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"Coaches Corner" articles are written directly by high school coaches, providing a unique perspective on topics both on and off the court that impact the game and prep sports in general.

Written by Milwaukee Career & Tech. Ed. football coach Kyle Henry, who is in his first year as the head coach for the program.

This is my first year as a head football coach for Barrack Obama Career and Technical Education High School, otherwise known as Milwaukee Career and Tech Ed. As a young 28-year-old coach, I look forward to the opportunities I’ve been granted. Most of the coaches I’ve talked to know that I’m not a teacher and I don’t work within the building. It isn’t easy working outside the school district but if you’re persistent and show up, you can make an impression. 

Our Philosophy 

The one thing I preach to our athletes is the philosophy of our program and our mission as a team. A coaching philosophy is the backbone of program. It’s a set of guidelines that is followed and looked over again, when needed. It’s a mindset that you as coach, abide by and believe in. At Milwaukee Career and Tech Ed. we focus on four pillars of success on our team.

1. Family
2. Commitment
3. Discipline
4. Dominate

Family to us means that the guy to the right and left of you on the football field, is considered your family member. They’re the individuals that are going to help you win the game. Not the fan in the stands, not the neighbor down the street, it’s the people that come to practice on a daily basis and that are on the team. These family members will win the game. Watch Bill Snyder at Kansas State University. He preaches to his athletes about family and the importance of playing for one another. His model of family is something to be idolized and each one of his athletes commit to the family model. We want to build that same model of success at our program.

Commitment to the team is the first step to becoming a successful program. Coming to after-school weightlifting programs, coming to practice, showing up in class and striving to attain goals is a form of commitment. Being an athlete isn’t about being the best player on the field, it’s about being the best in everything you do on and off the field. 

Discipline must be instilled on the football field. Profanity and racial terms should not be allowed on the football field. We must understand what is right and what is wrong. Doing the right thing all the time, is what we expect at our program. If you’re doing the wrong thing, accept the consequences and remember to do the right thing.

Lastly, the term we like to use is dominate. We must dominate the opposition that is in front you on the football field. You must never quit and you must strive to outperform the opposition. Bill Belicheck tells his Patriots team to “do your job”. He means to not only “do your job” but to excel at your task.

These pillars of success are followed on a daily basis and we expect our football players to abide by this philosophy throughout the year. Your philosophy as a coach is the model of what you want your program to be. You must also act the part. What I mean by that is, lead by example. Athletes look up to their coaches as mentors and role models. The philosophy you create, must also be followed by you as a coach.