|
|
Post by touchdownmaker on Feb 2, 2009 7:47:10 GMT -6
This thread is dedicated to the whole group of soft American kids who look the part in every way shape or form, but you find out one way or another than they are simply not meant for football.
Today I was talking to one of the kids who quit our program last year (supported by whiney parents who complained about "how hard" and "how much time" went into football - the kid was ineligible and that was THE REAL REASON he "quit")
anyhow, long story short, I am talking to this young man, a sophomore who easily has the best football body in the building.
he tells me "yes you can count on me" as I ask him if hes ready to make the commitment. I say "so we will see you in the weight room?" and he says "I lift at the fitness center" (I cant help but roll my eyes) and I say "and you will commit to august practices" and I kid you not he floor me with this "I never practice in the summer, I never have. I dont start until school starts" and I realize yes, he is right HE NEVER PRACTICES IN AUGUST OR ANY OTHER TIME because too many coaches have PLAYED THIS KID ANYWAY! stupid stupid stupid.
I am calling this kids parents and laying it down - I am going to visit his home and put it bluntly "if he is not in pads in mid august, he doesnt get pads, period". I wont allow this.
|
|
|
|
Post by lochness on Feb 2, 2009 7:51:35 GMT -6
This is a no-brainer coach. If he's not practicing in Mid-August, you don't need him. He'll be a cancer and a lazy b@stid all season, and it will make you want to rip your face off.
|
|
|
|
Post by touchdownmaker on Feb 2, 2009 8:33:40 GMT -6
Hes going to "summer camp"- I kid you not.
When I think about how far down THE TEAM is on this kids priority list it makes me want to gag.
We will be holding our winter expectations /program meeting with all of the kids and then with the parents. I will lay it all out, the entire program from A-Z Feb-end of Nov. The whole idea of kids making sacrifices for the good of the team is somehow lost on some.
sadly, I see the same patterns repeated in basketball, wrestling and baseball and track.
|
|
|
|
Post by lochness on Feb 2, 2009 8:38:47 GMT -6
Parenting:
"Don't you worry, honey...you can go to the beach all summer and go to your happy little summer camp. Nobody can tell MY BABY what he can and cannot do with his summer!!"
Barf-bags
|
|
|
|
Post by touchdownmaker on Feb 2, 2009 8:40:01 GMT -6
"too much pressure on the kids- too time consuming" yet everyone wants to win states.
|
|
|
|
Post by red2slam on Feb 2, 2009 8:53:10 GMT -6
You guys didnt know?
football is just a game....it meant to be fun......
all those guys we watch play on saturdays and sunday lift at the fitnesse center and show up on game day...and get paid lots of money....they were chosen out of favortism........(I am being sarcastic.) Makes me wanna gag.
|
|
|
|
Post by realdawg on Feb 2, 2009 8:56:15 GMT -6
LOL how about when a get tells you on the first day of contact "Coach, I dont think I should hit today."
Coach asks "Why not?"
Kid replies "My daddy's insurance doesnt kick in until Sept. 1."
|
|
|
|
Post by jpdaley25 on Feb 2, 2009 9:05:54 GMT -6
I will sometimes test a kid's committment by seeing how open they are to moving to a different position.
We start practice in shorts and helmets on July 6 and our 2-a-days are on the 27th -31st. I will let kids (not seniors) come out after that, but they have to put in 6 weeks before they can dress for a game, which puts them eligible for game 4.
The only reason I do this is because our numbers are so low and we need bodies to practice against.
|
|
|
|
Post by brophy on Feb 2, 2009 9:08:11 GMT -6
and he says "I lift at the fitness center" this is a great sign that the kid is missing the point of playing football entirely. |
|
|
|
Post by ajreaper on Feb 2, 2009 9:12:26 GMT -6
What I love is the "they need time to just be teenagers" Whoa that is the last thing they need. Keep them busy and engaged in positive activities and they'll be less likely to be a "typical teenager" (like being typical or average is something to aspire to).
