North Iredell Raider Football

North Iredell Raider Football Players/Parent Handbook 2011

Vision Statement The coaching staff and administration of North Iredell High School are committed in OUR QUEST FOR CHARACTER AND EXCELLENCE in our football program. The quest will be positive in nature, with high expectations for players, parents, and coaches. This journey will begin as soon as a potential player makes a firm commitment to get on board. We will stay focused on our goals and press on every day to make ourselves better in the classroom, reach our potential athletically, and develop character traits that will allow each player to be a productive member of society. We will begin by building a strong foundation based on character, commitment, determination, and discipline. Our quest will come FROM THE HEART, because that’s the place where character qualities are worth having. The highest reward for what will be asked of players is not what you might GET from it, but rather what you BECOME by it. - We will develop a family focus within the structure of the team, where everyone will be an encouraging force in building our program. - Our character is often tested in times of crisis, and we want to demonstrate positive qualities in those situations. - Our journey needs the positive support of our school, faculty, administration, parents, and community. There are no short cuts to OUR QUEST, just hard work and dedication.

Assumptions Our program is based on FOUR things that we assume. If any of these are NOT true, you are encouraged to leave the program. • We assume you want to achieve EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM, developing your best behavior and striving for the highest grades possible. • We assume you want to be a BETTER PERSON because of what you learn in this football program. • We assume you want to REACH YOUR FULL POTENTIAL as a football player. • We assume you want to win a CHAMPIONSHIP.

North Iredell Raider Creed • Know what to do. • Try to do things the way we teach them. • Be in condition. • Be reliable & dependable. • Be motivated to win. *All Raider Football jobs are classified as temporary. All positions are earned and held by performance, not status or longevity.

Time Commitment Cutting Policy- The period of 8/1 to 8/15 will be considered an Evaluation Period. During this week players are monitored and graded based on a variety of criteria. Such criteria will include: Hustle, Enthusiasm, Base Skills (per position), Ability to follow directions, and Attendance. If you fail in any of these areas, we reserve the right to remove you from the team. For VarsityThere is a soft limit** of 50 players with the understanding that there is no guarantee of playing time. For JV The soft limit** will be 50 with an understanding that every effort will be made to play every player. **A soft limit is the max number with coach’s decision for more or less. Missed Practices-(NOTE- THIS RULE WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED IN 2011) All absences must be accompanied with a note (just like school). More than 1 absence without a note will result in dismissal from the squad. Dr. notes and family emergencies do not count against ones attendance, however two absences for non-medical/non-family emergencies will result in dismissal from the squad. All missed practices need to result in a phone call to my voice mail. Players will be expected to make up all conditioning missed by absences regardless of the circumstances. Work versus Football- I respect if you have to work… Football is a privilege not a right. IF you have to work then that is a choice you must make. If we are going to be successful then we must have 100% attendance 100% of the time. There will be no fanfare, no begging, no thinking less of you.

Philosophy(Why we do what we do) Philosophy of the Program Football is the last stand for what is right with high school athletics. The rugged, physical nature of the sport pushes athletes to engage in activities that summon courage, determination, and toughness. It is the last stand for discipline. In today’s permissive society kids are permitted to do what they want… without the inner control mechanism to tell them to do what is right. Even in the face of extreme pressure. Football will help provide this discipline to do what is asked of you, despite being in discomfort, or in the face of incredible odds. Structure and Discipline are the cornerstone of our program and aside from the military, and wrestling on an individual level, there is no other team sport that matches football in this area. My Personal Coaching Philosophy It is my goal to provide as many players the opportunity to participate at the next level as possible. Football can open doors to opportunities that may not exist under normal circumstances. Football will keep players academically motivated. With hard work; in the classroom, on the field, and during off-season workouts… one will become much more than he would if left to his own devices.

Obligations When one makes the commitment to become a Raider Football player he takes on certain obligations that others do not. Financial Obligations- We require that players purchase a spirit pack. This pack varies from year to year, but includes consistently… T-shirt, Mesh Shorts, Mesh Bag, Lock, and Game Socks. These items are purchased to create a sense of team unity and some are required to be used on a daily basis or to be worn on specific days/events. These items are based on an assumption that one will be participating for the duration of the season. These items are on loan with intent to buy… meaning… if you complete the season these items are yours to keep. If one quits prior to receiving some items of the spirit pack… There cannot be a refund. We still incur the cost of the item. The cost of the Spirit Pack will be advertised prior to the end of the school year so you can save up over the summer. Fundraising- With a large program there is a large expenditure of funds. We run primarily 2 or 3 fundraisers a year 2 are at the beginning of the school year as to get them out of the way. It is imperative that we put a major effort into these projects so that we can provide our players with the best program possible. Uniform Policy- All players are required to wear the uniform given to them. This includes socks. Team socks will be worn and pulled up; As the team wears all will wear. Do not wear tye-dye, off color, or different length socks. Any adornments, wristbands, chinstraps, mouthpieces… must confirm to official standards and school colors. Please see a coach if you have any questions.

