Coaching isn't a season, it's eternity!

WR secrets week seven was great turnout, we had twenty student-athletes playing fast and at a high tempo. I get so excited when Sunday arrives begins I have the opportunity to coach. What I enjoy most is when you have a kid that lacks WR skills, but when you trained and teach him the fundamentals and techniques to become a good wide Receiver. That's what I enjoy most is taking a receiver that lacks WR skills and give him the tools to be successful. There is nothing better than helping an athlete who wants to get better, it makes our job easy as coaches.

As a coach I worked with all types of athletes, some had all the physical tools but lack the work ethic, some had physical tools, but resisted the coaching, and I worked with guys who wasn't blessed physically, but they had a great work ethic. I pretty much worked with any type of kid. Humbling speaking what makes me better than most coaches, when I deal with difficult players I will go above and beyond to help that individual. Where in several cases coaches tend to give up. I never quit on a kid, NEVER! One thing I will do if I can't reach a kid I will ask my mentors to try to get answers for this kid, speak with his parents, speak to him. I will never stop coaching him and continue to find a solution. That is what separates me from other coaches.

I thank god for blessing me with a big heart, every kid I coach I still have relationship with them. Some are in college, some are trying to find there purpose in life, but it don't matter my door will always be opened. Coaches, you have to understand once you join this business of coaching you have to be willing to be in it for these kids forever. You have to be available for these kids, because you don't know what that kid goes threw on a daily basis. We always have to be available, if not we will be like the others in his life. I had parent write me a letter thanking me, that I done more for her son than his head coach ever done, that touched my heart because this kid I only coached him in 7-on-7 travel team. Things like that I keep in my head because those are the things that drive me, and I can't let a kid down. Coaches this is a long haul, and not detour. We must remain in our players livelihood forever.

Competitive Greatness

Week 5 of “Wr Secrets”, was great day of fundamentals and technique. I had two new players joined and I also had new coach as well. We worked on ball drills, WR releases, and WR breakdowns.  What impressed me most are kids willing to work hard and be competitive non-stop. That is something that all coaches enjoy when kids are willing to work hard and compete at a high level.

My wife is photographer, so I have her take pictures of the clinic. She does a great job taking pictures of the clinic. When I am coaching my players I don’t even notice that the outside world is there, I am so focus (locked in is a football term that coaches use) with my players.  When the clock hits 7:30pm, a light switch goes off and as group we all pray together. After that “WR Secrets” has begun. As a player you have to have a light switch that goes off, and when that light switch turns on, that means you are locked in and ready to go. When you are locked in, anything outside the football field is irrelevant. Such as fans, parents, student section, cheerleaders, opponent fans, opponent sidelines, and the opposing players. You have to become locked in and ready to go. That means, you must know your opponent strengths and weaknesses, your assignment, and have short term memory (If you make a mistake during the game you must forget about it immediately, if not it will ruin your day). If you have all these things you will be prepared, and preparation=confidence.

Being locked in doesn’t happened on the day of the game. You have to be locked in the whole football season, if not you will lose trust of your teammates.  You must be tunnel vision on the success of your football season. The only thing that should be in your tunnel in this order is God, Family, Academics, and Football.  Anything else will be hard to balance. Young fellas, let’s show Competitive Greatness in all the things we do.  Being competitive great is learning to rise to every occasion and to push yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually to reach your God-given potential.

The Gifted vs Work Ethic

The third day we worked on ball drills. In the past weeks we worked on techniques and fundamentals of the wide receiver position. The reason wide receivers drop a lot of footballs is because of the lack of concentration. I teach my guys to catch the ball with their eyes. After you catch the football with your eyes, you now tuck the football, using your eyes. If you are a fan of football from little league to the NFL 99.9% of drops are because pass catchers are taking their eyes off the football. You would be amazed, but fundamentals never changed on all levels. We catch and tuck the football with our eyes. Our eyes never leave the football until it’s secured. I expect my guys to understand this philosophy as we prolong with our training.

I always tell my guys to watch NFL wide receivers, but thinking a lot of NFL wide receivers has bad habits. Some of the best in the game are Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, Dez Bryant, Steve Smith, and many more. These guys have freakish gifts, Calvin Johnson 6’5 230lbs runs 4.35 40 yard dash and has vertical jump of 40inches. He is pound for pound the best receiver in the league. When you are blessed with freakish gifts you rely on those gifts and don’t work on day one fundamentals. There are many NFL wide receivers that have poor fundamentals such as, stance/starts, poor route running, average hands, and are poor blockers.  To work on those fundamentals you will need a coach that will break those habits or to have longevity and playing at an elite level you will have to put your pride to the side and improve them yourself. For example, Jerry Rice played 20 years in the NFL and in his 18^th year in the NFL he played in a Pro Bowl; because his work ethic was his gift. Nobody worked harder than Rice, and that’s why he played at an elite level at the age of 40.

Young guys, if you want to have dreams playing at the Next Level you have to possess the correct fundamentals and techniques. That’s stance/starts, releases, parts of route (Speed, stem, and drive), route running, catching the ball properly (catch with your eyes), and blocking. Be a complete wide receiver, one thing I can say about my football career I wasn’t the biggest, strongest, nor the fastest, but I possessed all those key fundamentals to become an All-American and NFL WR. Young guys don’t rely on your gifts; instead have a work ethic that will take your gifts to another level.

