|
Post by Coach Bennett on Apr 21, 2014 4:31:59 GMT -6
Well placed mini-competitions are great for player excitement and morale. Sometimes they are football specific, sometimes they're not.
I'm always surprised at the energy created when kids compete at something as simple trying to knock a cardboard box off a trash can throwing with their non-dominant hand.
|
|
|
Post by blb on Apr 21, 2014 5:37:11 GMT -6
Blb , Do you ever find it easier to get kids excited to play a game than practice? From time to time our kids drag a little in practice. Sometimes music helps with the enthusiasm. Do you ever play music in the weightroom ? If so, why would you or anyone possibly do this if the kids can't listen to it in a game?
We have over sixty practices, only nine games. There are parts of practice that by nature of game and preparation are routine drudgery, and the uniqueness of competing against another school obviously will create more excitement.
There is no need to wear them out emotionally during the week. The charge of the game should affect them for the better.
I explained in an earlier post how we create a fast pace and enthusiasm at practice. We also do some things to "force" enthusiasm and for fun as well as to ensure kids being "fresh" on game night. The "music" of my voice seems to be all they need.
Yes, we play music in the weight room if the kids bring it in and put it on (they don't always do so), which is enclosed and a much smaller venue than either a practice field or stadium. And lifting weights a lot different motivational dynamic than playing the game.
When I was playing I do not ever remember hearing band except after we scored.
Nor did I need it to motivate me to play. You only get so many At Bats in HS Football - you better be intrinsically motivated.
|
|
|
Post by blb on Apr 21, 2014 5:45:12 GMT -6
To those of you who play music during practices - do you play it during games? I know what you are getting at here. I'm pretty sure you have forgotten more about coaching HS football than I know, so I am certainly not going to try to convince you of anything one way or the other.
breaker, I know you meant that as a compliment, and so I take it as such, thanks.
However there are probably a lot of coaches of another generation on here such as yourself who may know more about Spread and Air Raid Offenses, TCU and 3-3-5 defenses for example than I do, too.
I'm all for anything that will help us win. If it doesn't, it's unnecessary and possibly a distraction.
As we tell the kids, if it wasn't important, we wouldn't be doing it. And the most important thing in the program is whatever we're doing at that particular time (WIN = What's Important Now).
I'm just trying to find out if-how playing music at practice could aid us in achieving that goal.
|
|
|
Post by groundchuck on Apr 21, 2014 8:53:19 GMT -6
I think the only way to find out is if you try it. You could just start by saying you'll use it in warm-up or during a circuit or something. Then turn it off. See how it goes.
That's what we did. We tried it. Kids and coaches liked it. So we kept it up.
|
|
|
Post by phscoach08 on Apr 21, 2014 10:02:56 GMT -6
We only play music during stretch/warm-up and team offense.
|
|
|
Post by hammer66 on Apr 21, 2014 10:20:39 GMT -6
I am about as old school as they come. We just hired a new header at the place I have coached at for 12 years. He wants to play music at practice. I cringed a bit at the thought. Then I went to one of the local colleges to watch a spring practice. They played music throughout the session. Gotta admit there was an energy there that I wasn't expecting. I am thinking it would be neat to see if it transfers to high school kids.
|
|
|
Post by georgefred86 on Apr 21, 2014 10:26:19 GMT -6
We had a sound system installed down on our practice fields 3 years ago ... huge difference in energy and tempo. Managers have a practice plan highlighted so they know what level the music needs to be at during certain portions of practice. For those that haven't done this ... don't forget to think about the neighborhood ... your neighbors might not be as excited about your music during practice as you and your players.
|
|
|
Post by Send_the_House on Apr 21, 2014 10:55:04 GMT -6
Google the CoachComm "Tempo" setup. It's awesome.
|
|
|
Post by 90rocket on Apr 21, 2014 19:38:56 GMT -6
Our kids loved the music last year. We played it about 90% of practice. Was especially great during conditioning. I'd ask a player what kind of music he wanted to hear before all conditioning and there was definitely an increased effort. I'm thinking of doing something where the first Indy group to have all thier players out on the practice field gets to pick the genre of music to start practice. All of our music comes from pandora.
