6-yr-old Unassisted Triple Play

Check it out...this is totally AWESOME for a 6 year old!!! I love it!

Question: Are coaches kids pre-disposed to be better than those of non coaches?

Ok, I have question for yall. Do you all think that coaches kids are pre-destined to be better than those of a non coach. This all started from a conversation my friend and I were having. We were watching one of the spring flag football games and just observing the players. There were some that were average, below average, and one or two superstars. The one or two superstars were the kids of the coaches and it was clear that they were on a different level than the other kids. I yelled, "I knew it!", and we laughed. My buddy thinks that coaches' kids get preferential treatment and I sort of agree but only to a point. I was telling him that coaches' kids have more of an advantage simply because they live with the coach and are always immersed in sports at home. It's in our blood and it bleeds over. Our lives are just one really long practice...LOL.


Example: My son (age 8) is the QB of my team and has a very high football IQ. He knows the entire playbook and can execute it flawlessly. In fact he helped make some of it up. I was initially worried about the other parents claiming he was getting preferential treatment but all that ended once they saw him play. 


So I wanted to throw it out there to yall. Do you think that coaches kids are that much better or do they get preferential treatment? Would love to hear you comments on this one.

Play calling for 5-7 year olds

Play calling is by far one of the most important aspects of team management that you will need to get a handle in as a new coach. The complexity of the plays can vary based on age but you need to create a system. One of the systems that I like to use for the younger players (5-7) is to start with one formation and drill them until they can line up without assistance. Typically I tend to go with a modified version of the Wing-T because its simple to teach. Since their attention spans are so short, you will need to have some patience and praise them when they finally get it right. Repetition is the key with this age group (your patience will be tested). Once they can line up without help, teach them a simple play. Every subsequent play should build off the previously taught play.

I like to name my plays colors, numbers, or animals since they will be familiar with those items and can relate. I also give the players names that go with the play. For instance, my RB sweep right is called Dragon. That way when the play is called, no matter what the RB was doing previously, he will know "it's my turn to run the ball and I go right." Keep it very simple. My QB is called Tiger. If I call Tiger Left, he knows to run the ball left. I will share a few plays in a later post. My system is built on one formation and a lot of misdirection since most kids at this age tend to "chicken chase (chase the ball)". You show the action to one side and the play actually goes the other way. The edges are usually where most success happens because the middle tends to get pretty clogged up. I will also show how to have success up the middle in a later post as well. It's all about how you set things up with your play calling. Show the same play a coup,e of times and then fake that play and go in the opposite direction. Passing at this age is also effective but you have to be persistent.

Coaching 5-6 year olds

This group can be the most difficult but also the most rewarding to work with. Their attention span is very short so you will have to create drills that will keep them engaged. If you are working with a large group it would be a good idea to have a few assistant coaches so that you can break them up into smaller groups so they won't get bored and start to become busy (playing with grass, chasing each other, not paying attention, etc). Your approach to this age group will determine how successful you are with them. At this age most of your team will have been to school and have learned (to some degree) a routine. Use that to your advantage. Make your practices very routine and structured so that they know what to expect each day. Repetition is the key with youngsters. Even though you may be tired of seeing it and may not see any improvement that day, trust me, they are learning. Focus on the fundamentals.

If you are teaching them formations, be patient. They wont remember it at first or get it right all the time but the key is to drill them repetitiously until they can do it in their sleep. Focus on the one formation until they can break the huddle and line up without you saying anything. Once they can line up and run one play then you can expand. I like to use the same formation so they are familiar and don't have to shift around. I usually build my playbook around 2 to 3 formations. Keeping it simple will allow them to be comfortable running the plays so if I have to add a wrinkle, it doesn't throw them off. One of my favorite expressions is "inspect what you expect" so teach them what you expect (the play), look for them to implement it (run it correctly), and praise them when they do it right.

I will expound upon this at a later time but remember that patience is the key to making them successful. Keep it fun for them and remember, "Praise, don't punish."

Youth Coaching Basics

One of the first things a youth coach should do is determine what his/her coaching philosophy is going to be. In other words, what type of a coach are you going to be? Will you be a motivator, a delegator, a dictator, a players coach, a yeller, or some combination of all of these. Your style will dictate how your team will respond to you. The next thought process should be around how you will get your message across to your players. Be aware that you must tailor your coaching techniques and tactics to the age level and group that you will be working with. The younger the age group the more patient and nourishing you will need to be. If this is not your strong suit then make sure you get older players that won't require as much coddling.

Write down your philosophy and keep it in a place where you can easily get to it. Periodically revisit it to make sure that you are staying in character or check to see if your philosophy has changed. If it has changed, it's ok, it happens. Time, experience, and increased knowledge can change the lens that we view our approach through. Just keep your eye on the ball and remember why you got into coaching in the first place. You are in for a great ride, enjoy it.