Youth Football Coaching Tips 2014
Well the 2014 Youth Football Coaching season is upon us. Are you ready coach? Do you have all your equipment, plays, players, recruiting strategy, parents, league documents, defensive and special team playbooks organized and ready to go? Hopefully you do. I know our local youth football league has try outs in two weeks. I am not coaching this season but have a few meetings with other coaches set up to discuss their teams for the upcoming tackle football season. Even though I will not be coaching this season so I can spend time with my sons in Jr High and High School, I cannot wait for the youth football season to start.
Here are Bear Bryant’s Coaching Rules
- Surround yourself with people who can’t live without football.
- Recognize winners. They come in all forms.
- Have a plan for everything.
Have you thought about a team website yet and how you are going to communicate. Check out my article on Team Websites. Communication is key to a winning season. Plus the parents love to be involved and know what s going on. Make sure to over communicate. If you hate to talk to parents then find a great team mom. Here’s an article on Choosing a Team Mom. Maybe you have not picked your assistant coaches yet. Here’s a great article about choosing your assistant coaches.
I wrote an article a few years ago, What’s in your Youth Football Coach’s Bag which is a great place to start getting organized. I always need mouthpieces, band aids and whistles when the season starts. Make sure you go through your first aid kit or maybe even buy a new one. Safety First!
If you are still wondering about offense, here are my picks for the top plays in youth football. Plus do not forget defense and especially special teams which a busted punt return cost me our last Super Bowl berth.
If you are looking for great ways to motivate your players check out ice cream Fridays and helmet award stickers.
And lastly check out my eBook on Practice Plans.
And remember “Organization is the foundation of all successful football coaching. This is just as true in the handling of high school and college teams as it is in coaching play for pay professional squads. Organization is the basis for the whole game.” George Allen – Washington Redskins An organized coach should be able to go .500 and better.
Have a great season,
Coach Parker
Fort Worth, Texas / Keller / Dallas
I am coaching a Junior tackle team. I am having trouble getting them to come together during a game. In practice they click together run the plays correctly and give me the effort that is required. During the game I do not get that every once in a while they will click and they can move the ball down field and then they start falling apart again. Any tips or ideas to keep them together and play as a team during a game.
Do the game simulation drill where you pretend its a game at practice. You stand on the sidelines and call plays etc. Another assistant or dad is the ref and calls penalties for any mistakes. We usually do this drill every practice before a game. Many times in practice we help everyone along and then when players get in game they forget.