Obligations (continued) Practice- This is the time for coaches to evaluate and communicate with players. Be ready to take the field when the practice time begins… do not think of straggling out. Get dressed, taped, and take care of any emergency equipment issues well before the departure time for the field. One way to assure that equipment is not an issue is to check your gear after practice before you leave. In practice you are expected to work hard, hustle; perform all tasks asked by your coach. It is not a time for “free play”. Only through intense practices can you develop the skills and intensity necessary to be successful on GAMEDAY. Part of football is being reliable. Make sure you don’t loose equipment, or forget equipment. This interferes with the administration and mechanism of the team. Film/Meetings- We have film sessions and team meetings to discuss items important to the success of our program. It is a time for you to pay attention, be quiet, and show respect to those talking. Injuries- The coaches have all taken the county mandated care and prevention course. We are not mind- readers. If your son does not indicate he is truly injured… It is unrealistic to expect we can get him help. We have injury protocol in place, but we cannot implement it without players letting us know. Having said this football is a physical game; you will be banged up and bruised on a daily basis you must know the difference between being hurt and being injured. Hurt means you can still go injured means that you cannot.

Quitting/Removal from Competition Policy 1st offense Meeting with Myself, Captains, then apology to the entire team. Will make up all conditioning. Hills during Specialty period for the following week PTA for the following Monday-Wednesday after practice. No play in the game following reinstatement. Upon completion of this I would feel that they have satisfied their debt. THERE IS NO SECOND OFFENSE PTA= “Player Temperment Adjustment”

EXPULSION FROM THE TEAM A PLAYER MAY BE DISMISSED FOR TWO REASONS: • SELFISHNESS - Evidenced by stealing, lying, poor attendance, tardiness, drug or alcohol use. • IMMATURITY - Evidenced by a lack of character, lack of discipline, or disrespect for others. Refusal to follow the direction of the coaching staff. ***ONLY THE HEAD COACH CAN DISMISS A PLAYER FROM THE SQUAD. **AS THE HEAD COACH, I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO HANDLE EACH CASE ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.

Parent Concerns The safety of the players is the paramount concern of our staff. So to; is to provide the best football experience for your son. I will be glad to speak with any parent who has a concern about their son. However, I will not feel compelled to discuss playing time, position concerns, or playcalling. Please do not try to mask your intent by talking about safety, the mutual well being of your son, or items of the like in order to talk about playing time.

In-School Expectations You WILL be expected to be the shining example of what the school will want as a young MAN. That means there is no room for nonsense that can or will get you suspended. If you see inappropriate behavior in the classroom, or hallways, get away as soon as possible. If it is a teammate who is acting in an irresponsible manner, make an attempt to get them back in line, if they refuse, get away from them as you can expect them to be dealt with in a severe manner

Academics You are here to get an education… Make no mistake that is your primary concern and is our primary concern as a staff and program. To accomplish what we want to accomplish, getting as many of you to the next level and receive a free or very much reduced education, then you will have to conform to the expectations that we have for you regarding going to class, behavior in school, and excelling in the classroom. • A player must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to participate. Players must also not have any grades below a “D”. Any combination of these two result in dismissal from participation. • Grade checks will be given out periodically throughout the year. The player is responsible for POLITELY asking the teachers to fill it out. The grade check must be returned COMPLETED on the specified day. Failure to do so will result in “player temperament adjustment” (PTA) each day the grade check is late. • Any player who receives a grade lower than a C on a grade check may be assigned study hall and/or “PTA” until the grade is back to the C or above level. • The player is expected to have GREAT ATTITUDE and display IMPECCABLE BEHAVIOR at all times. At no time will sleeping, being unprepared, or disrupting the class be tolerated. If I receive word that this is occurring, the player will apologize to the teacher and go through “PTA”. If the behavior re-occurs habitually, the player may be removed from the squad. 5. If a player is struggling academically, he is expected to go to the teacher BEFORE the end of the grading period for help and tutoring. Don’t wait until it’s too late, and don’t expect a coach to talk to a teacher on your behalf. If you are in class giving your best effort, with a positive attitude, you’ll be able to make your grades. YOUR SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM IS UP TO YOU!!

