Being Flexible
(and I mean more than stretching)
22 April, 2020
COVID sucks, plain and simple. It just sucks. However, in the midst of homeschooling and having the highlight of my day being whether or not there was TP at the grocery store, I decided to make the best of it, and home-school myself more on things that made me happy, like football.
Enter facebook and the myriad of resources and entertainment it provides. With a little clicking around and asking some questions to people who were clearly smarter than me on football things and more than one coach-clinic zoom meeting, I had the privilege of being exposed to some of the best sub-concepts our current Offense and Defensive System has. I am so excited to put them into action.
So, the moral of the story: Don't be too set in your ways and enjoy the epiphany when you get it. See you on the field !
~Coach
It Absolutely Is About How You Start
More Things Coaches Think About
6 January, 2020
I spent the post-camp season thinking about game plans. I literally think this stuff up at the most random of times. I write it down, come back to it later, and then think either "what was I thinking?", or "that's really good." Somehow things find their way into either a playbook or practice plan and we as coaches get caught chasing our tail.
Keep it simple to start, and then build from there.
Counting the Days
Things Coaches Think About
22 Oct 2019
Coach Eric
I am not one who texts and drives. I know, I know, call me old school or not multi-talented, or whatever. Most people have their "thinking place". For some it is at work when they are doing repetitive tasks, for others it is the gym. For me, it is in the car. I think a lot. And by a lot i mean A LOT. However, focus is important. There is an old saying that goes "If you don't know where you're headed, any road will get you there."
Most coaches will tell you that they like to just think up plays. Sure we start with a base philosophy but we love to add our own seasoning to it and make it our own. The other day I actually pulled the car over and scrambled for a pen to write a concept play down. I had a nice older guy come and check on me, and I showed him the play.
"What do you think of this?", I asked.
Turns out he coached football in the South for 15 years at a pretty prominent college. I got to step into the mind of a genius for 30 minutes. "Son," he says, (keep in mind I'm 40), "I still think about ideas for plays, and plays I should have run. Do yourself and your team a favor: take the big shots, and take a chance once in a while."
Words to live by.
Toe-ing The Line
The importance of the Big Folks up front
27 Sept 2019
Coach Eric
You either came here because you clicked the link, or you're actually curious about what I say. Either way...cool! Thanks!
Football is a team sport. It's a machine, and machines have parts. One of the biggest (pun totally intended) parts of the football machine is the Line, both Offense and Defense. Nothing happens without them. Without the line, the game would be a bunch of folks playing backyard football and everyone going out for a pass. *GASP* no running game? "Where is the fun in that, coach?", you ask?
The line is extremely important. It takes a special player to play up front and get in a hand fight every play. You have to love that close contact, being smarter than your opponent, and most of all studying. Whomever came up with the idea that line-players were just big and dumb obviously never played football. O-Line players need to be quick, recognize coverage shifts and what it does to their assignment or zone, and most of all, how to block a play so the ball carriers can do what they do.
Here, at the Olympians our system is so simple I can almost guarantee that we can make a rookie look like they've been playing the line for years within a few practices.
What about defense, coach? Defensive line folks are some of the nicest people i know; right up to the point where you get them on the other side of the ball. Then they go nuts. The direction for D-Line is simple, dismantle, disrupt, destroy. Dismantle the blocking scheme, disrupt the play, destroy their spirits. Game over.
The line is that important. That's why I am offering a coach's incentive to those who recruit line-players and the line players who sign.
The "latest news" block gave you an idea how serious I am about it.
Strike First, Play Fast, Finish Strong
- Coach Eric
The Pre-Snap Read
What to do and how to prepare yourself in the pre-season
18 Sept, 2019
Coach Eric
I get asked the question "What program should I be doing to get ready for the season?" a lot. My answer is usually "What position are you going to play?" One size does not fit all when it comes to getting ready for football. Something that may work for an Offensive Tackle is not going to be right for a Wide Receiver. Different skill sets require different preparation.
What about cardio? What about strength?
For Line-types, I recommend the 5x5 Stronglifts program (no, I don't get anyting to endorse them). It is fast, easy, and cheap. If you are a more advanced lifter, consider the Wendler 5/3/1 program. There are, literally, hundreds of free apps and spreadsheets out there to help you. For conditioning (since I loathe the term "cardio"), push a weighted sled for 20 minutes. Or, if no sled, run outside for 20-30 minutes after a workout, or 30-40 minutes on an incline treadmill.
For you WR/DB-types, we want you stable, quick-footed, and explosive. You should be focusing on quick twitch muscle work that compliments your jumping, sprinting, and blocking. Push presses are a great exercise to start with, as are hang-power cleans. Jump a lot of rope, and sprint hills outside.
RB's and QB's..no I didn't forget about you. You need to be most balanced. Strong core and legs, but not so strong that you sacrifice strength for speed. Lots of jump rope work alternating your feet. Speed rope until you feel like your calves are going to explode. Lots of strict presses and pull-up-style exercises. Work your core daily.
There are, again quite literally, thousands of opinions on this topic. Do what works for you and complements your position. The rest will take care of itself.
Strike First, Play Fast, Finish Strong.
- Coach Eric