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Post by bigmike0307 on Sept 15, 2011 14:05:22 GMT -6
im a 1st year dc for a 13-15 youth football league....we won our first 3 game fairly easy but the team we play sat will be 1 of our toughest games and it is also our 1st home game just want to get them pumped up
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Post by jrk5150 on Sept 15, 2011 14:22:22 GMT -6
Were they flat in the first 3 games?
The more you make of it, the tighter they'll get, and the worse they'll play.
Being "pumped up" lasts until maybe the kickoff. You want them focused and determined.
If they performed well the first 3 games, then just do the same thing. If they were flat, then look at practice to try to figure out why. Keep everything as routine as possible - kids don't like different. They like routine.
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Post by bigmike0307 on Sept 15, 2011 14:28:40 GMT -6
thanks
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Post by coachdoug on Sept 15, 2011 14:35:54 GMT -6
I agree with jrk5150. I think the pump-it-up motivational stuff is overrated. I used to do a lot of it when I first started coaching, but I quickly discovered that it has almost no impact on how well the kids play. In fact, it can be a negative wrt performance. Sometimes those clever little "pump-it-up" routines can require a bit of practice to get them right - practice time that could be much better spent working on fundamentals or play assignments or anything directly football related.
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Post by mahonz on Sept 15, 2011 16:47:16 GMT -6
You pump them up on Monday and keep that going until the final play on Saturday. You start this routine on day one of the pre season and stop on the final play of the season.
Works wonders because its routine.
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Post by jrk5150 on Sept 16, 2011 7:17:47 GMT -6
You pump them up on Monday and keep that going until the final play on Saturday. You start this routine on day one of the pre season and stop on the final play of the season. Works wonders because its routine. That. You want them excited and congratulating their brothers for plays - but you aren't going to be able to create that just on game day. It's got to be something that's every day, part of the routine. |
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Post by coachbuck on Sept 16, 2011 13:12:43 GMT -6
Im not a hype guy also but I feel like we are playing flat. Our practices are really good but last two games just no intensity. Doug today at our walk thrus I was gonna let kids (15 min) put a pregame hype routine together, just to try and mix it up a bit. I wasnt doing helmet stickers but Im thinking I might add that also. I have a very young goofy group but they listen and try hard.
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Post by coachdoug on Sept 16, 2011 15:53:10 GMT -6
Coachbuck - that (letting the kids make their own pregame routine) sounds like a pretty good idea. I'm not totally against the rah-rah stuff, I just can't do it myself anymore. I know the kids enjoy it even if it doesn't do much to improve their performance, so I find it helpful if there is another coach on the staff that wants to do it, or, even better, if the kids take the initiative to do it themselves. Like others have said, though, it has to be an "all-the-time" thing in terms of maintaining a high level of intensity - you can't expect the kids to chant a few things 10 minutes before kickoff have that somehow magically make them play better.
WRT helmet stickers, that's a bit of a double-edged sword. If only the stars are getting the awards, then you're really only motivating the kids that are already motivated. The weaker kids will feel left out and will likely believe that they have no chance to really earn the awards, so it can actually be de-motivating for them. If you try to make sure you give out the awards fairly evenly regardless of performance, then there probably isn't any incentive, so it's kind of pointless. I'm not necessarily saying it's a bad idea, but I think it's of limited value at the youth level, and it has the potential to be counter-productive, so proceed with caution if you decide to go that route.
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Post by coachbuck on Sept 16, 2011 21:12:07 GMT -6
Let the kids make own routine today. Ah bad idea. I had to take it over, but we now have a pregame routine and the kids like it. As far as the stickers I agree doug. I always put academic awards to. If you get three Ason your test you get a sticker. If offense scores offense gets sticker. Very few individual awards. Shut out on D, d gets shut out sticker. That sort of thinking with stickers.
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turney
Junior Member
Spread'em and Shread'em[F4:coachturney]
Posts: 279
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Post by turney on Sept 17, 2011 1:26:07 GMT -6
One place I coached we had a couple of rooms set up. Room A had lights out/meditation. Room B was wrestling and what not. Room C was guy hanging and talking. Kids went where they wanted to to get mentally ready for the game.
Personally I just want to know they are focused. Not pumped. Being pumped ends after the first hit.
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brycrob
Probationary Member
Posts: 6
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Post by brycrob on Sept 24, 2011 13:24:25 GMT -6
I am at a loss wth my team as well so drastic times calls for drastic measures.
