So You Want to be a Shepherd

So You Want to be a Shepherd?

I try to find inspiration for being a football coach in all areas of my life.  I will read a book that has nothing to do with football and somehow apply something that I read from that book to leading a group of young men on a football team.  In full disclosure, I am Catholic and teach at a Catholic school so this post may seem a bit “religious” but I think it gets to the root of all leadership.

Pope Francis has instantly become one of my favorite popes of all time.  He really understands what it means to be a servant leader.  If you haven't followed his papacy, even if you aren't Catholic, you should check in to the things he has done and most notably the things he has NOT done since becoming pope.  For instance, the Pope refuses to ride in the luxury "Pope Mobile" and instead walks among the people during his visits.  He has refused to live in the insanely ornate Pope's Apartment in the Vatican and instead lives in a fairly modest apartment not far away.  Even as a Cardinal, he rode the public transportation in South America refusing to have an automobile.  He really gets it.  A few months ago I was at mass at the priest during his homily quoted something that Pope Francis had said recently when talking to a group of fellow priests, 

“If you want to be a shepherd, you have to smell like a sheep.”

Article about Pope Francis' Speech to Priests

That phrase instantly struck a chord with me as a football coach.  If you want to lead kids you can’t do it hands off.  Too many coaches see being a head coach (or an assistant for that matter) as the position of “do as I say.”  We often talk to our kids about being “servant” leaders, but rarely do we as coaches exemplify that type of servant leadership.  If you want kids to follow you, sometimes you have to do the things that the lowest of servants on the team must do in order for kids to follow.  Jesus washed the feet of his disciples even though he was One chosen by God to save us all from our sins.  Pretty powerful servant leader. Here are a few concrete examples that happened to us this year.  I genuinely despise telling people things that “Iv’e done” but in this case I think a few of these examples might help you to think about ways that you can be a shepherd and smell like a sheep with your team as well.

Filling Water Bottles

Let’s be honest, no one wants to fill water bottles at practice.  We have a full time trainer and a few managers but at some point in practice they usually will get bogged down and can’t keep up with filling bottles.  We use injured players to fill bottles as well, but from time to time, I will run over to the water station and start filling up water bottles myself and bring them to the players like I was a manager.  In doing this, the other players on the team will see that this is important and usually will follow suit.  They will fill water bottles when they see a need for it and be servant leaders for their teammates. 

Filming Practice

Film is a vital part of our everyday routine.  We teach our injured guys how to properly film practice and we have a manager that can do it as well.  However, when there is no one to film practice, sometimes I will do the honors.  It shows the kids just how important the film is, and it also shows them that no one is “too good” to do a little filming.

Walk Through the Locker Room After Practice

We have a separate room that is our “coaches office” in our field house.  It isn't much, but it does separate the players from the coaches which is nice.  However, too many times we will walk straight in to the coaches office after practice and start talking about the next practice etc.  Make it a habit to walk through your locker room after practice and talk with a few players about something from their day at practice.  Be specific.  Be genuine.  Players can tell when you aren't being real.  Find that kid on the scout team that works his butt off but doesn't get much recognition and say something positive to him that shows you were noticing his effort.  You never know how far that will go for you in the future.

Doing these little things will give your players a concrete example of what being a servant leader really looks like.  The next time one of your seniors yells, “Freshmen fill the water bottles!” challenge that senior to fill those bottles himself first.  If a senior does some menial task that is mostly reserved for the lowly freshmen, then when he asks those freshmen to do it (and they have witnessed him do it himself) they are way more likely to respond positively.  The same goes for coaches.  “If you want to be a shepherd, you have to smell like a sheep.”  Pope Francis knows his football!