|
|
Post by davecisar on Aug 12, 2010 7:15:07 GMT -6
Had a very surprising interaction with a rookie player this week that brought my focus back a bit. Note- I’ve been praying about "AS"- a little red headed kid on my team- not only the slowest and smallest player on my team, but also the least coordinated and most lost of our 73 players. He is in the 5th grade and weighs just 61 lbs. In 21 years of coaching I have not coached a player that was less athletic than AS> He can't do anything right and on top of it he doesnt listen or comprehend well. To top that off- last week when we ran into the cover for our water break instruction, he didnt run all the way in along with another player. We require dead sprint all the way through on anything outside the cover-
I knew who didnt run all the way in but asked the team "Who were the 2 players that didn't run all the way in, raise your hands?" One player fessed up, he didn't run, our little hero didn't fess up, he ran. While he deserved what he got, I was a bit frustrated with his progress and had not been very encouraging with him last 2 weeks. We split our 5-6 grade team into 2 squads and I had specifically went out of my way to make sure he was on my team.
Talked to my wife about him and how I was going to make sure to lift him up on Monday, do a better job of coaching him etc- I had a chance to talk with him before practice a little and of course noticed his mom had COMPLETELY disregarded our instructions on the mouth piece- the listening skills must run in the family. At our first water break- BEFORE I had a chance to work with him and do my encouraging- he told me these EXACT words: “Coach Dave, these 2 weeks of football have been the best 2 weeks of my life. I’ve committed to making it through this season and all the way to the NFL” It sounded very rehearsed, but no doubt he wants to be here , he’s showed up for 2 weeks in the unreal heat. Up to that point I had done a very poor job of coaching and encouraging him. While his NFL dream isn’t going to come true, we will make sure he makes it though our season with some fond memories even if it does cost me a few more gray hairs. No way he adds much value on the field, but this is a kid who REALLY NEEDS football- more than football needs him. We have no clue how important this type of activity can be for a kid on the edge, it really can be a catalyst for huge changes in kids lives. I watched his interactions with others - he has no friends etc. Coach em all guys, encourage em all.
Now I have to get him ready for 2 pre- season games. His first will be against a Canadian team that outscored their opps something like 486-48 last season and another team from Nebraska that finished undefeated in their league last season. The Canadians have been practicing since April, the Nebraska team since June- both have attended my clinics- I did a private one for the Nebraska team and of course both teams have my book and DVDs.
We will have practiced a total of maybe 12 times if we are lucky- If he survives those 2 games we ought to be ok.
|
|
|
|
Post by mhcoach on Aug 12, 2010 7:35:06 GMT -6
DC
You have my sympathy & support. I don't know how I would deal with a 5th grader. I can tell you that hard work & sticking with it will pay dividends. If your remember a post earlier in the year about my "Zone Blitzer" who sounds an awful lot like AS, you will be glad to hear this year he is lights out one of our best O Lineman.
When faces with a player similar to AS my approach is always 2 pronged. First, during practice he is exposed to my acerbic tongue, & our quick pace(I know you also stress a quick tempo in practice). Second, after practice I will usually give a little Love & encouragement. Yes this creates a dichotomy, but it also keeps everyone involved. The second part takes only a few seconds but let's the player feel better about himself. I assume AS Will be a bear crawler for you & you are worried that the competition will overwhelm him. You know better then anyone at the 5th grade level he will survive. Yes he may hurt you, but scrimmages are just that scrimmages.
Good Luck & keep up the good work. Boys like AS have no where else to learn about life, but the football field. Everyone else around them(Parental Units & School) coddles them & tells them they don't have to strive to succeed. We teach them many things, most importantly work ethic.
Joe
|
|
|
|
Post by coachbrek on Aug 12, 2010 7:42:16 GMT -6
We have a kid like that every other year it seems like, Not only are they the smallest but also the weakest, slowest, and least athletic kid in the program.
We have to coach them up because everyone starts for us and they have to be able to contribute in some way. Be it bear crawling in the A gap and hope somebody trips over him.
|
|
|
|
Post by 19delta on Aug 12, 2010 8:26:39 GMT -6
This is my first year coaching youth ball. I have more than a few players who aren't very good, but what is really bothering me are the pu$$ies. We have some kids that just can't handle any discomfort at all. Yesterday, we were just 10 minutes into our first fully-padded practice and I had a kid going through all sorts of histronics...he was too hot, his knees hurt, his shoulders hurt...etc, etc. I have a lot of first-year kids like that...they get a little bit out of their comfort zone and they want to quit. Just no mental toughness at all.
|
|
|
|
Post by mhcoach on Aug 12, 2010 9:51:40 GMT -6
Delta
Toughness is a learned quality. We have always been able to root out the non tough boys & develop toughness. Practice pace & tempo help with that. We simply don't allow the histrionics. I guess that was what bothered me so much in our earlier practices. Finally in the last 2 practices the tempo has improved greatly, & they are beginning to understand how to work hard. No one says you have to beat them to make them tough, just use smart coaching & a blistering well organized practice. We try to set reasonable goals on a weekly basis. The goals will vary according to your level & ability, I'm sure you can change the mindset around.
Good Luck!
Joe
|
|
|
|
Post by tiger46 on Aug 12, 2010 16:37:33 GMT -6
Dave,
I've got one, also. 9yrs. old and I think he weighs about 45lbs.- I kid you not. The only difference is that the kid on my team has decent foot speed. He's also A.D.D. Everything else is about the same as you described.
