Tag: sports

Forging The Future

Coach AlercioLeave a comment

After the season is over and all the equipment is collected, players schedule a one-on-one year-end meeting with me.  These meetings serve as an opportunity to reflect on the past season, assess their progress, set off-season goals, and discuss where they see themselves next year.

I try to orchestrate the process of self-reflection to be motivating and affirming.  I want players to recognize the progress they’ve made, the skills they developed, and the goals they reached.  Further, I try to very tangibly acknowledge the contributions they made to the team, fostering a sense of appreciation and making the player feel valued in the program.  It also provides an opportunity to discuss what didn’t go well and why.  I’m genuinely interested in players’ perceptions and encourage them to raise concerns, discuss obstacles they faced, and share challenges they have off of the field that impact their performance on the field.

These meetings also give me an opportunity to provide feedback on what they did well and opportunities for improvement.  I make every effort to ensure the feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on improvement for the individual player and the team.

The year-end meetings are a chance to strengthen the coach–player relationship by creating a two-way dialogue that hopefully fosters trust, leads to more engaged players, and conveys how much I care about them.  This opens the door to conversations about any misunderstandings that may have occurred during the season, while opening the door to future dialogues whenever players feel the need.

By giving players an opportunity to voice their opinions, share their concerns, and provide feedback we create players who feel more engaged and invested in the program leading to greater retention and hopefully recruitment of their classmates.  

In closing, year-end meetings are a critical opportunity to reflect, learn, plan, and motivate ensuring both the player and the team are set up for success and looking forward to the year ahead.  

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!  

Planting Seeds & Fertilizing Growth

Coach AlercioLeave a comment

It is Hilltopper Youth Football Camp week and we have over 60 kids entering grades 3-8 with us Monday – Friday from 8:30-11:30am.  Our coaching staff and players provide a structured and supportive environment where the kids can grow as athletes and individuals, setting a foundation for their future in sports and beyond.

The building blocks of that foundation are the following:

  1. Skill Development: We work daily on the fundamental skills of blocking, tackling, passing and receiving.  
  2. Physical Fitness: We incorporate daily activities and drills to improve speed, agility, and strength contributing to better physical conditioning and overall fitness levels
  3. Confidence Building: Achieving or improving these new skills and increasing fitness levels boosts their self-confidence and encourages the athletes to challenge themselves further.
  4. Friendship and Camaraderie: We have kids from over a dozen elementary and middle schools representing several towns in attendance.  This camp allows them to meet new friends and create lasting bonds through these shared experiences.
  5. Fun and Enjoyment: Beyond skill development, the drills are designed to be enjoyable and engaging, making learning the sport a positive and rewarding experience.
  6. Exposure to Competition: We also add a component of competition to many of the drills and remind the players that they do not have to win.  They just need to try to win. 
  7. Teamwork and Communication: We finish every day with a team game emphasizing the importance of teamwork, cooperation, and communication among players, fostering essential social skills.
  8. Sportsmanship: The result of those games is learning to win and lose gracefully, respect opponents, and follow rules; all skills critical in camp, in competition, and in life.
  9. Leadership: With every drill, competition, and game, we encourage our older more experienced players to set a good example by helping and encouraging their younger counterparts.  

An ancillary benefit to our program is the development of our own players who help coach the kids.  We see them grow as leaders, building confidence while they share the energy and enthusiasm they have for the sport of football and their Hilltopper program.