Of course they want them to be an average teenager except they should also go to USC on a full ride because that's what the average teenager does
|
|
|
|
Post by red2slam on Feb 2, 2009 9:19:13 GMT -6
What I love is the "they need time to just be teenagers" Whoa that is the last thing they need. Keep them busy and engaged in positive activities and they'll be less likely to be a "typical teenager" (like being typical or average is something to aspire to). Of course they want them to be an average teenager except they should also go to USC on a full ride because that's what the average teenager does Everybody should have a shot at the american...No one should stand out more than the other....hard work be damned.. He11 lets tax the kids who do the school work, stay out trouble and all the extra things needed to go to USC...Heck they should have to play for Baylor so they to can understand the plight of the less fortunate.......LMAO, I am J/K!!!!!! |
|
|
|
Post by bigdog2003 on Feb 2, 2009 9:41:43 GMT -6
b]I lift at the fitness center[/b]
What is stopping him from lifting at the school and fitness center? I use to lift at school and at home and I think it did good. I gave up football because of injuries, but I never made excuses about lifting or summer practice.
|
|
|
|
Post by touchdownmaker on Feb 2, 2009 9:56:21 GMT -6
I just tallied my 3 month point leaders. I added nov, dec, jan point totals to last years points. I am happy with the work by two new guys and 3 returning guys. Thats it. The rest of them are sadly underscoring in my opinion. I am considered by some to be "very demanding" as a coach. again, eyes rolling.
|
|
|
|
Post by k on Feb 2, 2009 10:03:37 GMT -6
LOL how about when a get tells you on the first day of contact "Coach, I dont think I should hit today." Coach asks "Why not?" Kid replies "My daddy's insurance doesnt kick in until Sept. 1." Sad thing is that with our for profit system this is a very valid excuse. In fact our district makes the kids prove that they have health insurance before they are allowed to do anything related with the program lifting & running let alone hitting. Personally it sounds like that kid made a responsible decision... |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2009 10:08:19 GMT -6
We kind of have an unwritten policy. We "hint" about playing with a kid one time and let him say no. After that if he decides to play it's up to him.
It's like fishing, you shouldn't have to beg a guy to go fishing with you.
|
|
|
|
Post by nohuddlecoach on Feb 2, 2009 10:11:11 GMT -6
and he says "I lift at the fitness center" this is a great sign that the kid is missing the point of playing football entirely. Had a kid tell me this once a few years back, i asked him what time he was lifting today. I showed up and made him go through our program by himself. told him there would be a coach there everyday to make sure he was doing our program. he began showing up to our workouts rather than get all that individual attention! I tell our kids...i have never seen anyone power clean at a fitness center! |
|
|
|
Post by touchdownmaker on Feb 2, 2009 10:13:03 GMT -6
Heres another one.
Kid comes to weight lifting class with a note " excuse from weight lifting, just getting over a cold" (kids a basketball player and has yet to miss any games)
|
|
|
|
Post by atalbert on Feb 2, 2009 10:19:29 GMT -6
Kid shows up after not lifting the whole summer, then proceeds to "twist his ankle" after the second conditioning session in doubles. His ankle gets better and worse with the drills we are doing. If its a drill that he doesn't have to run or get hit, the ankle is fine.
Over the course of three weeks, he showed up with a variety of things to support he was injured. He would have the trainer waste tape and time taping it. The next day, he would have a brace, the next an aircast. The limp would get noticably worse when he thought people were watching. He even went so far as to show up on crutches one day and practice the next.
I told him he didn't have to participate in any drill he didn't want to, but he had to be doing push ups the whole time the drill was being run if he wasn't in it. After doing over 1000 push ups (or half push-ups) he showed up the next day with a back brace - but NO limp or ankle brace.
I used it as my entertainment for about 6 weeks until he quit showing up.
|
|
|
|
Post by touchdownmaker on Feb 2, 2009 10:19:57 GMT -6
We kind of have an unwritten policy. We "hint" about playing with a kid one time and let him say no. After that if he decides to play it's up to him. It's like fishing, you shouldn't have to beg a guy to go fishing with you. I agree to some extent. The problem can be when a very small school offers too many other things to kids. Heres the kids thought process: " gee the football coach has us lift all year, we have mini camp, team competitions, meetings, running, grade checks too, 3 hour practices, two a days! and wow its time consuming...I do not think we will the state, Maybe Ill play golf instead" |
|
|
|
Post by ajreaper on Feb 2, 2009 10:41:16 GMT -6
How come guys who lift at home or at the "club" or fitness center never get any bigger or stronger? Must be some kind of muscling sucking vortex at those places.
