Get Into the Habit of Reviewing the Past - Coaching Youth Football
I always urge coaches to reserve a decent part of the youth football off-season reevaluating the recent season. You need to go on with what works and delete what did not work so well. If this is the beginning year using a new offense, or defense, this is particularly truthful. I recall from the beginning year we ran the Single Wing offense with 6-8 year-olds we had such an happening. Our Blocking Back player decided to beeline every off tackle play to the sideline since he thought he could outrun the opponent.
The power play is an interior play where you go behind the leading backs to the hole. By abandoning the play, and running to the sideline, he was giving up on the offense lineman while getting stopped for little or zero gains. The real life lesson we learned, as a staff. was that the players need to practice each play to perfection in practice. That is the only way you can be certain your players will run the plays the correct way in the games.
It is an excellent idea to delay a couple of months after the pee wee football year ends to chew over on what really happened during the previous year. Please note you need to be able to determine what is actually happening during a play versus what you think is happening. There has been many occasions when I felt we were doing one scheme the correct way and after my off season review discovered I was dead wrong. By delaying a bunch of months after the season ends, you can unclutter your memory and reexamine the past year, looking for something that will help you be an improved coach in the forthcoming year.
Each year you coach a dissimilar age, or skill group, you'll find schemes and concepts that have worked from before do not work with the current age level you are coaching. You must be sincere with yourself and understand that not all situations succeed at all levels. It is smart to keep a three ring binder with all practice schedules and notes of the current year. This will be the most valuable book you will use for years to come. I begin each year by selecting the folder from an older year that most resembles the ages and skill level I will be involved in coaching this season.
Every season you start from scratch with most of the players being new if you stay at the same age level. Just because a certain scheme was successful in the past does not guarantee it will be sucessful in the future. Embrace an open resolve at the beginning of the season before you arrange any concluding determinations.
About the Author
Jim Oddo has been coaching youth football, ages 4-14, for over 23 years. In addition to coaching tips, there is a wealth of information regarding youth football playbooks. Find over 400 FREE tips and great articles on every aspect of youth football at: http://footballplaybooks.info .
Tell others about
this page:
Comments? Questions? Email Here