I started coaching my son's 3rd and 4th grade tackle football team this year. I must say it's a friggen blast! We run the old Texas Wishbone formation. I have to admit these 8 and 9 year olds are pretty damn smart nowadays. It only took them a total of 30 mins to grasp the hole assignments as well as the gaps. If anyone has ever thought about coaching these youngsters in tackle football but had doubts.....I suggest try it. You will enjoy it to it's fullest! (p.s. I have to warn ya though....You will get that 1 or 2 worried mothers out there afraid that their son will get hurt. I invited them to practice and shown them exactly what goes on.)
It is so funny that you posted this because lately I have really wanted to coach a little league team. Although I'm not aware of how to get involved in it. Do you have to have a son on the team? Are they able to learn offensive plays? Do I have to make simplified names instead of Power Right 36 Dive? I would really appreciate some advice.
What's a gap? Do you have a guy to video the other team's hand signals?
It is a clothing store.Originally Posted by DBT
TriCityBuff....
I sent ya a pm on some info. I keep the plays simple. For instance....37 sweep. The kids know that the #3 RB will sweep to the 7 hole. I have a total of 6 plays. Keeping it simple let's the kids figure it out easier.
I coached my son's 3rd grade team last year. We moved and now I have to travel a bit for work so I'm not coaching him this year. I think we are both having more fun that way. He has about 5 sacks in our first three games and has great form for a 9 year old. It's hard not trying to coach him up too much but I think he's having a lot more fun with Dad being a fan instead of his personal technician. You are right about the fun. I think I'm having almost as much, if not more, fun watching my boy than I did playing myself and it hurts a heck of lot less!
"Well, no matter how slow a zombie is and how fast you are, they always seem to be able to catch you. The only thing I can figure is they know all the short cuts." - DBT
Isn't that as many plays as we had last year?
I coached 7-8's for two years, then 9-10's for two years, and then 11-12's for 1 season. Now my son is playing at the High School level, I get my fix by running the down marker on Friday nights. The best season I had was my second year with 7-8's because you as the coach could be on the field. I ran a double wing set with a full back, when we ran the dive one of our wings would come around for a fake handoff or sometimes we would fake the dive and then give it to the wing, good times.
Yeah I get to stand on the field as well. We scrimmed another team tonight. We ran the Wishbone. I had my QB run a fake 47 sweep pitch and all three running backs ran to the left while he kept the ball and ran around to the right. He scampered untouched for 60 yards. (We play on regulation 100 yard fields). The funny thing was the defense was still tackling the guy who they thought had the ball.It's pretty cool coaching this age and see how far they have come learning wise in just 3 weeks of practice.
Black,
Thanks for the info. I asked around and one of the guys in my church has a brother who is the commisioner over the league here. I think everything has already started for this year but I am going to do lots of preparing for next year. I want to coach the 13-14 year olds. I ordered a couple books on coaching youth football. I know the game well but not sure completely how to handle the kids.
I don't know if I could do 8 year olds and such because I think I would go crazy.
If middle schools in your area have football teams, you'll have a hard time finding a 13-14 year old league.
Yeah I get to stand on the field as well. We scrimmed another team tonight. We ran the Wishbone. I had my QB run a fake 47 sweep pitch and all three running backs ran to the left while he kept the ball and ran around to the right. He scampered untouched for 60 yards. (We play on regulation 100 yard fields). The funny thing was the defense was still tackling the guy who they thought had the ball.
Just remember one thing, you can feel proud when your team executes a well designed play, but it is never funny when the opposing kids tackle the wrong guy. You are setting the stage for their sportsmanship for years to come and you NEVER want to get caught laughing at kids on another team for their mistakes, it will come back and bite you in the ass everytime.
Beach,
Your avitar of the 2-year old giving the one-finger salute is priceless.
I can see where you are coming from when it comes to sportsmanship and mistakes coming back to bite you in the ass.
Reminds me that I should have never taught my kid the "pull my finger" or wet willy tricks.
You took what I said out of context. I was bragging at how well my young QB executed the fake pitch sweep. I would never allow my players to laugh at ANYONE, especially on the other team.
I would suggest you assist another coach that has been doing it for awhile. Learn the ropes, techniques and such. Then after that, get some assistant coaches who can help ya out once you decide to take the plunge and be a HC. I assisted for 3 seasons before I did. I think it has helped me out a lot. Good luck!
Also here is some great sites that you can bookmark and get some information about plays, drills and things like that.
http://jvm.com/coachfree/RunningOffenseLinks.html
http://www.fbforyouth.com/offense.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formati...ball)#Flexbone
http://www.infosports.com/football/bulldog/
http://www.guidetocoachingsports.com...ll_offense.htm
Hope you can find something ya like from those!
Last edited by Blackshirts; 09-15-2007 at 07:39 AM.
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