Player Sponsorship All players who wish to participate must have a SPONSOR. The sponsor may be a parent, other relative, or guardian. The sponsor is RESPONSIBLE for the player’s ATTITUDE, ATTENDANCE, and PUNCTUALITY. Players and sponsors will meet with the coaches to cover all areas IN WRITING of what will be expected and the consequences of inappropriate behavior. Each player and sponsor must sign off indicating that they are IN AGREEMENT with the contents of the Player’s Handbook. The sign off sheet is the last page of the Handbook. Please sign in the appropriate places and give this page to the Head Coach.

OUR QUEST: CHARACTER AND EXCELLENCE Having a great ATTITUDE at all times is critical to the success of our program. Our consistency of having a great ATTITUDE in the classroom, at home, in the halls, at practice, and at games will provide great benefits for the players and the team.

Attendance • 1. Players are expected to attend ALL meetings, practices, weight workouts, and team functions, ON TIME! Not knowing about an event or the time is not an excuse! If the team is there, you must be there. • 2. A player must be in attendance unless excused by the HEAD COACH. • 3. If unable to attend, he must PERSONALLY notify the HEAD COACH prior to the activity, allowing enough time to make preparation for his absence. • WORD PASSED ON BY SOMEONE ELSE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!! • 4. An unexcused absence will result in an extended PTA. A second unexcused absence will result in a double extended PTA and a call to your sponsor. A 3rd unexcused absence will result in expulsion from the team. • 5. A player who has an unexcused absence the day before a game will not dress in that game. A player who comes late to practice, game, or function, will be assigned PTA. • 7. If a player checks out of school, the player must notify the HEAD COACH before he leaves school. • If a player is absent from school, he must contact the HEAD COACH during the school day to let him know. If he is too sick, a parent must call. The office will deliver a message to me. • THERE ARE MANY BENEFITS THAT GO WITH BEING A MEMBER OF THE RAIDER FOOTBALL TEAM. ALONG WITH THIS GOES A TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY. • ANY ACT THAT HURTS THE IMAGE OF THE TEAM WILL BE PUNISHED. THE SEVERITY OF THE PUNISHMENT WILL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DAMAGE OF THE ACT. THIS WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE HEAD COACH. • NEVER DO ANYTHING THAT WILL TARNISH THE GOOD NAME OF NORTH IREDELL RAIDER FOOTBALL.

Sponsorship Commitment Having read the Player’s Handbook, and understanding it’s contents, I, ____________________(player) and my sponsor ____________________, agree to accept responsibility for the player’s attitude, attendance, punctuality, on and off the field. We will do our best to work together to provide a positive experience. Once a player has earned the right to be a member of the team, he may not quit without a conference with the head coach. Thank you for taking the time to carefully read this material. The coaching staff considers it an honor to work with your sons. As a team family, we must work closely in order to have a positive experience. Please sign and detach this sheet and give it to the head coach. Keep the handbook for your records. ______________________ ____ (player signature) (date) ______________________ ____ (sponsor signature) (date)

Chain of Command Problems you have with the Raider Program are usually handled quite easily by going through the Chain of Command. Please make sure you exhaust each step before moving up to the next. Principal Vice-Principal Athletic Director Head Coach Parents Position Coach Team Captains Player Mentors Player

Community • The ultimate goal of the Raider Football Program is to produce young men who understand their role in the game of life. • We will be engaging in some community service opportunities at our earliest possible moment. • Some potential programs include • Blood Drives • Toys for Tots • The Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research

Offseason Workouts • Look at teams that are successful year in and year out… They are not merely teams, they are PROGRAMS. • These programs all have a common element… They have a strong off-season strength and conditioning program. • If you are unwilling to make the sacrifice to become bigger, faster, and stronger through off-season workouts… you are telling us that you are OK with not being as successful as you are capable.

Locker Room Expectations • The locker room is your “home away from home” for the 5 months that encompass football season. • Treat it accordingly. Do not leave trash, food, equipment laying out. • Any equipment collected from the locker room will not be returned without a cost • If we have it and can return it- PTA • If we do not have it and you cannot find it- It will cost you money to replace it.

