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Post by ajreaper on May 8, 2008 14:00:17 GMT -6
Ajreaper, not being arguementive, just pointing out a few facts and observations. I've coached several years on Varsity, JV, Frosh and jrhs level kids so I guess I have a "rounded" view on it. LOL, apparently every state has a Pop Warner "national champion". In my situation I can say that there is zero correlation between being a Pop Warner "all american" and becoming a decent high school football playerIn your situation this maybe correct, however, not too far away from you there are a few perennial powers that benefit heavily from solid feeder programs. Maybe some programs don't care about experience, but most every HS coach wants kids to come in from a "feeder" and have good fundamentals. Sometimes they come in with bad habits, which is IMO worse than having no experience. Unfortunately, JR HS programs don't exist in many parts of the country, so the alternative is the private league stuff. BTW, in Pop Warner, each state has a single state champion, then regionals, then a single national champion for each age/wt. level. Often they lack a work ethic, have little self discipline and over all poor fundementals. I'd wager heavily that our jrhs level kids would live up to your work ethic and fundemental standards and then some. Youth coaches often coddle athletic kids and spend a lot of time practicing plays and formations and no time on individual techniques and fundamentals.Unfortunately, this isn't just reserved for youth coaches or parent/coaches, its is prevalent in High School Football too. Just my opinion, but there are a lot of HS programs that fit into the catagory of being fundamentally unsound. Unfortunate, but true. All true statements- I did preface what I posted with "in my experience" and Pop Warner is also not the only league found in Az or nationally. It's hit or miss on the type of coaching you'll find and for every youth league guy that "gets it" there are a dozen who do not. Coach Warner- I understand the Pop Warner "all Americn" label but many parents equate it with the football All American they relate to and when they want to drop that tidbit it is not to impress upon a coach Jr is really smart but rather Jr is a really good football player.
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Post by phantom on May 8, 2008 16:03:06 GMT -6
CoachJ, I appreciate your post. I've been a youth coach and we always had our 9th graders go to HS. I can understand that there are some players who might be better off in a youth program - size, athleticism or lack of, inexperience, social needs - but this should be an exception rather than a rule. Creating an atmosphere where one program is pitted against the other demonstrates how adults can screw up anything. We will probably do fine even if they hold back players as long as we get the kids who stop playing youth and currently do not play HS football. As a HS coach I'll just mention that when we get a soph who played rec league as a 9th grader it raises red flags. Either he's a prima donna who wants to be a big fish in a little pond, doesn't want to work hard, or lacks competitiveness. Not too many of them make it.
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Post by davecisar on May 8, 2008 18:11:02 GMT -6
I havent heard of any leagues in our area that allow 10th graders to play youth football. I seriously doubt any of the HS teams around here would allow you to use their practice and game fields if you were taking their players and most teams around here practice on HS fields. I have seen on TV Pop Warner teams playing in Orlando with older kids that while smaller, definitely look athletic enough to play HS ball. In one of the leagues we played in they allowed 8th and lighter weight 9th graders to play. Any 9th grader that has any aspirations of playing HS football will be playing HS football as 9th graders. We once had a set of twins who had never played football before. 9th grade and I kid you not, 79 lbs soaking wet and not wrestler types. Almost looked malnourished. Smart kids, October birthdates so grandma and grandpa started them in school very early. They were very timid to start and played on the "B" team. By seasons end they did ok and one even made the game saving tackle in the open field on a big FB to the surprise of all of us including the player Im glad they had the chance to develop that memory, was real proud/happy for them/him. They went out for HS football as 10th graders, but were made "team managers", they never played a down if I remember correctly. I seriously doubt the HS wanted those kids playing. For someone that has no interest or hope of playing at the HS level and just wants to play, not a bad option. I saw one of the twins working at McDonalds about 6 months ago, didnt recognize him they were now over 120 lbs and about 5'8"mm but he recognized me with a big ol smile and all he could talk about was the tackle his twin 'Richard" made to save the game. Not all of it is black and white. For those that harbor legit HS players on their team as 9th graders, I have no sympathy for.
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Post by cllew on May 8, 2008 18:50:32 GMT -6
BTW - I got the HC job today. The superintendent liked the 3 strategies I emailed him - so thanks again!
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Shotgun1
Sophomore Member
It is better to die trying than to quit...
Posts: 214
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Post by Shotgun1 on May 8, 2008 19:20:14 GMT -6
Congratulations! Now start a new youth organiztion in your town that only lets the kids play up until age 12. After that they can play on the MS team! We just did that in our area. We have many pop warner teams and other teams affiliated with other leagues that compete for kids in our school district, but none in our district. So we just started our own team limited to kids in our school district and joined a league that lets the kids play until age 12. Biggest thing is our school board, school coaches, and AD our all in support of our program.
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Post by los on May 8, 2008 21:39:51 GMT -6
Good for you and the team, cllew.....wish you guys all the best....tell us how it all pans out
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Post by davecisar on May 9, 2008 13:59:38 GMT -6
If you really want to keep the kids in your program, keep the sizes of the squads to a reasonable level. Around here in 2004 I went to a Frosh game at Berquist Stadium, Omaha Central vs Millard North. where Omaha Central had 73 kids suited up, of which most never saw the field. Millard North ( my nephews team) had 105 Freshmen out for football. so they split it into an A & B squad of 55 and 50 kids. Obviously lots of kids sitting in this situation, which if we are trying to promote the game, makes little sense. In this case, the kids that werent going to see the field probably no harm in letting them play youth ball.
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