all of the aforementioned, and how overcoming these challenges is essential for personal development and character—ultimately building a fulfilling life. For more than four decades, I’ve either directly participated in or watched each year as players faced fears, contended with loss, and battled back through adversity, fatigue, and self-doubt. Such tribulations strengthen character, broaden capabilities, and enhance resilience.

I often reflect on JFK’s speech on our nation’s space effort at Rice University in 1962, when he said, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” He made a call to action and challenged our best and brightest to do more than anyone thought possible.

Student-athletes should play football for much the same reason:

• Football is hard mentally. Players must understand complex plays, techniques, and tactics, and make split-second decisions. The game requires mental agility and the ability to adapt to ever-changing situations on the field while an opponent attempts to do the same in time-competitive decision-making.
• Football is hard physically. It is a demanding sport requiring strength, stamina, agility, and endurance. These skills and abilities are often trained and instilled during the dog days of summer when other classmates are at the beach, lake, river, or sitting in an air-conditioned home.
• Football is hard emotionally. The intensity of physical competition, the intimidating feeling of lining up against an opponent who may be larger, stronger, or more experienced, and dealing with wins and losses—not just of the game, but of every play within the game—combine to cause highs and lows that can take an emotional toll.

As I have said in past blogs, football and the experiences it offers, have the potential to inoculate players against many of the fears, failures, and adversities they will inevitably face in life. If young men and women are to grow into the strong, confident, and resilient adults we hope for, they should not be shielded from the comparatively minor discouragements, losses, pains, and failures they will predictably encounter and overcome while playing a game. The benefits will yield dividends for decades to come.

Kids should play football because it is hard.

“Don’t judge someone until you walk a mile in their shoes” is a proverb that advises against making judgments about someone until you have experienced what they have, or have developed an understanding of their circumstances and perspectives. The maxim emphasizes the importance of empathy and understanding before forming opinions or criticisms. By metaphorically walking in someone else’s shoes, one gains a deeper appreciation for their challenges, motivations, and reasons behind their actions. 

For most football coaches, regardless of level, we have walked in many shoes.  We understand what it is like to strap on those pads and feel the physical contact of the sport, but most women interested in coaching football have rarely been afforded such opportunities.  Three years ago, that was the situation for Vermont’s first female high school football coach, St Johnsbury Academy assistant coach Julia Kearney, who will be entering her third season coaching the Hilltoppers.  But it is not anymore, because she just completed her first season playing women’s tackle football for the New Hampshire Rebellion, in the Women’s Football Alliance. 

When asked why she decided to play, she said that “she wanted more street cred with her players.”  She just earned it along with a better perspective of what her players are going through by walking a mile in their shoes.

Shared experiences matter… There’s quite a difference between thinking one can endure adversity and having actually endured it. Vince Lombardi is famously quoted as saying “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” Such a sentiment becomes oh so real when one has stared such a beast in the eye and overcome it. When Julia tells a player contending with a similar situation, “I know how you feel… and I know you can overcome the self-doubt,” they know she speaks from a place of truth where battles have been won.

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! 

Sunday’s rainy weather may have kept the Vermont Alercio OLine Clinic in our indoor facility but it did not dampen the spirits of the 50 participants from all over the Green Mountain State.  

The Vermont clinic brings an unusual situation that some might perceive as a conflict of interest but I look at as an opportunity.  When I am hosting the Vermont Clinic I get to coach players from all over the state which includes those who we will be playing against in the Fall.  Three of the teams on our schedule sent players on Sunday.  

At the conclusion of every clinic, I share with the players that the work they did that day made them better offensive linemen which in turn makes their offensive lines better and ultimately their teams better.  So why would I want to help make 3 of our opponents better?  Zig Ziglar provides the answer.  While attending an American Football Coaches Association Conference, I had the pleasure of hearing motivational speaker Zig Ziglar present.  A quote he shared has lived with me since that day. “You will get everything you want in life, if you will help enough 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!