Recruiting Handbook A Guide for Student-Athletes to Assist in the Recruiting Process

Your Role in the Process • Play Hard, every play! • Coaches notice what you do when the ball is not coming to you. Develop a great “motor”. The first step is what you do on the field. • Stay on top of your grades! • Put yourself in a good position by not being shaky academically. They put student first in student-athlete for a reason. Plenty of great athletes sit at home every year because they didn’t do what they had to do in the classroom. It starts your freshman year, if you wait till your junior year… it is too late. • Be a good citizen! • Coaches will be asking everyone about you when they are recruiting you. Do not give ANYONE a reason to say anything but positive things about you. That means if you are in ISS all the time, caught in hall sweep every day, a general pain towards your teachers, or can’t stay out of trouble with the law… any of these things can keep you from getting recruited. • Take an active role in your process! • Follow the advice of the coaching staff and do the things necessary to get yourself exposed. This is a process that takes hard work from everyone involved.

NCAA Clearinghouse • This is a must if you plan to seriously pursue playing football in college. It is required that every player who intends to play at the Division II level or higher is registered with the clearing house. • www.ncaaclearinghouse.net

Be Realistic • Everyone has an “EGO” that makes them believe they are NFL material right out of HS. But deep in everyone's mind, they know their limitations. Please do not make the mistake of putting all your hopes in playing for USC when you do not even start for your varsity HS team. • Every team from D-1 to NAIA has very good football players. They have players who were the best on their team, the best in their area, and the best in their state. Do not for a minute think you are above playing for any team. Be thankful for any opportunity offered to you.

Academics • Remember you are a STUDENT-athlete. If you put the student first, it makes you so much more marketable. It is much easier of a path if you have a GPA that is above a 2.5 and are able to achieve a test score that is above a 900 out of 1600 (old scale) • This doesn’t just happen by luck. Become a nerd. Study, do your homework, act right in class. If you don’t start taking school seriously, football won’t be able to help you… there are no scholarships for dummies.

Camps and Combines • The best and one of the most important phases of the recruiting process is being seen by coaches, and getting legitimate numbers for coaches to recruit you. • Attending combines and camps are direct contact you can have to achieve these goals. • However, these are not the be all and end all of the recruiting process. Do not feel pressure to attend, just know that this is another tool that can help you in the quest to play football at the next level.

Prospect Forms • You can help the process greatly by being pro-active in the process. Going online and filling out prospect forms can greatly increase your ability to get on the mailing lists, this is the first step to being recruited. You may have to search for these forms but it is well worth the time. • Be honest in your information you submit to these colleges. If you are only 5’11 don’t put 6’1 on your form. Colleges will be quickly turned away when they find out they have been deceived by the information you have submitted. • To find a prospect form: Go to College Website (ex: www.desu.edu) Click on Athletics, Search on menu for prospect form, or sometimes it is in the individual websites for the sports. • Fill out the Rivals Top Prospect Form: http://mdvarsity.rivals.com/drawform.asp?form=357&SID=1002

Recruiting Services • I strongly advise against recruiting services. They are very expensive, you will end up doing most of the work, and colleges take the word of coaches at a much higher level than they do from someone paid to speak on a players behalf. If you are so inclined to pay for recruiting services, save yourself some money and buy VHS tapes, DVD’s, Mailing Envelopes, Stamps, or other items that will help us defray the cost of the recruiting process. See Coach Davidson if you are interested in helping out with this process.

