Presentations from Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and defensive coordinator Kris Richard highlighted a day filled with football strategy, networking, education, discussion, and development this past Saturday at Renton's Virginia Mason Athletic Center, where an auditorium full of high school coaches from teams across the Pacific Northwest gathered for the Seahawks' second annual high school coaches forum. 

After an introduction from Seahawks Youth Football Director Paul Johns and NFL Youth and High School Football Program Strategy Manager Chris Terranova, Bevell got the session started by showcasing what a typical game-week looks like for the Seattle coaching staff. From the organization and implementation of the Seahawks' offensive game plan and philosophies, to identifying assistant coaches' intricate game-week areas of emphasis, to a day-by-day breakdown of the Seahawks coaches' jam-packed schedule, Bevell covered it all, and offered a general thought to help the high school coaches on site get the most out of their respective players.

"I think the biggest thing we can do is just get close to those guys," Bevell said of the coach-player relationship. "Know them and know what's going on in their worlds."

Richard, who used much his own time in front of the room to demonstrate the ins and outs of the press-coverage technique that's become a signature of Seattle's defensive backs, echoed Bevell's coaching advice.

"We want to make sure we have a great impact on polishing these guys into being great husbands, great fathers, great men," Richard said before later adding, "Can you look a man in his eye and can you consistently be truthful, tell him in the truth — in love, not to belittle him or things of that nature — but can you show him that you love him and that you're willing to tell him the truth regardless?" 

Richard went on to liken coaching to teaching, sticking to the clinic's overarching theme that the individuals gathered at VMAC that day were not just football coaches, but opportunity givers.

"Teachers take something complicated and they make it easy," Richard said. "Teachers, that's football. It's not complicated. It's intricate, but certainly not complicated."

On top of microphone time from Bevell and Richard, the high school coaches forum stressed the importance of safe shoulder-tackling techniques in today's youth, and reinforced the availability of USA Football’s tools and programs.