“The Price of Greatness
is Responsibility”
Winston
Churchill
Welcome to
Each of you is playing football for a different reason:
you like the camaraderie, you like hitting people, you like the glory, and so
on. Regardless of why you are playing, I want you to be explicitly clear on one
thing: our success is contingent upon the degree of unity, belief, and
commitment we have to each other and to
I invite you to dive in with both feet to Liberty
Football. Don’t simply dip your toe in the water to test it out – go for it all
the way! The team’s success is directly proportional to each individual’s level
of commitment.
The key ingredients of successful teams include:
· Trust – it comes from staying true to each other and our common goal. The more we trust each other, the more likely we are to feel comfortable. The more comfortable we are, the more likely we are to take risks. The more likely we are to take risks, the more likely we are to reach levels of success we have never before attained.
· Ownership and personal responsibility – each individual feels personally responsible for the success of the team. He puts the team first and himself second. The mentality is BIG TEAM, little me. Or, BIG PATRIOT, little me.
· Loyalty – to each other, to your coaches, to your school. Abraham Lincoln said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” He was describing the condition of our country as war loomed in the future. Our house is this football team.
· Standards of Excellence – a real winning attitude comes from being the best you can be – and doing the best you can. Individually and collectively we must set standards of excellence in all areas and hold one another accountable. To become an Upper Limit team, we individually and collectively must set upper limit standards of excellence.
· A Heart – as your coach, my job is to find who the heart of this team is and bring it out. Sometimes the heart is one key player, or, in most situations it’s a group of players. The heart of the team can bring out the best in everyone else. The person with heart inspires the entire team. It’s like chemistry. He’s the one who makes the formula work – the one element that sets off the explosive reaction.
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES:
- Be on time:
- Always be on time. Don’t cut it close. Make allowances for traffic problems. If everything works out perfectly and you’re 15 minutes early, so what. Arrive early, leave late and do as much as you possibly can while you are there, as opposed to those who leave late.
- Players will be given “reminders” when late = 40 seconds of up downs with 20 seconds of rest.
- Repeated lateness may result in reduced playing time in games
- Always there:
- Be present. Doctor appointments are always made at other times. Make your schedule work for you, not against you.
- You know our schedule for the remainder of the year, look over it now and plan accordingly. Communicate with work and other commitments and inform them of your schedule. Balancing and staying faithful to multiple commitments is an ongoing life skill. Prior planning and communication are the keys.
- Reasons versus excuses:
- Reasons to miss a practice are given before, while excuses are given after. Excuses are not acceptable. Keep your coaches informed. An average athlete will say, “Sorry I missed practice yesterday, but I had a doctor’s appointment.” A loser just won’t say anything when he misses.
- Always inform a coach in person when you are going to be late or absent. Never send the message through another player or friend. As a side note, when a player is sick or has an emergency that precludes him attending a planned football event, I think it is a good idea for the player to call rather than the parent. You are the one missing, not your mom or dad. It makes sense that you should be the one to call the coach.
- An excused absence will result in a player not playing in the first quarter. That player’s backup will start and play. The backup has the advantage of practicing a full week, full exposure to the game plan, and, very simply put, he was there everyday and deserves his shot.
- An unexcused absence will result in a
one game suspension
- A second unexcused absence will result in dismissal from the team.
- Determining whether a conflict is excused or unexcused is up to the discretion of the head coach.
- No excuses:
- Any excuse for non-performance, however valid, softens the character. It is a sedative against one’s own conscience.
- Excuses are an attempt to convince yourself and others that unsatisfactory performance is somehow acceptable. Excuses, perhaps unconsciously, are an attempt to divert attention from performance. Excuses are dishonest to yourself, as well as others. No matter how good or how valid, the excuse never changes the performance.
- The next time you want to defend your sub-par performance, say instead “No excuse, Coach!” (or even when talking to yourself), “NO EXCUSES!”
- Discipline the Mouth:
· Whether it is to friends, teachers, or parents, focus on building up rather than tearing down.
· Profanity or chipping on others are not acceptable. For many this is an area of great weakness – we are very undisciplined with our mouths. Words can destroy a friendship, cost you a job, or make a poor impression on someone you wanted to make a positive impression.
