What Makes a Program a Legacy Program?

All opinions are solely mine. This blog does not represent the City of Melrose, the Athletic Department, the Melrose School Department, or Melrose High School. Don't blame them. 

An area coach called Melrose a "Legacy Program." That speaks to results but reflects underlying processes. Winning is a byproduct of doing the right things at the right time. 

1. Stability. Great businesses and great programs have leadership stability. 

What do failing businesses have? Changing leadership, debt, and shifting priorities. 

Barnstable has Tom Turco. Westborough has Roger Anderson. Newton North had Richard Barton until he retired. Melrose has Scott Celli. 

2. Player development. "Every day is player development day." Legacy programs have systems to develop skill, strategy (game understanding), physicality, and psychology (resilience). Teams that do well consistently have a high percentage of players playing off-season volleyball and more playing high level competition. 

The process develops more players with ability and consistency, both essential ingredients for success. 

3. Gravity. Programs cannot lose players consistently to 'recruiting oriented' private schools. Private schools are now recruiting from other private schools, especially in football and basketball. At one point two years ago, three top area high school basketball players from Melrose were playing in Prep, private, or charter schools. 

It's remarkable when a community can "keep players home" such as Reading has with their hockey program under the constant assault of recruiters. 

When a program starts to fail, players achieve "escape velocity" and leave. Players want to come to Melrose and play volleyball. 

4. Community support. Melrose enjoys solid backing from the community. It's necessary but not sufficient. 

5. Relative independence. Every program and every coach lives in a hierarchy of administrative politics. When leadership dictates who plays and how much, independence is compromised and results suffer. Sport is a meritocracy where "you earn your paycheck." At the professional level it's obvious. At lower levels, it exist but is less apparent. 

Fifty years ago in a neighboring community, local politicians had a vendetta against a program that cut a politician's child. Sanity ruled and the program not only survived but thrived. "It takes a village to raise a child, but a single child can also destroy a village." 

Lagniappe (something extra). "You earn your paycheck." Invest your time don't spend it. Find out what exercises your coaches prefer.