LAKE FOREST SPARTAN FOOTBALL

PRE-SEASON PARENTS MEETING

2011 Varsity Football Team

2011 JV Football Team

2011 Freshman Football Team

Spartans FOOTBALL

This presentation is to clarify the Lake Forest High School Football Program. It is an aid to eliminate any misunderstanding that might occur. It is not meant to eliminate communication between players and coaches, but to make certain the lines are open and there are as few “gray” areas as possible. If you happen to be on one of these gray areas, we urge you to come see the coaching staff so there will be no doubt in either the letter or the intention. Together we can do great things for you.

PHILOSOPHY OF OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM

• It is essential to establish and put in writing the philo sophy of any football program. A philosophy states the guidelines; gives the program its direction. This does not infer that our philosophy is the only philosophy, but it is what we believe in and hope all coaches and players believe in.

OBJECTIVES OF THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM

 Each player will receive a diploma and an education. These are not essentially the same. The diploma will come if you follow the plan set forth by the counselors and coaches. Education is the learning to pour yourself out, learning how to make a commitment to something higher and to give, the not be con more rewarding more you cerned with that your own desires. It is the learning will receive; to learn to give all you have and what others may think.  Establish an excellence in Football. You must want to play football at a level that our opponents cannot endure for the 48 minutes of play. Demand a higher level of intensity, aggression, and perseverance than our opponents. Our opponents must pay a price for scheduling us.  Through the football experience, become better people. It is the intent of the program to teach more than fundamentals. Become good citizens.

OBJECTIVES

cont’d



The players will have fun. Football is a game to be enjoyed. To be enjoyed it must be

done

correctly.



Learn the physical nature of football. Between the white lines, we expect the most intense, physically aggressive people. Off the field, we expect perfect gentlemen.

WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU

• • • • • • • • To get an education To give your total effort, to make the most of what you have To give unselfish love towards your teammates and to respect them To practice to the best of your ability To be prompt To be courteous To always encourage To be emotional and enthusiastic

“ We expect you to do something worthwhile with your life.” “We expect you to have great expectations and anticipate having a great day, a great practice, a great season, a great life.”

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM YOUR COACHES

• • • • • • • To provide the leadership and training necessary to achieve our goals To work you harder than you have ever worked before To assist you in any way possible now and after you graduate To treat you as a man and to love and respect you To make all decisions predicated on what is best for the team, and then what is best for the individual To do everything within our power to improve our facilities and make this the best place in Delaware to go to school and to play football To help you mature and grow as a man To help you reach your goals

WHAT WE EXPECT FROM PARENTS

1. Keep athletics in perspective    Emphasize the right priorities: Family, Acade mics, and Athletics Reme mber, you, represent the sc hool, the Be involved, be vocal, but do your best to be positive.

as a parent at Lake Forest staff, and the alumni. Do not publicly demean participants in an athletic contest. (Players, officials, coaches,

other parents or spectators)

2. Support your student-athlete 3. Support the program

RESPECT

 Respect is an extension of a positive, optimistic attitude.  Respect begins himself. with a person having respect for  Respect for team members breeds togetherness.  Respect has no ethnic, racial, or social barriers.  A team must have respect for one another.  Respect is a two-way street between players and coaches.  Make no mistake – football is a team sport.  Signs of disrespect have negative influences on a team.

DISCIPLINE

• • •

Discipline defined in football terms is doing what is necessary or right in any and all circumstances.

Saying no to drugs, the alcohol, the steroids is real discipline. discipline.

When all of those around you will not, it is real Discipline techniques can increase enough to make the difference. Spartans Football Technique, no matter the weather, no matter the opponent, no matter the score, no matter the officials, is discipline. Discipline is not an inherited trait; it must be learned.

Your outer appearance and language give the first impression of your degree of discipline.

ACADEMICS & ATHLETICS

Academics and athletics can and will be a positive influence on each other in the program.

 Two types of educat ion: one teaches us how to make a living, the other teaches us how to live.  Keep your priorities in the proper order. You must pass all of your classes in order to play.  A competitor wants to succeed in both areas. If you are able to do this, you will bring honor to yourself, your parents, your teachers, and your coaches. “Where there’s a will, there’s an A.”

ACADEMICS & ATHLETICS

cont’d



Athletics is “Extra-Curricular” Our athletic program is designed to supplement education, physically , mentally, and emotionally.

 Athletics is not to take the intellectually fulfilled person happiness – if a person place of becoming educated. This is being an – a communicator – a giver to society. This is the key to is not educated, he cannot give much back to society.  Pep rallies and the excitement of an upcoming game must not take away focus from conjugating verbs and studying literature in fifth period class.  Less than 1% of Americans make their living in sports, TV, or rock music.    Winning a state championship or district championship is something a player will remember and cherish the rest of his life, But education is the key to success and the fulfillment of life.

Turn off the TV and read We do not want you to be the first generation of Americans that do not progress and improve the quality of life.

SUMMER PROGRAM

Mental age and maturity have been mentioned previously, but this is the definitive test, the proof of the pudding.

“Boys” will not work out without constant supervision. The correct term for this is baby-sitting. “Men” work out from a sense of self-pride and responsibility.