How Coaches Find Athletes-From recruiting 101.com I know for a fact that some Division I college football programs start with a database of athletes that is over 5,000 prospective players. Like I have said before, if you get a form letter from the big school in your state, keep that in perspective that you may be one of thousands of athletes receiving the exact same thing. From there, the college coaches work to eventually break that down but it is important to be on that initial list. So how does one get on that list in the first place? Really there are a lot of different ways but here are some of the ways that help: *Have a helpful high school coach - College coaches know that they can use high school coaches as a very helpful resource in the recruiting process. If your coach is established and has made a lot of contact with colleges, he will likely be giving those coaches the name of juniors that are serious prospects and possibly younger players to keep an eye on in the future (In football, this normally happens in the spring when college coaches are making the rounds at high school). Again, this does depend on situation to situation but most good high school coaches are active in the recruiting process and want to help their athletes get to the next level. *Be an All Stater - There is no better way to put this out there than make sure that you are named All State as a sophomore or a junior (In most cases, earning the honor as a senior may be too late to really help recruiting). College coaches may have their graduate assistants scouring the Internet to find All State lists for other areas outside of their own. Once they get the lists, they may pull the juniors, sophomores, and even freshmen off and put them into a recruiting database. This may sometimes work for All Conference lists but unless you play in a very competitive and large conference, most really big schools won’t take the time to do this. Smaller schools may, but it is unlikely that Division I programs will be looking for second team All Conference selections in small conferences. *Make them aware of your ability - I have written on this a great deal and spent time saying how important it is to make college coaches aware of what you have accomplished in your sport of choice. My recommendation is to read the article I linked as well as read up on this website. That should really help in understanding how vital this is to the recruiting process. *Football Camps/Combines - Because I went so in depth on basketball and the travel teams, I thought I would make a special point regarding football players. The camps and combines are a very good way to get your name out. Speaking of another topic I should write about, combines are something that I have some serious feelings about. If you are paying for a combine, then there is a good chance that you are getting ripped off. The Nike Combine that travels across the country does a fantastic job of getting you in front of college coaches as well as publishing your results once finished. And more important than anything, it is free and anyone can attend. Some of the other combines that charge over $50 in just about every case are something I would not recommend. As far as camps go, getting to college camps are a good way to get your name out there. More than anything, it may be that you need to get there before your final summer of high school football. That way, the colleges have your name and should have already established a relationship if you have the ability to play at that level. Another note to make about the college camps is that at most Division I-A football camps, there are Division I-AA, II, and even III coaches there. So even if you may not have what it takes to play at the big University, it might be a good time to speak with the coaches at smaller schools. This is when it is important to be realistic about your abilities, which is not an easy thing to do. *Rivals.com- When the Internet first started to blowout, people considered a site like Rivals.com something that only recruiting junkies would follow. But it has become something that college coaches use as a serious resource. With offer lists, recruiting articles, and video on the top prospects across the country, this is a huge way for college coaches to find prospects that could be good enough at a high level. There are obviously other options outside of Rivals but that site is the most consistent when updating profiles and recruiting information on athletes. They are also teamed with the Nike Combines that were mentioned above. *Other scouting services- This one is more of a general category and I don’t really know how serious the coaches take this but there are other scouting services and recruiting services that you pay for that send your name to college coaches. But when a coach gets a list of hundreds of players, I am not exactly sure how serious they are going to recruit these athletes. I am not too high on recruiting services to be honest.

Expectations of your coach in the recruiting process-from recruiting101.com This is a tough area to talk about because it really depends on the situation and the school. Some coaches are very young and recruiting is not something they have dealt with in the past. Others are experienced and have sent many players to the college level and know exactly what they are doing. My guess is that most coaches end up somewhere in between. - The first thing you should expect out of your coach is honesty. If you are an athlete who gets in trouble often away from the field or the court, expect the your coach to be honest. If he is not and sugarcoats it, the college coach will eventually get word (They talk to just about everyone possible to learn more about the athlete) of this and discount much that the coach says. So as I have said before, stay out of trouble and get good grades. - The second area that your coach should be able to help you is in getting your name out. If your high school coach has been in that position for an extended length of time, there is a good chance that he has had some contact either in person or over the phone with the big college programs throughout your state. Your coach may also have connections with other friends in the business that can help you get your name out. Let me say that while this is desired, it does not happen with every coach. Some have more contacts and others don’t, it just depends on how much they network themselves in speaking with college coaches. Another area to mention is that your coach, in probably 99% of the cases, does not have the time to help you identify certain schools that would be good fits. This is something that your family needs to talk about and do together. - The third area is something that the coach can really help you with. That is getting quality video tape from your games to include when putting together a highlight video. Like a lot of other things, this really depends on the school and their resources in how quality the video is. The school may only be able to afford a video recorder from the 1980s that puts the video on VHS. Others may have high definition video equipment that allows the coaches to have a great picture on the video. Really, it depends on the resources at the school. If the tape quality is bad and you are aware of it, make sure your parents are taping games but the first place to go is your coach. - The fourth area that your coach should help you with is taking your game to the next level. If you make him aware that you want to play college athletics at the scholarship level, you have to prove to him that you are willing to put in the extra time to excel. As an athlete, you need to be asking him or her about what areas that you need to work on all the time as well as trying to finding new drills and exercises that can help you in those areas. By developing that relationship with the coach, it will help put him even more in your corner if you need someone to go to bat for you. Obviously be sincere in this but it can really help show what type of person you are to the coach. - And the fifth and final area when expecting things out of your coach is to know that while you are a great player for him and have done a lot for him, he has other more important priorities that take precedence over your recruiting. That is why I think it is so important for the family to do a lot of recruiting. You know what level your kid would like to play sports at in college so you can target those schools. The coach has a lot going in his life with his own family, teaching (In most cases), and trying to help his team develop. While he you like you to get a scholarship in college, it is not what he has been dreaming for over the last ten years. One final suggestion that I promise will help the relationship with the family and the coach. DO NOT BE THAT PARENT who consistently pesters him or her about getting their child more shots or touches, depending on the sport. If you go overboard as a parent or are not realistic about your abilities, the coach will be hard pressed to really help. Make sure to figure out what level the coach thinks you as a player can play at. If the coach says Division III and you feel you are a Division I-AA football player, who need to take a hard look at yourself and your ability before moving forward. That self realization will not be easy.

