Post by hawkfan on Mar 18, 2008 15:58:49 GMT -6
I'm sure all youth leagues are a little different, but I wanted to hear some of the different nuances that you guys have about your leagues. I'll start with mine...
1. I keep seeing/hearing the term MPP, which I think stands for Minimum Play Player. In the youth league I've coached in, there wasn't such a thing. Each team is given 25 players and out of those 25 players you have to come up with two completely different teams of 11, with one "play runner" on one team and two "play runners" on another team. Keeping in mind that this is a 4th through 6th grade league, you've got very green 4th graders playing both ways. So on offense, you stick them somewhere where they have the least responsibility, and you try to do the same on defense. However, in the 4th quarter, all bets are off and you can put in your best 11 players, but I've found that it's tough to run your entire offense with the best 11 in the game because their isn't sufficient practice time to get the kids who play WR on a normal squad into their RG position on the 4th quarter squad. MPP would be a luxury for my league...
2. Weight limits - In our league, there are 3 divisions. Lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight...each division has their weight min and max (fluctuates each year based on the total numbers and participation), but only the heavyweight division (where I coached) had ball carrier restrictions. Any player within 30 lbs of the weight minimum could carry the ball...if you were 31 pounds over the weight minimum, you had to be an interior lineman on offense and a DL on defense. So the big kids that can move well for their size are relegated to blowing up an undeveloped 4th grader every play...
3. Special teams - We don't do any kickoffs, but punts are fair game. All possessions begin on your own 40 yard line. Also, XP are a different animal. You can start with the ball on a tee, but once the ref blows his whistle, the play is live, from defensive rushing to offensive blocking. The kicker moves on the whistle. You can also choose to snap it, but if you do, the kick is not live, and the defense can only jump, scream, and wave their arms. If the holder fumbles the snap, he has a quick couple of seconds to recover and get it set up for the kick. If he doesn't make it, the ball is dead. And, of course, you can try to run or pass for the conversion, but it's only worth 1 point.
4. There are very few restrictions on what you can do on either side of the ball. The only rule against blitzing is that you can't be coming forward at the snap...only after the snap may your LB's (and whoever else you want to send) move forward. Real intimidating for the 4th graders who get stuck at G because they are too heavy to be put out at WIDE receiver...having a stud 6th grader come up in the gap or head up on you standing up, just waiting for the ball to be snapped so he can blow you back. But we've always practiced it that way so the kid can be prepared.
That's all that come to mind, but I know these differ greatly from some of the rules I've read around this section of the board.
What are your quirky youth rules?
1. I keep seeing/hearing the term MPP, which I think stands for Minimum Play Player. In the youth league I've coached in, there wasn't such a thing. Each team is given 25 players and out of those 25 players you have to come up with two completely different teams of 11, with one "play runner" on one team and two "play runners" on another team. Keeping in mind that this is a 4th through 6th grade league, you've got very green 4th graders playing both ways. So on offense, you stick them somewhere where they have the least responsibility, and you try to do the same on defense. However, in the 4th quarter, all bets are off and you can put in your best 11 players, but I've found that it's tough to run your entire offense with the best 11 in the game because their isn't sufficient practice time to get the kids who play WR on a normal squad into their RG position on the 4th quarter squad. MPP would be a luxury for my league...
2. Weight limits - In our league, there are 3 divisions. Lightweight, middleweight, and heavyweight...each division has their weight min and max (fluctuates each year based on the total numbers and participation), but only the heavyweight division (where I coached) had ball carrier restrictions. Any player within 30 lbs of the weight minimum could carry the ball...if you were 31 pounds over the weight minimum, you had to be an interior lineman on offense and a DL on defense. So the big kids that can move well for their size are relegated to blowing up an undeveloped 4th grader every play...
3. Special teams - We don't do any kickoffs, but punts are fair game. All possessions begin on your own 40 yard line. Also, XP are a different animal. You can start with the ball on a tee, but once the ref blows his whistle, the play is live, from defensive rushing to offensive blocking. The kicker moves on the whistle. You can also choose to snap it, but if you do, the kick is not live, and the defense can only jump, scream, and wave their arms. If the holder fumbles the snap, he has a quick couple of seconds to recover and get it set up for the kick. If he doesn't make it, the ball is dead. And, of course, you can try to run or pass for the conversion, but it's only worth 1 point.
4. There are very few restrictions on what you can do on either side of the ball. The only rule against blitzing is that you can't be coming forward at the snap...only after the snap may your LB's (and whoever else you want to send) move forward. Real intimidating for the 4th graders who get stuck at G because they are too heavy to be put out at WIDE receiver...having a stud 6th grader come up in the gap or head up on you standing up, just waiting for the ball to be snapped so he can blow you back. But we've always practiced it that way so the kid can be prepared.
That's all that come to mind, but I know these differ greatly from some of the rules I've read around this section of the board.
What are your quirky youth rules?
