Coaching vs Talent in Youth Football | Great Talent Beat Poor Coaching?

Coaching vs Talent, which one wins in the end? Can great coaching in youth football outperform, defeat and or equal a well recruited stacked youth football team with mediocre coaching throughout an entire football season? A few top running back studs can sometimes dominate a youth recreation football league. Coaching vs Talent, which one do you choose?

A recent tweet by Dave Cisar, one of my favorite youth football coaches and authors, “The youth coach who invests a LOT of time recruiting players- he thinks talent trumps coaching. He doesn’t know enough to know he don’t know” got me thinking about this question; Coaching vs Talent? I still want the best Talent if I am honest. Some of the best college and NFL programs recruit the best talent and do not leave it up to chance. I disagree with Cisar on this question of Coaching vs Talent when coaching is close to equal.

Coaching vs Talent

Coach Cisar is right that Talent does not beat great coaching that has equal or good talent most of the time, but great Talent does beat poor to mediocre coaching in youth football. And to be honest if you do not have the players and play a hand picked stacked team, I am not sure Coaching defeats Talent when a team is handpicked studs. I know would rather have a stacked team than a team of first year rookie players. But just because I want the best Talent does not mean I want to slack off and be a poor coach.

Look, I have won a ton of youth football games against top talent teams. But I do spend a good amount of time one drafting, recruiting or picking the best players I can. Here in Texas and in Colorado, I know enough that if you’re not on the Talent bandwagon you will be left in the dust on Friday and Saturdays.

Like me, many of you are about to start recruiting or drafting your Fall youth football team. A successful winning youth football season starts with a smart organized veteran coaching staff that considers “coaching” a priority. But, I firmly believe in recruiting and or drafting the best talent your coaching staff can field for your youth football team. Why make it harder on your coaching staff by not pre-planning and preparing for your youth football season through a successful recruiting / draft strategy?

My Co-Head Coach and I spend a significant amount of time on identifying local league talent and evaluating them in our league’s grass day drills. I enjoy the pre-season coaching duties as much or even more than the actual in-season coaching. I love planning and strategizing our youth football season in the off-season.

In our youth recreational football league we cannot recruit players in the traditional way. From season to season we can carry or “freeze” up to 6 players that were on our previous Fall’s team if they agree to play for us again. We must then pick the remaining 12 to 14 players in an organized league draft. After a kick punt and pass drill day, we draft players from a pool of youth football players registered for our league.

This Fall season the league allowed two wildcard pick options which let us “freeze” or recruit two players from the league’s registered player pool before the actual draft. Since our teams have been in the last 5 Super Bowls this freeze and wildcard recruiting process was not that hard for us.

In the past I coached Select tackle football teams and recently this summer a Select 7on7 football team when I needed to “recruit” players from our area. So I understand how to “recruit” players and most importantly the parents. To be honest I hate the traditional recruiting process; selling parents on your coaching talents and your team’s winning record and potential. It helps to come from a winning program like myself and a recognized website like CoachParker.org.

It’s also a plus to have a coach on staff that loves to recruit and has a sales background that has the gift of gab. If you are not good at sales then make sure you have a coach that loves selling if you must recruit players for your football team. I also have my key players already on the team hand out flyers and contact potential recruits. Youth football players like playing with their friends.

When we recruit players we do not promise players play time or positions. We hold try outs for positions. One of our wildcard recruits this season only wanted to play QB. We told them there were no guarantees and we lost a great player to one of our rivals but not our respect. Once you start promising players and parents positions along with play time then you might as well hand over the coaching responsibilities to them. As a coach you cannot lose control of your team. Parents must know that you and your staff are in charge of every aspect of your team.

So, should you spend a lot of time recruiting youth football players? Well, it depends on what you consider a lot of time. I believe off-season time invested in attending coaching clinics, studying youth football, meeting with your coaches and players, developing playbooks, organizing practices, identifying potential talent, scouting / analyzing potential opponents and recruiting is all part of being a great coach. Your time investment in yourself as a coach and team will pay off during the football season. Champions are made during the off-season. What do you think; Coaching vs Talent?

With all things being equal with great coaching, “stud” talent will beat coaching, especially in youth football. Who wouldn’t love to have the stud running back or QB along with the talented supporting cast of players in their league? Like most the things I do in life with work, home, family etc. I always want the best. Always strive for perfection. So my answer is Talent in the age old questions Coaching vs Talent.

What do you think about coaching vs. talent? Would love to hear your thoughts. Here is another article on Coaching vs Talent.

Contact me anytime. I love to talk coaching youth football.

Play for Fun and Winning is Funner!

Thanks,
Coach Parker
Keller, Texas