· Violating this will result in 11 pushups or a lap after practice. Don’t complain, just do the pushups. The pushups are a reminder to discipline the mouth.
Checklist for Parents:
Attend as many games as possible.
Accept the goals, roles, and
achievements of your son.
“Release” your son to the coach and
the team.
Give athletes time and space after
games.
Focus on team goals and not
individual goals.
Attempt to relieve competitive
pressure, not increase it.
Accept results of each game – don’t
make excuses.
Be a role model, not a critic. Model
appropriate behavior, poise, and confidence during games. Accept the judgment
of the officials and coaches – remain under control.
Remember that the only guarantee for
a sports season is that it won’t be perfect.
Remember that there should be only
one instructional voice – the coach’s voice.
Don’t try to solve problems best left
to the athlete and team.
Make the focus enjoyment, not pursuit
of athletic scholarships.
Don’t question coaches about playing
time, strategy, and other athletes.
Don’t let the outcome of a game
matter more to you than it does to your son.
Encourage multiple-sport
participation.
-
Bruce Brown, athletic director at Northwest College and a national
speaker for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and
its “Champions of Character” program.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
1.
What time should I pick up my son after practice?
As a general rule, plan to
pick up your son ½ hour after the posted end time of any football event. If
practice ends at 5:30, you can expect your son to be ready to leave at 6:00.
2.
What should my son do if he can’t attend
practice?
He needs to call Coach Valach.
Missing practice should only happen if an athlete is extremely sick or has a
family emergency. Excused absences are given prior to missing practice.
Unexcused absences are given after practice. Please, have your son call
the coach, not you. He needs to practice being a responsible young man, and he
is the one on the team, not the parent.
3.
If my son is failing a class, what should he do?
First, make certain that he is using his class time
wisely and keeping a daily assignments list. Second, meet with his teacher and
seek extra help. The best times to meet with a teacher are before school, at
lunch, or during guided study (if your son has guided study). Most teachers post
their grade books on Basmati, so your son can stay up to date on his grade and
assignments via the internet.
4.
When is a good time to talk to the coach?
If you want to meet with a
coach, call the school number and arrange a meeting. Before or after a practice
or game is not the appropriate time to talk. If the issue concerns a conflict
or problem involving your son and the coach, encourage your son to try and
resolve the issue himself before you become involved. Learning to resolve
conflicts is a great interpersonal skill for your son to develop.
5.
What topics are appropriate to discuss with the coach?
Any questions regarding how
your son can improve as a student-athlete or questions about helping out with
the football program.
6.
What topics are not appropriate to discuss with the coach?
Playing time, strategy, or other athletes.
7.
What should a player do if football practice conflicts with a club
soccer or baseball practice?
Once the football season
starts, club sport practices must be a second priority. School sport practices
always take precedent over club sports. If you want to play high school
football, you must commit to it fully during the season. Athletes who try to
balance a demanding sport like football with a club team outside of school are
setting themselves up for physical injury and academic struggles.
8.
What should a player do if his work schedule conflicts with football
practice?
Be proactive. Notify your
employer now, and let him or her know your practice schedule. If you fail to
plan and find yourself in a predicament, you will have to make a choice between
football or the job. Ninety-nine percent of the time employers accommodate a
student-athlete’s practice schedule if he sets it up before hand.
9.
What is the coaching staff’s attitude towards creatine and other
over-the-counter supplements?
The coaching staff discourages
the use of any supplements. Most of these substances are fairly new and no
long-term studies have been conducted regarding their potential harm. Athletes
who look for “the edge” in pills and powders on the shelves of health food
stores won’t find it. “The edge” comes from within. Eat a balanced diet, get
enough sleep, and work out with intensity and purpose. You WILL become bigger,
faster, and stronger … guaranteed.
10. What should my son do if he
wants to play football in college?
a.
Focus on making the most of his high school experience. Playing in
college should be a natural byproduct of his love for the game and his
relentless work ethic.
b.
Work diligently in the classroom. The better his grades are the more
choices he will have for where he wants to attend college.
c.
Compete in at least one other sport.
d.
