WPO and Dinnwiddie
WPO-Agree with every bit of what you wrote in all 3 of your last posts. My opinion only, but I agree with you. It's one thing to perhaps have "old school" ways to deal with things or what may be perceived as "unconventional" which are kind of my direction. Many, maybe or most most would disagree with my opinions on the solutions, but......as you eluded to......they are at least an opinion on a solution versus simply maintaining status quo. You and UVA hinted at that and again, I think your spot on. You have got to do something. You can't continue to the same thing or go in the same direction if the current one isn't working.
Dinwiddie-Agree. This was mentioned earlier in the thread regarding the widespread effect, but the larger schools, or roughly Class 3A through 6A can absorb that hit and don't truly feel the effects simply because they have such of a larger number in the student population to choose from. You're right.
WPO-Regarding Solutions, again, I think innovation is critical as UVA first pointed out. Innovation can take many forms. Technology can be our friend and enemy. The innovative coach, staff, and administration makes technology our friend, and it's a benefit for the good. So, here are point-hitting specific solutions (my opinion only) that Giles could pursue. Before I give these below Giles fans, understand that one of your fans ASKED in a public forum for suggestions and thoughts. Some Giles fans (not all, but some) have been fickle over the years about thoughts or perceptions of their program on this board. I'm certain of it. I've been here a long time and engaged with a few of which I'm certain are great people, but some of them get a little fickle, so here goes Giles fans since Spartan asked.
1. Define the problem. Is there a problem? Is 27 one snapshot in time? For example, do you have 50 kids out in your 7th and 8th grade classes in which you know you will likely be fine in a couple of years? Or.....are these grades also way down in numbers? Is your current junior and senior classes 2 of the smallest classes in the last 40 or so years in total population of the students in the school, etc? So, for starters make sure it's actually a problem and not a one or two year thing that will pass. Step one should take 5 minutes of research. If it is a problem, then........
2. Determine WHY the numbers are down. For example, are you 100% sure it's concussions coupled with maybe an influence of video games? Ask the parents. If the numbers are only 27 this year, there has to be a few kids that played in 9th or 10th grade that are not out this year. Ask the parents why. The coaching staff should ask the parents of the kid, not the kid, but the parents why the kid (in the parents opinion) did not come out for football. The kid may simply give a response as to "I just wasn't into football coach" which is an answer based out of fear of disapproval by the coaches. The parents should be asked. Again, the sad part which leads back to my point about old school methods is that the coaches in today's time practice in a fear based model. They want to win and do well, but one wrong word on the phone or at the (in house) visit could lead to job loss or litigation. That's the problem with going to far to the left, or where we try so hard to strive for "change." The effects are felt in these areas, but this is the step that has to be taken, and you must find out exactly why the numbers are down.
3. Understand our culture today is instant gratification, reward, and fun. Kids today (because of their parents and our culture, media, etc) simply can't truly.....truly and deeply feel the effects of short term NO-gratification with the long term reward. Our brain matter and schema has changed that the majority of us simply aren't wired this way; therefore, you better make it fun. This is where innovation comes in. For example, combine study hall and practice with a dinner one time per week. As an example, Charlotte-Country Day has mandatory study hall for 1.5 hours after school with fitness shorts, underpad t-shirts, and some coaches and teachers there for assistance. The school-boosters-parents also give the kids a huge meal every Wednesday afternoon before study hall and practice. This is in addition to the Friday pre-game meal which is still ongoing and pretty consistent in most places even in 2018. What does this do? It gets some (not all) but some of the parents to buy in. You know your kid isn't getting into trouble. You know your kid is studying, and he gets a huge meal on Wednesday's just as a social-team building event. Most important, the COACHES and administration EXPLAIN, communicate that to the parent or parents. It goes a long way. That is a form of innovation for sure.
4. Music in practice is huge as one poster eluded to. The important part is, music at selected times during practice. There are times for concentration and there are times in which going over and over on the fundamentals (grunt work) are critical. The music at the selected times is incredibly innovative and smart in my opinion. Also, take it a step further. Play the music through the speaker system if one is available on the practice field.
