Author: Coach Smith

Texas Clinics

Clinics

Jan. 17-18: Piney Woods Football Clinic – Longview, Texas

Jan. 23-24: Southeast Texas Coaches Association 22nd Annual Golden Triangle Coaches Clinic – Beaumont, Texas

Jan. 24-26: Dallas-Fort Worth Coaches Clinic– Dallas, Texas

Feb 7-9: Glazier Clinics – Dallas, Texas

Feb. 12: First North Texas Football Coaches Association – North Richland, Texas (Birdville)

Feb. 12-14: Tony Franklin Clinics – Austin, Texas

Feb. 12-17: FCA Football Family Cruise Coaching Clinic – Royal Caribbean cruise departing from Galveston, Texas

Feb. 14-15: South Plains Football Clinic – Lubbock, Texas

Feb. 19: Second North Texas Football Coaches Association – Fort Worth (TCU)

Feb. 20-22: Glazier Clinics, Specialty Clinic and Head Coach Academy – Houston, Texas

Feb. 21-22: Texas Alliance for Black School Educators Conference & Leadership Institute for aspiring athletic directors and head coaches – San Antonio, Texas 

Feb. 24: Texas High School Coaches Association Leadership Summit – Arlington, Texas

Feb. 26: Third North Texas Football Coaches Association – Dallas area (UNT)

March 4: Fourth North Texas Football Coaches Association – Dallas (SMU)

March 5-7: Nike Clinics – Dallas, Texas

March 6-7:  National Option Clinic – Richardson, Texas

California Clinics

Clinics

Jan. 19:  Hilltop Clinic – 555 Claire Avenue, Chula Vista, California (free)

Feb 7-9: Glazier Clinics –  San Francisco, California

Feb. 20-22: Glazier Clinics, Specialty Clinic and Head Coach Academy – Los Angeles, California

Feb. 21-22: Nike Clinics – San Diego, California

March 21: SMASH Football Training Champions Coaches Clinic – Downey, California

April 3-4: Nike Clinics – Southern California / Los Angeles, California

Georgia Clinics

Uncategorized

Jan. 23-25: Nike Clinics – Atlanta, Georgia

Feb 7-9: Glazier Clinics – Atlanta, Georgia

Feb. 20-21: Minority Coaches Association of Georgia Coaches Conference – Atlanta, Georgia

Feb. 21-22: Surface to Air System National RPO Clinic – Atlanta, Georgia

Feb. 22: Georgia Tech Football Strength & Leadership Clinic – Atlanta, Georgia register

Feb. 29: “Bring That Hammer” Coaches Clinic – Quitman, Georgia more

March 6-8: Glazier Clinics, 150, Coordinator School, Specialty Clinic and Head Coach Academy – Atlanta, Georgia

March 13-14: Southeast Wing-T, Spread and Defensive Clinic – Dublin, Georgia

March 26-28: University of Georgia Coaches Clinic– Athens, Georgia

May 2: Minority Coaches Association of Georgia HBCU Football Coaches Clinic – Atlanta, Georgia

2020 Football Clinic Finder

Coaching

AFCA.jpg

I’ve had the great opportunity to start the last three years with my high school colleagues at AFCA’s (American Football Coaches Association) national convention.  It’s an incredible opportunity to learn, share and connect with other coaches – totally recommend making this specific trip … even if you have to travel.  I’ve always been motivated to do more and be more as a coach in every aspect.

I caught another clinic last spring by chance thanks to social media and I’ve attended the Glazier Clinic in Atlanta, but I decided for the 2020 season I’d try to help the coaching community by cultivating as comprehensive of a list for other football coaches as I could.

Here’s what I’ve got so far … please comment or message me with others that should be added… Any clinic for football coaches to learn can be included!

NFL / College Events

BY STATE:

BY DATE:

JANUARY

Jan. 9-11: Florida FACA Winter Football Clinic – Daytona, Florida

Jan. 11:

Jan. 12-14: American Football Coaches Association Annual Convention – Nashville, Tennessee

Jan. 16-18: Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Winners Circle Annual Football Clinic – Lansing, Michigan

Jan. 17-18: Piney Woods Football Clinic – Longview, Texas

Jan. 19:  Hilltop Clinic – 555 Claire Avenue, Chula Vista, California (free)

Jan. 20: West Jefferson Football Coaches Clinic– West Jefferson, Ohio

Jan. 23-24: Southeast Texas Coaches Association 22nd Annual Golden Triangle Coaches Clinic – Beaumont, Texas

Jan. 23-25: Nike Clinics – Atlanta, Georgia

Jan. 24-25:

Jan. 24-26:

Jan. 25:

