Building Pride, loyalty, and commitment to excellence. (Football).

1. Always be positive. Never let your players think they can't do it.

2. Always be tough, firm, but quick to praise.

3. Always be enthusiastic. If you look bored in practice, you can expect your players to follow suit.

4. Always be organized at meetings and on the field.

5. Always be precise in your teaching of assignments and techniques, and always have your players do it your way.

6. Coach on the run. Correct or praise on every play. It has to be one or the other. Do it now because it's too late after the game.

7. Coach the little things, fundamentals. When all is said and done, it's the fundamentals that provide the winning edge.

8. Whether it's your responsibility or not, never let a player do anything negative without correcting it. If the position coach or head coach hears the statement, let him make the correction. Otherwise, you must do it or it will be repeated and the players will lose respect for you.

9. No swearing. You can win with it, but you can also win without it.

10. Don't ignore the players' academics in the fall. Ask them about school now and then. Let them know you are interested in their study habits and grades and how important you think they are.

11. Get your teaching done during the week. Rule: No one talks assignments on the bus going to the game. Players can't be aggressive or loose when they are uncertain of their assignments.

12. Be thorough and fair in your grading of the players. Show them the grades and why they got minuses, etc. They may not lie at the time, but they will learn to respect you for being honest with them.

13. Never tell a player he is going to start or get into a game and then fail to follow through. It's better to tell him that you'll play him when you think he's totally prepared to play. He will accept that a lot better than if you lied to him. This isn't always easy to do, as coaches sometimes get excited in practice and say things they are sorry for later. If you do make some kind of commitment to a player, make sure to let the head coach know about it.

14. Be exact in your teaching of stance, alignment, landmark, steps, etc. You can't become a sound team if you don't look like one when you line up.

15. Be enthused about your kicking game and allot time and coaching to it. It takes coaching. You can control your own destiny in the kicking game and it can offset weakness in other aspects of your game.

16. Work hard on your goal-line offense and defense; instill pride in the players.

17. Control your negative remarks about players. Remember, the players are young and human. They may not have the best attitude or be good football players, but that doesn't mean they are "bums" or SOBs. Name-calling rarely accomplishes anything more than resentment.

18. Motivate your players to practice with pain, but do not question injuries. For every three times you may be right about malingering, there may be a fourth time - on which the athlete is telling the truth - and you don't want to put him at risk by playing him.

19. Don't ever say we can't win or that we lost because of an injury Injuries are part of the game and you simply have to overcome them.

20. Coach your players to pull for one another on offense and defense. You will win together, but you have to have both (offense and defense). Some days the offense will carry you and some days it will have to be the defense.

21. Be friendly and courteous to the opposing coaching staff any time you come in contact with them. Don't get up tight with them or try to psych them. That is bush and it isn't going to have any effect on the outcome of the game. Be yourself. We are all in the same business.

22. When talking to the press, always be quick to praise the other team. Before a game, never say anything that the opponents can put up on their bulletin board. After a game, never make excuses if you lose.

23. Practice is a lot more important than the game itself because that is where you spend most of your time. Get your players to strive to improve as a team from the first game to the last.

24. Work with every young man who comes on the field. Do not allow anyone to go unnoticed.

25. If you really jump on a player, make it a point to talk to him after practice. Don't let anyone go away mad or sore at you.

26. Do not accept anything less than perfection. Never overlook anything.

27. Know where you belong in practice. Be waiting for your players in the right place at the right time.

28. You cannot motivate your players if you cannot motivate yourself. Enthusiasm breeds enthusiasm.

29. Never send a player off the field without the head coach's permission.

30. If it is extremely hot, be very alert to the possibility of heat prostration. Encourage the players to drink all the water they want.

31. Strive to make your group the best one on the field.

32. Don't argue or discuss problems with other coaches on the field.

33. Don't lose your poise or confidence out on the field -- or anywhere else, for that matter.

34. Make practice tough mentally and physically.

35. Everything your players do on the field should be done quickly and correctly.

36. Keep passing on all kinds of little tips to your players.

37. Pay strict attention to the schedule. Do not abuse the time allotted for each segment.

38. Don't relax during the kicking game, team takeoff or pursuit. All of these are important or you wouldn't be doing them.

39. If the players have to be pushed, the assistant coaches shouldn't wait for the head coach to do it. It is up to them to furnish the push, drive, and enthusiasm, and they shouldn't be in a rush to knock anyone. Remember, they are kids -- and they are all we have!

40. Head coaches have to let off steam, but they should never chew out an assistant coach in front of the players. That is no way to maintain the players' respect for the coaches who work with them and are close to them.