Einstein's definition
of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a
different result.
After a decade of coaching high school football locally, eight of which spent toiling in OB systems, I've gained a newfound appreciation for variances in culture and methodology. Wherever you go culture determines behavior and what people hold to be true. Consequently, those same beliefs determine what is held to be achievable; I've found this to be true on and off the football field.
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Many of the major sports in Japanese institutions and organizations are coached and managed by "alumni" groups. This is referred to locally as the "OB" system and is fairly common in Japan. OB organizations often operate semi-independent of the institutions they're affiliated with and, in many cases, aren't financially supported by them. While it's possible to achieve success with "alumni" running the show, like any other competitive venture, that depends on the talent of leadership versus that of the competition.
The local concept of how a football team is coached is very different from what I was familiar with. In Hiroshima, a typical "OB" football coach shows up at the practice field anywhere from between once a week to once a month. Most scholastic sports in Japan practice as many as five and six days a week year round. Attending practice on Sundays is the gold standard for local OB football coaches; therefore, unsupervised football practice has evolved to become the norm.
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On the rare occasion that the senior most OB coach attends a practice they're likely to arrive late and depart early; "do as I say, not as I do" seems to apply. If present, a younger coach assumes a bigger role in running the activities. A general directive with regard to following the "menu" may be articulated by the senior coach. The eldest of the "active" OB coaches is often the dominant one and rules with mysterious powers not apparent to the outsider. In this type of environment it's futile to attempt anything perceived as innovation; though a particular athletic feat might be easily demonstrated it's usually dismissed as too difficult or dangerous.
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It's not as if there aren't any promising, young coaching candidates to be found. There are a number former football players around that broadened their horizons competing at the college level or beyond in far away places. Typically they spend four years or more in new and dynamic football environments and their football knowledge expands accordingly. Undoubtedly, some of those young returnees have a desire to coach. Perhaps they're better suited to lead their former schools. It seems the OB seniority system is the bully pulpit older coaches use to dominate and browbeat the younger ones away from the precious few leadership opportunities in football. It doesn't help that the old guys rarely retire; they rule over their rickety old football empires until they literally fall off their thrones.
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On the rare occasion that the senior most OB coach attends a practice they're likely to arrive late and depart early; "do as I say, not as I do" seems to apply. If present, a younger coach assumes a bigger role in running the activities. A general directive with regard to following the "menu" may be articulated by the senior coach. The eldest of the "active" OB coaches is often the dominant one and rules with mysterious powers not apparent to the outsider. In this type of environment it's futile to attempt anything perceived as innovation; though a particular athletic feat might be easily demonstrated it's usually dismissed as too difficult or dangerous.
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It's not as if there aren't any promising, young coaching candidates to be found. There are a number former football players around that broadened their horizons competing at the college level or beyond in far away places. Typically they spend four years or more in new and dynamic football environments and their football knowledge expands accordingly. Undoubtedly, some of those young returnees have a desire to coach. Perhaps they're better suited to lead their former schools. It seems the OB seniority system is the bully pulpit older coaches use to dominate and browbeat the younger ones away from the precious few leadership opportunities in football. It doesn't help that the old guys rarely retire; they rule over their rickety old football empires until they literally fall off their thrones.
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| A practice menu |
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The pattern...
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The bi-annual Japanese national high school football tournament (spring and fall) is when a Hiroshima team's charade of being prepared is exposed. Traditionally, whenever either of the two Hiroshima teams makes the journey eastward to the competitive Kansai area disparities in doctrine, preparation, and execution become obvious from kick off. Based on the demeanor of the folks on a Hiroshima team's sideline a loss is but a forgone conclusion.
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The bi-annual Japanese national high school football tournament (spring and fall) is when a Hiroshima team's charade of being prepared is exposed. Traditionally, whenever either of the two Hiroshima teams makes the journey eastward to the competitive Kansai area disparities in doctrine, preparation, and execution become obvious from kick off. Based on the demeanor of the folks on a Hiroshima team's sideline a loss is but a forgone conclusion.
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| In Kansai it's a whole different ballgame |
Immediately after kick-off the Kansai hosts quickly establish dominance and the question changes from one of "if" the opponent will win to how big of a margin it's going to be. As usual the Hiroshima team's kick-off return team will see more action than the offense. Late in the second quarter the Kansai team's offense is on fire approaching forty points while the Hiroshima team's offense is struggling to reach the original line of scrimmage. On defense it seems everyone on the Hiroshima team has a limp.
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With the contest having spiraled out of control an uncomfortable fog of silence descends over the Hiroshima sideline. Not surprisingly, halftime is a solemn affair where white boards and adjustments are nowhere to be found. The guy with the big whistle implores his battered and exhausted troops to "sit down and have some water". Nobody on the Hiroshima sideline seems to notice that the Kansai team has quietly emptied their bench. The correlation between what didn't occur on the practice field and what's happening in the game doesn't seem to dawn on Hiroshima OB coaches; perhaps it was just fate.
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As the final seconds of the fourth quarter evaporate from the game clock a demoralized Hiroshima team pensively gathers it's belongings and limps off the gridiron. After a series of tearful post game speeches by assorted coaches (some of whom I've never seen at the practice field) where blame inevitably rolls down hill the matter is considered closed. A Hiroshima team's game day experience culminates in a six hour bus ride home; after which the experiences and potential lessons are promptly forgotten.
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