keithgrabowski

Goal-Setting for Coaches: More Than Just Wins and Losses

You don’t win championships in the fall—you win them in the spring, summer, and every quiet moment when nobody’s watching. That’s where goal-setting for coaches becomes more than just a scoreboard strategy. It’s the unseen foundation of a program that develops young men, sharpens staff, and aligns daily actions with a deeper purpose. Too often,…

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The Speed of Trust: Building Your Coaching Career One Detail at a Time

If you’re an aspiring coach looking to move up in the profession, it’s not just the game plan or the win column that matters—it’s the small stuff and it’s done at the speed of trust. In a world where opportunities often seem tied to big moments, it’s easy to forget the truth; coaching careers are…

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Who Coaches the Coach? Why Mentorship Isn’t Enough Anymore

By Keith Grabowski “Who’s coaching the coach?” That question landed like a hit you didn’t see coming. Jaime Elizondo asked it during our conversation, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Not because it was a clever turn of phrase—but because it was uncomfortably true. The feeling is familiar if you’ve been in this…

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Scout Team Practice Tips

That Actually Help You Win on Friday Night They don’t get their names in the paper. They don’t start on Friday night. But your scout team might be the most important group on your field. Done right, they’re the unsung heroes who sharpen your starters, stress test your game plan, and simulate the chaos of…

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5 Career Questions Every Coach Should Ask

Insights from Navy’s Eric Lewis When the offseason hits, smart coaches don’t just update résumés—they reflect. United States Naval Academy Assistant Coach Eric Lewis says evaluating your next move isn’t about chasing the next big job. It’s about asking the right questions in order to make the best coaching career decision. “There is no perfect…

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No Excuses, No Limits: Leadership Lessons from Anthony Weaver

Anthony Weaver doesn’t need to raise his voice to command a room. He leads with presence, not performance. At the QB Collective at the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas, the Defensive Coordinator of the Miami Dolphins sat down with us to talk about what real leadership looks like in the NFL—and how he builds it…

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Restore the Rock: Inside the Rockville Football Turnaround

In 2018, Erick Knickerbocker took over a football program most coaches wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. Rockville High School, nestled in the blue-collar town of Vernon, Connecticut, had gone 27-107 since 2004. The team was coming off a 1-10 season. The student body mocked players in the hallway for wearing their jerseys. There was…

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Brick by Brick Program Turnaround: Vision into Victory

The Culture Shift That Started with a Single Sentence When Andrew DiDonato walked into that auditorium on August 13, 2016, he wasn’t holding a PowerPoint, a whiteboard, or a list of rules. He had one sentence—and he repeated it for five straight minutes. “To glorify God in the pursuit of earning a degree, building lasting…

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How Brett Mertens Built a Winning High School Football Program

Lessons from One of High School Football’s Best Turnaround Coaches When Brett Mertens took over his first high school football coaching job, he wasn’t walking into a powerhouse program. He wasn’t handed a team full of varsity-ready athletes. Instead, he stared at 19 players—only two of whom had ever played football. It wasn’t just a…

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Steve Pyne’s Formula for a Football Program Turnaround

It’s easy to celebrate championships. The banners, trophies, and rings are the symbols of success. However, for Steve Pyne, the coaching work happens long before the lights shine on game night. It’s in the sweat-soaked practices, the uncomfortable conversations, and the relentless commitment to growth—both for his players and himself. It’s all part of his…

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