How big a deal is pregame?

I am not a big rah-rah guy, so we don't make a big deal about that type of stuff. I want my guys to exclude confidence, I want the other team to know that we expect to win. I don't think there is a right way or a wrong way though. As a coach you have to be comfortable in your skin, and the team will reflect that.

I don't think pre-game helps performance, but a good atmosphere could have a couple benefits:

1. It will draw more of a crowd; everyone likes a good show and the more kids you involve the more people will show up.
2. Young kids in the stands will think it's pretty cool and want to be a part of it someday.

I'm not a fan of pre-game pep-talks, but I've heard some very motivational and beneficial half-time speeches.

I think that is an often overlooked aspect and benefit...the aspect could be to attract younger kids and create an atmosphere of fun as opposed to hyping your players up (thinking of even the old espn commercial where the guy runs out of his garage with the Miami smoke). 

That being said we haven't done anything outside of running through the banner and music during warmups, we don't have the means or the tradition/consistency.  Sure that smoke and such looks awesome when you are better regardless but you look silly running out of a fire breathing dragon when you get stomped.

If you have the means, the kids enjoy it, it isn't detracting, and the fans like it than go for it...no real drawback I suppose.

Agreed.

Although I do like it when other teams do all that crap.  Gets my kids good and pissed off before the game.  Some of the most savage games we've played physically have been after teams let off fireworks and came out behind fire trucks and that kind of crap.

About the flashiest thing we do to come out is when they announce our starters our kids form a tunnel and the kid being announced runs out the tunnel and usually jumps up and bumps chests with one of the seniors not on that unit being announced.

I personally am not a big believer in it BUT I do think it helps build a program...Its funny in the fact as a HC not having a cool pregame was one of the things i was most critisized for

I don't real care for the big pre game thing and honestly logistical do to the way teams in wa seem to time things I don't see how it effects things one way or another.

When we come out of the locker room to the field its a good hour and a half before kick off.at this time we might do a little rally at midfield thing and some music plays but then its straight to the stadium locker room. Specialist come out after about 20 min then skill guys then the linemen. Do 10 or so of Indy stuff 10 or so plays for d then o break down to 3 teams run 10 or so more plays on air then back to the locker room last words from hc go do the anthem and play ball.

Some teams try to do a little pre game intro thing ( we don't) if they do we stay in the locker room . Only exception is senior night. Players don't partake in homecoming.

The best point I picked up was from my jc line coach. Guy was the right tackle at ucla when Ogden was the left. He talked about not blowing all your energy early. We try to work pre game at a light pace stay off are feet as much as possible light it up at the 10 play period relax then do are pump up thing right before we get the ball or go out on d. No use being all fired up a hour before the game.

Not a big deal, in my opinion. Like pregame speeches, the momentum created is very short-lived.

That being said, if it sells the program to young area players and the community...it may be worth exploring in more detail.

One of the better teams in our area have the ugliest uniforms in the world. Pre game they just toss the ball around. When they break the huddle they look like they can barely walk. Sloppy! Then they come off the ball and kill people. The HC has won everywhere and wants to look lazy. He works the crap out of them.

Our pre-game is very laid back and slowly picks up pace until essentially the coin toss. We will do our Defensive portion of team work starting about 5 mintues before KO and that is when all of the kids start to just get fired up. Works pretty well and I never had to tell them to get excited. Just worked out that way and has stuck ever since.

Our pre-game takes FOREVER. Not so much from rah-rah stuff, but still. Normally skinny skills go out for 7v7, the kick specialist. Then everyone comes in, then goes out together. Then static stretching and indy periods. Then defensive pursuit drill, then offensive script plays, then punt and field goal. Then back in for talk and prayer. Then another prayer on the field, run through a banner and toss a coin.

It is what it is.

With all that being said, After the static stretch they do jumping jacks, spell out the mascot and get a break. During that little period it is a pretty good gauge to find out where their heads are at and if they are hyped for the game or not.

About 80-90 minutes before KO, we'll get the kids out to the field. They'll toss the ball around, run some routes, the linemen usually like punting for some reason, whatever they want to do; completely informal. We'll get the snappers and specialists some work, but again, nothing formal. Our kids had a hard time with stressing out and being overly nervous, which isn't great when you're already completely up against it like we were all season. Simply a time to kind of cool off, get acclimated to the surroundings, relax a little, etc. I thought it served its purpose pretty well.

The rest of pre-game is "normal." We don't have a lot of money in our program (and I'm poor...), but if someone is willing to buy us all the fancy stuff, more power to them, we'll work it in as long as it's not distracting.

Certainly looking to make our pre-game more efficient and effective. Also, looking for a few new "cool" things to pick up for our intros and stuff. Our locker room is 100+ yards from the field (we have to walk through our "practice field" that is unfortunately also the gameday parking lot), so I think there's probably something there we could do with "the walk." I prefer the lower-key stuff, but it's not about me. If we can figure something out that gets the kids a little more excited without going over the top, awesome.

Like someone said in another thread, Play Football. I have seen many games lost in pregame. Walk through 2.5 hours before game time, really?? Made me sick!

We are a small school and play a few larger schools each year. We always play well on rhe road and a few of the schools we play have as many in their band as we do in the school. When we play these schools at home the fans will not shut up about how many buses they bring. That's the part that gets in our kids head. Crazy!