Players look around and see the investment their teammates have made during the unsupervised summer.

SUMMER PROGRAM cont’d

Players must understand the coaches have one of two choices when the players report in the fall. They can either get the players in shape, or they can teach them football. Once a player is fatigued, he will not learn , he is simply trying to survive, If a player out of shape, his chances comes in of injury increase dra matically.

If he becomes injured, he stays in poor shape while recuperating. When the injury heals and he is able to return to the practice field, he is more likely to be re-injured due to his poor physical conditioning. It is a vicious cycle, and when the season is over, everyone blames the “ bad luck summer.

” of injuries, when actually it was simply a matter of the player not being mature enough to handle the A detailed, specific strength and conditioning program is given to each player and it is expected that each player will follow the plan. The program is designed to get young people ready for the football season. Do not be mislead; hauling hay will prepare you for the heat, but it will not prepare you for playing football. Each player will make workout decisions that will affect every teammate.

PERSONNEL DECISIONS

Team Placement – Players are placed on a team and in positions where they will help make the most positive contribution.

• Talent is the The most talented players will play at the highest level of play. major factor in placement of players. • Maturity is the second factor. Maturity is defined as the ability to sacrifice a short-term pleasure, such as sleeping in during the summer, for a long range goal – a conference championship.

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GAME DAY EXPECTATIONS

Mentally Prepare

- Visualize the game. See yourself being successful. Respect teammates as they prepare.

Be Result Oriented

responsible to get – Each player must realize he is results. Coaches will spend time preparing a game plan to give the best chance of winning, but you m ust perform .

Be Physical

debate. – Football is a physical game; it is not a

Never Criticize; Always Encourage

you when he makes a mistake; be there to pick up a teammate. – Your teammate needs

Begin with Pre-game

– A football game begins long before the coin toss. Get Focused.

Conclude with Respect

– At the conclusion of each game, we will shake the hands of our opponents and show our respect for our school and appreciation for our fans.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Abuse of alcohol and drugs is not a new problem. It has been here since the Biblical days. There are things you should think about before you use alcohol and drugs!

    The greatest killer of you use alc ohol or drugs drugs cann ot fix your people in your age group is drunk driving. If to crutch a lack of courage, alcohol or weakness. If you use alcohol or drugs to run away from a problem – you do not solve the problem – you create a second problem. The minute you put alcohol or drugs into your body, you lose any chance of our coaches being able to defend you. We only know a substance free person. Coaches cannot testify for you once you use any mind-altering agent. You must understand that you represent some great entities; school, your family, a football family, coaches, etc. You risk hurting every one of these by the use of alcohol or drugs. This is a very selfish act. The world around you will tell you it is okay. The ordinary will do it…. Choose not to be an ordinary, selfish person. We can assure you – it takes an extra-ordinary person to abstain.

SCHOLARSHIPS

The primary responsibility of our coaching staff is NOT to get scholarships for players. Our coa ching staff will assist our players in playing at the collegiate level if they so desire. However, it is important for players and parents to understand th at high school coaches have no power in deci coaches. din g who receives scholarships. That is entirely at the discretion of the college We will put gr “marketin eat g” effort into our players to the colleges. We create highlight videos, player information sheets, and other helpful tools to provide to the recruiters in order to promote our players.

SCHOLARSHIPS

cont’d

There are many more good football players than there are Division I scholarships. It is important to understand that a “FULL” scholarship is very difficult to receive. Howe ver, many colleges will offer “partial” scholars hips with based on need the opportunity for more assistance , academics, etc.

Players and parents should also understand that you can dramatically increase your chances of receiving a scholarship by having outstanding grades and good ACT/SAT scores. Given the limited number of scholarships available to the colleges, they are becoming less likely to take a chance on someone who may not make it academically.

COLLEGE RECRUITING

COLLEGE RECRUITING SIMPLIFIED

LEARN THE

5

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW AND TH E

5

T HINGS YOU NEED TO DO

• NCSA® ATHLETIC RECRUITING • PHONE: 866.579.6272

• WEB SITE: NCSASPORTS.ORG

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Important Dates to Remember

April 1st – August 14th – Physicals: All athletes must have a physical before the first day of – practice April 28th Envelopes Fundraiser – Due May- Bowling Night Team Bar-B- Que June- Kids Festival Fundraising event: Athletes needed to assist with the activities June- Team Camp Payment Due (TBA) June 1 thru 12- 7 on 7 Practices (TBA) • • • • • • June 23 rd – – Blue/Gold All-Stars Football Game @7pm Transportation will be provided June 12 th – July 10 th – 7 on 7 passing league games July 15 th – July 17 th – Wesley College Football Team Camp August 15 th – Two-a-Days Begin August 21 st – Scrimmage vs St. Georges 5:00 pm, Tuesday August 25 th - Scrimmage vs. Pencader 10 am- Saturday June 16– Kids Festival 9-4pm

Lake Forest High School SPARTAN FOOTBALL

Head Coach Fred Johnson 302-399-5390 [email protected]

Football Web Site: www.lakeforestfootball.com

Responsibility, Pride, Determination make Lake Forest different

Be Positive, Enjoy Yourself, Make It Fun For Everyone!