|
|
Post by 19delta on Dec 11, 2010 8:25:28 GMT -6
Guys -
I'm looking to field 2 teams in a local youth organization next fall. We would have a 7/8 year old team and a 9/10 year old team.
Question I have for you is how do you guys get kids that young to be able to remember their plays?
Last year, I coached a 10/11 year old team (first time as a youth coach). We ran DW. In that league, we were allowed to have coaches on the field so what I did was to draw up all of our plays (we ran power, trap counter, crisscross, rocket, belly, and wedge) on these big pieces of foamboard. I would tell the QB a number ("Play 4") and then have the kids look at the play on the board. They would see their assignments and then run the play.
Based on the reaction I got from the other youth coaches in the league, that isn't the way it is supposed to be done. So, if we are going to have 2 teams with even younger kids, how do we get the kids to remember the plays?
I was thinking about doing something like this in regards to playcalling:
Power Right
Power Left
Counter Right
Counter Left
Crisscross Right
Crisscross Left
Trap Right
Trap Left
Belly Right
Belly Left
Rocket Right
Rocket Left
Wedge
My thinking that this would eliminate the kids having to think about motions and numbers and just remember the blocking scheme.
Thoughts?
|
|
|
|
Post by davecisar on Dec 11, 2010 9:57:52 GMT -6
Sure, Ive used that type of approach before- it works
Ive coached those age groups probably 20 years worth
Always used numbered plays- I dont go into the huddle etc
We even use no-huddle wrist bands for them all
BTW in the first water break of very first practice- we teach the back numbering
In second water break- we teach the line holes
On third water break we bring the 2 together
By second day, all the kids know the numbering- we do it hands on
After explaining our back numbering with 4 kids aligned- Cory is the 1 back- what number back is Cory?-1, John is the 2 back, what number is John?- what number is Cory? Don is the 3 back, what number is Don, John- Cory
Every player while they are drinking water- when called upon touches the head of the ballcarrier- Billy, touch the 2, Tommy, touch the 3, Joe touch the 4
Then we do the same with hole numbering. Billy, touch the 4 hole, Billy touch the 5
Joe, on 16 touch the ball carrier, touch where he is going to run
Been doing it that way for last 16 or so seaons, works pretty well
|
|
|
|
Post by mhcoach on Dec 11, 2010 19:51:10 GMT -6
Delta
DC's post doesn't do justice to how DC teaches this. What I was most impressed by when DC illistrates this at his clinic, was how simple & effective this idea is. IMHO, it doesn't matter what offense you run, or defense for that matter. DC has some great idea's how to coach & teach youth football.
Joe
|
|
|
|
Post by los on Dec 11, 2010 23:14:25 GMT -6
Thats how I called plays Delta......we didn't use numbers or holes.....we used a lineman as the initial aiming point for the backs.....knowing he was gonna block either in or out on the down defender(depending on their alignment and gap responsibility) and we were gonna run opposite......kinda giving you a 2 way go of sorts.....so like your plays, ours were "formation, name and direction".......for example, we started off using the entire description, like "Flanker rt,FB dive rt......or if in the wishbone just "FB dive rt"......after awhile we just called dive rt......they all knew the dive was a FB play and it was headed at the guards butt, in the direction called......we generally only had about 6-7 plays, that could be run both ways, so even the 8 yr olds could remember.......if we thought they could absorb more as the season progressed,and maintain a high level of execution, of the 6 or 7 plays we already had,we might add some more.....if not, so be it......we'd go with the 6-7 plays all season......either way is fine, you can use numbered holes,names or some combination.....just try to keep the number of plays they need to memorize to a manageable level....reps = success...the tough part in youth ball is the same as in higher levels = knowing "who" to block, vs different defensive structures......generally, the team that can execute a few core plays "very well" will be successful moving the football....also, plays that tend to have a lot of bodies funneling thru an area, seem to work well....kids have a hard time picking out the ball carrier in situations like this.....we played in plenty of youth games, where we ran the same couple plays 90% of the game, lol....the old adage "run it till they stop it" holds very true in youth ball. Bottom line, I agree with you 100%......keep the plays as simple as possible....the number of plays to a minimum(depending on your teams experience) and focus on blocking assignments and you guys will be awesome, whatever you run!  |
|
|
|
Post by scotdaking on Apr 11, 2011 14:19:32 GMT -6
We don't use holes or number the backs anymore either with our 8-10 year olds. We teach areas. Power is an area between the traditional 2 and 4 holes. Sweep is outside the TE. Middle is the "A" gap. Keep the number of base plays to a maximum of 4. Rep the heck out of them. In addition, have a special play for the 2 pt conversion when you really need 2 points and one trick play to keep things fun. Focus on the blocking assignments and not so much the skill positions. Everything goes according to the guys up front. Wrist coaches are good but use hand signals out of the no huddle. Hand raised means running to the right or strong side. Hand lowered means run short side or left side. We'd yell SOS which means "Same Ole Stuff" or run the same play just executed. If a penalty is called we ran the same play as previously called. Hand tapping top of the head means pass. We stressed conditioning and the combination of no-huddle and being in shape won us a lot of games in the 4th qtr. Good Luck
|
|
|
|
Post by jrk5150 on Apr 11, 2011 15:34:15 GMT -6
I've had both 7-8's, and now have 9-10's.
I've never had a problem numbering the plays and holes, never had an issue at all. With 7-8's I was on the field, with 9-10's I'm not. I actually not only taught them the plays, but we also had some rudimentary hand and verbal signals for the plays to go no huddle. Again, not a problem.
In fact, the only problems I've had were this year when I DIDN'T use #'s. It made it very difficult to install plays towards the end of the year, when we had limited practice time due to weather. When I've had the #'s, new play install was always really easy. Without, you're starting from scratch with each play.
|
|
|
|
Post by vincelombardi on Apr 12, 2011 13:46:59 GMT -6
this past fall was the first time i coached 9/10's a lot of them where brand new to football and we practiced calling the plays my numbers such as 37/38 sweep or 21/22 dive. the numbers really messed with kids and they were thinking too much pre snap and would forget the play. i dumbed it down for them and just said sweep right sweep left power right power left. they grasped it very well. i had many athletes on my team and we went undeafted. i think it all depends on the kids you are coaching. i am from Canada so football isn't the biggest thing for us up here so maybe its because the kids aren't learning football as soon as they come out the womb.
hope this helps.
|
|
|
|
Post by jrk5150 on Apr 12, 2011 15:22:21 GMT -6
I dunno, I had 7-8's who were all new, and they learned the #'s. Odd to the left, even to the right. Sure I kept it simple, and probably in the huddle told them right or left, so with the 7-8's I suppose my experience has a caveat.
By my experience last year basically shows me that I HAVE to go #'s with my 9-10's if I want to install plays late in the season and not have them go haywire on me. It was a new experience for me, I had numbered the holes and backs for the two years prior with this team. This past year, just called the play name - power, counter, sweep, etc. It went well, until I had to put in some other plays and only had one or two practices to do it. It was ugly. Had I used numbers, they'd have had the key to the play from the first minute I told them what it was.
|
|
