Category: Coach’s Corner

ST. CHARLES NORTH
NORTH STAR FOOTBALL 

WEEKLY JOURNAL 

WHAT’S INSIDE 

APRIL 19TH- MAY 4TH  

Good morning, day or evening (whenever you are reading this) to all of you. First and foremost I hope you and your family are doing well.  Well, the verdict came in and the state has made the decision to keep remote learning for the duration of the school year. I want to express my sincere appreciation to the seniors who are sacrificing their last year of high school for the greater good of humanity. Man, those are heavy words and responsibitlities to put on the shoulders of a 17 or 18 year old. However, if coaching has taught me one thing it is that our students are unbelievably resilient and strong.  This is a necessary decision to preserve the fight and the victory in this war we are in. Albeit does not make it any easier to digest. 

I will keep this newsletter short and to the point. We are being tested… all of us. Not one person is exempt from this situation. Bottom line we are all dealing with it the best way we know how. I for one have found it a difficult road to navigate. My anxieties have gotten the better of me a few times and each day I try to place myself in the moment and find the joy that is present.   It is said that adversity reveals the real you. It shows you what you have inside of you. There is a great quote. 

“Squeeze an orange and you get orange juice. “ 

Bottom line we are all getting squeezed right now and we all want this to end. It will and we will find ourselves together in a new age of appreciatiation. I for one cannot wait. However, we must get through the valley to get the peak and right now we are fighting for every inch. Let’s continue to fight toghether and win each day. That is all we can do… WIN…THE … DAY 

As for the program we are pushing forward with the same design and intent as we always have. The goal is keep preparing and when our number gets called we will be ready. I have scheduled a meeting with each level  So, Jr & Sr this week. I will be going over our 4 month plan. I believe it is essential that we are all on the same page as we move through this situation. I want to keep our players motivated and excited to be a part of something bigger than themselves but I also want to give them individualized direction so that they can succeed.  Please know that I am here for all of you, if you need anything at all please do not hesitate to contact me. I will be increasing communications in the coming weeks as we have some very exciting virtual events planned for our program. 

Performance Training 

• REMOTE DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS SHARED ON GOOGLE SITE FOR PLAYERS 

• I have posted all lifts on Rack Performance 
• Additional workouts will be on GOOGLE SITE 
• Additional skill work has been posted on GOOGLE SITE 

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

4/29 WEDNESDAY 7PM 

REAL WORLD SPEAKER 

ANTHONY SCHLEGEL 

FORMER OSU & NFL LINEBACKER 

SUMMER CAMP DATES: IMPORTANT 

• SUMMER REGISTRATION HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD (NOT CANCELED) WE ARE AWAITING FURTHER INSTRUCTION FROM THE IHSA 
• https://store.d303.org
• http://scn4thphase.org/schedule/ 
• 2020 SUMMER ATHLETICS CAMP ALL 
• 2020 SUMMER FB CAMPS 
• Players should be signing up for both strength camps in june/ july 

COLLEGE RECRUITING 

Due to the shelter in place college coaches are now asking for film and recruiting information to be sent directly to them. I will be doing this for our kids. 

COLLEGE 411 PRESENTATION 

• Currently on hold
• Potential Zoom meeting TBD 

SUMMER CAMP LIST 

This year we will have the usual camps listed below . 

*June 1st- 4th is designated for youth and individual skills camps. 

* We have added a new camp opportunity. June 6th – July 30th we will be running a separate strength & conditioning class. Bryce Biel of Legacy Performance and his staff along with our Staff will be running a 75 minute strength & speed session M-R. Camp times will vary from June to July. The availability of this camp will allow us to separate our football and strength development. While this is an extra cost, the development to the athlete is well worth it  in my opinion. Prices have yet to be released but I can assure you it will come down to less than 10 dollars a session which is well below Bryce’s usual cost. We took this step as the logical progression in our program’s development. We have always felt that our strength development conflicted with our football development in the summer. This will alleviate that problem. Additionally, we start official football camp on June 22nd. From June 1st – June 18th we will be having OTA (organized team activities) film and scheme sessions from 6pm – 8pm. These are non padded classroom based sessions. A full curriculum is being developed to better prepare our athletes cognitively for the summer installs. Again we feel this aligns more consistently with our 4 quadrant development model. There will not be a camp sign up as these opportunities are free of charge. 

