Meet the Students of CGS: A Day in the Life of a High School Football Coach
Each summer, College of General Studies students continue their learning by pursuing opportunities that stretch their skills and help them apply their education to real-world experiences. This series gives a glimpse into the summer jobs, fellowships, and internships of CGS students. Mitchell McLeod (CGS’17, COM’19) talks about his summer job as a coach for the Nathan Hale High School football team in Seattle.
You’re working as a football coach this summer, coaching the team where you went to high school. Tell us why you decided to do this job.
My school’s program always had a whole lot of positive role models for me. There were always alumni coming back and helping out, be it for a couple days or a whole season. Beyond imparting their football knowledge, they were always great people to go to for advice, help, or guidance. I want to try and do something similar for the next generation of football players. I got a lot of guidance from these alum, on everything from girls to college, and I’m hoping to have a chance to help out in a similar way.
Were you a member of the football team in high school? What position did you play?
I played for all four years at Nathan Hale. I was a linebacker and offensive lineman. I was chosen by my team to serve as captain for one season, and I lettered twice, helping my school claim the division title back-to-back years.
What do you like most about the job so far?
This job is a fantastic time. To still be around the game I grew up loving, and having a chance to impart my wisdom to younger kids, has been a blast so far. The best, and most rewarding, part is watching young players grow in their confidence, maturity, and football ability. My head coach always preaches about “turning boys into men”, and watching teenagers make important steps, both on and off the field, towards becoming a man is amazing. From something as little as arriving on time to practice, to something such as a good play on the field, watching these players grow up before my eyes has made me appreciate the lessons football taught me.
What’s the most challenging part of it?
I never appreciated how much patience it took to coach until I tried it. I’m working with freshman and sophomores this year, and for many, this is their first exposure to football. Having to dumb down complicated concepts, without being able to use advanced football lingo, can be flustering, and making the players frustrated only exacerbates this problem. It takes a lot of question and answer sessions and individual work to make sure everyone understands, which can take up a lot of valuable practice time. But watching a player’s eyes light up the first time they do it correctly is the most rewarding feeling in the world.
Pick one of your recent coaching sessions and walk us through it.
Our practices start at 9 in the morning. Players are expected to be on the field, dressed, ready for practice by then, and I have to hurry players out of the locker room every morning so they make it on time. We do a warm up, which consists of light running and stretching, then go to individual drills for tackling and blocking. We reconvene as a team for a time to run through plays, which ranges from drawing sessions on the whiteboard to full speed reps. After that, we’ll head to the weight room, where players will have a limited amount of time to complete a workout. At this point, it should be about 11, and we’ll finish the practice with conditioning and sprints. Everything is based on competition, and so our drills, while practicing techniques, also build competitive mindsets by always having players race to finish first.
You’re working at the school where you also went to high school. What’s the biggest difference between being a high school student and being a college student?
The biggest difference between being a high schooler and a college student comes down to responsibility. You no longer have parents to make sure you’re getting your work done or to fill out paperwork for you. You no longer have teachers who will coddle you about curriculum. You no longer have anyone dictating how your time is spent besides you. Your success, or your failure, is on you and you alone.
Are there any takeaways or lessons you think you’ll bring to school with you in the Fall?
I will definitely bring a greater appreciation for my TAs and professors come the fall. After seeing how difficult it is to teach a technique in football, I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to teach some of what I’ve been taught in college so far.