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Post by coachjocko on Dec 9, 2007 21:26:29 GMT -6
Just curious about how each of you coaches structure your pre-game routine just prior to kickoff (Stretching, kicking specialists, quarterbacks and receivers, individual offense, ind. defense, team offense, team defense, etc?)
Everybody does things different for various reasons. I can usually tell if a program is well-coached or seem to be well-prepared by watching them warm-up in their pre-game. Our pre-game routine was laughable this year, yet we finished 10-0 in the regular season.
I'm not even going to begin to describe what we did (or should I say didn't do), but I am interested in some things you have done in your pre-game schedule that has helped your kids prepare for the game at hand.
Anybody have any good ideas to share?
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fish
Junior Member
Posts: 485
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Post by fish on Dec 10, 2007 7:31:37 GMT -6
we come out in phases
first qbs and receivers
next backs and deep snappers
last linemen
each group stretches upon reaching the field
qbs and receivers will warm up running quick game routes
during that time, the backs and deep snappers come out to stretch
when qbs and receivers are done, and the backs are done stretching we warm up the kicking game, punters on one side, kick-off on the other, and field goals from hash to hash
once the kicking game is done we work pass-shell
after pass-shell we break and move up to the 6 for team d and then followed by team o
we finish with extra point
i couldn't tell you the times that each group goes out because i go out with the first group and pretty much stop paying attention to the times the others come out.
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pal
Freshmen Member
Posts: 73
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Post by pal on Dec 10, 2007 7:34:41 GMT -6
Specialits
Backs & Receivers
Linemen
We come out in that order, then we stretch as a team, defensive positon areas, team o and team d
then we're done.
Very simple, we're not looking to put on a show
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Post by cmow5 on Dec 10, 2007 7:55:04 GMT -6
Does anyone else do this or am I just paranoid?
when we get to team drills I line up the kids that are not in shoulder to shoulder at about the 40 we do team at about the 30. I do this so the opposing team don't see what we are doing.
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Post by wingt74 on Dec 10, 2007 8:06:05 GMT -6
Does anyone else do this or am I just paranoid? when we get to team drills I line up the kids that are not in shoulder to shoulder at about the 40 we do team at about the 30. I do this so the opposing team don't see what we are doing. I've always done this...and anyone I've ever faced has done this. Me personally, I do it because I want to look organized, keep the non-participants close to the practice, and lastly to keep the other team from watching. But, all and all, there is plenty of footage of us. |
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Post by tribepride on Dec 10, 2007 8:08:10 GMT -6
when we get to team drills I line up the kids that are not in shoulder to shoulder at about the 40 we do team at about the 30. I do this so the opposing team don't see what we are doing. Its kind of hard to hide 11 players on a FB field. If opposing coaches are on the sideline or up in the press box then they can see what you are doing. Versus some teams we will run some "garbage" plays in warm-ups to give the opposing team something to talk about. |
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Post by theprez98 on Dec 10, 2007 8:11:21 GMT -6
Does anyone else do this or am I just paranoid? when we get to team drills I line up the kids that are not in shoulder to shoulder at about the 40 we do team at about the 30. I do this so the opposing team don't see what we are doing. Everyone seems to do this. |
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Post by morris on Dec 10, 2007 9:19:40 GMT -6
Now we are a middle school so take that into account but this is what we did this year and most of last.
We would come out as a team and stretch. Go to the end zone and call out each group (punt, KO, KO return, ect) and make sure we had 11. we would go over adjustments and and calls for that week by just talking and pointing. Then we went to the endzone and turned and faced the other team until after the coin toss. We never took a snap or anything. 55 kids just watching the other team not saying a word.
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Post by bluecrazy on Mar 6, 2008 8:10:50 GMT -6
I want to re-visit this thread, just to ask about the mental part of pre-game. Do you keep the kids low key until a certain time? Is there a time that you try to get the juices flowing? Do you fire up the kids, or do let them do it themselves? I think if they get to high to early, that they could start the game flat.
One other question. Do you bring the kids in early to get together and play music, watch a movie, or just to have some alone time?
I know some off this has been touched on before, but with new coaches on this board all the time, I'm looking for opinions on how you set the mental aspect leading up to kick-off
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Post by coache67 on Mar 6, 2008 10:38:21 GMT -6
Everyone around here lines the subs up behind the O or D to screen the opponent from "spying". I think it is hilarious though because some teams will only have another 10 guys lined up behind their LOS.