* I appreciate the monetary investment you make on your child’s behalf. If you have questions please contact me. 

ST. CHARLES NORTH
NORTH STAR FOOTBALL 

WEEKLY JOURNAL 

JOY & HAPPINESS 

APRIL 5TH-APRIL 12TH 

I hope this letter finds you doing well and your family safe.  As I sit and write this letter on Friday afternoon, thoughts run in and out and lightning speed. It is always hard for me to edit and find the one thought that I would like to share through this channel.  We are going on 4 weeks of the stay at home order and I think our family has found a routine that works for the time being. My role has changed completely from out of the house 100 hour per week teacher / coach to stay at home Dad and kindergarten teacher with my daughters Morgan and Isla.  This was not an easy transition for me and early on I found myself fighting the change. I was not trying to be the “best fry guy” , I was searching for answers. As it often does, I found some peace of mind in a great book I am reading. The chapter was about compassion and how we often don’t afford ourselves the same compassion we would someone else.  This struck a chord with me in a very emotional way. Instead of being unhappy in my current situation, I needed to show myself some compassion and look for the joy during this difficult time. 

Joy vs Happiness 

“Happiness is not present in darkness and difficulty. Joy never leaves it. Joy undergirds our spirits; it brings to life peace and contentment.”

It has been argued that happiness does not happen within us but rather it happens to us. An event or situation that makes us feel happy. It also says that without that event there is no happiness.  

Joy, on the other hand, is a choice purposefully made. Joy is an attitude of the heart and spirit, present inside of us as an untapped reservoir of potential.

It’s possible to feel joy in difficult times. Joy doesn’t need a smile in order to exist, although it does feel better with one. Joy can share its space with other emotions – sadness, shame or anger. Happiness can’t. – the Difference 

This resonates to the very core of my being. I will admit that I have not always been a person of joy. Too often it has taken extrinsic moments to bring happiness to me. However, as I live through this monumental time where despair and fear run rampant I search and treasure the moments of joy I find each day. I have been reintroduced to my daughters and who they are. I witness each day how amazing my wife is as a mother. I find peace sitting in my backyard feeling the sun on my face as I work to move our program forward.. These  moments of joy have helped me cope and have given me hope for what is to come. I also want to express the joy that my daily interactions with those in our football family have brought. Your mere presence and connection is appreciated. 

As we move into mid April I hope that you can find joy during these difficult times. I wish that those moments of joy bring you peace even if only for a few minutes. Have a wonderful weekend and we will get through this. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Keep responding in positive ways and we can’t lose. 

Performance Training 

• REMOTE DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS SHARED ON GOOGLE SITE FOR PLAYERS 

• I have posted all lifts on Rack Performance 
• Additional workouts will be on GOOGLE SITE 
• Additional skill work has been posted on GOOGLE SITE 

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

SUMMER CAMP DATES: IMPORTANT 

• SUMMER REGISTRATION HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD (NOT CANCELED) WE ARE AWAITING FURTHER INSTRUCTION FROM THE IHSA 
• https://store.d303.org
• http://scn4thphase.org/schedule/ 
• 2020 SUMMER ATHLETICS CAMP ALL 
• 2020 SUMMER FB CAMPS 
• Players should be signing up for both strength camps in june/ july 

COLLEGE RECRUITING 

Due to the shelter in place college coaches are now asking for film and recruiting information to be sent directly to them. I will be doing this for our kids. 

ALL AMERICAN 7 ON 7 

• Currently on hold

COLLEGE 411 PRESENTATION 

• Currently on hold
• Potential Zoom meeting TBD 

SUMMER CAMP LIST 

This year we will have the usual camps listed below . 

*June 1st- 4th is designated for youth and individual skills camps. 

* We have added a new camp opportunity. June 6th – July 30th we will be running a separate strength & conditioning class. Bryce Biel of Legacy Performance and his staff along with our Staff will be running a 75 minute strength & speed session M-R. Camp times will vary from June to July. The availability of this camp will allow us to separate our football and strength development. While this is an extra cost, the development to the athlete is well worth it  in my opinion. Prices have yet to be released but I can assure you it will come down to less than 10 dollars a session which is well below Bryce’s usual cost. We took this step as the logical progression in our program’s development. We have always felt that our strength development conflicted with our football development in the summer. This will alleviate that problem. Additionally, we start official football camp on June 22nd. From June 1st – June 18th we will be having OTA (organized team activities) film and scheme sessions from 6pm – 8pm. These are non padded classroom based sessions. A full curriculum is being developed to better prepare our athletes cognitively for the summer installs. Again we feel this aligns more consistently with our 4 quadrant development model. There will not be a camp sign up as these opportunities are free of charge. 