|
|
|
Post by bigm0073 on Apr 21, 2014 19:54:15 GMT -6
There are a ton of distractions Friday nights.. Bands playing, loud crowds, announcers, circus atmosphere.. This all lends itself to distractions. Music in practice is a distraction and I like it. Especially backing our offense deep in the endzone with the music playing. Kids flinch, jump or make mental mistakes. Friday nights are usually stressful, chaotic and often unsettling. I try to simulate that in practice as often as possible. The better they can adapt to it in practice the better we have seen they play on Fridays. Plus it does get the mood and tempo of practice up. We like it and it we feel it also helps us on Fridays.
|
|
|
Post by coachdawhip on Apr 26, 2014 14:56:28 GMT -6
During pre game only. Our band comes to all of our home games.
Does your band play between every snap?
Does not having your band at away games affect your performance then?
blb, I coach at a majority black HS and played at a HBCU. I will get fired if I tell the band to be quiet!
|
|
|
Post by coachdawhip on Apr 26, 2014 14:59:55 GMT -6
I play music during practice, because I WANT TO HEAR IT!
I want practice to be fun and games will be 2. Hell No one is more into the band on Friday than the HC(me).
We also don't signal our plays on Monday and Tuesday QB calls them from his wristband, speeds up practice 1000%. It feels that way but it allows us to coach. We will sometimes do 3 on 3 in the middle of practice like coachplaa, different and fun.
|
|
|
Post by blb on Apr 26, 2014 15:25:01 GMT -6
Does your band play between every snap?
Does not having your band at away games affect your performance then?
blb, I coach at a majority black HS and played at a HBCU. I will get fired if I tell the band to be quiet!
whip, understood. But by NFHS rule band has to stop at RFP signal or you can be penalized.
Music in weight room is just noise to me. On practice field would be a distraction.
Do your kids really need it to make playing Football fun?
My last job we played Saginaw High (95% African-American). Lamarr Woodley is an alum. They have the Mighty Trojan Marching Band, which has been to several major bowl games, going to another one this year. Very impressive.
We beat their Football team like a drum (pun intended). So the music, drum line, and majorettes didn't help the players much.
|
|
|
Post by coachdawhip on Apr 26, 2014 15:29:38 GMT -6
blb, I coach at a majority black HS and played at a HBCU. I will get fired if I tell the band to be quiet!
whip, understood. But by NFHS rule band has to stop at RFP signal or you can be penalized.
Music in weight room is just noise to me. On practice field would be a distraction.
Do your kids really need it to make playing Football fun?
My last job we played Saginaw High (95% African-American). Lamarr Woodley is an alum. They have the Mighty Trojan Marching Band, which has been to several major bowl games, going to another one this year. Very impressive.
We beat their Football team like a drum (pun intended). So the music, drum line, and majorettes didn't help the players much.
LOL. I do tell my band to be quiet and when the other school does, which they do. They make the crowd louder which I love! Do my kids need it to make practice fun, but I like it. I feel like practice goes by faster. I tune it out and don't hear all the time, we do it after the walk-thru period 1st. I told the band to be quiet in my 2nd game as HC playing a another school. They had 15000 people yell and boo us like never b4. I thought what have I just done, but it did the same to my crowd when they did it 2 us. U talk about chants of defense!
|
|
|
Post by fantom on Apr 26, 2014 15:50:25 GMT -6
whip, understood. But by NFHS rule band has to stop at RFP signal or you can be penalized.
Music in weight room is just noise to me. On practice field would be a distraction.
Do your kids really need it to make playing Football fun?
My last job we played Saginaw High (95% African-American). Lamarr Woodley is an alum. They have the Mighty Trojan Marching Band, which has been to several major bowl games, going to another one this year. Very impressive.
We beat their Football team like a drum (pun intended). So the music, drum line, and majorettes didn't help the players much.
