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Post by joelee on Feb 19, 2014 8:52:58 GMT -6
What needs to be in place for an average high school kid to be an above average high school football player? We all win games with average high school kids out there on the field. The more game changers you have obviously the easier it is, but not every kid on the field is a game changer. What are some things that have to be in place from say 6th grade onward to make little Johhny into a starter on a good team?
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Post by groundchuck on Feb 19, 2014 9:10:08 GMT -6
School wide athletic development program/curriculum.
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Post by coachphillip on Feb 19, 2014 9:57:11 GMT -6
I'll add: Coaches who know how to put average Johnny into situations that play to his strengths and make him appear to be above average.
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Post by groundchuck on Feb 19, 2014 10:03:56 GMT -6
I'll add: Coaches who know how to put average Johnny into situations that play to his strengths and make him appear to be above average. Yes well said. Attention to detail. Film study. Hudl! |
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Post by coach2013 on Feb 19, 2014 10:23:51 GMT -6
What needs to be in place for an average high school kid to be an above average high school football player? We all win games with average high school kids out there on the field. The more game changers you have obviously the easier it is, but not every kid on the field is a game changer. What are some things that have to be in place from say 6th grade onward to make little Johhny into a starter on a good team? Number one- he can tackle! |
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Post by coachg13 on Feb 19, 2014 12:41:52 GMT -6
As others have said:
1) WEIGHT ROOM - an average kid in 6th grade can easily turn into an above average athlete at the varsity level. Happens all the time.
2) Coaches that can put Johnny in good positions. Plenty of average athletes at the high school level have been over achievers. If they can understand where they are going and WHY they are doing it, that is a tremendous advantage. Coaches that can get players to understand WHY they are doing something is the key IMO. There's a difference between
"Johnny run 5 yards and turn around"
vs
"We have an arrow route coming behind you, that's going to pull that OLB to the flat, you need to find the open space created by the conflict we are putting on that OLB"
Football IQ is so underrated and almost non-existent where we are. First time we went into the shotgun last season, our offset FB got in a 3 point stance beside the QB. I asked him if he ever watched football or played Madden to which he responded no.
If you can teach kids football IQ, you're at a great advantage. At places where that was present, the ad-libbing kids did when stuff broke down whether in football or bball, was often times pretty amazing - just from having a feel for the game and understanding the situation.
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Post by fantom on Feb 19, 2014 14:15:43 GMT -6
What needs to be in place for an average high school kid to be an above average high school football player? We all win games with average high school kids out there on the field. The more game changers you have obviously the easier it is, but not every kid on the field is a game changer. What are some things that have to be in place from say 6th grade onward to make little Johhny into a starter on a good team? An average HS kid will never be a starter on a good football team because they lack the motivation. A kid who is has average athletic ability for a HS athlete can, though, if he's highly motivated. Here's what a coach can do to help him: 1. Have a comprehensive S&C program including strength training, plyos, speed training, and agilities. 2. Teach them to understand the game of football. 3. Pay attention to them. If kids know that they have a chance to compete for playing time, that they're not toiling in anonymity, they're more likely to stay at it. 4. Stay on top of them about grades and behavior. Superior athletes may be able to come back after missing time to improve grades or being grounded. Average athletes can't. |
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Post by coachbdud on Feb 19, 2014 17:08:22 GMT -6
Weight room and speed work
Consistent vertically aligned coaching throughout the program
I shouldn't be teaching what a down block is to a junior
I should be perfecting what a down block is
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Post by Coach Bennett on Feb 19, 2014 17:43:21 GMT -6
Technique and fundamentals.
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Post by canesfan on Feb 20, 2014 19:29:51 GMT -6
Coaches at the lower levels who play all the players, teach them the game, fundamentals, technique, teach them to think the game. This is the most important IMO. Feeder programs are essential, especially when you're dealing with average talent. Other than that you're dealing with playing catch up with stuff you shouldn't have to do at the HS level at a beginners level. |
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Post by s73 on Feb 21, 2014 6:43:28 GMT -6
I agree w/ all of the above. I also strongly believe that addressing average athletes as if they are not average athletes goes a long way. Kids aren't dumb but they are naive sometimes.
In other words, don't talk to a team of average athletes about "hopefully having a good season". Talk to them about how you expect to beat your crosstown rival this year and how you expect to be a play off football team and compete at a high level in the play offs. I really believe this makes a difference. I think if you can convince several average athletes that they are better than that, if they have any "intestinal fortitude" at all, they will SOMETIMES find a way to meet your expectations.
I think average athletes can still be above average people if the situation and circumstances are conducive to do so. JMO.
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smu92
Junior Member
Posts: 415
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Post by smu92 on Feb 21, 2014 9:22:03 GMT -6
I agree w/ all of the above. I also strongly believe that addressing average athletes as if they are not average athletes goes a long way. Kids aren't dumb but they are naive sometimes. In other words, don't talk to a team of average athletes about "hopefully having a good season". Talk to them about how you expect to beat your crosstown rival this year and how you expect to be a play off football team and compete at a high level in the play offs. I really believe this makes a difference. I think if you can convince several average athletes that they are better than that, if they have any "intestinal fortitude" at all, they will SOMETIMES find a way to meet your expectations. I think average athletes can still be above average people if the situation and circumstances are conducive to do so. JMO. I certainly agree with having high expectations for young men because they will only go as high as you expect them to go. However, I also think there are good and bad ways of placing expectations on them. For the sake of argument, I'll play devil's advocate here. What if I put the "I expect to beat your crosstown rival this year" pressure on them, and they roll out in the first quarter and lay an egg? They are down 17-0. If they do not see a chance to reach your expectation at that moment, what will they do? I bet they shut it down. I argue this because I think you should put your focus on process-oriented expectations. Place expectations on them to live and work like champions, and the on the field product will take care of itself. Just my thoughts on it. |
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Post by Coach Bennett on Feb 21, 2014 9:37:42 GMT -6
One way to look at this is viewing the programs that, without the advantage of recruiting, have quality teams year in and year out. Obviously, it's a "program" that is comprehensive in every sense of the word leading to annual success of their team, but at the end of the day, teams need to block, tackle and not turn the ball over.
