Monday nights are for #HogFBChat Twitter meetings.

A big group of Offensive Line coaches sit around and share ideas. It’s fun to see other coaches I’ve worked with contributing, and hundreds I’ve never met … discussing how to get better.

Tonight, I joined a few coaches in a conversation I’m passionate about: teaching.

Rewind: I think about my high school football coach a lot, even almost 20 years later.

On a day recognizing the best of football, Coach Paul Flynn changed my life.

He didn’t make it easy. He made it possible. He invested extra time to teach. He never laughed at my ambition or ineptitude. He cared.

He’s still one of my greatest inspirations as a coach & person. pic.twitter.com/08EkEPYIEY

— Roseanna Smith (@CoachSmith67) February 4, 2018

Coach Flynn helped me LEARN the game.

It helped that there were zero expectations – no one in my family ever played.

Outside of me, I’m sure no one thought I would really make it through the season, let alone go on to play on the USA Football national team 10 years later.

Being a girl learning the game also worked in my favor, because in addition to the lack of expectations and pressures most players face, I had no ego. I found out day one that I didn’t know any of the things I thought I knew …. so I asked a million questions.

I literally was in the coaches’ office most days after practice and looking back on it now, Coach Flynn deserved an extra stipend just for answering my questions.

Spending time with players teaching is a huge investment in their development … especially since you have approximately one million things to do at all times as a coach.

What Coach Flynn, my teammates, and coaches over the years did for me was communicate all the details. I’m now firmly in the camp of people who believe life (and football) is conquering the small things.

Tonight I commented on the thread below during #HogFBChat … and I feel very strongly that my inexperience early on is now an asset as a coach. I don’t assume or expect the kids to walk in the door with the football IQ we want. I just want to make sure they leave us with one.

The young guys want to learn and will soak up as much as you can teach … but assume nothing.

For example, I had to clarify the No. 3 receiver isn’t the guy wearing the No. 3 jersey.

— Roseanna Smith (@CoachSmith67) February 13, 2018

My best advice for coaching younger players:

• Never assume your players know what you say, or what you want. You’ll both always be frustrated. Show them, tell them, repeat.
• Never talk down to your players or assume that the JV / freshmen / 8th graders shouldn’t learn something because it’s “for the varsity.” Those kids are your future varsity … and you might need them sooner than either of you thinks.
• If you show players how knowing more will directly help them improve or prepare to be more successful … they might want to be better students of the game.
• Get sub-varsity kids access to film. Grade it, scout it, teach them how to watch it. This pays dividends in the long run. Hudl makes it so easy.
• Keep the teaching (and you talking) short and focused. Pick the most important keys and build on them as you go along.
• Create an environment where curiosity is valued. Young players hate looking stupid and will rarely ask questions. Lots of times, they might not even be sure where to start.
• If you don’t know an answer … find out. Never guess.

Here’s to us all being better coaches, mentors and teachers every day.

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