2025 Convention Recap | Jeff McMartin, Central College | Seek The System
July 7, 2025
The 2024 season marked Jeff McMartin’s 21st season leading the Central College program after taking the reins in 2004. Coach McMartin returned to his alma mater after spending time on staff at DePauw, Beloit College, Rochester, Illinois Wesleyan, Wake Forest, and Oskaloosa High School (IA). Coach McMartin is the 10th-winningest active coach in NCAA Division 3 and served as the President of the AFCA in 2024.
In the video below, Coach McMartin details how he and his staff have developed a year-round approach to building a clutch mindset in his program. Coach McMartin breaks down this approach from all points of the year, from the end of the season to post-game. Coach McMartin provides many practical ways they work to get the most out of their players and staff at all points in the year.
The End of Season – A New Year
- Staff Retreat
- Interview Players
- Self-Reflection Survey
- Built by Stanford’s Dr. Albert Bandura
- Designed to raise confidence as you review accomplishments and recall positive feedback.
- Laszlo Bock’s 3 Questions:
- What is one thing that I (HC) currently do that you’d (Player) like me to continue to do?
- What is one thing that I (HC) don’t currently do frequently enough that you (Player) think I should do more often?
- What can I (HC) do to make you (Player) more effective?
- Team Meeting with Juniors and Seniors
- Create a set of values for both the individual and the team.
- Those values shape the team identity, which impacts behavior. Behavior dictates performance.
Off-Season – Through Spring Practice
- 10 meetings and 16 practices
- Develop Inner Confidence of Players:
- Lower the bar – Raise the floor: Know what is repeatable. Work to improve the “best” average.
- Shed Perfection: Accept where you are at. Be honest, vulnerable, and willing to improve.
- Trust Your Training: Do the work in the name of getting better and enjoying the process.
- Develop a Quiet Ego: Growth mindset. Listen to others and self. Evaluate strengths & weaknesses.
- Begin to assess your performance:
- What would be a gold level, silver level, or bronze level performance?
- Push players to focus on their identity as a football player.
- Focus on their “why” and what drives them.
Fall Preseason – Mindset Work
- Practice self-talk during workouts and practice.
- Think vs listen to self.
- Who do you want to be as a player? Prove it with small wins.
- Practice team talk during the week.
- Build each other up.
- In both cases:
- Don’t say stupid stuff!
- Develop a “Calm Conversation”
- Everyone is tired and makes mistakes. Everyone will feel fatigued.
- Accept it, reload, and focus on the next rep/play.
- The next one will be the best one.
- Use of Check-In groups:
- Communication leads to commitment.
- Share life stories, define leadership and values, over-communicate expectations, and grow relationships.
In-Season – Game Week
- What we say:
- See this game as a great Challenge, not a Threat.
- This is a great opportunity.
- Everything this week is manageable.
- What we do:
- Rest – Sleep is important.
- Mindfulness – meditation and breathing
- Keep a consistent routine.
- Individual Mindset Meetings
- Post Practice Reminders
- Visualization
- Start at the end, where the goal is achieved, and work back through the process of achieving the goal.
- Mindset Skills development during practice
Pre-Game
- Stay in a Routine – Helps to maintain focus and limit distractions.
- Ways to make Pre-Game Consistent:
- Bring something from home, listen to music, view pictures/videos of the player being successful, confident self-talk, stay off phone, and visualization.
- High Fives and Physical Contact to lower stress levels, create trust, and a sense of belonging.
During the Game
- Maintain positive body language – chest and chin up
- Great self-talk
- Focus on Effort
- Remain Confident
Post-Game
- After Action Review – Review of Performance
- Correct things during the walkthrough.
- Turn the page to next week.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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The 2024 season marked Jeff McMartin’s 21st season leading the Central College program after taking the reins in 2004. Coach McMartin returned to his alma mater after spending time on staff at DePauw, Beloit College, Rochester, Illinois Wesleyan, Wake Forest, and Oskaloosa High School (IA). Coach McMartin is the 10th-winningest active coach in NCAA Division 3 and served as the President of the AFCA in 2024.
In the video below, Coach McMartin details how he and his staff have developed a year-round approach to building a clutch mindset in his program. Coach McMartin breaks down this approach from all points of the year, from the end of the season to post-game. Coach McMartin provides many practical ways they work to get the most out of their players and staff at all points in the year.
The End of Season – A New Year
- Staff Retreat
- Interview Players
- Self-Reflection Survey
- Built by Stanford’s Dr. Albert Bandura
- Designed to raise confidence as you review accomplishments and recall positive feedback.
- Laszlo Bock’s 3 Questions:
- What is one thing that I (HC) currently do that you’d (Player) like me to continue to do?
- What is one thing that I (HC) don’t currently do frequently enough that you (Player) think I should do more often?
- What can I (HC) do to make you (Player) more effective?
- Team Meeting with Juniors and Seniors
- Create a set of values for both the individual and the team.
- Those values shape the team identity, which impacts behavior. Behavior dictates performance.
Off-Season – Through Spring Practice
- 10 meetings and 16 practices
- Develop Inner Confidence of Players:
- Lower the bar – Raise the floor: Know what is repeatable. Work to improve the “best” average.
- Shed Perfection: Accept where you are at. Be honest, vulnerable, and willing to improve.
- Trust Your Training: Do the work in the name of getting better and enjoying the process.
- Develop a Quiet Ego: Growth mindset. Listen to others and self. Evaluate strengths & weaknesses.
- Begin to assess your performance:
- What would be a gold level, silver level, or bronze level performance?
- Push players to focus on their identity as a football player.
- Focus on their “why” and what drives them.
Fall Preseason – Mindset Work
- Practice self-talk during workouts and practice.
- Think vs listen to self.
- Who do you want to be as a player? Prove it with small wins.
- Practice team talk during the week.
- Build each other up.
- In both cases:
- Don’t say stupid stuff!
- Develop a “Calm Conversation”
- Everyone is tired and makes mistakes. Everyone will feel fatigued.
- Accept it, reload, and focus on the next rep/play.
- The next one will be the best one.
- Use of Check-In groups:
- Communication leads to commitment.
- Share life stories, define leadership and values, over-communicate expectations, and grow relationships.
In-Season – Game Week
- What we say:
- See this game as a great Challenge, not a Threat.
- This is a great opportunity.
- Everything this week is manageable.
- What we do:
- Rest – Sleep is important.
- Mindfulness – meditation and breathing
- Keep a consistent routine.
- Individual Mindset Meetings
- Post Practice Reminders
- Visualization
- Start at the end, where the goal is achieved, and work back through the process of achieving the goal.
- Mindset Skills development during practice
Pre-Game
- Stay in a Routine – Helps to maintain focus and limit distractions.
- Ways to make Pre-Game Consistent:
- Bring something from home, listen to music, view pictures/videos of the player being successful, confident self-talk, stay off phone, and visualization.
- High Fives and Physical Contact to lower stress levels, create trust, and a sense of belonging.
During the Game
- Maintain positive body language – chest and chin up
- Great self-talk
- Focus on Effort
- Remain Confident
Post-Game
- After Action Review – Review of Performance
- Correct things during the walkthrough.
- Turn the page to next week.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