I have just noticed teams in the last couple of years going up into the box and scouting pregame - I hate that. So to combat it, we run a few junk plays and give 'em a big wave or thumbs up - they usually hate that and start shuffling papers or come running down to let the other coaches/players know we are coming out under center in two backs when they have been working all week against four wide!
One last thing we do is work on a special team we call "Final Kick" - we do an XP and everybody meets for one last break and heads to the locker room. In college, we would punt out of the end zone and everyone would sprint to the return man and get crazy - whoop it up, talk junk to the other team, smack each other around - you know, (ab)normal pregame stuff. I haven't done it at the HS level, but sometimes think about doing so. I loved that ritual!
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Post by coache67 on Mar 6, 2008 10:41:43 GMT -6
In regards to bluecrazy's question - we don't let the kids go home after school. A lot of discussion on this, but I feel it is in the best interest of the team to stay together, not with their girls or buddies who don't play. We give them about 20 mins after the bell to catch up with teachers, get their locker/gear ready, and then we watch a feature film (for home games) or highlights of college or pros for away games. After that is team meal, meetings, walkthrough and then load up or release to the locker room.
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Post by coachbdud on Mar 6, 2008 10:50:56 GMT -6
unless we have a long road trip the kids have until 4 o clock to get into the fieldhouse (we get out at 3:15) at 4 o clock we lock the kids into our fieldhouse
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Post by realdawg on Mar 6, 2008 10:57:29 GMT -6
On home games-kids come for pregame meal at 3:30. At 4:15 we have position meetings. We start handing stuff out (jerseys and pants) at 5. At 6:10 QB's/WR/kickers/LS go out and stretch/throw/kick, etc... 6:30 entire team is out for dynamic stretch. 6:45 defensive individual. 6:55 offensive team 7:05 special teams check. 7:15 off field 7:30 GATA
Away games is similar, except no position meetings-after you eat go get your stuff and go get on the bus. Any meeting is held either on the bus or when we get to where we are going.
Someone said something about other coaches scouting out their pregame stuff. Couple of years ago, we are playing in 2nd rd. of playoffs. The other teams coaches are not even trying to hide the fact that they are watching our team O period. I mean is was obvious, they were taking notes and everything. So we take our super athletic QB, put him at WR, and put in our Fr. QB (he would have started at alot of schools) First we throw our starting QB a slip screen, then we use him to throw a double pass. It actually looked pretty good even though we had never considered or practiced it! You should have seen their defensive coaches scrambling to prepare their kids for this!LOL
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Post by flexspread on Mar 6, 2008 11:15:29 GMT -6
There has been a lot of talk about not wanted other coaches to scout you during pregame and I was wondering if any of you who practice team D have this same concern. I haven't had a team D period during pregame because I like a little bit of mystery in regards to how we "might" line up to their different formations. Do most of you have a team D period? I realize that if the other coach is worth his salt he should have a pretty good guess as to what adjustments we will make based on film, but I don't ever want to assume this to be true.
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Post by coachorr on Mar 6, 2008 11:29:51 GMT -6
Real dawg, that story was great!
A very respected friend of mine and former coach in Kansas once told me that there was no need to run plays before a game. I have always wondered about that comment.
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Post by coachorr on Mar 6, 2008 11:33:02 GMT -6
Ours is similar to what fish described, but we only have one pahse and we do a team stretch.
I am not sure of the exact time frame, because it depends on how much time we have and/or want to take, but it goes something like this:
Specialties 15 min (snapping, kicking and receiving)
Linemen come out
Warm and stretch 5-8 min
Individual 5-8 min
Skelly D 5 min
Skelly O 5 min
Team D 5-8 min
Team O 5-8 min
Locker Room
Before we get on the bus to go to the stadium we will do this:
Dress tape 30 min
Team 10-20 min
Team meetings 10 min
Load the bus
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 6, 2008 11:48:27 GMT -6
For 7:00 game
I'm a believer in this:
Kids are free after school to get the giggles and crap out before it's time to focus- I don't want to see them until it's go time...NO HANGING OUT AT SCHOOL! If I see someone putzing around I will flip out so it's best for them to be somewhere far away from me...
