Managing Day 1 of NFL Training Camp

The NFL season begins today as all 32 teams report to training camp full of hope, optimism and expectation. Slightly fewer than 3,000 players will battle for roster spots in hopes of fulfilling the dream of competing on fall Sundays in the NFL.

One of the hardest jobs for any leader at the beginning of a new year filled with excitement is to manage the organization’s and the players’ expectations. Most want to rush to the finish line without taking the vital steps along the way to ensure the proper foundation of success. There is a permeating belief that the organization worked hard in the off-season and added more talent, so naturally, success will be right around the corner.

It becomes easy to jump ahead. Players worry about making the team, worry about how many reps they get in practice, and where they appear on the depth chart. And it becomes next to impossible to stay in the moment because the fans, the media and 24/7 coverage create huge expectations down the road.

From day one, the head coach must talk ONLY about day one — not the first pre-season game, when the pads come on, or the first regular-season opponent. Day one sets the tone, and the leader can never allow the group to look past it. He must urge the players to take advantage of every single rep they receive, focusing on doing the best they can with what they’re given on that day. The coach must continue to emphasize that players control the controllables — their hydration, lifting, mental preparation, and most of all, their overall health.

Teaching players to stay in the moment is as vital as any play in the playbook, so many successful coaches begin their first practice with rudimentary drills. By going back to the basics, the leader emphasizes the current moment and keeps everyone present by performing a simple task.

The psychologist Abraham Maslow once said, “The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.”

Staying in the moment will be a central theme throughout the long season, and teaching the organization how to do this is the No. 1 job of the leader.

By re-enforcing that each day is the only day, each drill and each play is all that matters, the momentum of being present builds and becomes part of the team's DNA. It also eliminates any unrealistic expectations that can quickly destroy a season.

Let the media talk about the future. We as leaders need to talk about the only day that matters: TODAY.