By Rob Morrissey
NFL Player Engagement
From 2003 to 2007 and for two more years beginning in 2011, coach Tim Harris Jr. and his father Tim “Ice” Harris have coached Miami-based Booker T. Washington High School to back-to-back national championships and a top 15 national rank. Now, with his father accepting a position at The University of Miami, Tim Harris Jr. has stepped up to continue the program’s standard of excellence.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling at the beginning because of my dad leaving after everything we accomplished together. But he’s been putting me in position to handle what comes with this type of job, and he’s been showing me the ropes. I knew it was a matter of time, but there’s no greater feeling than this happening here at Booker T. Washington.”
When you’re developing talent, what are some of the intangibles that you look for and why?
Our program is looking for student-athletes that are dedicated to their school and our program. We want players who are respectful, trust in their coaches and value their opinions. For us to be successful we need student-athletes that are willing to step up and be leaders, on the field as well as in the classroom. We want to establish early on that trusting and believing in our program’s process is going to benefit them both on and off the field.
What are the characteristics of a successful student-athlete, on and off the field?
First and foremost a successful student-athlete is dedicated to their school work and their football training. They actively reach out to tutors when they are in need of help and come prepared to work during conditioning drills and team lifts. Successful players take part in community building activities, and have a great sense of pride in their school and community. Players who understand that they are playing for a greater purpose than the individual are the ones who stay true to their responsibilities and commitments. All the X’s and O’s of football are just the icing on the cake.
How do you and your staff begin developing leadership skills in your student-athletes?
To help develop better leadership skills our team hosts meetings and seminars, as well as offseason training programs. We try to identify the players that are best at leading by example, are respectful to those around them, and speak cordially to the staff. Our six team captains also become members of our leadership council – these are the players we know we can count on to hold their teammates accountable and keep things moving in the right direction. All the kids in our program want to be in the leadership council, they want to be recognized for their hard work so as a team we are constantly working hard to set positive examples and further our goals.
What advice would you give a parent/guardian who is assisting his/her child with the college search process?
Parents need to understand that student-athletes need to succeed in the classroom first before focusing on football. Once players understand the importance of their academic standing everything else falls into place. Student-athletes need to sit down with their academic advisors and address questions like, how are you going to adjust to living somewhere else? And how will you adjust to different social environments? It’s important to build strong relationships with the school’s academic staff. We want our student-athletes to succeed in life, not just football.
What is something every incoming freshman should know as they transition into high school athletics?
Once students reach high school level football they need to understand the amount of hard work and dedication it’s going to take to compete at a high level, this isn’t little league football anymore. Everyone wants to come in right away and be that go-to guy, the star studded athlete, but there are a lot of pieces that need to fall into place to get to that level. Student-athletes are going to have to ask themselves if they are willing to put in the necessary work to be successful. It’s shirts and ties on game day, understanding more than just the X’s and O’s, and being ready to give it your all when your number is called.
How do you create a healthy culture within your locker room?
Creating and maintaining a healthy locker room is essential for creating a foundation the team can then build upon. As a team we complete a number of team building activities such as offseason training camps on college campuses. We also have a camp circuit where the whole teams stays in college dorms. Eating and living together helps build stronger relationships between players. Teams need to start building relationships early so that when adversity hits we’ll stand together instead of falling apart.
How have you seen the student-athlete experience change over the years?
Over the years from a football standpoint there have been huge changes in notoriety. Successful football programs are getting huge sponsors from brands like Nike and others. High school football has gained more television exposure than ever before. The internet has also helped some players increase their potential value to college programs. Technology has made it easier than ever for high school players to make a name for themselves.
Source:
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/high-school/prep-miami-dade/article1960964.html