I am going to try something for my young boys (7 and 8 yr olds). It may sound a little corny but it gets me pumped up so what the heck. I have a laptop and projector. I also have a tripod for presentations at work which has a glossy white board on it. I plan on getting online and pulling up some "Big Hit" videos of NFL and College Games. They usually have some good music as well.
Just go online and watch one. They have some that are 3 or 4 minutes long. I plan on showing it after weigh in right before the game. Maybe it will work in getting the boys pumped if only for the first few plays.
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shawnm
Freshmen Member
Posts: 99
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Post by shawnm on Oct 21, 2011 20:05:39 GMT -6
The mental game has been a big factor for my 10-11 year old team this year. This group had poor coaching the year before (2-7 record) and I have trouble getting 100% effort from all of them in practice. Some of the best players are the worst for taking plays off and not giving effort. They are all big excuse makers too, never their fault sort of deal. Last night I screwed up a bit by getting into with my blocking back. We are doing a half line drill and he missed his kick out block I got after him a bit and asked him if he really wanted to play? He says "No I don't" so I had him set out the rest of the practice and named a new starter who is about half as talented. I think this group is wearing on me a bit this year as I'm making more corrections and less positive reinforcement. We are now (5-2) with two close losses and I think we have a shot at the league title but I'm going to have to turn around both my attitude and the teams before the playoffs hit in 1-1/2 weeks. I love coaching but struggle with being too negative at times. Plan is to only have positive reinforcement with last reg. season game approaching.
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bighit65
Junior Member
Make a statement without saying a word.
Posts: 397
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Post by bighit65 on Dec 1, 2011 22:11:27 GMT -6
In regards to being pumped up...try to create enthusiasm, not emotion. Emotional teams have highs AND lows. Enthusiastic teams are always up.
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Post by olsenray61 on Apr 25, 2012 14:47:23 GMT -6
Excitement comes from within and your players should be excited because we practice to play in the big game. On game day I always say, "It's a great day or night for football", what do you think fellows? I've always had a positive response.
Coach I never get into it with a 12 year old. I always make them stand on the sideline, by themselves, until they decide they want to perform to our teams expectations. I've hadkids stand there for an hour.
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Post by coachrobpsl on Apr 30, 2012 10:49:48 GMT -6
I wrestled and played football growing up. I read some stuff about self visualization and remaining calm but razor focused vs. hyped up and overly excited. Once I bought into the focus/visualization thing I improved immensely as a wrestler. This is a hard sell, especially for younger kids, but it really does work. One of things I noticed with getting all hyped up is that you waste energy on getting psyched up that could be used towards whatever sport you are participating. I would prefer our athletes to be focused and relaxed. Pregame warm ups should be upbeat but but not overly, imho. Some teams or kids just don't have that in there personality. You can try to force it on them but it will be artificial. I also agree that as soon as the ball is kicked off all the motivational speeches, war dances, crazy chants, whatever, are completely forgotten. Your players will revert to who they are and play at whatever level of excitement is right for them. We have a very focused but relaxed pregame and bring up the intensity just before kickoff with some form tackling/contact drills. It is always the same before each game. No reason to start stressing the kids before the game even starts. We walk through some smoke, do a little cheer at the beginning and that is it. But don't underestimate the power of pregame chants/rituals to intimidate younger kids. I personally am worried about teams that come out quiet and disciplined.
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Post by coach353 on May 13, 2012 18:57:42 GMT -6
I've learned with the teams I have coached that it has done wonders when we've stopped the routine run throughs and Rah-Rah stuff and done more to actually focus us and get us into football condition.
I call "football condition" that feeling where you're primed and ready to hit, run and play without the exhaustion.
Early on in my coaching career we would run through our plays, talk about strategy and then Rah-Rah it up in the endzone but the kids wouldn't play enough attention and the Rah-Rah ended with a long introduction and star spangled banner haha.
Now I talk to the kids I feel need a refresher personally, we may have a quick reminder of important keys but it's mostly a semi-practice feel to pre-game.
We stretch, we hit a little, we even tackle a little. It's as if we're starting a practice just that the "practice period" is in fact a game. The kids tend to be more focused and ready to play that way rather than thinking of girls while we talk strategy and then getting a rush of adrenaline in hype time just to see it dropped.
It's all about preparation, focus ann execution. No pre game speech or enzone jumping can help that.
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