Jan. 29: North Central Ohio Football Coaches Association Clinic – Bucyrus, Ohio

Jan. 30 – Feb. 1: Kansas City High School Coaches Clinic– Kansas City, Missouri

Jan. 31-Feb. 2:

FEBRUARY

Feb. 6-8:

Feb. 7-8:

Feb 7-9:

Feb. 12: First North Texas Football Coaches Association – North Richland, Texas (Birdville)

Feb. 12-14:

Feb. 12-17: FCA Football Family Cruise Coaching Clinic – Royal Caribbean cruise departing from Galveston, Texas

Feb. 13-15:

Feb. 14-15:

Feb. 15:

Feb. 19: Second North Texas Football Coaches Association – Fort Worth (TCU)

Feb. 20-22:

Feb. 20-21:

Feb. 21-22:

Feb. 21-23:

Feb. 22:

Feb. 24: Texas High School Coaches Association Leadership Summit – Arlington, Texas

Feb. 26: Third North Texas Football Coaches Association – Dallas area (UNT)

Feb. 27-29: Nike Clinics – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and New England (Windsor, Connecticut)

Feb. 28: Northwest Ohio Football Coaches Association Clinic – Findlay, Ohio –

Feb. 28-29:

Feb. 28-March 1: Nike Clinics – Portland, Oregon; Orlando, Florida

Feb. 29:

MARCH

March 4: Fourth North Texas Football Coaches Association – Dallas (SMU)

March 5-7: Nike Clinics – Dallas, Texas

March 5-6: Minority Coaches Association of Alabama Coaches Clinic– Birmingham, Alabama

March 6-7:

March 6-8: Glazier Clinics, 150, Coordinator School, Specialty Clinic and Head Coach Academy – Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Seattle, Washington; Northern Virginia & Washington D.C.

March 12: Night of Football Coaches Clinic – Cherry Hill, New Jersey

March 12-14: Indiana Football Coaches Association Clinic – Indianapolis, Indiana

March 13-14: West High School More with 4 System – Knoxville, Tennessee

March 13-15: Glazier Clinics, Specialty Clinics – Charlotte, North Carolina; Cleveland, Ohio; New York / New Jersey

March 13-14:

March 20-21:

March 21:

March 26-27:

March 26-28:

March 27-28: University of Louisville Football Clinic– Louisville, Tennessee (second date)

March 27-28: Kentucky Football Coaches Association / University of Kentucky Football Clinic – Lexington, Kentucky

March 28: Southwest Ohio Football Coaches Spring Clinic– University of Cincinnati – Cincinnati, Ohio – register 

March 28-30: Notre Dame Coaches Clinic – South Bend, Indiana

March 28-29: 2nd Annual Split Back Veer / Option Football Clinic – Lakeview, Michigan (free)

March 29-30: University of Iowa Coaches Clinic– Iowa City, Iowa

APRIL

April 2-4: Army Football Coaches Clinic – West Point, New York

April 3-4: Nike Clinics – Southern California / Los Angeles, California

April 4: Ashland University Football Clinic –  Ashland, Ohio

April 9-11: 89th annual Ohio State University Coaches Clinic – Columbus, Ohio

April 12-13: North Dakota State Coaches Clinic– Fargo, North Dakota

April 17-18: Southeast Iowa Coaches Clinic – Moravia, Iowa

MAY

May 2: Minority Coaches Association of Georgia HBCU Football Coaches Clinic – Atlanta, Georgia

May 8-9: Air Raid Clinic by the Hal Mumme Air Raid System – Fayetteville, North Carolina

May 15-16: The Annual Offensive Line Clinic – Cincinnati, Ohio

May 30: Faith, Family & Football Coaches Clinic– Helena, Alabama

May 29-31: Cascade Coaching Association Clinic – Spokane, Washington more 

JULY

July 20-23: North Carolina Coaches Association Football Clinic – Greensboro, North Carolina

January recruiting tips from #AFCA19

More than Football, Recruiting Tips & Tricks

For a second year, I had the opportunity to go to the AFCA’s annual convention – a gathering of some of the top high school, college and professional football minds – to expand my knowledge, network and reflect on my passion for the game.

Between my conversations with coaches in San Antonio and my experience with athletes who’ve been part of the process and moved on to huge college / pro careers, I put together a few good recruiting tips that build on – surprise – things football teaches:

Always present yourself to the best of your ability and follow up with polite persistence and gratitude. Do the little things better than anyone.

One of those is to use social media for recruiting. Most players know they should have an account with their actual name, which can help coaches find out more about them. Most programs and coaches now have social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Follow ones of interest as a first step.

