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Post by davecisar on Oct 13, 2010 12:10:49 GMT -6
I have this 10 year old 5th grader Ive mentioned before- JS
First year kid, someone I purposely “drafted” to be on my team. He is the weakest and least football kid Ive ever had in 21 years of coaching. In the evals he threw the ball maybe 6 yards, place kicked it 7 yards. When we put him in, he has to go in side by side with another player who makes sure he is playing next to- otherwise he wanders around the field- total space cadet. He weighs 60 lbs- single parent family- when he “runs” he runs with his toes pointed outwards- he is the slowest player on our team- which includes 6 kids from 120-155 lbs.
BUT he comes to every practice every day with a smile on his face and a great attitude. Always glad to be there and always talking to me. Last week his dad came in from Alabama- we were up 42-8, he got to carry the ball- he actually caught it and didn’t fumble- MIRACLE. I offered my coaches 10-1 odds, my 10 against their 1 that he would catch the ball- no takers (in private before game) Last night in practice we were doing a drill to help our center crab block an A gap defender. JS was receiving the snap- NO RUSH- no danger of getting tackled- 10 perfect snaps- HE DIDN’T CATCH ONE OF THEM.
So for the propagandists that say I coach select teams- you don’t have a clue and you’ve never seen our first week of practice. Yesterday JS hands me a sheet of paper, with “plays” written on them. At the top of the page is says “Football Operations”
On the LOS he has anywhere from 3-5 players with anywhere from 8-6 as backs- He DOES however have 11 players each time- so that’s good. BUT no line as to who is getting the ball, nothing, just a bunch of circles with a few arrows going in seemingly unrelated directions. His plays have names like stampede, reaper etc My next step sit down with him, explain the rules in a little more depth and draw some plays up with him together. Im excited he’s excited about football- but have NEVER had this odd of a combination for player.
He has won one of our Foundation Rock awards to far for Perseverance- but I think all of us coaches deserve one of those too LOL>
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Post by utchuckd on Oct 13, 2010 12:29:53 GMT -6
I don't know Dave, sounds like a ringer to me. ;D
Kudos for intentionally drafting him, he may or may not ever be a player, but he may be a coach someday!
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Post by Coach JR on Oct 13, 2010 12:31:47 GMT -6
I have this 10 year old 5th grader Ive mentioned before- JS First year kid, someone I purposely “drafted” to be on my team. He is the weakest and least football kid Ive ever had in 21 years of coaching. In the evals he threw the ball maybe 6 yards, place kicked it 7 yards. When we put him in, he has to go in side by side with another player who makes sure he is playing next to- otherwise he wanders around the field- total space cadet. He weighs 60 lbs- single parent family- when he “runs” he runs with his toes pointed outwards- he is the slowest player on our team- which includes 6 kids from 120-155 lbs. BUT he comes to every practice every day with a smile on his face and a great attitude. Always glad to be there and always talking to me. Last week his dad came in from Alabama- we were up 42-8, he got to carry the ball- he actually caught it and didn’t fumble- MIRACLE. I offered my coaches 10-1 odds, my 10 against their 1 that he would catch the ball- no takers (in private before game) Last night in practice we were doing a drill to help our center crab block an A gap defender. JS was receiving the snap- NO RUSH- no danger of getting tackled- 10 perfect snaps- HE DIDN’T CATCH ONE OF THEM. So for the propagandists that say I coach select teams- you don’t have a clue and you’ve never seen our first week of practice. Yesterday JS hands me a sheet of paper, with “plays” written on them. At the top of the page is says “Football Operations” On the LOS he has anywhere from 3-5 players with anywhere from 8-6 as backs- He DOES however have 11 players each time- so that’s good. BUT no line as to who is getting the ball, nothing, just a bunch of circles with a few arrows going in seemingly unrelated directions. His plays have names like stampede, reaper etc My next step sit down with him, explain the rules in a little more depth and draw some plays up with him together. Im excited he’s excited about football- but have NEVER had this odd of a combination for player. He has won one of our Foundation Rock awards to far for Perseverance- but I think all of us coaches deserve one of those too LOL> I've done lots of training in firearms...me being trained...firearms instructors LOVE someone who has NEVER picked up a firearm because they don't think they know it all, and have no bad habits. You may never make him an "athlete" but you sure might can make him a football player, or someone that grows in to a really fine coach based on his love, and excitement for the game, and how you coach him. I've got a couple of kids, not quite like you described, but they have no football in them naturally, but they have great attitudes, and a love for what they're trying to do. I love coaching them. |
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Post by davecisar on Oct 13, 2010 12:39:41 GMT -6
ZERO chance of making a "football player" out of him
NO body control, NO Strength, NO speed
NO common sense or ability to grasp even very basic instructions
Got to admire the little buggers attitude though
Ive been able to make 100s of VERY weak kids into football players or at least competent players NO CHANCE ZERO of that happening here- But Im VERY glad he's getting a lot out of his experience- VERY GLAD he is on the team- Mom is thrilled
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Post by mhcoach on Oct 13, 2010 13:07:31 GMT -6
DC
I love to hear about this kid he makes me smile. We have had discussions about him & others like him. I agree it can be mind boggling. I'm glad he's progressing & you can keep a good attitude about it, plus winning helps.