It's not like there's something special in the water at these places...
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Post by gators1422 on Feb 21, 2014 11:05:12 GMT -6
I feel like we have a lot of average kids. We have had a few special ones but we are over matched by most bigger schools we play. We play mostly schools with twice our enrollment (300-600) We ask our kids to do more, weight room, film study, practice. Most coaches aren't willing to do that much less ask kids to do it. If you challenge kids they will respond, the ones who don't you will run off, the ones who stay will do whatever you ask because the work they have put in. If kids see coaches putting in the work they will also. If they see you hitting the door at schools end so will they. One average kid won't get you over the hump but 11 busting their but will win you a lot of football games.
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Post by smfreeman on Feb 21, 2014 11:54:59 GMT -6
Work Ethic and Toughness! There is a school in our state that is a power house in a lower division and they have maybe 2 kids that could be "a star" at a higher division school but every kid they have works hard and are flat tough.
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Post by s73 on Feb 21, 2014 14:51:13 GMT -6
I agree w/ all of the above. I also strongly believe that addressing average athletes as if they are not average athletes goes a long way. Kids aren't dumb but they are naive sometimes. In other words, don't talk to a team of average athletes about "hopefully having a good season". Talk to them about how you expect to beat your crosstown rival this year and how you expect to be a play off football team and compete at a high level in the play offs. I really believe this makes a difference. I think if you can convince several average athletes that they are better than that, if they have any "intestinal fortitude" at all, they will SOMETIMES find a way to meet your expectations. I think average athletes can still be above average people if the situation and circumstances are conducive to do so. JMO. I certainly agree with having high expectations for young men because they will only go as high as you expect them to go. However, I also think there are good and bad ways of placing expectations on them. For the sake of argument, I'll play devil's advocate here. What if I put the "I expect to beat your crosstown rival this year" pressure on them, and they roll out in the first quarter and lay an egg? They are down 17-0. If they do not see a chance to reach your expectation at that moment, what will they do? I bet they shut it down. I argue this because I think you should put your focus on process-oriented expectations. Place expectations on them to live and work like champions, and the on the field product will take care of itself. Just my thoughts on it. I agree w/ you. I think we are essentially saying the same thing. I did not mean for my words to be taken in a vacuum. To more clearly state my position, my approach is to have them work hard, coach them up and then tell them that they have worked harder than anybody else, and as a result, they can win b/c they have put in the time. Whether it be true or not that they have actually worked harder than their opponents (no way to measure this) I feel it is advantageous for them to believe it to be true. I guess, I feel like when you put in the time properly w/ your kids, I believe in trying to develop that mental aspect that goes along w/ it. Try to develop some swagger in them mentally AS A RESULT OF THE PHYSICAL PROCESS. JMO. |
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smu92
Junior Member
Posts: 415
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Post by smu92 on Feb 21, 2014 19:29:38 GMT -6
I certainly agree with having high expectations for young men because they will only go as high as you expect them to go. However, I also think there are good and bad ways of placing expectations on them. For the sake of argument, I'll play devil's advocate here. What if I put the "I expect to beat your crosstown rival this year" pressure on them, and they roll out in the first quarter and lay an egg? They are down 17-0. If they do not see a chance to reach your expectation at that moment, what will they do? I bet they shut it down. I argue this because I think you should put your focus on process-oriented expectations. Place expectations on them to live and work like champions, and the on the field product will take care of itself. Just my thoughts on it. I agree w/ you. I think we are essentially saying the same thing. I did not mean for my words to be taken in a vacuum. To more clearly state my position, my approach is to have them work hard, coach them up and then tell them that they have worked harder than anybody else, and as a result, they can win b/c they have put in the time. Whether it be true or not that they have actually worked harder than their opponents (no way to measure this) I feel it is advantageous for them to believe it to be true. I guess, I feel like when you put in the time properly w/ your kids, I believe in trying to develop that mental aspect that goes along w/ it. Try to develop some swagger in them mentally AS A RESULT OF THE PHYSICAL PROCESS. JMO. I dig it! |
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Post by dubber on Feb 22, 2014 9:03:11 GMT -6
Only thing I may add that I didn't see was leadership development.
Leadership is about getting people going in the right direction.
11 average athletes going in the same direction will beat a talented team pulling in different directions.
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Post by jlenwood on Feb 24, 2014 16:06:32 GMT -6
Technique and fundamentals. Everybody has average kids, and I have always thought that the coaches who can get a few of those average kids to get to above average ability is the key to winning. My theory is all things being equal (which I know they are not), but if you have your 11 average out there, and I have my 8 with 3 above that, I have a better chance to win. Now I know that is a huge oversimplification, but when you really think it through I think that theory holds up. |
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Post by shocktroop34 on Feb 24, 2014 16:35:58 GMT -6
An average kid who wants to be above average better have some above average genetics that will hopefully kick in.  |
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