5. A Cause OUTSIDE of football to build the team. Jim Boeheim, who I really don't like in personality and he sometimes sickens me with his smugness, but...…..he made an absolute brilliant statement I will never forget regarding the "players taking a knee in the NFL" and all of that stuff. He was asked on whether players should be allowed to express themselves in an athletic-student forum on social issues. It was a "gotcha" question and Jim Boeheim gave a brilliant answer, and make no mistake about it, he can flat out coach. I don't care for the man, but the dude can coach. Anyway, his answer was...….they can sound off some and speak out in interviews, but they dam* better be sure they are doing other things to back up those statements outside of basketball on their time. He talked about volunteering at food shelters, mission trips in the summer time, helping those in need, and putting those words into action and not just going along with the "talking heads." So, at it relates to Giles. The coaching staff and town need a cause for the players. For example, every summer, the football time at Giles performs a two-week camp helping to build homes, digging ditches, hammering roofs, etc; to those in far Southwestern VA or Southern WV that may be stricken by poverty. How is it funded? The government is all over stuff like this when it comes to youths helping others. There are organizations that are begging for the literal manpower and for these organizations, finding a place for 40 or 50 people to sleep and feed 3 times a day for 2 weeks is chump-change. What does it do? It builds the team. It forms cohesiveness. It allows the parents to buy in. For 2 weeks of the summer, look at what their kid is doing. It helps the kids truly see what their work ethic can do to help others, and equally important, for this kind of work, this is a situation in which literally ALL of the kids participating would be a winner. It is something to be rewarded not just in the form of T-shirts or a Town Celebration which is nice, but again.....be more innovative. Give the kids who participate some academic credits.
It may sound like the above is somewhat farfetched. I get that, but...…..if your numbers are dropping, you dang sure better do something different to get the kids to buy in. Of course, in my opinion, I also would add in the tough love such as some yelling, screaming, and cursing during practice to let that self-esteem get its a** handed to it, but that's just me. No question though, you have to do something different, and the programs that will do better are the ones that will truly show more innovation. I think Richlands may be an example. I don't know exactly what they have out, but I know this, when we (Poquoson) played them in the state title game, it seemed like Richlands should have played their fight-song twice because kids continued to run out of the locker room for what seemed like a heck of a long time. It seems like they have a small college team regarding numbers, especially when compared to the amount of kids out for football in relation to the total number of males in the school. That's innovative. I suspect that is there coach getting kids to buy in, but to do that, he's getting the parent, parents, or guardians to buy in.
WPO-Agree with every bit of what you wrote in all 3 of your last posts. My opinion only, but I agree with you. It's one thing to perhaps have "old school" ways to deal with things or what may be perceived as "unconventional" which are kind of my direction. Many, maybe or most most would disagree with my opinions on the solutions, but......as you eluded to......they are at least an opinion on a solution versus simply maintaining status quo. You and UVA hinted at that and again, I think your spot on. You have got to do something. You can't continue to the same thing or go in the same direction if the current one isn't working.
Dinwiddie-Agree. This was mentioned earlier in the thread regarding the widespread effect, but the larger schools, or roughly Class 3A through 6A can absorb that hit and don't truly feel the effects simply because they have such of a larger number in the student population to choose from. You're right.
WPO-Regarding Solutions, again, I think innovation is critical as UVA first pointed out. Innovation can take many forms. Technology can be our friend and enemy. The innovative coach, staff, and administration makes technology our friend, and it's a benefit for the good. So, here are point-hitting specific solutions (my opinion only) that Giles could pursue. Before I give these below Giles fans, understand that one of your fans ASKED in a public forum for suggestions and thoughts. Some Giles fans (not all, but some) have been fickle over the years about thoughts or perceptions of their program on this board. I'm certain of it. I've been here a long time and engaged with a few of which I'm certain are great people, but some of them get a little fickle, so here goes Giles fans since Spartan asked.
1. Define the problem. Is there a problem? Is 27 one snapshot in time? For example, do you have 50 kids out in your 7th and 8th grade classes in which you know you will likely be fine in a couple of years? Or.....are these grades also way down in numbers? Is your current junior and senior classes 2 of the smallest classes in the last 40 or so years in total population of the students in the school, etc? So, for starters make sure it's actually a problem and not a one or two year thing that will pass. Step one should take 5 minutes of research. If it is a problem, then........
