Coaches need coaching, too

I recently had the opportunity to attend the annual Arizona High School Football Head Coaches pre-season meetings.

Varsity high school football coaches from across the state came to learn about upcoming rule changes, the continued emphasis on sportsmanship and to get some professional development.

At HMA Public Relations, we have written extensively about how important continuing education is, not only to our company culture, but to the entire industry – any industry.

The keynote speakers at the coaches meeting were Arizona State University head football coach Herm Edwards and Marvin Lewis, now on the ASU coaching staff after 16 years at the Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach.

While the pair was focused on their audience of football coaches, their messaging applies to all industries:

Edwards said, “Coaches need coaches.  The sharing of knowledge is how we make the game better.  The game is always changing so coaches must evolve.  We must build base of fundamentals and surround ourselves with good communicators.  You have to give them knowledge.  We don’t want to be an emotional team. We want to be a passionate team. ”

Lewis’ best quote was his recital of a sign that was on former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer’s door: “They don’t care what you know till they know that you care.”

These guys have two of the most respected minds in the game, and their messaging carries over far beyond football.