Athletic Director Hank Lopez Addresses Players During August Conditioning

Before the first whistle blows to start the opening game in September, a whole lot happens behind the scenes.

As your athletic director, my main responsibility is to provide a quality football program by selecting, monitoring, and supporting our coaching staff. Since we are an all-volunteer program, generally the available personnel choices are limited. Over the years we have been able to assemble coaching staffs that have proven their worth with success on the field as well as off the field. Last season the Vikings had two out of five tackle teams in the playoffs and one (Junior Pee Wees) became National Runner-Up Champions at games played in Orlando, Florida. Off the field success is not easy to quantify but consists in all the ways that the players personally improved as individuals throughout the season in physical fitness, friendships, self-discipline, courage, loyalty, teamwork, and all the other virtues associated with athletics.

In February the season "officially" begins for our head coaches with the monthly Head Coaches Meeting. The newly appointed coaches will meet with me to review the lessons learned from last year and decide what needs to be done to improve the quality of Santa Monica Vikings football. We review offensive and defensive philosophies and strategies, techniques to be taught, drills for conditioning, and anything else that helps us put forth a football program that is wholesome, safe, and successful!

If you have some constructive ideas and suggestions, please let me know by contacting me through this website. Go Vikings!

Hank Lopez-Oña

Athletic Director

Athletic Director's Philosophy to his Coaching Staff

QUALITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HEAD COACHES

ORGANIZATION: Prepare practice schedule, drills, and conditioning plan.

COMMUNICATION: Communicate in an appropriate and timely manner with the Athletic Director, Board, assistant coaches, team manager, parents, players, and other head coaches.

DELEGATION: Provide clear delegation of responsibilities to assistant coaches.

SELF-EDUCATION: Increase his/her football knowledge and coaching skills by attending clinics, reading books, watching tapes, and speaking with other coaches.

DIPLOMACY: Ability to deal diplomatically with different personalities and problems that come up.

SENSE OF JUSTICE: Fairness and consistency in applying team rules.

ROLE MODEL: Understanding that by virtue of the position, he/she becomes a role model for the young players and acting accordingly.

ATTENDING MEETINGS: Attend mandatory meetings with Athletic Director and League Directors. Encouraged to attend Board meetings and any other organizational meetings as necessary.

TECHNICAL & TACTICAL PREPARATION: Making sure that players learn correct tackle and blocking techniques as well as those pertaining to their specific position. Developing a strategic plan for each game by the proper use of scouting and analysis of game film.

SAFETY CONSCIOUSNESS: Follow all league rules involving certification including Live-Scan and First Aid. Always acting with the safety of the players in mind when running drills, scheduling timely hydration breaks, etc.

KNOWLEDGE OF RULES: Knowing the rules of football as well as League rules especially minimum play requirements, age /weight parameters, and any regulations pertaining to their division level of play