BASIC TRAINING

Why play football?

by Coach Larry Beckish

I believe – because football gives a youngster an opportunity make himself a better person on and off the field that football is Basic Training. This Basic Training can be an essential part for being successful in a competitive world.

Basic Training

1. Football prepares you to work with a variety of people – people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and people with a variety of mental and physical abilities. You will have to do it everyday throughout life to be successful.

2. To play football you have to meet academic standards to be eligible – you have to meet high intellectual standards to be successful in life.

3. Football teaches you how to deal with the bumps, bruises, and bloody noses that the game throws at you and life creates bumps, bruises and bloody noses too.

4. Football takes an EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT from your heart and soul to help
the team and teammates to be successful. So does life take an EMOTIONAL INVESTMENT to be successful.

5. Football teaches time management – management for academic, athletic, and social needs. Time management is an important function in life.

6. Football requires sacrifices – so does life – give unselfishly.

7. Football develops an understanding of the concept of team. After you leave football you will be on a team for a long time.

8. Football helps you to learn to take instructions. A necessity in football and business.

9. Football requires accepting responsibility to win – blocking the right defender – covering the right receiver – helping teammates get better and helping them not to do something ‘stoopid.’ Responsibility is a lesson in LEADERSHIP.

10. Football teaches you to play with aches and pains. You will have to do that numerous times as you go through life.

11. Football challenges your brain – so work it overtime – pay attention to detail. Working overtime and paying attention to detail will help you climb the dollar latter.

12. Football fundamentals make you a better player and fundamentals in the workplace will make you successful

13. Football teaches that hard work pays off – practice hard everyday to get better. You will have to work hard on the job everyday to be successful.

14. It is important in football to learn to handle success and disappointments to maintain a positive attitude – win or lose. Don’t be an idiot when winning or losing. That could cost you a good job.

15. Football creates lasting friendships – friendships and networking that can create job opportunities in the future.

This article is an excerpt from “I Believe in Cream, Apples, and Football” by Larry Beckish. Larry considers this to be one of his best pieces of work, and he’s written a number of books and nearly 200 newspaper articles. This year, Larry joined the staff at Battery Creek HS in South Carolina.

Click here to Order and Download Coaching the Option Quarterback, an eBook on Option Football.

E-Mail the Ol’ Coach with your questions at coachb@hargray.com

LISTEN TO Coach Beckish on The Coaches Corner Football Coaching Podcast and hear him discuss other thoughts and ideas from I Believe.

ABOUT COACH LARRY BECKISH

Coach Beckish is an expert on Option Football. The list of coaches he his worked with reads like a “Who’s Who” among coaching legends. His coaching stints include stops in the ACC, SEC, and Big Ten.

Coach Beckish coached at Clemson under the legendary Frank Howard, and for three seasons at the University of Minnesota as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for Lou Holtz. Other stops include the University of Miami, Ole Miss, Duke the Arizona Wranglers of the USFL, the Charlotte Rage of the Arena leagues, and his alma mater, Wichita State.

While at Wichita State, he worked with the legendary Willie Jeffries, who made history by becoming the first African-American head coach in Division 1-A. At WSU Coach Beckish served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator and the staff developed the Trap Option.

During a brief retirement from 1987-1990, Coach B wrote ‘The Trap Option – 40 Plus 60 equals Option.’ He also authored, ‘I Believe in Cream, Apples, and Football – Thoughts for Coaches’.