LOL. I do tell my band to be quiet and when the other school does, which they do. They make the crowd louder which I love! Do my kids need it to make practice fun, but I like it. I feel like practice goes by faster. I tune it out and don't hear all the time, we do it after the walk-thru period 1st. I told the band to be quiet in my 2nd game as HC playing a another school. They had 15000 people yell and boo us like never b4. I thought what have I just done, but it did the same to my crowd when they did it 2 us. U talk about chants of defense! I'm not crazy about music at practice but practice is for the kids. If it helps them get going for practice then why not? In fact we decided the other day that we're going to see if we can do it next year. The problem is that we don't have a stadium so we have to get the music to the practice field. We did what any smart old guy does when faced with a technological question- told the kids to come up with a solution if they want music. We also told them to make mix CDs that the coaches will appove.
|
|
|
Post by groundchuck on Apr 26, 2014 16:36:19 GMT -6
Get an amp with an auxiliary jack. Plug in an iPad. Have them make a mix and approve it.
|
|
|
Post by fantom on Apr 26, 2014 16:45:41 GMT -6
Get an amp with an auxiliary jack. Plug in an iPad. Have them make a mix and approve it. Thanks. Maybe that's what they'll come up with. I'd really like them to figure it out on their own. I think we'll also tell them that they have to have one song requested by each coach. None of us are Country fans so that shouldn't be much of a problem.
|
|
|
Post by jgordon1 on Apr 26, 2014 17:14:48 GMT -6
Really interesting conversation about music. Been thinking about it for a while...not sure if that is the way to go on a regular basis...do you need music to pump you up during practice? It won't be there during the game..should we be training our guys to fight through the "lows". The place where I am at doesn't allow music during the weightroom for just this reason. those kids work for 1 hour and 1 hour only but it is non stop highly scripted in groups. interestingly our SC also doesn't allow watches or clocks.
|
|
|
Post by groundchuck on Apr 26, 2014 17:18:07 GMT -6
We need to do a better job on the playlists and get more daily variety. It turned into the same songs every day for a while, which was ok for a while. But then it's like that overplayed song on the radio.
|
|
|
Post by fantom on Apr 26, 2014 17:24:15 GMT -6
Really interesting conversation about music. Been thinking about it for a while...not sure if that is the way to go on a regular basis...do you need music to pump you up during practice? It won't be there during the game..should we be training our guys to fight through the "lows". The place where I am at doesn't allow music during the weightroom for just this reason. those kids work for 1 hour and 1 hour only but it is non stop highly scripted in groups. interestingly our SC also doesn't allow watches or clocks. I wasn't fan but it seems that every college practice that I go to has music. If it works I have no problem with it.
|
|
|
Post by 90rocket on Apr 27, 2014 3:57:51 GMT -6
Like Chip Kelly says, it's science. The kids perform better. I don't care if they need it or not. We were better in practice with music, bottom line.
|
|
|
Post by blb on Apr 27, 2014 6:08:06 GMT -6
Like Chip Kelly says, it's science. The kids perform better. I don't care if they need it or not. We were better in practice with music, bottom line.
How did Kelly (or you) measure the improvement in practice?
|
|
|
Post by Coach Bennett on Apr 27, 2014 6:32:53 GMT -6
The OP was "I am looking for new ideas to speed up our practice tempo and also the excitement of our players. Any ideas?"
Some coaches found that music speeds up practice tempo and excitement for their squad/kids. Isn't that enough?
|
|
|
Post by 90rocket on Apr 27, 2014 7:35:25 GMT -6
Like Chip Kelly says, it's science. The kids perform better. I don't care if they need it or not. We were better in practice with music, bottom line.
How did Kelly (or you) measure the improvement in practice?
Noticeably more reps in practice. Our conditioning period was better. On days that it rained our practices seemed to have less energy. I know kids should always be amped to play football but what happens when they were up til midnight studying for the algebra test they just took and all they had for lunch was an undercooked hotdog? This just gives them a little pick me up. Another thing to note, kids who don't play football heard we often play music at practice. This has created much more of an interest of other athletes in our school. BLB, maybe you have scholarship players and don't need to do this. I'm at a school where we graduate 60 kids a year. I need the kids to be upbeat and focused everyday. I have no measureable for you, other than it being our best season in 40 years and a noticed difference when it rained and I couldn't bring my music player out.
|
|
|
Post by blb on Apr 27, 2014 7:45:12 GMT -6
How did Kelly (or you) measure the improvement in practice?
