Tag: family

Time Well Spent

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It takes a lot of hours over multiple days to meet 1-on-1 with every player on a 50-man roster, but it is time well spent and an exercise I enjoy every year.  

This year’s meetings were held in our newly designed athletics conference room.  I sat in one of four chairs surrounding a 4-foot round table.  Interestingly, after several meetings, I noticed that more veteran players sat in a chair closest to me while younger players sat across the table in the chair furthest from me.  It was a stark reminder of how uncomfortable a teenager can be in that type of setting with an adult.  

Before the meetings, I messaged all players to be prepared to discuss their reflections on the season, their role on the team, how they were treated on the team by teammates and coaches, their plans for the off-season, their plans for next year, and finally, I asked them to be prepared for what I might say about them.  

Providing them with an outline of how the meeting would go, I hope to better prepare them as well as allow us to be efficient with our time.  Regardless of what was said during the meeting, the goal is to end every meeting on a positive and motivating note, reinforcing my belief in their potential so that they feel encouraged to work hard in the offseason and look forward to returning to the team for Spring Ball.

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!  

Setting A Personal Example

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It was a great weekend for football in St Johnsbury, VT.  The Hilltoppers advanced to the state semifinals, and our youth team captured a state championship for the second year in a row.  The weekend was made even better when the head of our youth program shared the following letter she received:

My son plays QB & LB for BYSA.  I just wanted to reach out to express my gratitude and ask if you could please pass along a message to the families of players 59 and 50.  At a few different points during the game, both of these boys came up to my son, gave him a hug and told him he was a great athlete and to keep fighting.  Their kindness and sportsmanship truly meant so much to him and to me as well. Please let them know how much we both appreciated their encouragement.  Congratulations on your win and thank you again for raising such remarkable young men.  

Football may at times be a violent sport, filled with hard hits and fierce competition, but being a good sport is still essential. Players must learn to compete intensely while keeping control and showing integrity. Good sportsmanship turns a rough game into a test of character as much as skill.

I am proud of all of our youth coaches, many of whom played for us, and all of the players, but especially these two young men who I watched grow up over the past dozen years as they are the sons of two of our coaches.  We look forward to welcoming them and their teammates into our Hilltopper football family in 2026.

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!

National Coach’s Day

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Today, Monday October 6th, is “National Coaches Day.” It’s not a scheme to get you to buy a greeting card, nor some food promotion promising free tacos or burgers… It was first proclaimed by President Nixon in 1972, to acknowledge the influence coaches have on young people through sports.  The day is dedicated to honoring and appreciating coaches of all sports and levels, from volunteers to professionals, for the positive impact they have on athletes and communities.  

My first job after college was as a teacher and coach at Admiral Farragut Academy, a military (Naval) based preparatory school with all the traditional trappings of a military hierarchy.  I was given the option of receiving a pseudo-military rank/title or being called “Coach.”  I chose Coach, and that is all I have ever wanted to be called. My coaches were my mentors…the examples I wanted to follow…At the time, I questioned whether I was actually worthy of the title, but I resolved to earn the trust and respect of my players, the same way my coaches had earned ours: one day at a time.

As coaches, we play a profound and lasting role in shaping kids’ lives, acting as mentors, role models, and even parental figures while we coach them, and those relationships last for years to come.  Our influence goes beyond teaching skills, schemes, and plays.  We help shape character, values, and outlooks on life. For nearly four decades now, I’ve considered coaching as a privilege. A privilege I cherish, and one that serves as an homage to all the great coaches who have supported and invested in me over the years.

Today, I encourage you to reach out to a current or former coach of yours, or perhaps your child’s, and simply say, “Thank you.”  We do not need anything more than that.  Our reward comes in the celebration of successes as players on the fields and courts near and far, in the lives they build with their families, and the positive impacts they make on their communities 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!

Old Dogs & Good Coaches

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“Old dogs can learn new tricks—and good coaches never stop learning.”

Experience is valuable, but growth comes from staying open to new ideas. In the ever-evolving world of coaching football, the best coaches are the ones who adapt, innovate, and keep learning. Whether it’s a fresh tactic, a new training method, or a different way to motivate players, every lesson learned makes you a stronger leader. Lifelong learning is essential for coaching success.

I recently made two very productive and informative professional development trips.  One was to Dartmouth College where I caught up with a couple of other coaching friends who were visiting from NJ.  We spent time in meetings with Linebacker Coach Don Dobes and Offensive Line Coach Keith Clark then we observed practice to see how what we learned was implemented on the field.  The other trip was to Norwich University to visit National Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Scott Caufield.  I brought our Strength Coach and Assistant Football Coach on the visit so that she could also learn from one of the best.

Experience provides a strong foundation, but growth comes from staying curious and open to change. In football coaching, embracing new tactics, technologies, and training methods not only improves team performance but also keeps a coach current in a fast-evolving sport. 

A true coach is both a lifelong learner and a lifelong teacher.  When you commit to both learning and teaching, you build a legacy that goes far beyond the scoreboard.  That is why for 25 years I have invited coaches to attend my Offensive Line Clinics at no cost.  Even if they do not have any of their players attending, they are welcomed to join us, to learn, and to pass it forward.

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!