Creating a football family.

Successful football programs build and maintain a sense of togetherness.

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Every player is valued as a team member and a family member. We make it rewarding for both the gifted and less-gifted athlete. We remind them that they have a commitment to the program and the program has a commitment to them.

When a player joins the football family, he adopts family values. He has to make sacrifices, work hard, and exhibit self-discipline. In return, he will receive constant support from the rest of the family.

To build this sense of family, the coach will be required to create innovative ways of bringing the players and parents together.

At Haverford, we introduce various events that emphasize the concept of family. The most common units, of course, are the traditional summer practices, the conditioning sessions, the preseason and weekly schedules, and a few other things needed to intensify the family ambiance.

HERE IS HOW IT IS DONE AT THE HAVERFORD SCHOOL:

1. Bowling Night:

During the last week of school, we invite the team out for a night of bowling. Parents are welcome to attend.

2. Summer Mini-Camps:

We do this at the close of our last double-session practice. We host two summer camps for our players (non-padded practices during the evening). We also host a series of camps for middle school athletes. Our players participate in these camps as junior counselors.

3. Pre-Season Barbecue 

Prior to the opening of camp, our captains' parents host a team barbecue get-together for the players.

4. Football Chalk-Talk for Players' Moms:

On the eve of pre-season practice, I host a Chalk-Talk for all the Moms. This is a seminar on the game. I provide handouts that cover the general concepts of the game and such serious topics as safety issues, practice habits, and weightlifting.

5. Hoagie Day:

During the first week of pre-season double-sessions, we have a team lunch for players, coaches and staff personnel. We provide the hoagies, drinks, and chips. We simply sit down and break bread together.

6. Team Lunch Off Campus:

On the last day of doubles, we hold a team lunch off campus. We load up two to three buses and go to our favorite buffet restaurant.

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7. Iron Man Competition:

This is a team competition event. It consists of three events: the tire flip, the heavy bag carry, and the obstacle course. Players compete in all three events within their class.

We total their times and award Iron Man Certificates to the winners at our team banquet at the end of our season.

8. Linemen Pass/Punt Competition:

We do this at the end of our last double-session practice. Our starting five offensive linemen compete in this event. Each lineman is given one opportunity to do a pass and punt. We measure each throw and punt and total their distances.

The rest of the players predict the winners. If you selected a lineman to win, you are excused from gassers (sprints). If your selection finishes second, you have two gassers. We add a gasser to the next places.

9. Family Luncheon:

Directly following our home scrimmage, we have a team luncheon in our dining room facility. Our team Parent Association organizes this event for all players, parents, coaches, staff members, alumni, administrators, and their spouses.

At the end of the meal, I present a general outlook for the year, introduce our coaches and staff to the audience, and give some announcements and reminders. Following my speech, a member of our Parents Association will speak on parent involvement in our seasonal events.

10. Team Game Meals:

We have at least two game meals as a team. When we have a night game, we have a traditional family dinner for coaches and players. We also have at least one team breakfast before a Saturday afternoon game.

11. Movie Night:

During the middle of the year, we will take the whole team to a movie. The captains will select the movie, place and time, and we will meet at the theater.

12. Linemen Dinner:

The entire offensive line and its coach will go out for a dinner near the end of the year.

13. Senior Day:

This is saved for our last home game of the year. Right before kickoff, our announcer will introduce each senior and present a summary of his career. Directly following the introduction, each senior will present a rose to his Mom and have his picture taken with her on the field. We then take a group shot of the seniors and their Moms.

14. Passing of the Shoes Ceremony:

We hold this event two nights before our last game of the year, vs our rival, Episcopal Academy. This event goes back a long way and has a lot of football history and tradition attached to it.

Each senior selects an underclassman to represent him. The underclassmen take the seniors' game shoes and clean them.

We save this event for the last week of the year. After practice, we go to our dining room for a casual dinner. I invite alumni, administrators, and all the fathers.

After dinner, I will introduce each senior and present him with his last helmet decals--which they can wear for their last game. After my presentation, I introduce the selected underclassmen. Each will give a speech about his senior and return the shoes to him. The speeches will range from hysteria to a few tears.

To end the evening, I will show our football highlight tape of the season. Besides paying special tribute to our seniors and their Dads, this film serves as a great motivator for the final game.

15. Seniors' Last Hits:

At the conclusion of the last practice of the year, all the players will line up to form a gauntlet, at the end of which we will set up our two-man sled. All the seniors will line up in pairs in front of the gauntlet.

One of the coaches (at the beginning of the gauntlet) will announce the seniors, by pair. The players will then sprint through the gauntlet to make their final hit on the sled. Players forming the gauntlet cheer each senior.

I will give each senior a big hug after his hit on the sled. At the finish, the underclassmen will carry the seniors off the field.

16. Team Banquet:

This is the last team event for the year, which is held the week after our last game. It is organized by our Parent Association and held in our school's dining facility.

All players, family members, coaches, staff, school administrators, alumni, spouses, and special guests are invited to this sit-down dinner. The parents decorate the room with highlight photos from pre-season to our last game.

At the conclusion of the dinner, I will summarize the year and present awards to our top players and seniors.

Our seniors then reciprocate, with each giving their summary of the year and presenting a gift to their respective position coach. We will conclude the evening with a showing of our customized highlight tape for the season.

By Robert X. Allman, Head Football Coach, The Haverford (PA) School