Family planning

The more I coach football the more I recognize the value in planning.  Luckily, I get to be a part of a team that plans to become a family in order to win.  What do I mean by that?  I mean the team morphs into a family.  The coaching staff morphs into a family.  The booster club that supports the team morphs into a family.  Put all of these things together and we're talking about a family of 200+ people.  However, this family is planned and families do things together. [youtube SPcE1wvqLHU]

How does a football team become a family?

1.  The expectations are clear - Everyone, I mean everyone, knows what is required out of them to participate in the family.  Everyone knows what is required to win in their specific role because it has been clearly communicated to them.

2.  Things are planned in advance - Every practice has a pre-planned script, every pre-game warm up planned to the exact second, so much so that it is timed on a stop watch, and every meal is in the exact same order.

3.  Clear lines of authority - There is zero confusion on who makes the final call in a situation and we even know who would be next in line if something were to happen to our leader (That's called the Mack Truck principal: Who would fill in my shoes if I got hit by a Mack Truck today crossing the street?).

4.  We laugh, a lot! - I've learned that you're never safe from being made fun of but no one takes themselves too seriously.  I think this is the most unique piece to the puzzle that even the coaches will accept a razzing from a player in the proper situation.  Something about this makes the experience different from other teams I  have served on.  But it's not all making fun of each other, the best moments are telling humorous stories.

If you are leading a team, how are you family planning?