Ready to coach?

Question
I actually want to answer the quustion you asked back to the comment 5/1/07.  You told the person to ask themselves certain questions and then reply back to you so I would like to being I want the same information.  (I'll try to keep it short.)
I want to coach b/c of my love for the game and the opportunity to deal w/ the young men at very crucial ages and times in their lives.  I've heard short and long stories of the path of being a coach and even shorter careers.  As far as considered being good, when it comes to a career like that, I personally think I would try year in and out as long as I financially could and keep regards to my personal life which I know would take sacrifices I haven't yet encountered.  Football changes like the abilities of man so there will always be something new to learn and in addition to that, I know as much as any other fan who has played and fantasized about being back on the field or argued during a game on tv about a playcall, a whistle, or a player's action that "should've done something else."  There's plenty more to learn.  I would never cheat b/c of every reason you're not supposed to point blank.  I do belevie in taking advantage and opportunity though (ha ha).  I believe in watching hours of tapes and I'm adapt to being in the weather for whatever amounts of time, (ex military as well as player) and what's good for the human mind and body and what's too much and harmful.  I would also prefer to coach rb's and db's b/c of past experience and understanding of what their roles are offensively and defensively.  All in all, I'll never truly know what it would be like for me until I start and end it but I would love to find out and I would love for it to be the last job I'll ever have.

Answer
Dear Terence:
There are a few things you need to understand on the road to becoming a football coach. Reading a book or screening a video is not going to make you a coach; it is only part of it. If you want to become a good coach, you are going to have to pay the price, like the rest of us. Coaching is not easy and it takes time to develop as a coach. You have to watch other teams playing in order to learn from other. Talk to the other coaches, and get their in put. Ask questions, you will find that most coaches are happy to talk about their sport. Books and videos help, but you have to do more if you want to be a good coach.

If I were you, I would start by laying a concrete foundation, before I build my house. Good coaches have a strong understanding of the fundamental that are needed to play, every position in, football. Knowledgeable coaches do not need to cut corners and they do not. Coaches that lack these skills are always looking for ways to cheat. They call this, looking for an edge. I call it, covering-up for your lack of knowledge and poor coaching skills.

If I were you, I would read 揚lay Football The NFL Way?br> by Tom Bass

This book covers the drills and techniques needed to play every position on a football team. You do not need to memories the whole book just the section that covers the techniques you need to coach. Let me know when you are ready and I will give you some tips on how to look for a coaching job.

Your friend, Coach Louis