Orienting that Newcomer

By Mike Nelson

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thought I would write you to let you know how I am enjoyingthe beginning of my freshman year at Wonderlust University. Let me start withthe good news.

I know you and Dad dont want me to join football, but I didanyway. Dont worry; they have this really neat program where they spend a lottime in what they call orientation. At first, I was eager to jump right inand start learning the play book, dressing up in a full uniform and do somehitting, but for the last two weeks they felt it was more important to acquaintme with some basics. The only playbook I was allowed to study was theirWelcome to the Team brochure. They encouraged me to share the brochure withyou. I guess they feel it might give you some comfort.

Welcome to the Wonderlust University Football Team

Table of Contents   Youre not a Chore Our Plan Your Mentor Your Team Paper Paper Rules Safety The Workplace Rewards and Benefits Follow up

Written by   Coach Paz D. Buck

Youre not a Chore

The coach said that some of his assistants think orientationis a pain in the tailbone. He stressed to them that we have invested considerabletime recruiting these freshman and that they are our biggest resource. Howabout that, Mom, now Im a resource! He told the assistant coaches that he canreduce the number of mistakes we make by spending time with us early and often.

Our Plan

The coach said not to expect a playbook or contact drillsfor at least two weeks. He gave us a timeline that spelled out what, when, andwho for the next two weeks. This timeline or plan really makes me feelcomfortable even though all of this is very new to me. He mentioned the goalsof the plan were to ensure no surprises and to prepare us.

Your Mentor

The coach assigned each of us a mentor. They are there toanswer questions?especially the stupid ones. He mentioned that they are thevoice of experience and will show us the ropes. He confided in us that a whileago he wasnt careful enough in selecting mentors. In one case the mentorshared nothing but bad habits and procedures. It took two seasons to reversethe bad mentoring.

Your Team

During our orientation the coach said we would meet all theother players and coaches. He said it was important to understand the roles andresponsibilities of all team members.

Paper Paper

The coach is not a big fan of paper and forms, but heinsisted that all of us complete the two inch stack. They had forms foreverything--health information, academic schedules, emergency contacts-- on andon. There was even one form to confirm our citizenship. What does that have todo with football??

Rules

The coach noted that every new assignment or job comes withrules. We have rules of conduct on andoff the field. Rules also cover attendance (both in class and for teamactivities), academic standards, and proper use of training facilities andequipment. There are also special terms and conditions. Procedures used toreduce the squad size and random drug testing are just a few examples of someof these terms and conditions.

Safety

Mom, this paragraph is for you. The coach and trainer taughtme a great deal about how to minimize the potential for injury and be a saferplayer.

The coach is passionate about safety. He pointed out that weare much more likely to injure ourselves in the beginning when we areunfamiliar with the procedures and the environment.

One of the assistant coaches issued us protective equipmentand gave us instruction in the proper care and use of the equipment. Heemphasized that the equipment is provided to protect you, but it cant protectyou if you dont wear or use it.

The trainer also explained how to minimize injuries usingproper warm up and stretching techniques and indicated that many playerinjuries were caused by horseplay. He also gave us instruction regarding somehazards I hadnt thought about. For instance, some of the solvents used toclean helmets and cleats are actually considered hazardous chemicals. Weathercan also cause its own set of safety issues. In the summer a player can easilysuffer heat stroke, and in the winter it is more difficult to keep muscleswarm--increasing their tendency to tear.

The Workplace

One of the assistant coaches explained that the playerswould be training and playing in a variety of locations (weight room, therapycenter, drill field and home and away stadiums). Each location has its ownprocedures and safety concerns. Prior to the orientation, I hadnt given anythought to this.

Rewardsand Benefits

An administrative assistant for the team spent time with usand explained our benefits and rewards. I was surprised to learn that not allbenefits started immediately. Some of the benefits and awards she coveredincluded:

Special meals Medical checkups

Tutors Tickets for relatives

Follow up

The coach said that we want all your mistakes to be small.Our best chance of correcting them is by catching them early and makingreadjustments. Thus you will see a lot of me and your mentor not only duringorientation but for the entire year.

Well, enough about my orientation--now for the bad news.Somehow I ran out of money. Could you wire me about five hundred bucks?

Love,

Your favorite son,

Brooks

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Next time we will cover Retaining Talent.