Recruiting 101Top 10 Things You Must Do • Perform to the best of your ability on the athletic field and in the classroom. • Discuss with your high school coaches what conferences best fit your athletic and academic abilities. • Compile a list of any and every school that you could possibly be interested in attending. • Send your best game from your Junior Year along with your profile information to EVERY school that you are interested in via GoBigRecruiting.com • You must send your film to EVERY school that you have an interest in -- they may not know about you unless you send them your film. Give yourself every opportunity for success. • If you hear back from the school, they are interested in you. If you do not, odds are they are recruiting prospects that they have a stronger interest in. • Visit as many schools that you are interested in and have shown an interest in you as possible so that you get a feel for what you like and dislike. • DO NOT tell schools that you are not interested unless you are 100% sure that there is NO way you would attend their institution -- keep your options open. • Send your best game from your Senior Year along with your profile to EVERY school that you are interested in via GoBigRecruiting.com. • Relax, have fun, and enjoy the ride; this is something that you will only ever go through once and it will be over before you know it. From: www.gobigrecruiting.com

Leadership Principles • The following pages are the EXACT EXPECTATIONS we have for you as a member of the North Iredell Raider Football Program. • If you follow these guidelines, you will NEVER have a problem in our Program, in School, and chances are in the World as a whole.

1. Be technically and tactically proficient. 2. Know yourself and seek self~improvement. 3. Know your teammates and look out for their welfare. 4. Set a positive example 5. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your own actions. How to Become a Leader

Leadership Principles • There are some inherent qualities that football athletes must possess in order to be successful. If you can master these ideas they will not only help you on the field but will also carry you through life. Football is a microcosm of life, take these following pages of principles and use them to achieve your best. • A Raider Football Player Possesses: • Integrity‑ Uprightness of character, soundness of principles, and absolute truthfulness. • Knowledge‑ Being well‑versed in the game of football and understanding of his teammate’s responsibilities. • Courage‑ A mental quality that recognizes fear, danger, or criticism, but enables that player to proceed in the face of it with calmness and firmness. • Decisiveness‑ The ability to reach decisions promptly and to announce them in a clear forceful manner. • Dependability‑ Reliability in terms of performance of his tasks and actions. • Initiative‑ The ability to see what has to be done and to do it even in the absence of supervision. • Enthusiasm‑ The display of sincere interest and exuberance in the game. He must be one of those players who love to play. • Resilience‑ The ability to bounce back from setbacks and accept constructive criticism. • Unselfishness‑ The ability to place the team above his personal advancement, giving others credit at all times. • Loyalty‑ Faithfulness to the coaching staff, the school, and the team. • Character‑ He must be above reproach both on and off the field. • Attitude‑ He must be able to present a positive attitude to the team and generate within the team an objective to win. • Desire‑ He must be willing to work many hours to improve his skills.

Qualities of a Leader 1. Character- Be a piece of the rock. 2. Charisma- The first impression can seal the deal. 3. Commitment- It separates the doers from the dreamers. 4. Communication- Without it we travel alone. 5. Competence- If we build it, they will come. 6. Courage- One person with courage is a majority. 7. Discernment- Put an end to unsolved mysteries. 8. Focus- The sharper it is, the sharper we are. 9. Generosity- Our candle loses nothing when it lights another. 10. Initiative- We won’t leave home without it. 11. Listening- To connect with their hears, use our ears. 12. Passion- Take this life and love it. 13. positive attitude- If we believe we can, we can. 14. Problem solving- We can’t let our problems take control. 15. Relationships- If we get along, they’ll go along. 16. Responsibility- If we won’t carry the ball, don’t expect anyone else to. 17. Security- Competence never compensates for insecurity. 18. Self-Discipline- The first people we lead are ourselves. 19. Servanthood- To get ahead, put others first. 20. Teachability- To keep leading, keep learning. 21. Vision- We can seize only what we can see.