I had a pretty good sophmore player who told me that he was lifting at home and I said it was fine as long as he planned on playing at home on Fridays in the fall.
|
|
|
|
Post by lochness on Feb 2, 2009 10:45:17 GMT -6
and he says "I lift at the fitness center" this is a great sign that the kid is missing the point of playing football entirely. Brophy, Exactly! I'm curious...how would you answer a kid who had this excuse? |
|
|
|
Post by brophy on Feb 2, 2009 10:54:34 GMT -6
I'm curious...how would you answer a kid who had this excuse? and this is why I really can't fault guys for making it a matter of policy to make team lifting sessions in the off-season. I cannot recall a single athlete we've ever had that was the health club / home gym rat that was ever a 'football player'. They were ALL amazing physical specimens.....looked great, all were strong, but never really "got" what playing the sport was about and from what I could remember, were unspectacular in their play on the field. Work out all you want in the off-season at your club or gym, just make sure you attend OUR lifting sessions at school. |
|
|
|
Post by touchdownmaker on Feb 2, 2009 12:29:32 GMT -6
...and this is what I am working with. You really cant assume the kids "get it".
Another specimen of a kid and I are discussing our point leader board. I point out that he has 0 points for each of the last three months and he says "we can earn points now?" lmao.
|
|
|
|
Post by brophy on Feb 2, 2009 12:55:49 GMT -6
which is why, when 7on7 comes around, you have to devote the majority of reps to the kids who have suffered through the weight room, regardless of how unspectacular they might be to look at.
The guys who work out elsewhere, often times, believe they can just show up and play "their football". These guys typically aren't the most coachable / open to instruction.
All we can do is what we can do.
|
|
|
|
Post by touchdownmaker on Feb 2, 2009 13:54:51 GMT -6
LOL, brophy we had one of those types show up with a print out of the "300" workout from the movie 300? wtf.
|
|
coachgeorge51
Sophomore Member
Cliches and mottos is mindless verbal nonsense.
Posts: 151
|
Post by coachgeorge51 on Feb 3, 2009 8:45:16 GMT -6
When they go out for other sports because it is easier than lifting every day - we are getting this from several athletes. Anyone else experiencing this?
Coaches of all sports need to learn that it's not about the sport with high school kids - its about getting them to believe in themselves, and that only happens in the weight room - because it is hard!
|
|
|
|
Post by realdawg on Feb 3, 2009 9:12:07 GMT -6
LOL we had some kids go out for tennis one year to get out of lifting. We talked to the tennis coach and he cut them!
|
|
|
|
Post by wingtol on Feb 3, 2009 9:49:28 GMT -6
and he says "I lift at the fitness center" this is a great sign that the kid is missing the point of playing football entirely. We have some kids who do this/did this. We test them ever 6-8 weeks or so with the whole team there. Usually when the fitness club kid bombs out on their testing they get the point and show up at school. |
|
|
|
Post by touchdownmaker on Feb 3, 2009 9:53:16 GMT -6
WELL, I did some research, the fitness center keeps sign in sheets. Hes not going there to lift, he goes to play basketball.
|
|
|
|
Post by bigdog2003 on Feb 3, 2009 10:29:56 GMT -6
b]I lift at the fitness center [/b] What is stopping him from lifting at the school and fitness center? I use to lift at school and at home and I think it did good. I gave up football because of injuries, but I never made excuses about lifting or summer practice.[/quote] Oh let me field that one...ours lift at the "Y" (YMCA)... um the excuse of lifting somewhere not at the school is a 2 fold excuse. Part 1 - they aren't really lifting Part 2 - they want you to think they are lifting had a to be junior LB tell me today "I've started lifting at home at 5:00 am before school."  OK...let us review...this kid played behind 2 sophomores last year because he didn't come to weights last year, he hasn't been at weights a single day this year. His family is ultra poor and no way he has weight equipment in his basement. He is one of those just barely on time kids, no way he gets up at 5:00 am, he's late to school almost everyday and he only lives 1.5 blocks from the front door of the school. I simply told him "if you don't lift with the team, it doesn't count."[/quote] I was saying what is stopping him from doing both. |
|
OK...let us review...this kid played behind 2 sophomores last year because he didn't come to weights last year, he hasn't been at weights a single day this year. His family is ultra poor and no way he has weight equipment in his basement. He is one of those just barely on time kids, no way he gets up at 5:00 am, he's late to school almost everyday and he only lives 1.5 blocks from the front door of the school.