What does Carlstad Crusaders offensive coordinator Dan Hawkins do when he has a few days off during a hectic football season? Head off somewhere to relax and not think about football? Nope. Hawkins is headed somewhere but it is not a relaxing vacation destination. He is headed to Ireland to help other football coaches. Oh, he will spend some time getting to know Ireland as well, but on August 15 he will be at the City West Hotel in Dublin, standing in front of coaches from all over Ireland to share with them some of his knowledge and experience.
Coach Hawkins has spent as hectic a few months as a football coach could have. First he prepared and then led Team USA to the IFAF World Championship gold medal and then the following weekend was on the sideline with the Crusaders as they took home the IFAF Europe Champions League title in dominating fashion.
The Crusaders are back in regular season action but with a bye week and the team getting a well deserved week off, Hawkins is spending his time helping other coaches.
“I just felt like I could share what I know and have learned with other coaches,” said Hawkins. “I am going to talk about how to develop players, put together practice plans, design schemes and form effective special teams units. But I will also be wide open to what the Irish coaches want to talk about.”
He has a unique philosophy to winning though. He believes in focusing on developing the players first. He wants to help each individual to be as good as they can be.
“I like to say ‘choose excellence every day’. In other words try to be as good as you can be and then be better today than you were yesterday.”
For any coaches in Ireland on Saturday August 15 who would like to join Dan, he will be speaking at the City West Hotel in Dublin this Saturday August 15 from 1:30 PM to 6 PM.
For more information contact the Irish American Football Association.