Nothing in life that is of value comes easy. If good things came easily then the value would be diminished. When we have a vested interest, when we give everything we have, then, and only then are those good times valuable.

We live in a society that only embraces success and that is who we are. It takes a great deal of inner strength to deal with the time commitment of coaching when very little seems to be accomplished.

Coaching is like riding a roller coaster with many ups and downs. The true test is weathering the storm. The average length of time anywhere in America that a man is a head high school football coach is three years.

It is important for coaches to mentor young people toward those things that are most important in life and aid them in creating their own order of priorities to live by.

I truly believe that success is determined not on Friday nights during games but rather in practice away from the lights and glimmer where coaches and players only have each other, their sweat, their discipline and their loyalty to each other. It is at practice where the boys of America become men through hard work, dedication and perseverance.

The development of the “We Believe” philosophy must be real and not cosmetic. Everyone must buy in and understand that it is not a motivational tool, but rather something very personal that should be lived and that all must believe in order for true success to be achieved.

I think we had to hit rock-bottom in all facets of the program before we could ever start moving in a positive direction.

If you are not a part of the solution then you must be part of the problem. I am done with problems here!

I will not promise boys positions, I will not promise any of you football success, I will demand discipline, character, respect, and work ethic throughout the program. If I succeed in getting people to believe then success will follow.

The great cancer facing all of us during this ‘new millennium’ is entitlement.

• “…it is easy to read that this game is more than just a game, it is a culmination of a group of coaches and boys on a mission to not just experience, but rather to achieve something that only they believe is truly possible.

Before success can truly become routine, there must be that transition from that wanting/hoping to have success toward honestly knowing you can earn success with your talents and work ethic.

To achieve any group goal, individuals must work to improve themselves as a means to improve the group.

I teach our young men that respect is earned each day on the practice field, in the classroom, and how each young man lives his life.

The third year at a school for any head coach is the most important year for the program they are attempting to develop.

A team goal requires a team effort.

Coaches must take calculated risks all the time. One thing is to talk about what you plan to do and another is to prepare and then execute a plan toward change.

As of today, you do anything that I feel is disrespecting our program in any way, you are gone! From this day forward, everyone will be at practice in uniform as we will either build this program into something or we will destroy it!

The unknown can be a great tool.

It is more likely that coaches have players go down in games they are losing than games they are winning.

America is a country built on unity, hard work and diligent pursuit of personal goals leading to collective success.

Once an athlete feels his coach does not believe in him resentment develops and everyone loses at that point.

This is truly a rags to riches story which doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. Hope is offered to those who face similar challenges that in this great Country dreams can be realized when work ethic and passion lead the way.

The coaches will offer a direction, a plan, routine, discipline and the players must develop the desire to work together accepting their roles as they learn in preparation for the season.

The youth of America need routine, repetition toward excellence, a sound but not punishing discipline, and the opportunity to make mistakes without the feeling of failure.

Every time our great Country has been critically challenged either by dictators or terrorists, we as a Country have put aside our personal agendas and focused on doing what we need to do to win when threatened.

• I have experienced the youth of Generation X, Y and currently Z. Teenage boys have changed in many ways over the years. Yet still they are quite similar to the boys I first coached in 1980 at a high school in Ohio.

we first need to get boys out for football and then the plan will gradually come into play

It is so easy to judge those around us and decide their value without knowing who they really are or what they truly represent.

Being fired is part of the risk when anyone plans to take on the responsibility as a head coach.

Sports programs are an important part of young people’s lives but should never over-shadow the true purpose of high school and that is to earn a diploma. So often today sports have become more important than an education. This must be remedied because the true focus must always be toward the student’s academic development.

Winners accept responsibility because acceptance of responsibility nullifies excuses.