* I appreciate the monetary investment you make on your child’s behalf. If you have questions please contact me. 

ST. CHARLES NORTH
NORTH STAR FOOTBALL 

WEEKLY JOURNAL 

Courage vs Confidence 

I hope this message finds your family safe and healthy. I know that has been the name of the game for the past 3 weeks. It’s Wednesday when I am writing this and I want to apologize for not getting the newsletter out in a timely manner but much like you I am working through a mixed bag of emotions on a day to day basis. Writing the newsletter is cathartic but also drums up some of my own natural emotions.  On any given day you can find a million different opinions, stats and theories about what is going on. I for one have chosen to control what I can control and be the best husband, dad, son, brother and coach that I can be. For me personally, the lack of control is very difficult and each day I have chosen to make a difference to the small group of people that I can impact.  

“Courage or Confident Never In-Between”

In our program on game day we have a team meeting around 4:45pm that we call our “mindset meeting” In this meeting we don’t talk about X’s and O’s but instead talk about the game in detail from a mental aspect. What will the crowd be like? What type of energy will the other team bring early on? How will we handle adversity?  During this meeting I draw a continuum on the board that looks much like this. 

Courage—————–0—————Confidence

In the game of football there will be moments when we feel in control and have the game under our thumb. In those moments, we are playing with 100% confidence. However, there will be other times when things are not going as well and in those instances we must play courageously.  The only thing we ask of our players is to never be in between. You must play throttle down and 100% all in regardless of the side of the spectrum you are on. These times are calling for us to be courageous, choose faith over fear and be a positive influence to those we come into contact with (observing all social distancing rules, of course)  All in all we can do it, we will do it and I am proud of all you. 

Performance Training 

• Mandatory Zoom Meeting Sunday 4/ 5
• Link will posted on google classroom 

• I have posted all lifts on Rack Performance 
• Additional workouts will be on google classroom 
• Additional skill work has been posted on both twitter and classroom

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

CONGRATULATIONS 

Jordan Nubin received his 1st offer from Minnesota Duluth ! 

Carmine Bastone received his 1st offer from Rose Hulman ! 

SUMMER CAMP DATES 

• TIMES ARE SET REGISTRATIONS IS OPEN 
• PLEASE TRY TO ARRANGE VACATIONS DURING DEAD WEEKS 
• https://store.d303.org
• /schedule/ 
• 2020 SUMMER ATHLETICS CAMP ALL 
• 2020 SUMMER FB CAMPS 
• Players should be signing up for both strength camps in june/ july 

COLLEGE RECRUITING 

Due to the shelter in place college coaches are now asking for film and recruiting information to be sent directly to them. I will be doing this for our kids. 

ALL AMERICAN 7 ON 7 

• Currently on hold

COLLEGE 411 PRESENTATION 

• Currently on hold
• Potential Zoom meeting TBD 

SUMMER CAMP LIST 

This year we will have the usual camps listed below . 

*June 1st- 4th is designated for youth and individual skills camps. 

* We have added a new camp opportunity. June 6th – July 30th we will be running a separate strength & conditioning class. Bryce Biel of Legacy Performance and his staff along with our Staff will be running a 75 minute strength & speed session M-R. Camp times will vary from June to July. The availability of this camp will allow us to separate our football and strength development. While this is an extra cost, the development to the athlete is well worth it  in my opinion. Prices have yet to be released but I can assure you it will come down to less than 10 dollars a session which is well below Bryce’s usual cost. We took this step as the logical progression in our program’s development. We have always felt that our strength development conflicted with our football development in the summer. This will alleviate that problem. Additionally, we start official football camp on June 22nd. From June 1st – June 18th we will be having OTA (organized team activities) film and scheme sessions from 6pm – 8pm. These are non padded classroom based sessions. A full curriculum is being developed to better prepare our athletes cognitively for the summer installs. Again we feel this aligns more consistently with our 4 quadrant development model. There will not be a camp sign up as these opportunities are free of charge. 

* I appreciate the monetary investment you make on your child’s behalf. If you have questions please contact me.