Championship Standards- Winning in the Classroom and on the Field

Championship Standards- Winning in the Classroom and on the Field

Season 7 Episode 4

 

SHOW NOTES:
In this episode of The Coaches Call, host Chris Doelle interviews Coach Sterling Doty of Stephenville. Following a state championship football season, Stephenville High School was awarded the NFF Hatchell Cup National High School Academic Excellence Award. Coach Doty breaks down how Stephenville fosters a culture of excellence that balances elite athletic achievement, top-tier academic performance, and active community involvement

Key Discussion Topics & Takeaways

1. The NFF Hatchell Cup & A Culture of Standards
• National Recognition: Stephenville won the NFF Hatchell Cup—a national award named after NFF CEO Steve Hatchell and administered by Matthew Sign—which honors state champions for combined performance on the field, academic excellence, and community outreach.
• High Expectations Early On: Success across academics and athletics stems from high expectations set early by the school district, teachers, parents, and community.
• Honoring Tradition: Carrying on the legacy of former Stephenville head coaches like Coach Briles and Coach Copeland, the program expects players to be outstanding leaders in school hallways as well as champions on the field.

2. Stephenville's Two-Tiered Academic Support System
• Academic Coordinator & Targeted Study Halls: Academic Coordinator Jeremiah Butchie tracks player academic standing and organizes small-block study halls during the school day for subjects like math and science.
• Real-Time Teacher Communication: Teachers utilize a single-click shared document to instantly notify the coaching staff if a player drops a grade or misses an assignment.
• Position Coach Accountability: Position coaches are held directly responsible for monitoring and supporting their players' grades.
• Weekly Sunday Grade Checks: Every Sunday, coaches pull grade reports; any student-athlete with a grade of 80 or below receives targeted follow-up to get back up to standard.
• Academic Achievement: Football players regularly fill the school’s top 10% class rankings, tackle Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and graduate with college credit.

3. Multi-Departmental & Counselor Collaboration
• Coaches in the Classroom: Coaching staff members are embedded across all academic departments (math, science, social studies, English, CTE), facilitating direct support between teachers and coaches.
• Guidance & Course Placement: School counselors partner with players to encourage them to take AP courses or optimize their schedules so every student thrives academically.
• Parental Support: Recognizing the daily demands on families, the program relies on active communication with parents to keep student-athletes on track.

4. Coaching Philosophy & Program Alignment
• Individualized Motivation: Coaching requires recognizing individual player personalities—knowing when to challenge a player openly or mentor them privately.
• Assistant Coach Ownership: Directives from the head coach rely on assistant coaches actively managing position groups, monitoring grades, and developing the whole person.
• Community-Based Athletics: High school athletics provides players a unique opportunity to represent their town, wear school colors, and build lasting memories that go far beyond club sports or private training.

5. Long-Term Definition of Program Success
• Life Lessons Through Sports: Athletics serves as a vehicle to teach resilience, hard work, accountability, and a team-first mindset ("it's about us, not me").
• The 20–30 Year Benchmark: Coach Doty measures true success not by trophy cases, but by what kind of leaders, parents, and citizens players become when they return for high school reunions decades later.

Host: Chris Doelle

Links & Resources
• THSCA Heat Toolkit/Playbook: Available on the THSCA website under the Health and Safety tab (developed in partnership with Dell Children's and UIL)

Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA): www.thsca.com

Texas High School Coaches Association

Twitter:

• @THSCAcoaches
• @ChrisDoelle

Limited sponsorship opportunities are available on the show. Contact Chris Doelle at [phone] or email at [email protected].

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