Saving Time... Practical advice from an old coach

Most of us spend bowl season picking up ideas from the ballgames we watch. Here's an idea that is not real exciting, but it does make life a little easier and save time.

Yesterday I marked our practice field. First, I scalped the lines so the paint would stay. Then, painted the lines. It only took 4 aerosol cans because we only mark the 10's for practice and it takes less than 30 minutes. Because grass is not growing, the lines last alot longer. Inseason, we have to mark it at least once a week. 

We will do our spring practice some time in March. Keeping it marked, I won't need to stretch lines to get it ready for the spring.... which is very time consuming. After the spring, I will let it go so we will have straighter lines in July when it gets restrung. 

I've been around HS football my entire life. If there is a young coach out there that needs help on how to complete mundane, time-consuming tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible, email me at coachdavidbuchanan@gmail.com.

Happy New Year!

Going into 2019... NO bad days, and MOST will be fun!

As hard as I try to stay positive, some days it is a battle. To help in that fight, I decided in December of 2017 that I would chart every day in the 2018 prep season ( I hate the expression "offseason". We have to improve on a day to day basis throughout the year.)  If it was a good day, I would list the date with a "+". A bad day would get a "-".  A great day would get "++".  Those results are listed at the bottom of this blog and there were no bad days!

I know Coach Cox and Coach Harris got tired of it, but I really enjoyed showing them periodically how we were doing.

So what was a good day?  It was a day when we improved, gave a good or great effort, held our guys accountable, and on a personal level I could look in the mirror and know that I had given my best effort to serve others and ultimately my Savior, Jesus Christ. (Colossians 3:23)

Can you have a good day and make mistakes?? Absolutely! I made a ton of mistakes this year, even on great days. There is a real simple way to eliminate 100 % of your mistakes... do nothing.

The purpose of this exercise was to give me some documentation that we were making progress. Sometimes due to circumstances, you absolutely "feel" like you are not making improvement and what is the point of all of your efforts. Those feelings are false. I wanted something concrete to see that would help me realize that in actuality we were getting better and we were productive.

When the season started, we were still having "good days." But, we started 0-3. That is not fun. And, then the "feeling" begins to creep in .... this is not fun... there is never an enjoyable day.... every day is a struggle, etc. And, many days there was truth to that feeling.

So, I began to chart everyday with either a P (Purpose) or F (Fun & Purpose).  Maybe a day was not fun. But, if I had served others and my Savior that day to the best of my ability, I had fulfilled my purpose. I am coaching football in my hometown which I love. My 2018 seniors were the first in school history to have the same head coach for four years.  It has been and continues to be a struggle to get us where we want to be. But, "purpose" is through the roof!  For the kids I coach, the old Hogs, Dogs & Titans in my hometown, my own son who will be a sophomore, making this program the best it can be is absolutely worth doing and giving it everything I have. And, we are making significant progress.

Even if a day was not "fun" , I took satisfaction in giving all that I had to the task at hand on a one day  at a time basis. Seeing those "P's" reinforced that I was serving God and making a dent in what had to be done.

Interestingly though, I realized that most days do have some fun! It might only be for a short while, and only one moment but there was something that I enjoyed. As I charted my days, I realized more and more days were being marked fun. In the beginning, most days had a P.

I am fired up for 2019. We just finished our best December, ever, in terms of guys working on their own. We have had them doing extra in the weightroom, on the turf in the complex, on the field, etc. Our guys are working to take our level of commitment and program to another level.

I will not be charting good days and bad days in 2019. They are all going to be good days. That CHOICE is up to us.

On Fun versus Purpose.... I will either continue to chart that, or decide that there WILL be something fun each day, and look for that moment, no matter how short it may be.

If all of this seems excessive, insane, etc. that is ok with me. The top priority (Matthew 6:33) of this is a desire to serve my Lord and Savior everyday who sacrificed His life for me. I don't want to let HIM down. Part of this also is that I HATE losing.... more now than ever before. I can handle it better on the outside but on the inside it is tougher than ever. And, I want to do all in my power to help our kids win, help our community win,  & bring honor to the great players and coaches from the past at old Harrodsburg & Mercer County HS.

I would also stress, I am not the Lone Ranger! God has a GREAT plan for all of us! What can be better than to invest our all into serving Him for 2019 to be all that He has called us to be, to glorify Him?!

2019... make it all good or great days (your CHOICE), serve God and others, and have FUN a long the way!