One coach told me using direct messages can be effective in recruiting. While sliding into DM’s on social media have proven risky for some, NCAA D1 and D2 coaches can direct message recruits during a prospect’s junior year. This may also give you another opportunity to contact a coach or program and for them to see your pitch.

As with texting, if you send a few messages and you don’t hear anything … re-evaluate your strategy. Send an email, call the recruiting office, text, mail a letter, google and find someone you know who knows someone on the coaching staff, go on an unofficial visit.

Assuming you are a good fit (or could be) for that program and school, your PERSISTENCE might pay off. I got my first coaching job simply by making the effort to follow up with a guy who told me to call him. Who knows how this will pay off for you.

Directly from FBS coaches at AFCA … here are three other gems: 

  1. Pin your best one play from a varsity game, not your full hudl recruiting link, to your twitter account and send coaches a link to this one play.  Demand their attention. Keep it short. Make those seconds count.Use this link in emails, texts, DM’s, Instagram stories, Facebook, Twitter … present your case fast.
  2. Use photos and quick quality videos to capture measurables.We are a “see to believe” society and in recruiting that’s because anyone can and does try to get an advantage … and coaches have been burned.

    Examples could be: height, weight, weightroom big lifts or achivements, transcript, test scores, 40 time. You don’t have to post everything publicly, but think about using these assets to pitch yourself in a DM or put them together in a short YouTube link in your profile.

    Showcase on your social account or find ways to pitch to coaches what otherwise makes you unique – volunteer work, leadership, hobbies, personal stories, references who might vouch for you and know them well, etc. Keep it short, but often, you can catch a break by going the extra mile. Sound familiar?

    Even if you’re the prototypical recruit on the field, remember academics MUST stay a priority. Often, just a few points difference in your GPA is thousands of dollars in scholarships … or the difference between you and someone else with better grades even being evaluated.

  3. Be careful with social media. We all know the horror stories, but there are subtle things to keep in mind to make social work for you.As you post as a prospective college football player, think about these questions:

    What is your personal brand as a recruit? How does your social media reflect it?
    How can you be authentic, but positive, with what you post, like and share?
    What would help coaches / future teammates determine if you were a good fit?
    How does your account make you a better teammate / leader to your current team?
    How does what you post add value to the world and tell your story?

    In this vein, the smartest observation from a college football coach I heard was about time of day for recruits to post.  If you are up on Twitter or Instagram in the wee hours of the morning or during school … what does that say about your commitment to rest / recover? What does that say about your commitment to your grades and ability to focus?

    As Coach Derek Jones so aptly points out: “Everything you do in life is an interview … you never know who is watching or what they are looking for.” 

Share your recruiting tips … everyone wins when dreams come true in the form of college scholarships, playing opportunities, expanded worldviews, and the love of the game. Best of luck to all!

®

Family ties

Gratitude Improves Attitude, More than Football

I started coaching football in 2010.

As with many things in life, it was a headfirst leap. I was hired at the end of the week and reported to practice on Monday.

That year was full of highlights: great kids, important mentors and stories I’ll never forget, but one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned was off the field.

We were fortunate to have a booster club who wanted to provide team meals on Wednesday nights after practice. Like clockwork, a spread of hot lasagna and garlic bread and cold salad, drinks and dessert appeared in the field house. Just as quickly, it disappeared.

During this time, I learned that the same stupid fart jokes that were funny 20 years ago were still pretty relevant. I tried to keep conversation more productive as I met with the offensive line to look at plays or quiz them on assignments.

…….

One day, one conversation ended with an off-handed comment from a freshman: “Thanks mom.”

Taken a bit by surprise, I fired back: “You know I’m not your mom, and I’m sure she’d be disappointed to hear you said that.”

I’ll never forget his response: “Well, she died … so I’m not really sure what she’d think.”

 

Talk about a gut punch.

 

I’m not sure what weak apology I managed to blurt out, but I felt like I ran the jerk store.

I still do when I think about moment.

…….

Football creates a family for all of us, in different ways.

As a young coach, I fought the idea that kids would look at me like a parent.

Now I understand that they need it sometimes … for different reasons. All of us come from different circumstances and start with a unique mix of support, dynamics, resources and challenges.

Our job as coaches varies … but rarely is it just how to play a game. We give advice, create relationships, help set standards, build a leadership mindset, share in tough times, celebrate big life moments, and many crazy and wonderful things in between.

The educators I work with do the same thing for hundreds daily.

 

I could never apologize enough for my flippant remark, but I have used that experience to get to know my players, by listening more and talking less.

This moment helped crystallize the great advice I saw once on a church billboard: “be kind, for everyone is fighting a tough battle.”

Football is family, after all.