He did not want to play on our 9>10yr old team. He wanted to stay down with our 7>8yr old team. Neither did I want him to be on my 9>10yr old team. He's just not ready for it. But, our league forbids older/lighter rules.
I've promised not to ignore him. So far, I have him playing as a stand-up NG. His only job is to stunt anywhere that he wants to. On 'O' I'll put him in at left split end so long as we're not going to run or pass that way.
|
|
|
|
Post by los on Aug 13, 2010 15:23:23 GMT -6
Thats a good story Dave.......reminds me of a kid who played for us for 3-4 seasons......the guy never missed a practice, was never any trouble,very polite, he just wasn't any good at "anything" on a football field..... the other kids called him "Smurf" and he was buddies with most all of them and they enjoyed having him there, in spite of his shortcomings.....he was really small for his age.....no speed....scared of everyone.......about the only kids he'd go against in drills, were new rookies, who barely knew how to defend themselves, lol......but.....the kid paid his money like everyone else, so I always tried to find a place for him to get in the games......The other thing I remember about "Smurf" is he always had money to buy food when we played out of town......so while many of them had to be satisfied with a cheap cheeseburger and small drink, that I had to buy them, to keep them from being left out...... Smurf, always had 20 bucks and could enjoy any giant combo meal he liked.....and he'd eat it real slow, while his buddies begged for the leftovers, lol.....so he did have that going for him, lol......anyhow, for years he played....never made a block.....never a tackle.....never got his uniform dirty ,as he'd do his best to avoid contact, when on the field.....finally.... the last game of his youth career, we're playing in a football tournament and as it was in many after season tournaments,we were short handed, as some kids decided not to play......Smurf it turns out, is about the only sub.....there were like 15 other kids at the game and all of them played either offense/defense or both, so to give some of them a little breather, I let Smurf play on every special team........well, he did his usual vanishing act and stayed clear of the action.....then late in the game, which we won by the way, the other team is kicking off......smurf is on the second row close to our sidelines.....the ball is kicked to the deep guy over on smurf's side of the field, and he proceeds to streak down our sideline......meanwhile me and the couple kids who are on the sideline are hollering encouragement to smurf......"Cmon Smurf hit one of them!" we holler......well, by golly, Smurf takes off like a man possessed, runs at the outside contain guy on that side and levels him......kinda blocks him and the kid kinda trips over him, lol......but anyway, mission accomplished, we get an extra 15-20 yards on the return, and easily run the clock out, deep in their end, thanks to Smurf's effort.....after the block, the rest of kids are screaming, laughing, patting Smurf on the back, giving him all kind of praise.......and old Smurf is soaking up his glory for everything its worth....that one block, in his last game, when he was 12.....made his entire career in youth ball worthwhile....he was the hero for that brief moment, lol.  |
|
|
|
Post by pmeisel on Aug 15, 2010 19:26:59 GMT -6
I love your commitment to helping kids. I see so many coaches focusing on "finding the players" and sorting out the "chaff"...
|
|
|
|
Post by wingt74 on Aug 31, 2010 7:30:49 GMT -6
You the man Dave. Don't be hard on yourself...you can't be perfect. I also find myself focusing too much on the good players and not enough on the horrible players (yes, I have 4 horrible players).
|
|
|
|
Post by davecisar on Aug 31, 2010 8:41:03 GMT -6
Well, thanks to a very smart and focused- AC we have our little hero on track
We have him as an A gap BC and Left TE on offense- unbalanced line
On D we always send him in with another A gapper-- our smartest one- we do well there
On offense during the scrimmage we ran him on 5 times for plays, on every one of them he went to the wrong side or was late in- so he was sent off- he got zero snaps on offense
In game 1 he got his 16+ snaps on defense as a BC- stood up once and got creamed, other than that did ok- never made a tackle, didnt get killed
Game 2 he got his 16 snaps on defense as BC and 6 snaps on offense, he went to the correct side each time, aligned well and got in quickly- progress
Will have to look at the film and see how he did
Of course he was last kid to show up for both games and had a heck of a time getting his uniform on for game 1
|
|
|
|
Post by davecisar on Sept 1, 2010 13:23:45 GMT -6
The ongoing saga-
Tornado warning last night during practice
Got my own kids tagging along at practice
Sirens going off
EVERYONE blasts out, lots of kids get rides, call mom
Of course he is last kid left- by a LONG TIME
My guy, calls mom- she's 5 minutes away- takes her 20 minutes to get there- isnt even raining yet, jsut some wind and lightning- I give up drag him home with me- so we dont end up in a field somewhere like the WWW in the Wizard of Oz
Get home, tell the wife who is in the basement- honey everyone made it home but 1, I have him with me, guess who it is? She never had a doubt LOL
|
|
|
|
Post by wingt74 on Sept 2, 2010 6:41:20 GMT -6
The ongoing saga- Tornado warning last night during practice Got my own kids tagging along at practice Sirens going off EVERYONE blasts out, lots of kids get rides, call mom Of course he is last kid left- by a LONG TIME My guy, calls mom- she's 5 minutes away- takes her 20 minutes to get there- isnt even raining yet, jsut some wind and lightning- I give up drag him home with me- so we dont end up in a field somewhere like the WWW in the Wizard of Oz Get home, tell the wife who is in the basement- honey everyone made it home but 1, I have him with me, guess who it is? She never had a doubt LOL Think it's time to adopt him and work tirelessly, every day, every hour, to make his NFL dream come true. |
|
|
|
Post by davecisar on Sept 2, 2010 10:52:51 GMT -6
Your killing me!!!!!
|
|
