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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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…
Read MoreLessons 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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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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The Old Way: Three Hours, Endless Reps, and Diminishing Returns For years, football coaches wore long practices like a badge of honor. Were you even working hard enough if you weren’t on the field for three hours, grinding through every possible situation? Water breaks stretched on. Position drills dragged. Players stood around waiting for their…
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Turning a losing football program into a playoff contender takes more than talent—it requires trust, culture, and a clear vision. Coach Charlie TeGantvoort shares his step-by-step blueprint for rebuilding a team, setting standards, and creating a winning mindset. Learn how to transform your program from rock bottom to championship-ready.
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How Hutchinson’s Drew Dallas Turns Roster Turnover into Sustained Success The modern coaching landscape doesn’t allow for slow builds. Whether it’s the transfer portal, high school players bouncing between programs, or the rapid cycle of junior college football, the challenge remains the same—coaches must establish a winning culture fast or risk losing their team before…
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Coaching job searches have depended on connections, experience, and luck for years. Athletic directors and head coaches still rely on outdated hiring methods, often settling for familiar names instead of selecting the best fit. Meanwhile, countless qualified coaches struggle to break through because the system works against them. The hiring process in football needs a…
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Old-school coaches built their programs on toughness, hard work, and grinding out reps. That mentality still matters, but the best coaches evolve. They maximize every minute, keep players engaged, and structure practices to replicate game-day execution. Noel Dean has mastered that balance. He knows how to build winning teams with 249 career wins, nine conference…
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By Keith Grabowski No coach succeeds alone. The best ones surround themselves with a network of trusted mentors, peers, and rising stars who challenge their thinking and fuel their growth. In a recent Think Tank discussion, I sat down with three football minds—Mike Giancola (Defensive Coordinator, Roanoke College), Rob Everett (Offensive Assistant, Miami Dolphins), and…
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