You can't tell the high school coaches without a program

When I first started in this job, I knew every coach at every level at every area high school.

Of course, it wasn't that difficult. We only covered a few schools, and there were no girls sports.

I knew the coaches' names, their backgrounds, even something about their friends and families.

When I made my regular visits, I would sit in the offices of the coaches or athletic directors for a couple of hours and meet with everybody as they came in before or after class or practice.

That's how I got my information for this newspaper, which was a weekly at the time and also carried extensive coverage of underclass sports.

Personal visits replaced the telephone, and we would kick around a lot more in those casual meetings than just high school sports.

I really got to know someone beyond the X's and O's and felt like I was the student, learning from the experienced teacher/coach.

That really helped me as a young reporter. You obviously don't want to get too close to the coaches or teams you're writing about, but you do want to develop associations that can help you do a better job.

How times have changed.

Today, the Daily Herald covers approximately 100 high schools that have ambitious programs in boys and girls sports. You can't tell the coaches without a program - or name tags.

Just think how many head varsity coaches alone we have at those high schools. Now add in all the assistants and even volunteer coaches.

I can attend a high school event and walk right past important coaches without even knowing who they are. And I feel bad later that I didn't even say hello.

I'm at a distinct disadvantage because my picture appears in the paper on a regular basis.

I think about this when I start looking through the fall sports programs at each school. I always hope they include pictures of all the coaches, so I can have some reference if I see somebody heading my way.

In my rookie days in this job, I was the student who was learning from the coaches. Now in my 50th year at the Daily Herald, I feel like the teacher who has something to offer to the men and women directing our young people.

What would I tell the younger coaches if we had a chance to sit down at the school?

I'd start by telling them they have to be realistic about the responsibility that goes with the job of coaching.

No matter how well-prepared you are and how energetic you may be, there will always be more to the job than what you expect. Don't begrudge all the time you must spend with the young athletes.

I would tell the young coaches to keep a journal early in their careers. Record your activities and your immediate and retrospective evaluations of their outcomes.

Smart coaches will always coach to their personal strengths and make sure that is part of the practice plans.

You have to be organized with well-planned practices, and you should never hesitate to seek advice from other coaches, particularly the veterans at your school.

I would tell coaches to establish a basic philosophy that will let your players know what to expect, the kind of rules you have and how you will enforce them. You must be up front with the athletes.

I would tell coaches to always be consistent because inconsistency will undermine your authority and credibility. You have to strike the proper balance between being a coach and a friend. That can be tough.

I would tell coaches to listen to your athletes at all times. They are telling you things they believe in, even if it isn't what you want to hear. Expect the unexpected.

I would tell every young coach that coaching in high school is a privilege. You should never casually dismiss the meaningful role you play in your athletes' lives.

In a way, you are the father or mother of a sports family, and that's why every action you take is important.

Don't ever take that influence for granted or stop working at it.

Don't let the long hours discourage you because the rewards in coaching are enormous. You just have to look for them in the right places.

It has to be very satisfying to play a role in helping somebody mature on the way to receiving a high school diploma.

Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who guided the United States Olympic team to a gold medal, says, "The coaching, I love. The kids, I love. It's the other stuff you have to watch out for."

High school coaches must learn to deal with "the other stuff" to find real happiness in their career.

bfrisk@dailyherald.com