2018 Prep Season Chart:

W 1/3: ++
Th 1/4: +
T 1/9: +
W 1/10: ++
TH 1/11: +
TH 1/18: +
F 1/19: +
M 1/22: +
T 1/23: +
W 1/24: +
TH 1/25: +
F 1/26: ++
M 1/29: +
T 1/30: +
W 1/31: +
TH 2/1: ++
M 2/5: +
T 2/6: +
W 2/7: +
TH 2/8: ++
M 2/12: +
T 2/13: ++
W 2/14: +
TH 2/15: +
T 2/20: ++
TH 2/22: ++
M 2/26: +
T 2/27: +
W 2/28: +
TH 3/1: +
M 3/5: +
T 3/13: +
W 3/14: ++
TH 3/15: +
F 3/16: ++
M 3/19: +
T 3/20: +
W 3/21: +
TH 3/22: ++
F 3/23: +
W 4/4: ++ Xenith
TH 4/5: ++ OL breakout
M 4/9: +
T 4/10: ++
TH 4/12: +
M 4/16: +
T 4/17: ++ (Xenith)
TH 4/19: +
M 4/23: +
T 4/24: ++ (intervention)
W 4/25: +
TH 4/26: ++
F 4/27: +
M 4/30: +
T 5/1: +
TH 5/3: ++
M 5/7: ++
T 5/8: +
W 5/9: ++
TH 5/10: +
F 5/11: +
M 5/14: ++
T 5/15: +
TH 5/17: +
F 5/18: +
M 5/21: ++ max out
M 6/4: +
TH 6/7: +
M 6/11: +
TH 6/14: +
M 6/18: ++
TH 6/21: ++
SA 6/23: +
SU 6/24: +

Exit Interviews- 2018

After each season, we have exit interviews with our guys so we can gather feedback and continue to improve our program. It is good to vary the approach a little each year.

We have wonderful young men at Mercer County but we are also trying to elevate our thinking.  During the season, we gave our guys the "Mercer Football Championship Plan" to fill out. Here it is:

After they filled these out during the season, I made an additional copy of each player's plan. This year's exit interview is to review this plan. We talk about their vision for November of their senior year... is there anything that needs to be changed?  Is there anything that needs to be made more specific?

We look at the two lists at the bottom of the page. Which item is a strength right now?  Which one is a weakness?

We sign and date my copy and the player's copy. The player is to put his copy some where that it will help him see it and focus each day on becoming a champion and HELPING his TEAM become champions.

Our meetings have been productive and this plan is another piece in building our culture. One day at a time, we are working to build a championship program.  I believe our guys are growing and they are beginning to elevate their thinking.  I am excited to start year five as a Titan!

Coach Roger Gruneisen's thoughts on Black Shoes & White Shoestrings

Coach Roger Gruneisen with our 2018 Freshmen team during his visit this fall

 

We were fortunate to have Coach Roger Gruneisen with us for a practice at Mercer County this fall. Coach Gruneisen was my boss at Paris HS. He also won two state titles as the head football coach at Trinity HS in Louisville, KY.

Here is what Coach Gruneisen said about Black Shoes & White Shoestrings:

  I loved it because it is real, not a reality show!

I had the privilege and pleasure of having David on my staff for four years at Paris High School from 1988-1991.  His love for the game of football was never in doubt.  He grew up as a coaches son and eventually was smitten.  His book reflects, in print, his respect and admiration not only for the game but for the men who coach it.  Every coach takes bits and pieces from other coaches to help them form their own philosophy.  Coaches also enjoy sitting around talking football in general.  David’s book brings you inside the football office with the men who have inspired him, who he has borrowed ideas from, and men he has sat around with and talked football.


Again, what David writes about is real people coaching a real game played by real young men!

You can also read about Coach Gruneisen in the book. The buy button is at the top of this page. Put it under the tree for the football fans in your family!

Xenith... the helmet & shoulder pad of the future

2019 will be my 28th season as a head coach. One of the best decisions for our teams, both at Mason & Mercer County, has been our choice to go with Xenith helmets.

Xenith operates with a shock absorber system as opposed to a padded system. The fit is outstanding and the protective qualities of the helmet are exceptional.

Our kids are already fired up about the new Xenith Shadow that will come out in 2019. You can see a preview of it here:  Xenith Shadow

Ron Tanner is our Xenith rep. Ron played on Urban Meyer's Ohio State National Championship Team and he brings that same standard of excellence to Xenith on a daily basis.

As coaches begin to make purchases for 2019, please contact Ron at rtanner@xenith.com. You will be impressed with their helmets and shoulder pads. They have also developed some bells and whistles that will appeal to players in the 21st century.

If I can answer any questions, email me at coachdavidbuchanan@gmail.com.

Check out Xenith.... it will be great for your kids and your program!