Here's an update on my special boys. What's a guard starts both ways, OT & 1 Tech on D. He really has improved a great deal. We have him aggressive & with his size it's been great. His mother approached me just Monday, telling he is mentally slow( I guess she didn't think I noticed), I smiled & told her he is doing wonderful, & we have no problems with him learning anything.
Zone Blitzer started the season out doing great. He was starting at OT, till Monday nite. Pasco Paul(my oline coach) has noticed that he has been slipping, especially on his pass blocking. So he isn't starting & my guess is he will tear someone's head off tonight when he gets in. He had tears streaming down his face at the end of practice because Pasco had told him how disappointed in him he was.
Snaps (our back up center) is our worst player, great kid works hard, knows what he's doing. The Lord just didn't give him any athletic ability. He is the first player off the bench & having a blast.
Track Star a first year player who runs track & flies. He starts at FS vs lesser teams, he can't run a route, can't catch, but he knows who to block on all run plays when he plays WR. At FS he is ok, knows to rotate in cover 3. He actually had an INT last week. I guarantee he has never watched football on TV. He is having fun.
Joe
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Post by adolphrollingover on Oct 13, 2010 13:31:28 GMT -6
You guys make it sound glamourus but I know how much work it is to make sure your mission reaches every player. There are times in practice or games when stress is peaking, and my project, AD, wants to tell me about his silly band collection.
He counts how many plays a minute we run during our on air segments. But, Monday he broke both his wrists in practice. We were running live punt return. AD was on the scout punt team and was retreating from a block. THe blocker caught up to him. AD tried to brace his backward fall and snapped both wrists. I can't stop thinking about it.
Todd
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Post by bobgoodman on Oct 13, 2010 17:24:50 GMT -6
When my niece was 3 YO she said something that I laughed at, thought was adorable, just because it was what only someone that age would think. That made me think, isn't it mean for adults to laugh at children because of their naivety? That's what makes them so cute -- but in an objective sense, it's a running moron joke.
Whatever, I can't help it, and I doubt any of you can either. The description of the "Operations" Kid just makes me melt; awwww, they're irresistable like that. I guess that's why animals don't kill their young. Even when they're not at all sweet, they're adorable.
One of the players on our team strikes me as not so bright but very enthusiastic. On the sideline at games s/he regales me regularly with varied and naive football talk and occasionally other subjects. My excuse for not reacting more is to set the example that we all look at the field and not each other on the sideline.
I wish I could feel the same way about certain adults who are very enthusiastic, well meaning, but unsuccessful, but without the factor of immaturity (or even permanent mental incapacity such as mental retardation or dementia) it'd just seem unrelievedly patronizing. We probably all know people like that, though.
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tate
Freshmen Member
Posts: 43
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Post by tate on Oct 14, 2010 10:30:27 GMT -6
He sounds just like me, and some of the plays I draw up, are you sure you need that many players on LOS.
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Post by Chris Clement on Oct 18, 2010 18:27:17 GMT -6
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CoachDP
Sophomore Member
Posts: 240
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Post by CoachDP on Oct 27, 2010 10:15:23 GMT -6
I've got a kid who is the least athletic kid I've ever coached. Worst of the worst. Kid is a home-schooled Mormon kid (not that that has anything to do with his athleticism) but it's a million miles away from the kids we usually get (70% of our kids are from single-parent households; 80% qualify for free or reduced lunch). Anyhoos, the only sport this kid has ever competed in is swimming. Kid is slow and unathletic. But he gives HUGE effort. And after getting knocked on his can for months on end is getting pretty tough and nasty, too. Interesting turnabout for this kid. I'd have never had thunk it.
--Dave
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Post by davecisar on Oct 27, 2010 11:06:57 GMT -6
Most of the home school kids we get are pretty soft too
Nothing against home schoolers- we homeschooled our kids for years
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Post by barkhimkh78 on Oct 29, 2010 19:55:11 GMT -6
I have a space cadet of my own. I am head coach the 4,5 and 6 yr old's in our youth league. I didn't play football myself nor do I have the years of coaching to look back on to compare him to other kids but KC spent the bulk of the 2 out 9 practices he made before our first game day dreaming and whining about wanting to go home to play his video games. Through the coarse of the season he has tackled our running back during a game costing us the game winning score and got 3 late hit's called on him in another game we lost by 4 points. At the first game his uncle, another coach from one of the older age group teams, went to the president of our league and complained about the kid not getting to run the ball who came straight to me wanting to know why this ever so wonderful ball player was on the bench. Having said all that he is making progress and this weekend he gets a shot at redemption we face the team we lost by 4 points again in the first round of our playoffs.
Pat
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Post by coachdoug on Oct 30, 2010 10:36:23 GMT -6
A 4-6 yr-old league has playoffs? Wow.
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