Meet with his guidance counselor during the spring of his junior year,
fill out the NCAA Clearinghouse paperwork, and take the SAT or ACT.
11. What can you as a coach do to
get my son a scholarship?
A coach cannot “get” a player
a scholarship. What a coach can do is
notify scouts of outstanding players and send game film to colleges. If the
college is interested, they will ask about the athlete’s grades, his character,
and his attitude.
Athletic Eligibility and
Registration Procedure:
A student-athlete may not
participate in practice without completing the eligibility process and
receiving clearance notification.
- Student must maintain
passing grades in all subjects with an accumulative 2.0 GPA and a 2.0 GPA
the last grading report. A student-athlete who does not meet these
criteria may still turn out for practice, but he may NOT participate in
competition.
·
One “F” = out for three weeks and at least two games.
·
Two “Fs” = out for five weeks and at least three
games.
·
Below a 2.0 = out for five weeks and at least three
games.
- ASB Card: student
must purchase an ASB card for $40.00 (subject to change)
- Sports Fee: student
must pay a sports fee for $75.00* (subject to change)
- Athletic Eligibility Information: athletes will obtain
an Issaquah School District Athletic Eligibility Information Form, Athletic
Emergency Authorization Form and Athletic Department Eligibility
Card. Make certain that all items are PROPERLY completed and signed.
- Current Physical Examination Form: 1st year – Students must have a complete physical
on file, no faxes or photocopies accepted. 2nd year – Students must have a physical update
card completed by a physician prior to the expiration date of their
original physical, no faxes or photocopies will be accepted. 3rd year – Students
must repeat a complete physical in order to continue, no faxes or
photocopies will be accepted. 4th
year – Students must have a physical update card completed by a
physician prior to the expiration date of the 2nd physical, no
faxes or photocopies will be accepted.
School Attendance
Regulations:
The athlete is expected to be on time and attend all classes. If an
athlete is not in attendance in each of his classes, he may not participate
in practice or an event that afternoon or evening.
In cases of medical, dental, family emergencies, or
court appointments, the Athletic Director has the discretion of modifying this
expectation. Be prepared to present verification of the appointments upon
arrival to school.
Use of Tobacco, Alcohol
and/or Substance Abuse:
- For on or off campus
use of tobacco:
ü First violation = suspension
and removal from 15% of games.
ü Second violation =
suspension for remainder of season.
ü Third violation = expulsion
from athletics for the entire school year.
- For on or off campus
use of alcohol and/or substance abuse:
ü First
violation/investigative = suspension for remainder of season.
ü First
violation/self-admittance =
v 60 days for actual possession.
v 45 days for constructive possession
NOTE:
An athlete does not have to actually use or possess alcohol and/or drugs to
violate the policy. If a student-athlete is in the presence of others who
are using drugs or alcohol, and makes a willful choice to remain at the event
where drugs or alcohol are being used, that is defined as constructive
possession. The student-athlete has a responsibility to remove himself,
beyond all reasonable doubt and proximity, from that situation.
CONTACT
INFORMATION
Liberty
Steve
Valach
Head
Coach
|
425-837-4843
valachs@issaquah.wednet.edu |
|
Brian Hartman Special Teams/WR/LB |
425-837-4825 hartmanb@issaquah.wednet.edu |
|
Andy Hall Offensive Coordinator |
425-837-4820 Halla2@issaquah.wednet.edu |
|
Ken Gunderson, JV Head Coach |
425-277-5395/206-909-5718 klgunderson@comcast.net |
|
Mick McGraw, 9th Grade
Head Coach |
425-837-4910 McGrawM@issaquah.wednet.edu |
|
Debbie Whitman Team Mom Coordinator |
425-557-0885 debbiewhitman@comcast.net |
|
Larry Brown Athletic Trainer |
425-837-4914 brownl@issaquah.wednet.edu |
|
Mike Deletis Principal |
425-837-4803
deletism@issaquah.wednet.edu |
|
Stark Porter Athletic Director |
425-837-4807 porters@issaquah.wednet.edu |
|
Sue Lorbeski Athletic Secretary |
425-837-4806 lorbeskis@issaquah.wednet.edu |