Symposium featuring Phil Simms and Chris Simms reminds HS coaches of their value

WYCKOFF — Wednesday night's BCCA/BCWCA Symposium brought forth good advice – and revelations – from each of the respected speakers.

Chris Simms never curses in front of his dad – except for when he does.

River Dell coach DJ Nimphius once stole two footballs from New York Giants practice.

Old Tappan’s Christine Massaro is an introvert.

Emerson’s Colleen Malzahn never wanted to be in the coaches’ association.

The idea of a symposium, a resource for Bergen County coaches to here from prominent peers and discuss the major topics of the day co-sponsored by the Bergen County Coaches Association and Bergen County Women Coaches Association, was the brainchild of North Jersey Hall of Famer and “Mentor” Mickey Corcoran. It began in 2009.

Wednesday’s event at The Brick House served to educate coaches on the best use of social media (Massaro’s presentation), coaching the details (Nimphius), balancing coaching and family (Malzahn) and the importance of a high school coach in a young person’s life (Simms and Simms).

Conversation flowed and the presentations were informal, but valuable.

“The power and influence you have on these kids is for a lifetime,” Phil Simms said.

Simms and Simms

Chris and Phil Simms were the keynote speakers of the event with each talking about how their high school sports experience influenced their life.

Chris said there wasn’t a week that didn’t go by that he didn’t think of some advice (or "expression," usually profane, he said to laughs) that former Ramapo football coach Mike Miello taught him.

“I think of that as a special time in my growth,” Chris said. “He instilled confidence in me.”

Phil told what he said was a true story that his high school coach in rural Kentucky would make the team run a mile in full pads before games. He talked about how former Giants coach Bill Parcells was able to establish a connection with players throughout the locker room whether they were the star, or a backup.

Chris echoed his father’s words.

“You have the core values on your team, but you can’t lose sight of how within that team there is an individuality component,” Chris said. “There are going to be different values and different backgrounds.”

Chris said during his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he recognized how even pro players responded to different approaches, like the way Miello was when he was in high school.

In summation, Chris told the audience of coaches and administrators to not sell themselves short on the influence they possess.

“You all should be proud of what you’re doing,” Chris said.

Playing the social media game

Massaro, an assistant coach at Old Tappan, said she started the Golden Knights' sports Twitter account because she was tired of having to answer so many text messages from coaches asking for scores. (Same, Christine, same.)

It has morphed into a model example of how to run a school’s social media account in 2023. Massaro explained three of her key tenets when it comes to maintaining the account.

• Coaches run it, not kids.

• Only follow back peers, not athletes, because there might be things you don’t want to see.

• Keep your personal account separate.

Massaro showed example of accounts that highlight the entire team (team pictures after games) instead of singling out one player’s performance, how accounts can promote other teams at the school to engage the student population and even congratulate other schools on their success. She concluded by saying that coaches, no matter their age, should use social media to their advantage.

It’s all in the details

A veteran of almost 40 years of coaching, River Dell head football and former track coach DJ Nimphius commanded the room with his presentation which combined self-deprecating humor and sage advice.

His talk focused on the importance of details.

“If you don’t coach the details then don’t expect your community, your assistant coaches or anyone else to do it,” Nimphius said.

The son of a coach, Nimphius said that imagination is the beginning of details and discussed his own upbringing as a player and a coach. He said he learned to make himself a “positionless player” so he could learn every part of the sport and figure out a way to get on the field and contribute.

Then he flipped that over to the job of a coach.

“Every kid has ability, it’s your job to find it,” Nimphius said.

Nimphius encouraged the coaches to put in preparation time before practice (he said three hours of prep for one hour of on-field practice) and how if they wanted the job they should never stop trying to be good at it.

He said his football practice schedule was pages long to keep nothing to chance. He talked about creating a scheme to fit your players talents, and how watching film and watching other coaches and seeing their approach has made him a better coach.

The family balance

Malzahn started her presentation saying how before almost every basketball game an official would politely, but pointedly, express surprise that she was still coaching with two young kids and a third one on the way.

“If one more ref says to me ‘you’re still coaching’ with two little kids I am going to lose it,” Malzahn said, half-joking.

When Malzahn was approached to be the BCWCA Vice-President, she had immediate concerns with adding another role to her life, but then she spoke to legendary softball coach (and BCWCA pioneer) Brenda Canal who made her see that she was needed.

“They all had full-time jobs and families and found time to [be part of the organization],” said Malzahn. “We owe it to the men and women to keep it going.”

Malzahn explained how she is able to balance her roles as a mother and basketball coach with the Cavos, saying the most important thing is to have a support system you can rely on, being present wherever she is – meaning, if she’s coaching, she’s coaching, if she’s with her family, that’s it – being patient with herself and acknowledging things will happen, but also reminding the coaches why they do what they do.

“The answer is that it’s for the kids,” Malzahn said. “This is about forming relationships and having the kids look back on their high school experience positively. For me, it’s also about showing my own kids that they can grow up and do something they love in life.”

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Symposium featuring Simms and Simms reminds HS coaches of their value