Coaching and Youth Sports

Depends. Everyone goes 2 tight ends, just depends on what they run with it. Alcoa runs shotgun (and actually taught their kids a simple read option last year). One team lined up in the wishbone. Couple of others ran shotgun too.

We may switch, this is just what we ran last year. We'll run a couple of sets.

And our 6-2 is more of a 4-4 with the backers on the line.

 

If you’re going to be coaching for a while, look into Dave Cisar’s stuff.

He’s probably the best in the business when it comes to youth football.

Teams that just go fast kid right and left aren’t going to give you much of an issue.

 

Unless he's really fast.

 

Set the edge and shrink the field.

 

How serious does it get with the kids? Down here they bet thousands of dollars and regularly get in fights.

 

I have heard that. That is freaking insane.

When my two sons played their one year apiece (they both decided getting hit was not for them), I never saw anything remotely bad.

 

Baseball is pretty serious business here

 

Anyone who bets on little league or pee-wee football needs to seriously look at themselves in the mirror, as their life has gone horribly wrong.

 

We went through several different offensive sets when my son played youth football. We tried the shotgun and read option but the problem wasn't the offensive players. The problem is that 9 year old defensive players don't do what they are supposed to do so the reads are always messed up. We ended up going with the inverted wishbone and it was great. It was much easier for them to get to their spot on trap plays. You can run a lot of misdirection that is difficult for linebackers that age to pick up. Also, if you have a fast kid, it you can get numbers on the edge for the sweep. The option play out of the I-bone is also deadly if your QB has a good feel for the pitch.

 

Not quite football level, but it's getting more serious here.

I've not seen a fight in football (yet).

 

Our qb is quick, I'm pushing to go to the diamond set myself.

 

We ran a 5-3 defense but had a really big and pretty agile kid on the nose and another pretty athletic kid at the mike. It took a several practices for them to get comfortable with assignments in the base. They loved it though. Once they got comfortable with the base assignments, we started putting in the stunts and gadgets. The biggest thing I loved about the defense is you can get so creative on the edges because teams that age don't pass the ball much and when they do they usually have one or two routes to a single receiver that is pretty easily read by the FS.

 

Blocking rules over formations.

I’d probably track block at that age

 

I’m sure no one is doing a true read at 7. You can’t predict what the defense is going to do.

Just because you block down, doesn’t mean the defense is going to step down with you at that age. Fan blocking isn’t going to get the defensive end to widen.

It make look like a read but I’d say the coach is watching the key and then making the call.

 

We've got a 8 year old playing for the first time. He's about 130-140, 3rd fastest kid on team, and both sides of his family boast SEC football players, so needless to say he ain't the fat kid. His only weakness is that he's just too nice.

So in the midst of Oklahoma drill last night, he gets called in, and across from him is the goofball lineman. The goofball reaches over and slaps him upside the head pre snap. The beast just smiles and lines up. Drives him about 10 yards off the ball. So they go again. I ask goofball if he's going to slap him again, he says "yep", reaches over and smacks him harder. Beast smiles and laughs. At this point one of the coaches screams "Skittles, you're crazy and you're going to die!" Down, set, go................Beast drives Skittles 20 yards backwards and finishes with a pancake. And I did all I knew to do, laughed hysterically.

 

Tee off drill and splatter tackling.

That’s a big ole boy for that age.

 

He's huge. Huge.

 

So my tball team is looking good except that no one covering a base can catch the throws. The arms on this team are actually so good it’s a problem since it’s coming fast. If anyone has any good drills or advice to help with this I’d be appreciative .

 

Is it a glove issue? Most kids that age have gloves they can’t squeeze correctly and then the nature is to try to palm up every catch. Ball then rides up into the face and not a damn kid wants a ball to the grill and once they do its game over wanting to try much more after that.

Teach them the glove is like turning a steering wheel or like washing a window. Always show the palm to the ball. And teaching proper two hand catching is key. Always go thumb to thumb.

 

And if the arms or that good... teach them a good long hop throw. Kids are better at catching balls below the waist and a long hop is a technique they can use for years to come and gives you a punchers chance at their age.