400 Kids get Jerseys
430 Walkthrough in gym
430 Chill/Get Dressed
<Coaches do coaching things>
550 QBs on field
600 Specialists on field
610 Everyone Team Dynamic on field
620 Group Warmup
630 O Team/D Team @ 5ydline going in
645 Off Field
700 Anthem/Kickoff
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Post by bluecrazy on Mar 6, 2008 12:08:15 GMT -6
Thanks guys, but during warm ups, do you try to keep kids more grounded as far as enthusiasm, or do you just let em rip. What I'm asking is do you try keep them mentally low, and then get them fired up just before kick off, or is this just not coached. I'm just wondering because I have seen our team all fired up during warm ups, and then mentally dead, with no fire at kick off time. Do you try to keep a balance? Pre game speeches can only last so long.
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Post by airman on Mar 6, 2008 12:50:36 GMT -6
we do the j.t. curtis philosophy. we run off the bus just in time to get introduced and start the game.
against out biggest rivals, we stop at this country church and use their gravel parking lot to warm up. it is about 4 miles from the opposing school.
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Post by michwags19 on Mar 6, 2008 13:30:05 GMT -6
Does anyone use any sort of mental imagery routine or relaxation techniques?
This past season, I was the DC and DL coach. During pregame when all the skills were warming up and my big uglies were still in the school, they put on their lowers and i walked them through some relaxation techniques and some mental imagery. We would find a dark area of the school (either gym, natatorium, or small hallway) and they would lie on the floor. After I took them through a relaxation period, I had them picture the perfect play. Getting the call, coming out of the huddle, seeing the block, technique, tackling, etc...
They loved it and it seemed to help a little. Pretty soon, they were asking for it when we traveled. Time was not on our side, but we tried to fit it in. Then I had them try it on their own on the bus to the away game.
We didn't have any all-staters or anything, but I think this helped a bunch of our kids play to their potential. This season, I plan on expanding this sort of thing to more of the team.
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chuff
Sophomore Member
Posts: 136
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Post by chuff on Mar 6, 2008 19:06:39 GMT -6
I am so glad this post got restarted. I hate pregame!!! So I am constantly looking for ways to do it better.
In the past, this is what we have done:
K, P, snappers, Ret out first
QB, C, RB out second- work on exchanges
all others on the field- team stretch
D position areas- stance and steps
Skill guys- 7 on 7, Line- in the endzone working on footwork/ combo blocks
Team O
Team D
Punt/ XP
I think that I have tired my kids out by doing this (I know that pregame always tired me out WAY more than the actual game) so I am looking to revamp.
I am thinking about ditching the Team O or D. Do kids lose confidence if they do no execute during this period so close to the game? In baseball I have seen some teams take infield without a ball for this reason.
As far as the mental game: we stay pretty calm (I guess to save our energy!). Last season our kids didn't say a word until right before kick off! I thought it showed focus, they thought they were tough. We lose pre-game warm ups every game: the other team always out-grunts us!
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Post by coache67 on Mar 6, 2008 23:08:45 GMT -6
realdawg, that story is awesome!
whitemike52, what time do you guys get out of school?
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Post by rideanddecide on Mar 7, 2008 7:02:07 GMT -6
How do you keep pre game laid back and relaxed without getting lazy and sloppy?
I would LOVE to get rid of team cals and take a more laid back, yet still focused, approach to pre games, but I'm not sure how 15-18 year olds would handle it.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 7, 2008 10:21:43 GMT -6
For this schedule, it was 2:02. We were block scheduling.
At my current school, we get out at 2:40 something, and games are at 7:30, so it could still work out with some minor adjustments.
The HC and I (the OC) at my last school worked backwards from kickoff, to find out what time things need to get rolling...this worked well...
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 7, 2008 10:30:15 GMT -6
we do the j.t. curtis philosophy. we run off the bus just in time to get introduced and start the game. against out biggest rivals, we stop at this country church and use their gravel parking lot to warm up. it is about 4 miles from the opposing school. I like that- this is more my style... I personally believe in keeping it calm and focused all the way through warmups, working up to a lather by gametime. I think that getting fired up too far before gametime can be detrimental- or "shooting your load" to early... |
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