2. Determine WHY the numbers are down. For example, are you 100% sure it's concussions coupled with maybe an influence of video games? Ask the parents. If the numbers are only 27 this year, there has to be a few kids that played in 9th or 10th grade that are not out this year. Ask the parents why. The coaching staff should ask the parents of the kid, not the kid, but the parents why the kid (in the parents opinion) did not come out for football. The kid may simply give a response as to "I just wasn't into football coach" which is an answer based out of fear of disapproval by the coaches. The parents should be asked. Again, the sad part which leads back to my point about old school methods is that the coaches in today's time practice in a fear based model. They want to win and do well, but one wrong word on the phone or at the (in house) visit could lead to job loss or litigation. That's the problem with going to far to the left, or where we try so hard to strive for "change." The effects are felt in these areas, but this is the step that has to be taken, and you must find out exactly why the numbers are down.
3. Understand our culture today is instant gratification, reward, and fun. Kids today (because of their parents and our culture, media, etc) simply can't truly.....truly and deeply feel the effects of short term NO-gratification with the long term reward. Our brain matter and schema has changed that the majority of us simply aren't wired this way; therefore, you better make it fun. This is where innovation comes in. For example, combine study hall and practice with a dinner one time per week. As an example, Charlotte-Country Day has mandatory study hall for 1.5 hours after school with fitness shorts, underpad t-shirts, and some coaches and teachers there for assistance. The school-boosters-parents also give the kids a huge meal every Wednesday afternoon before study hall and practice. This is in addition to the Friday pre-game meal which is still ongoing and pretty consistent in most places even in 2018. What does this do? It gets some (not all) but some of the parents to buy in. You know your kid isn't getting into trouble. You know your kid is studying, and he gets a huge meal on Wednesday's just as a social-team building event. Most important, the COACHES and administration EXPLAIN, communicate that to the parent or parents. It goes a long way. That is a form of innovation for sure.
4. Music in practice is huge as one poster eluded to. The important part is, music at selected times during practice. There are times for concentration and there are times in which going over and over on the fundamentals (grunt work) are critical. The music at the selected times is incredibly innovative and smart in my opinion. Also, take it a step further. Play the music through the speaker system if one is available on the practice field.
5. A Cause OUTSIDE of football to build the team. Jim Boeheim, who I really don't like in personality and he sometimes sickens me with his smugness, but...…..he made an absolute brilliant statement I will never forget regarding the "players taking a knee in the NFL" and all of that stuff. He was asked on whether players should be allowed to express themselves in an athletic-student forum on social issues. It was a "gotcha" question and Jim Boeheim gave a brilliant answer, and make no mistake about it, he can flat out coach. I don't care for the man, but the dude can coach. Anyway, his answer was...….they can sound off some and speak out in interviews, but they dam* better be sure they are doing other things to back up those statements outside of basketball on their time. He talked about volunteering at food shelters, mission trips in the summer time, helping those in need, and putting those words into action and not just going along with the "talking heads." So, at it relates to Giles. The coaching staff and town need a cause for the players. For example, every summer, the football time at Giles performs a two-week camp helping to build homes, digging ditches, hammering roofs, etc; to those in far Southwestern VA or Southern WV that may be stricken by poverty. How is it funded? The government is all over stuff like this when it comes to youths helping others. There are organizations that are begging for the literal manpower and for these organizations, finding a place for 40 or 50 people to sleep and feed 3 times a day for 2 weeks is chump-change. What does it do? It builds the team. It forms cohesiveness. It allows the parents to buy in. For 2 weeks of the summer, look at what their kid is doing. It helps the kids truly see what their work ethic can do to help others, and equally important, for this kind of work, this is a situation in which literally ALL of the kids participating would be a winner. It is something to be rewarded not just in the form of T-shirts or a Town Celebration which is nice, but again.....be more innovative. Give the kids who participate some academic credits.
It may sound like the above is somewhat farfetched. I get that, but...…..if your numbers are dropping, you dang sure better do something different to get the kids to buy in. Of course, in my opinion, I also would add in the tough love such as some yelling, screaming, and cursing during practice to let that self-esteem get its a** handed to it, but that's just me. No question though, you have to do something different, and the programs that will do better are the ones that will truly show more innovation. I think Richlands may be an example. I don't know exactly what they have out, but I know this, when we (Poquoson) played them in the state title game, it seemed like Richlands should have played their fight-song twice because kids continued to run out of the locker room for what seemed like a heck of a long time. It seems like they have a small college team regarding numbers, especially when compared to the amount of kids out for football in relation to the total number of males in the school. That's innovative. I suspect that is there coach getting kids to buy in, but to do that, he's getting the parent, parents, or guardians to buy in.
