Week 4
Week 4 is upon us, I cannot believe that we are a month into the season now. I am so stoked to get this week underway, for many different reasons. This week I wanted to dive into a Southwest Missouri powerhouse program that is rooted in leadership, a firm foundation in core values, an outstanding youth program, and a process that is unmatched. Coach Will Christian with Lebanon football opened the Yellowjacket’s home for me a few weeks ago to discuss the program that they have, and whoa, was I impressed.
Lebanon Yellowjackets
Coach Christian has a fundamental leadership style based on Christian leadership. Practicing a servant leadership style is based on a my faith, our faith mantra and there is no doubt that it sets the tone for his football program. This leadership style is shown through what actions they take and how they talk in all things that they do. Within each level of the program, you can see the root of this leadership and the profound impact that it creates for the players, coaches, and community.
I.C.E
- Integrity
- Courage
- Effort
There are three core values that the Lebanon football program embrace in every aspect that they do, it is through the acronym I.C.E. The ‘I’ represents integrity, meaning doing right in every choice. The ‘C’ represents courage, defined as not having the absences of fear but leaning into the fear that exists and doing what is needed anyway. ‘E’ for the effort, possessing a tremendous effort in all things that they do. Coach Christian mentioned that learning in three’s is easiest, so keeping I.C.E as a primary foundational piece for their program has been very useful and easy for the team to latch on to. It is the simplicity of their values that creates the firm foundation of their program.
The youth program that Coach Christian has created lays the foundation for his high school program. The program consists of flag football for the kindergarteners through the second graders that play each other. Next are the third and fourth graders and the fifth and sixth graders tackle football, they consist of 8 teams. The third and fourth grade teams play each other and the fifth and sixth graders play each other. These teams play in Lebanon and K-6 youth football only were Lebanon High School colors. One of the major asks of Coach Christian for the youth coaches is that they make sure that every player on the team starts. This is important so they can establish an opportunity for the youth players to develop a love for the game and to be included in the game. Plus, it is true (even though we parents would like to think that we know) that we have no idea that the all-star player in the fourth grade is going to be an all-stater in high school, just like it cannot be predicted that the scawny third grader won’t turn into an all-state defensive end. Another phenomenal move is that these teams run the offensive and defensive football formations and plays from the high school. This begins to establish continuity with the players at a young age, they are hearing the same thing year after year until they get through high school. The youth program establishes the foundation for the players to build upon.
After the youth teams transition into junior high, they are met with the junior high coaching staff that are well verse and have been on staff for a very long time, even more continuity for the program and they continue to build upon the foundation from the youth program. Another piece to highlight here is that Coach Christian has had many graduated Yellowjackets coming back to coach on his staff, which as you guess it, creates even more continuity within the program. Coach Christian took pride in highlighting that the coaches that he has on staff are relational coaches. This means that they develop relationships with their players and that it is just as important for them to know the players for more than what they are providing on the field for the team. This leads to transformational coaching that has created buy in to the program.
If you have ever been blessed with the opportunity to watch Lebanon football perform on a Friday night, you will understand why this well-oiled machine runs so smoothly. They are process driven! Everything is for a purpose, has a purpose, and moves with purpose. The physicality of the team is highlighted by their downhill play and relentless mentality. Coach Christian strives to have his program to be fundamental in all applications within the game and they are driven to be a sound program in all aspects of the game. What does this mean? It means that they have each gap covered and they are in the correct coverage with the proper personnel on the field for defense. It means that they are following their blocking rules, so everyone is accounted for and tended to in the field of play on offense. Having the processes in place to cover all the aspects of the game creates a culture that continues to be physical, fundamental, and sound.
The Lebanon football program has a goal; Impact every single person in the program, from the players, managers, coaches, parents, community members. Every. Single. Person. It is about the lives touched that is important for Coach Christian, and what I can see, it is vast!
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