The VHSCA Clinic and All-Star Games will take place on July 6-9 at Liberty University and Lynchburg College. There will also be a coaches picnic on Tuesday July 7th at the American Legion on Greenview Dr. with food and a live band. For more information go to vhscainc.com.
VHSCA Coaches Clinic and All-Star Games July 6-9
- Thread starter THESOUP
- Start date
Thanks for post Soup. Hopefully there will be a large turnout of Coaches in Lynchburg for Clinic. I have always maintained that the coaches clinic should be mandatory for all VHSL coaches.
Common sense. , Coaches should attend the clinic. School divisions should make it mandatory (professional development), and pay for it.
I was at clinic once and saw a Coach with several state championships, learning new stuff, as if he was a first year rookie coach.
then I see some who think they know everything and do not need to attend.
I was at clinic once and saw a Coach with several state championships, learning new stuff, as if he was a first year rookie coach.
then I see some who think they know everything and do not need to attend.
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What you pass off as common sense ignores lots of considerations as to why the clinic should not be mandatory. There are cost considerations that may affect participants and their school divisions, the changing nature of the clinic content, other professional development opportunities, logistics of attending during the summer vacation schedule, the fact that some coaches work other jobs during the summer, etc., etc.. I suspect you are more strongly in favor of making it mandatory due to the current location. Can you tell me you would be stumping for the clinic were it in Richmond or back in Tidewater?
It would be interesting to see the feedback from coaches actually attending for multiple years to get a better feel for what the general membership thinks are the positives and negatives of the clinic as now structured. A very limited sample size of coaches I know hasn't produced a lot of positive feedback going back several years now(even before the switch to Lynchburg). The clinic is no longer the main event with the changing landscape in HS athletics including all star game options, kids going to college early, summer 7 on 7 tourneys, AAU basketball, etc.. Where coaches used to view the event as a must, a lot no longer do and it has nothing to do with thinking they know everything and do not need to attend.
Every year we go through this. The clinic season for football ended months ago. It runs from early February, after signing day, through April, when colleges have ended spring ball. Having attended an average of two year since 1979, I have a pretty good idea when they are.
July is too late for a football clinic to be very useful. You need some time to figure out how to use new ideas. That's already been done. With the year-round practice schedule teams already have most of their offenses and defenses in.
That said, IF the school paid my way I'd go and I'm sure that a lot of coaches would. With the budget situation that's not happening. The school hasn't given me a nickel for a clinic in years.
When clinic was in Hampton, I stumped for it. I heard many coaches over the years say the reason they did not attend was location (Hampton). Now that it's in Lynchburg, many of those same coaches still do not attend. I attended it in Hampton and in Lynchburg. Venue doesn't matter to me reference clinic. No matter where it is, I would go. (even if it were in Richmond).
With location now in Lynchburg, attendance should be increasing over Hampton years. I am not familiar with the numbers. I say again, that schools should fund cost of attendance for coaches. Over the years, some schools do this and some do not.
With location now in Lynchburg, attendance should be increasing over Hampton years. I am not familiar with the numbers. I say again, that schools should fund cost of attendance for coaches. Over the years, some schools do this and some do not.
I have never thought about some other month for VHSCA Clinic, but it may be worth a formal survey to determine if another month would be better.
It's also worth noting that NCAA regulations prohibit the college football coaches from attending and presenting at the clinic since it is attached to an all-star game. Rule changed a few years back.
A couple of things here and I will address each individually.
Johnson is correct about why D-I Football coaches are not permitted at the clinic. Supposedly, that will change after this year with the FB and BB all-star games moving to the end of respective seasons. (At least that was the plan discussed at the end of the clinic last year..) Note to that: BB All-Star games are played in a gym (LC) that isn't as nice as many HS gyms I've worked in rather than playing in the Vines Center. This is an NCAA related regulation as well. And this is asinine.
Phantom brought up a good point that my father and I have discussed many a time. And that is that school divisions (at least many of them) don't pay for clinic or reimburse any mileage, hotel accomodations, etc... and that probably plays a major role in declining attendance..
Attendance was worse at Lynchburg last year than it was in the last couple of years in Hampton. Attendance was hurt some years ago by a switch in weeks- (forced by booking of HR Convention Center to the week of July 4th)...IMO it's never recovered.
Insofar at not "learning anything new"- Ain't buying it. Coached football for 17 years. Always picked up a new drill or two that we used with the programs I coached that following August.
Finally...I'm not sure younger coaches are as interested in the camraderie aspect that the clinic used to provide....What the reason for that is I don't know?
Johnson is correct about why D-I Football coaches are not permitted at the clinic. Supposedly, that will change after this year with the FB and BB all-star games moving to the end of respective seasons. (At least that was the plan discussed at the end of the clinic last year..) Note to that: BB All-Star games are played in a gym (LC) that isn't as nice as many HS gyms I've worked in rather than playing in the Vines Center. This is an NCAA related regulation as well. And this is asinine.
Phantom brought up a good point that my father and I have discussed many a time. And that is that school divisions (at least many of them) don't pay for clinic or reimburse any mileage, hotel accomodations, etc... and that probably plays a major role in declining attendance..
Attendance was worse at Lynchburg last year than it was in the last couple of years in Hampton. Attendance was hurt some years ago by a switch in weeks- (forced by booking of HR Convention Center to the week of July 4th)...IMO it's never recovered.
Insofar at not "learning anything new"- Ain't buying it. Coached football for 17 years. Always picked up a new drill or two that we used with the programs I coached that following August.
Finally...I'm not sure younger coaches are as interested in the camraderie aspect that the clinic used to provide....What the reason for that is I don't know?
Excellent post pawfan. Every year I have attended the clinic, I learned something new. The camaraderie aspect alone, is worth cost of clinic, even if one knows it all and doesn't learn anything new. I think #1 reason that more coaches do not attend is apathy or just being hard-headed.
Years ago the school district paid for the clinic and hotel and gave us a van. Now they pay nothing. I love clinics but for me, paying out of pocket for a clinic in July doesn't provide the bang for a buck. I'm not expecting the school to start footing the bill any time soon either.
How is the attendance at Clinic ? I attended All Star softball game yesterday. I thought attendance at that event should have been better.
Attendance was sparse. Heard some excellent people though. Was especially impressed with Bryant Stith.
Congrats to my cousin Paul on picking up his first All-Star win in the GBB game on Monday. Also congrats to my cousin Madison on playing in the game.
Attendance at SB game was what I expected considering it was played at 10:30 AM on Tuesday.
Clinic is shortening to three days next year- barring a last minute change- and All Star FB and BB games will be played at conclusion of seasons. Good move I think on VHSCA's part. Now, you might get a few more D-I guys and girls to play in the FB and BB games.
Congrats to my cousin Paul on picking up his first All-Star win in the GBB game on Monday. Also congrats to my cousin Madison on playing in the game.
Attendance at SB game was what I expected considering it was played at 10:30 AM on Tuesday.
Clinic is shortening to three days next year- barring a last minute change- and All Star FB and BB games will be played at conclusion of seasons. Good move I think on VHSCA's part. Now, you might get a few more D-I guys and girls to play in the FB and BB games.
I was amazed at the number of coaches I know who were no where to be seen at All Star games. Coaches statewide need to support the Clinic and All Star games.
I ran into coaches from several schools yesterday. None of them attended any part of clinic or games.
I ran into coaches from several schools yesterday. None of them attended any part of clinic or games.