A PLAYERS GUIDELINE FOR SUCCESS 1. THE TEAM COMES FIRST‑ NEVER FORGET THAT! Always put the TEAM ahead of yourself. You must be willing to do Whatever it takes to make us successful. You will Always be Wrong if you put yourself ahead of the TEAM. Selfishly, you will enjoy greater personal gain if the TEAM is successful. 2. BE COACHABLE‑ TAKE CORRECTION positively. You will be corrected whenever necessary in order to make YOU better and make US better. ONE MAN CANNOT WIN A GAME FOR US, BUT ONE MAN ABSOLUTELY CAN LOSE A GAME FOR US. THERE WILL BE TWO QUESTIONS ASKED OF YOU: 1. CAN YOU DO IT? 2. WILL YOU DO IT? If you can do it, we expect you to do it... If you can't do it, we won't ask you twice. Learn to deal with nit‑picking: There is no detail too small if it can cost us a game A CHILD TAKES CORRECTION PERSONALLY; A MAN UNDERSTANDS THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE HIM BETTER. If you resist coaching, and aren't giving your team the same effort others are.... You are indicating that you are willing to cost us a game!!! Just say “Okay Coach”, then do what you were asked to do. 3. BE LOYAL‑ LEARN TO DEFEND THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT. Don't badmouth a teammate, and don't tolerate it from anyone else. We are a family bound by the willingness to sacrifice to achieve a common goal. Don't point fingers‑ Support your teammates. We can't be a team if we can't trust each other. LEARN TO STICK UP FOR THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU Defend your family, your community, your school, and your team.

Guidelines for Success 4. BE DEPENDABLE‑ WHEN YOU MAKE A COMMITMENT,PEOPLE COUNT ON YOU. BE THERE, BE PREPARED, BE EARLY. Do NOT plan vacations, trips, etc. that will conflict with practice. We are not a team if we are all not there. ALWAYS be early. Anybody can be early, just leave earlier. No excuses. It insults other people to make them wait for you. Bosses hate it when workers are late. Everybody in the United States knows how to use a telephone, not enough people know why and when to use one. Don't make your team suffer because you couldn't behave in school or in the community. 5. BE POLITE AND RESPECTFUL‑ IT WILL GIVE YOU AN EDGE IN LIFE. Address coaches as "Coach" Say "Please" and "Thank You"; Say "Hello" first and use peoples names. Know when to say "Excuse Me" and "I'm Sorry". Don't whisper‑ Do you have something to hide? Don't stop talking when someone else enters the room. DON'T TALK WHEN OTHERS ARE TALKING 6. BE A GOOD CITIZEN‑ NEVER EMBARRASS YOUR TEAM. Whatever you do you will be identified as a "football player". Obey the law and be respectful of authority. Get to know your teachers and show them you are a good citizen. Offer to help them when you can. Stay a mile away from any knucklehead who makes a teacher's job tougher. Try to prevent a teammate from doing wrong; if he won't listen, get away from him. Support your school and attend all its activities. Under no circumstances is hazing allowed.

Guidelines for Success 7. BE A GOOD SON‑ SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION. Act respectfully to the people who are responsible for you. Think about the sacrifices they make for you, all they expect is for your respect. 8. MANAGE YOUR TIME‑ FOOTBALL IS NO EXCUSE FOR POOR CLASS PERFORMANCE. Something's got to give‑ cut back on outside activities during the season. Get to sleep at a reasonable hour. Don't risk injury playing another sport during football season. Think of your teammates. 9. RESPECT THE LOCKER ROOM AND KEEP IT NEAT. Keeping it neat is everyone's job. Don't wear cleats in the building‑ keep mud out of the locker room. Make sure all of your equipment is put away before you close your locker and go home. No horseplay‑ football is rough enough without risking stupid off the field injuries. Don't mess with a teammate's equipment‑ it gets in the way of the team's operation. Never take equipment or supplies unless they are issued to you by a coach or a manager. 10. RESPECT YOUR EQUIPMENT- KEEP IT LOCKED UP AND CHECK IT DAILY. Hang it up carefully after every practice‑ don't leave anything out. Wash your practice pants and practice jersey every weekend. Check your own equipment daily‑ especially helmets, facemasks, and shoulder pads. Handle all necessary repairs after today's practice‑ not before tomorrow's practice. 11. LEARN HOW TO HANDLE YOURSELF IN MEETINGS. Be early and be ready. Act as if you are paying attention. Sit up front and sit up. Pay attention‑ look at the person talking. Never talk while a coach is talking. If you don't understand something, ask‑ a "dumb question" is better than a dumb mistake.