Noticeably more reps in practice. Our conditioning period was better. On days that it rained our practices seemed to have less energy. I know kids should always be amped to play football but what happens when they were up til midnight studying for the algebra test they just took and all they had for lunch was an undercooked hotdog? This just gives them a little pick me up. Another thing to note, kids who don't play football heard we often play music at practice. This has created much more of an interest of other athletes in our school. BLB, maybe you have scholarship players and don't need to do this. I'm at a school where we graduate 60 kids a year. I need the kids to be upbeat and focused everyday. I have no measureable for you, other than it being our best season in 40 years and a noticed difference when it rained and I couldn't bring my music player out.
Actually I have never had a kid sign a D-I scholarship out of HS (may be the coaching). Our enrollment is 408, will graduate 88 this year.
We had the two best seasons at our school in 35 years without music at practice.
But if it works for you, that's all that matters.
|
|
|
Post by fantom on Apr 27, 2014 7:56:02 GMT -6
How did Kelly (or you) measure the improvement in practice?
Noticeably more reps in practice. Our conditioning period was better. On days that it rained our practices seemed to have less energy. I know kids should always be amped to play football but what happens when they were up til midnight studying for the algebra test they just took and all they had for lunch was an undercooked hotdog? This just gives them a little pick me up. Another thing to note, kids who don't play football heard we often play music at practice. This has created much more of an interest of other athletes in our school. BLB, maybe you have scholarship players and don't need to do this. I'm at a school where we graduate 60 kids a year. I need the kids to be upbeat and focused everyday. I have no measureable for you, other than it being our best season in 40 years and a noticed difference when it rained and I couldn't bring my music player out. Despite the fact that we're going to use music if we can and that I'm in favor of it: 1. What does playing music have to do with the number of practice reps? Isn't it possible that music was only part of an overall staff commitment to run a faster paced practice? Coaches determine the pace of practice. You can run a fast practice without music. 2. I doubt that the lack of music had much to do with the lack of energy when you're forced to practice indoors. I've never seen a practice in the gym where the energy level wasn't diminished.
|
|
|
Post by coachdawhip on Apr 27, 2014 8:04:06 GMT -6
Guys, we have to remember we are dealing with a new generation just like with education what worked 20 years ago won't always work now.
For me the mood is better, when u practice well you play well. With or without music. Neither is a key to winning games. I like it because I felt the energy and mood was better. If that's not a good enough reason don't play it.
What is good for the gander isn't always good for the geese.
|
|
yimmer
Freshmen Member
Posts: 69
|
Post by yimmer on Apr 27, 2014 8:06:07 GMT -6
Lack of background music absolutely diminishes the energy level. I am not a teacher and in the job I work I am far less productive when not listening to music. Same can be said for anything. The background music forces u to focus more as well. Silence forces the mind to wander. I couldn't imagine practicing wo music anymore. Been doing it for a few yrs now.
We use spotify and have created multiple playlists. Works much better than making a cd or just using a general genre on pandora. Each day we change up the playlist and they vary from current hits, 80s rock, 90s, etc. if it's an up tempo good energy song we will play it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
|
|
|
Post by 4verts on Apr 27, 2014 8:41:55 GMT -6
We play music, but I could care less if we did or not. Kids like so why not. I'm not trying to be John Lithgow in Footloose.
|
|
|
Post by coachplaa on Apr 27, 2014 12:14:50 GMT -6
This will sound over the top to some of you, but we are going on year four of music at practice (and I'll never go back). We use playlist folders on iTunes, and load them into an iPod nano. When I add music I actually put it in a Monday, tues, weds, or thurs playlist folder. Our tues/weds playlist are very up-tempo songs, because those days are so intense. Our Monday playlist has more methodical songs, and Thursday is lighter, and more fun.
|
|