The Turnaround: Ready for Monday

The Turnaround
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by Jason Strunk
Lubbock High School Head Football Coach
Follow @WestTXCoach

We are heading back to Lubbock today. Vacation is over as soon as I begin the trek
back to the airport. It comes and goes fast, just like a season does. I’m soaking up a few extra minutes on the bench overlooking the Pacific where I have been writing all week. Can’t beat this spot!

It’s been a fun week. Relaxing, for sure. Also walked 47 miles from Saturday to
Saturday and worked out all 7 days. Can’t skip workouts. If you don’t want players
skipping workouts, you can’t skip them yourself. That would be hypocrisy! As you get older you need to stay in shape to keep up with the guys on the field. There is no disputing that. It is a must. Players need to feed off your energy. You can’t preach it if they don’t see it from you!

So it’s time to pack up and head back to Lubbock. Before that here are a few quick
notes.

It Begins

Monday at 5:00p.m. we hit the field for practice one. We are ready. The coaches have been planning each practice since July 10th. We have everything scripted and every minute of practice set in stone. Hitting the field organized and with a plan in hand is the only way to coach football. You cannot wing practices. There needs to be a purpose behind everything you do.

On day one we are already going to be working down-and-distance with the chains out. You can never get enough mental reps on situational football. You call plays based on situation. So why wouldn’t you start with chains on Day One? For me, it’s a must.  Get the kids used to thinking about situations, picking-up the sticks, fighting for an extra yard on 4th & 2 etc. It should all begin Day One.

So, LHS is ready. Cannot wait for Monday at 5:00 p.m.

New Offense

We have a new offense. That’s all I’m going to say about that. But just know my
juice is flowing for it! Can’t wait!

New Defense

I forgot to mention we also have a new defense we are going to unveil. Nate Gensler,
our DC, is a mad scientist. He is also a weirdo. A good weirdo.

New Special Teams

Yup. This is new, too.

The Mantra

Que up Tom Petty, Won’t Back Down. That’s where we will be in 2017. We do not care who you are, what you think of us or where we play you. We are going to show up and play with enthusiasm, energy, positivity and a relentless desire to prove the damn planet wrong! That’s just how it’s going to be under my watch. You can’t go through life letting people push you around. Why would we ever accept that on the field of play?

I can tell you this: we will scrap, battle, fight, claw for four quarters until the clock reads 0:00. You can put that in the bank. We Won’t Back Down.

If you aren’t jacked for 2017, you need to admit yourself to the hospital and check
yourself out. It’s time to flip the juice switch. Bring it!

Until next time… FIO.

No More Fumbles

Play Football

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About the Author

Jeff Fisher
Jeff is an award-winning journalist and expert in the field of high school sports, underscored with his appearance on CNBC in 2010 to talk about the big business of high school football in America.Jeff turned to his passion for high school football into an entrepreneurial venture called High School Football America, a digital media company focused on producing original high school sports content for radio, television and the internet.Jeff is co-founder and editor-in-chief of High School Football America, a partner with NFL Play Football.