What drives you to be GREAT?

   The third day, we divided the athletes into two groups. Group one was the inexperience WR’s (9^th-10^th) and group two was the experienced WRs. I coached Group 1, with these guys we learned how to breakdown routes. We spent 30 minutes. I was telling my guys this is the toughest part of playing WR being able to breakdown routes, such as curl and comeback route. I told the guys it took me my senior year in college to run this route correctly. So, guys don't get discourage it's a process.

  Group two was working on the same drills, but they were working on a faster pace. Every, so often I can see my players glance over there looking like this will be me someday. I know that feeling as well, when I was a red-shirt freshman at Ferris State University the year before we had the all time leading receiver Clarence Coleman who surpass Jerry Rice college career receiving records. Clarence was the best football player I seen in college. The things he did after he caught the football, he made guys look foolish. It was like the game was easy for him, and it looked effortless. I enjoyed watching him play every Saturday as true freshmen. During that summer he went on to play for the Buffalo Bills. I studied every film that Clarence Coleman played at Ferris State University.  The reason was I wanted to be one of the best, even though I always played quarterback prior college. In order to be one of the best you have to study the best. Also, you have to know everything about the individual. I knew Clarence was from Hollywood, FL, he went to Miramar H.S, we both had division 1 offers, and most importantly he played with a chip on his shoulder. Northwood University had their chances to offer Clarence Coleman, but they said he was to slow. Wow! Don’t they regret that, he became one of the best wide receivers in division II football.

   To be great you have to have something motivating you constantly. For example, Michael Irvin Hall of Fame wide receiver grew up with seventeen siblings and eating corn flakes with water for breakfast. Also, his dad died when he was in high school. That is enough motivation to be great. Jerry Rice who is the greatest wide receiver of all time came from a small college called Mississippi Valley University. Don’t you think he got tired of hearing about his slow 40 time which he ran 4.74 and he went to small school and he couldn’t compete against the other athletes from bigger schools? Jerry Rice said, he didn’t take a vacation for the first ten years of his career because he feared that someone was going to take his position. This is Jerry Rice arguably the greatest to ever play the game. What fuel me to become an All-American in only three years of playing the WR position, was my competitive nature, people doubted me and I had a love and passion for the game. What drives you? Why play the game to only be mediocre? In order to be great something has to be burning inside you.

"Me versus You". Why, I will Win!

The second day of WR "Secrets", I felt the guys improved from week one. What helped out tremendously is we had Richard Gills that will now be a coach. Richard Gills was my wide receiver at Creston High School, he received all state honors as a senior. He had several scholarship offers, but decided to attend Northwood University.  After college he spent several years playing Indoor Football League (IFL) for the Muskegon Thunder. Now he is wide receiver coach, he's been coaching the position for 7 years now.


              The second day we spent more time on technique then catching and running routes. For example, we spent time working on releases versus man to man press technique. This teaches wide receivers to become physical, a competitive edge, aggressive, elusive, and eventually we will produce a "Killer Instinct".

             Let's talk about press coverage. Press coverage is a "Me" versus "You" attitude. It's one on one. For example, picture two people being in a small boxing ring, face to face. Whoever reacts first and use proper technique will win. I teach my players to take press coverage personal, both player and coach is saying you will lose at the line of scrimmage. As a player you should be, so excited when you see a corner back playing you press coverage. Why? Because I teach the proper techniques to beat press coverage and if you apply it, you will a big play. As a player and a coach I go insane when I see the opponent playing man press on my guys. We must envision its one to one street fight, again "Me" versus "You", Who will Win? When the time comes my guys will be ready to fight!

"Wr Secrets", 1st Day "Jitters"

I would like to applaud the parents and the student-athletes for attending “WR Secrets”, due to the weather. We had a total of sixteen student-athletes that participated today. That showed me that these players are determined to get better, “so Coach Brewster you better get ready”. What I enjoyed most of the day was guys were playing hard and competing. The comparison was similar to trying out for High School basketball team, guys where auditioning and giving their best.

You’re always going to have first day jitters as a player and a coach. My jitters were more of how many guys will attend due to the weather? Also, I was filled with so much anticipation and excitement to start “WR secrets”. When we first started I can tell some of the players had “jitters”. Why? Some of the jitters come because of the other athletes. As an athlete you work to be the best, but there is always someone better than you in a certain area. For instance, as a wide receiver I needed to improve my speed and route running. As a college sophomore at King and Mulick Park I spent hours working on my route running and ran several hills to improve on my explosiveness and speed.  Does it make any sense to work on your strong areas? It’s a must that you are your own “BIGGEST” critic, because if you’re not somebody else will and that my lead you to fall mentally. So, be true yourself and improve on your weak areas.

Day 1 is over now. Ask yourself these things. What are the things you need to improve on? Have you guys taken a look at Sam Harrison, Brandon Jackson, and Austin Gordon? Have you compared and contrast yourself against these guys? Have any of you asked these guys what does it take to get to the Next Level? Have you guys reached out to me, on what does it take to get to the Next Level? Student-Athletes it’s time to get out of your comfort zone, and soak up all the information you possibly can. We play to be GREAT!