Guidelines for Success 12. LEARN HOW TO HANDLE YOURSELF AT PRACTICE. Be early and be ready‑ no equipment problems. Always notify a coach WELL IN ADVANCE if there is a problem. Always pay attention‑ always observe what is going on. We can't take time to explain the same thing to every individual. Learn from watching others so you'll be ready when it's your turn. Look Sharp- Shirt tucked in (or cut off). Helmet always on, chin strap always fastened. Wear the clothing you have been assigned. Act like a winner‑ be an example of what's right. Be enthusiastic‑ act like you are happy to be alive. Be positive‑ expect something good to happen. Be encouraging‑ never put a teammate down. Volunteer‑ step up to the front of the line. Don't stand there with your arms folded‑ coaches really do notice those things. Be mentally tough‑ deal with it‑ keep your cool. Don't pound your fist into the ground, kick the air, etc. Hustle‑ never walk and never sit down. Run the drills correctly. Run the balls back‑ don't throw them back. Never leave a ball lying on the ground in the middle of a drill. Never run through the middle of a drill‑ always go around. Watch what's going on so you'll know what to do when it is your turn. Don't be talking when a drill is going on or when a coach is talking. No matter what your role is do it the best you can. Make a teammate better by giving him resistance. Never get on a teammate for making a mistake. Don't make sarcastic remarks about a teammate. ENCOURAGE him to GET BETTER‑ "You can do it". Don't reward mediocrity‑ encourage improvement. If it makes your team better‑ DO IT……… If it doesn't make your team better‑ DON'T DO IT

Guidelines for Success 13. TRAVEL FIRST CLASS. Never be late for the bus. Be polite to the bus driver. You are not grade schooler's on the way to the circus. Act like you are on your way to play in a football game. Don't make any comments or gestures out of the bus window. Ignore comments by opposing fans. Leave the other locker room cleaner than what you found it. Thank the bus drivers and leave the bus clean. 14. HANDLE YOURSELF WITH CLASS AT GAMES. Look sharp and understand the definition of the word "uniform". Shirts tucked in. No tape on pants. Helmet always on, chinstrap always buckled. White or colored socks‑ as the team wears, everybody wears. NOTHING and I mean NOTHING that draws attention to you as an individual. Do not address the officials unless you are a captain; treat the officials with respect at all times. Don't officiate‑ keep you mind in the game. Avoid stupid penalties, never retaliate, learn to walk away. Pass up the cheap shot, it reflects on the team. Don't say anything to the opposition, their coaches, or their fans. Encourage your teammates. Run on and off the field‑ "Hustle on, Hustle off, Call their name". Don't play to the crowd, stay focused on the game. Even if you aren't on the field‑ stay in the game. Always be ready, pay attention and be where your coach can find you. Whenever you come out of the game report directly to your coach. Win without gloating......Lose without excuses. EXCUSES ARE CRUTCHES FOR THE WEAK AND UNTALENTED. THOSE WHO ARE GOOD AT MAKING EXCUSES ARE SELDOM GOOD AT ANYTHING ELSE. Come together as a team‑ This is your football family.

Guidelines for Success 15. ACT LIKE A WINNER‑HARD NOSED CLASS‑DO WHATEVER IT TAKES THERE ARE WINNERS IN LIFE WHO ARE LOSERS ON THE SCOREBOARD THERE ARE WINNERS ON THE FIELD WHO ARE LOSERS IN LIFE WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T BE A WINNER IN BOTH??? If we are to achieve the ultimate goal of being one of the Elite teams in North Carolina, we must begin to think of our TEAM as our FAMILY. Just as in every family- not every moment will be easy. Don’t put our FAMILY business out in the street. What you see here, what you say here, what you hear here, Stays here, when you leave here.

Topics under construction • Nutrition/Hydration- Coming soon!! • Game time expectations- Coming soon!!

North Iredell Raider Football