Comments for Coaching Youth Football Tips, Talk, and Plays ...

Comment on Minimum Play Players, Favoritism, & Parents by Steve Parker

Steve Parker — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:23:23 +0000

It is hard for parents to realize their child might not be as talented as other kids. This becomes evident in JR High and High School more because the funnel becomes narrower. We’ve trained ourselves in youth sports that everyone gets a trophy and gets play time. But at higher levels this is not the case. Only the best players play.

My oldest son is not playing on the Jr High A team. He plays B team. This upsets him and is frustrated. I told him to continue to work hard and he must become better than the starters on the A team. Otherwise he must quit complaining about not playing on A team.

I know its tough, but motivate her to continue to play, practice and train to get better so the coaches cannot ignore her. She must be great when she gets into the games or in scrimmages in the front of the coaches. If she is only average then the coaches will continue to play their favorite and trusted starters.

Comment on Minimum Play Players, Favoritism, & Parents by Cyndi

Cyndi — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:38:33 +0000

Wow, sounds like a lot parents are facing the same issues that I am! My grandaughter is on the JV girls basketball team, she has attended EVERY practice even in the first 2 weeks when they had practice 2 times a day every day, she would go in at 5:30am and again right after school. Last year she unable to play because during a practice she rolled her ankle and caused so much damage, surgery was required to repair it. She paid dearly for that injury, now she only gets time on the floor during practice, she does not get any time in the games, well a couple of games the caoch actually put her in for 54 seconds, Really? I have told her that she needs to talk to the coach to find out what she can do to get in the game, all he has told her is to look up more, It hasnt helped…….now he doesnt even work with her in practice, he pairs her off with a couple of other girls who not atletic at all, but are on there to be on the “team” and they don’t care if they play or not. My daughter says she can not get in a good practice because she isnt allowed to play and learn with the other girls. HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO DEAL WITH THIS AS A PARENT????? All she has ever talked about was playing basketball…..she is at the point of quitting, I keep telling her to stick it out, but she is getting so depressed over this. This is really a time when we just be worried about self esteem and other issues that teens face. She doesnt want me to talk to the coach because she says that is the worst thing I could do, that coahces do not want to be approached by a players parents, But I am at a loss here.

Comment on 6-2 Defense – Coaching Youth Football by Steve Parker

Steve Parker — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:20:18 +0000

I run this sometimes as a stunt call – “Stack” You can also run the 6-2 wide tackle which puts the DT on inside of TE and they stunt through C and LBs have B gaps.

Comment on 6-2 Defense – Coaching Youth Football by birdsta1

birdsta1 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:20:08 +0000

I want to run this defense but with a twist, I want to line my DTs headsup with the OTs. I would call C gap or B gap which tells the DT which gap to go to. I will line the LBs right behind them and they would have resposibility of the other gap. When we ran this last year the DTs lined up in the B gap so at the snap the OTs just dived into the gap causing a logjam. This would be ok but on the 7-8 year old level most of the plays were outside and our DTs were athletic so it would take them out of the play. I think this would keep the OTs honest and you could always blitz LBs off this and posibly have the DT and the LB come free if the OTs are confused. If anyone sees a weakness to this please respond. Thanks

Comment on 6-2 Defense for Youth Football by birdsta1

birdsta1 — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:30:06 +0000

Comment on Hands are your Weapons in Youth Football Blocking by Aceback

Aceback — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 22:31:15 +0000

WHY WE BLOCK WITH HANDS RATHER THAN SHOULDER:

JOE JACOBY (famous member of the Redskins “HOGS”): “Use ARM PUMP & PUNCH! It’s a violent game – the arm pump & punch puts everything in motion. Flipper creates “grabbing areas” for them to go around. You PUNCH them – they are taught to do the SAME thing (jabbing their hands at YOU). Football is a HAND FIGHT. Quoted Joe Bugel – “where else can you go out and punch somebody in the mouth and not get locked up”? That’s what O & D line play IS, & that’s what you have to teach them! It’s a VIOLENT game – so use EVERYTHING to your advantage. Hands are WEAPONS, USE THEM! The DL doesn’t wear long pads like QB’s, and their RIBS are exposed. “MASSAGE those ribs” (the PUNCH is to the short ribs at the base of the pads). USING YOUR HANDS GIVES THEM LESS TO GRAB”!

#1. LESS LIKELY TO MISS THE TARGET: Blocking with a shoulder or flipper puts you on one side or the other of the defender. Using the HANDS makes it more likely to hit the target (aiming AT or closer to the middle). “Block with your eyes – not your shoulder”!

#2. LESS LIKELY TO FALL OFF BLOCK: Burying your shoulder into a defender puts you beyond your “center of gravity”, making it likely you will lose contact & fall forward to the ground. Makes it difficult to keep your feet UNDER you, & maintain your balance.

#3. MORE LIKELY TO LOSE SIGHT OF LBers: Burying your shoulder into a defender forces your head down, & you will lose SIGHT of LBers, etc., in zone blocking (that you may NEED to come off on).

#4. MORE LIKELY DEFENDER WILL GRAB YOU (if you use shoulder/flipper RATHER than hands) & keep you from coming off the block.

#5. IT IS SAFER. If you lead with your hands, you are less likely to have a head and neck injury. Leading with your shoulder leaves your head and neck more exposed.

RUSS GRIMM (HOF OG with the “HOGS”): “Impose your WILL upon them”!

Comment on Youth Offensive Play Calling Strategy by Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:26:35 +0000

My rule was always to call plays based on a series of play calls to set up the defense. That nice if the set-up plays get decent yardage. Two options for a loss do very little to set up a counter. This year I will try the basic: sweep if we have speed / off tackle if we don’t approach. I had to read #10 twice to make sure I got it right. Good point.

Comment on Are Video Games Hurting your Youth Football Team? by Stats Dad

Stats Dad — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:04:34 +0000

Great post – thanks for sharing.

Comment on Is Form Tackling Overrated? by Joshua

Joshua — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:19:48 +0000

I completely disagree with the concept of form tackling being overrated. Sure you dont see it often in games, which is why all the best defenders are the ones that utilize their ability to tackle the right way. How many times have you seen defensive backs launch themselves at a runner, get beat on a move, then watch as the runner burns everyone for extra yards. Yes, defenders are going to tackle whichever way they can, but the fundamentals of proper tackling techniques need to be stressed.

Comment on Dallas, TX – 2 Day Training Camp – June 2-3, 2012 | Kohl’s Football Kicking Camps, Punting Camps, and Snapping Camps by Steve Parker

Steve Parker — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:45:40 +0000

go to the camps website and they will usually have a form and payment info. You can also call the phone number on their websites. Good luck.