In today’s society, football is no longer a hobby; it is a way of life. The game of football has evolved so much so that just practicing with your team is not enough. As a high school football coach, one of the biggest things I see that kids are, missing from the standpoint of being ready for football is more mental than physical. As a coach, it is our job to get you in shape by running and doing various workouts with the team. However, as a player you need to come to the field each day locked, loaded, and ready to be coached. Locked and loaded is a phrase I use a lot with my players meaning that you are focused on what you need to do as a player to get ready and be corrected when you make a mistake. As a coach I believe that players play and coaches coach, so as a player you must allow yourself to be coached when you make a mistake and not take correction as a negative. As a coach, it is our job to correct you so that you don’t make the same mistake in a game situation. The moment kids understand that the coach is not picking on them or trying to hurt them will be the moment kids take their game to the next level.