John Buchanan: Remembering 16 mm film and those gold helmets

Robert Allen Yankey & my Dad, 10-10-1969. Photo by Danville Advocate Messenger, Bill Vaught

John Buchanan: Remembering 16 mm film and those gold helmets

Of all the coaches who have influenced me in my lifetime, without a doubt the coach that had the biggest impact was never my coach, but he is my dad. My dad is John Buchanan and I continue to look up to him and want to be like him just as I did when I was a little guy.

My first memories of my dad coaching football are from his days at Lafayette in Lexington where he was an assistant. When I was four years old he became the head coach at Boyle County in Danville. One of my strongest memories was being with him in the equipment room one summer night when he passed out gear to his new team.

In 1967 and 1968, Boyle County did not win a football game. In 1969, my dad’s first season, the Rebels finished 9-1-1. My two strongest memories of that season are going to Greensburg for the first game and win of the season and the victory over Danville at Centre College’s Farris Stadium. To this day I carry a piece of the 16 mm film in my billfold and every now and then will put the old film on the projector and watch it like we did on Saturdays and Sundays on the living room wall.

In 1970 the Rebels were ranked among the top teams in Class A. But on September 25th, football was not real important anymore.  That morning, the day after the Rebels had won at Mercer County, their quarterback, Robert Allen Yankey, drowned in an accident on his family's farm. Only five years old, I was overwhelmed by the sadness and the tragedy of losing Robert Allen. He was a very good quarterback, a great person and very much like a son to my dad. I will always remember those gold helmets with the number “11” on all of them the remainder of the season -- like we wear our numbers on our helmet.

We all have events in our life that we never understand or can make sense of. For me, this one is at the top of the list.

The next three years at Boyle were tough ones. In 1974, my dad became the head football coach at Mercer County. His first two seasons were the first winning seasons in the history of the school.

In watching my dad all those years, on the sidelines, at practice, in the locker room, etc., I saw over and over again that people come first over winning or personal gain. He enjoyed football, but his players were the most important to him and he put their well being first every time.  When I would be concerned about recruiting kids to our football program, he would always tell me to treat the kids in my program right, and the rest will take care of itself. He is not what people think of as a “player’s coach," but without a doubt that is what drove him -- his players and what was best for them. Whenever he would talk about his friends and other coaches that he admired and respected, he always talked about how much that coach loved his kids and would do anything they could to help them.

The other thing about my dad that stands out is his toughness. I have seen him go through so many tough times and be successful in very tough situations. I’ve seen him keep going when his heart was broken beyond words. As I look back on it now, I understand better than ever that his toughness was driven by his love for his family and players, and his trust in God.

One of his best stories and life lessons was when he told me that he considered staying at Boyle, just to teach and coach the wrestling team when he was forced to resign as football coach. I asked him, “How would you walk in that building and look at those people every day?"

His response was, “They have to look at me every day.”

I’ve used that story many times to encourage my friends in coaching who felt like their back was to the wall and no one was on their side, and it has helped them to stay tough and strong when they felt like the walls were caving in.

When you grow up a coach's son, your dad’s words are always spinning between your ears, especially on a Friday night. His beliefs and philosophy are ingrained in you. The best example was in the 2003 semifinals at Highlands on the goal line. The play call was “Slot Left Sam, Dive Check.” As the slot went in motion, I realized Chris Lofton would be wide open on a slant route. But I immediately heard my dad’s voice in my head: “If you can’t run the ball in on the goal line, you don’t deserve to win!”

So, we still planned to run the ball. But, we got lucky -- we jumped offside. Now it is on the 7-yard line. I am off the hook. We called the slant route, and it went for a touchdown.  After the game, my dad says, “Why didn’t you throw the slant to Chris on the goal line -- he was wide open the play before?” I told him it was his fault and just shook my head as I shared with him what was going through my mind.

But that event got my attention. Twenty years from now when my kids hear my voice in their head, what will I be saying? I hope it will be worth hearing.

Rough start... what do we do now?

Normally I am not in the mood for a blogpost when we are struggling. Besides, when you are struggling, no one wants to hear how you operate. We only want to copy what we see working.

So... what do we do now?

We stay positive AND keep our standards high. We may TWEAK what we do, but we do not CHANGE.  If you continually change your offense, defense, & special teams, you never get good at anything. We will keep doing the things we know will work and have worked. We just have to keep getting better at what we do. We are moving in the right direction. We just have to work hard and with urgency to get where we want to be as fast as possible.

In 27 years as a head coach, we ALWAYS emerge from the tough times.... sooner or later.  I trust God, our staff, and players. The best is yet to come.