Coaches – Be Ready to Make the Connection to Your Campus

Making connections on campus has become distinctly more challenging in the previous weeks. As leaders on campus, it is our great responsibility to keep spirits high during these challenging times and to continue to look for new ways to keep students connected to their schools. Here are some ideas that an advisor or coach can do to keep morale up and spread positivity by making the connection with other groups on campus.

RECOGNIZE SENIOR ACHIEVEMENTS

The spring season is supposed to be filled with many competitions and celebratory events. If these experiences are no longer possible for your seniors, look for ways to honor and recognize those individuals for all they have given to your school community.

• Have your team or school social media accounts feature a senior each day/week who has made a significant contribution to your school.
• Have each campus group nominate a senior for special recognition.
• Get creative and host a virtual Senior Awards/Recognition program.

ENHANCE SCHOOL SPIRIT

Building a sense of community and support during this time is so important. Look for ways your school groups can interact and work together for the benefit of your students and community.

• Organize opportunities where campus groups can virtually work together to assist and make an impact within your surrounding community (donate to food banks, write letters or call senior citizen associations, schedule a blood donation, etc.).
• Your fight song is a great representation of school pride and spirit. Make it a goal each student knows the fight song. Take your fight song words and host a contest for the best graphic design presenting the fight song. Or ask students to sing, play and/or do fight song choreography and share.
• Host a virtual Spirit Week and have students post photos for a best dress contest.
• Host a sidewalk chalk or poster contest with students answering the question, “What does being a [insert mascot name] mean to me”.
• Reach out to your Athletic Director, Band Director, Dance or Cheer Team Director/Coach and discuss ideas about working together to create a student body experience at school and/or a future game.

PROMOTE POSITIVITY

• Have your team pay it forward with positivity.
• Tag a school group on campus on social media and send words of encouragement or ways they have inspired your team/school this year.
• Reach out specific campus leader(s) and write a few words of gratitude for their contribution to the school.
• Write cards/letters to your teammates and show appreciation for them.
• Write a card of gratitude to custodians and staff who have worked countless hours to keep your campus clean and safe.