Tomorrow night the 2015 football season kicks off for my alma mater, Ocean Lakes High School. I played my ball there, and I was fortunate enough to coach there for four years after my college days. I have always loved that school, specifically the football program. I grew up just a 5 minute bike ride away and remember when the school was first constructed and established back in 1994. I used to hop the fence to get into games for free when I was 10 and short of a little change, dreaming of my time to get on that field.
I started coaching there in 2008 with Coach Scott, his first year as head coach. For those of you who don’t know, since 2008 Coach Scott and the football program have had many successes. They have won the district and region crowns multiple times since he became the head coach and last year the program won the school’s first Virginia High School League State Championship. Skip up to present day, and the school is ranked nationally all over the place.
Even though I am not a part of the staff there anymore (Coach Scott didn’t fire me haha), I thought it’d be cool to share a couple of motivational themes that I always specifically remember from the program. These are just some of my favorites I heard from some of the coaches throughout the years. They are always useful in a time of need, and have shown their worth without question. Maybe you will find inspiration in them as well…
“Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable”– Although Coach Scott, the head coach, could linger on and on with his speeches at the end of weight lifting sessions and hot two-a-days in August, this is something he said that always stayed with me. Even though he was speaking directly to the players, I always felt it resonated with all of us as his coaches as well. In order to be successful, you need to learn to “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” The message behind the saying was simple. If we wanted to get to where we wanted to be as a program, he wanted all of us to master the art of executing our jobs, player or coach, in high stress environments. He expected us to make a normalcy of it, so that it became innate—instinctive— routine. Success is not achieved with mediocrity and certainty. It is acheived with those of us willing to take risks (albeit calculated sometimes) and jump out of our comfort zones against the top competition. Coach Scott never strayed from this expectation. It has become a staple for everyone and now the program thrives with experience, in what most people would call, an uncomfortable environment.
“I don’t care; Just do it”– I used to coach the defensive backs at Ocean Lakes. Three days a week I would partner with the wide receivers position group, headed by Coach Ramos in 1-on-1 drills. His players vs. mine, usually in some sort of blocking, tackling, or route running drill. Football practice as a wideout can be tough. The days are so repetitive sometimes. But Coach Ramos was always solid, Oakleys and poker face on, making sure they were always keeping busy. “I don’t care [how you feel]; just do it.” Practicing with a purpose is key to the success of anything, complacency ruins everything. And although at times his players may have seen certain exercises or drills as repetitive or unnecessary, he made sure they were always doing them because he knew that maintenance was vital to their success. The big takeaway here is to just recognize that even though you feel like you are at the peak of achievement, you can always get better, no matter how good you think you really are. Be your own coach and make sure you are holding yourself accountable to practicing all things, even the small boring stuff.
“Impose Your Will”– Coach McClenny, the linebacker coach, played his ball at Ocean Lakes years before me and is credited with bringing the saying “Impose Your Will” into the program dating back to his playing days there. I never really understood the full meaning of it until I saw him actually coach his guys in person. Coach McClenny never relies on resources to get better or to gain an advantage. He doesn’t need people to pick him up or to get him going. Although he is a defensive coach he is always aggressive in everything he does. Probably the most intense coach I have ever been around. This is his will. He knows it. He shapes it. He applies it to everything he does. The coolest thing he has done for the program is make this particular mindset contagious amongst the players on the team. They all truly believe they have that “it” factor and that they can do anything. Having the ability to believe in yourself is the first step; shaping it to achieve anything you want is where you learn to make true sacrifices.
“Blocking and Tackling”– I’ll keep this short and sweet, because that’s the way Coach Ramey would have it. Even though he is the most OCD person I have ever met and has multiple football strategies running through his bald head 24/7, somehow, he has the ability to keep it simple. Ramey has been coaching football for a really long time. I have the upmost respect for the guy. He’ll never hesitate to let it be known that when it really comes down to it, football is no more than “blocking and tackling.” I used to hear it all the time during halftime from him, especially if a team scored on us—first thing out of his mouth without question. You have to be good at both to win. Keep it simple, keep it simple, keep it simple…and be good at the simple things.
F.A.M.I.L.Y– Forget About Me I Love You. Pretty cool acronym. I think we picked this up in a coaching clinic down in Georgia when I was there. I always enjoy seeing the players and coaches in interviews on TV, because this is all they talk about. They truly are selfless and play for one another, not themselves. That’s the sign of a true program, not just some team!
Solid group of coaches, and awesome fathers at that!
Good Luck this year fellas, 1-0.
Peace and Carpe Diem!
