rosi
Junior Member
Posts: 359
|
Post by rosi on Feb 15, 2015 16:11:18 GMT -6
Coaches, do you have any tips for teams with small roster (20-30 players) and they have continal success? We will play with teams and they will have 40-50 players on roster. We will have max 30. I need some motivation story for team.
|
|
|
Post by eaglemountie on Feb 15, 2015 16:31:51 GMT -6
We have finished the last two years with 31 players grades 9-12. We have been competitive in most of our games except for one or two against higher division opponents and they usually have 40-50 on their rosters. First and foremost we emphasize to our kids that they can only play 11 at a time no matter how many they have and they are usually playing as many guys as we are both ways. I think they have to know they have a shot before they even step on the field otherwise they will let their doubts play themselves out of it early.
From a management standpoint we have tried to do things that can keep us fresh and somewhat level the playing field such as limiting special teams time to those starting both ways and identifying younger players that can contribute on all special teams and maybe play in some spot situations on offense or defense. Also we try to develop kids that have zero shot to play offense or defense on some aspect of special teams play whether that is kick protection, kick coverage or block/return game. We are also a slow-tempo, huddle, drain every ounce of the play clock team to try and make the game shorter. The longer you play the more chance there numbers can dictate the outcome.
|
|
|
Post by Inthesticks on Feb 18, 2015 13:51:31 GMT -6
We took the other approach and have been competitive. We are no huddle, uptempo (34 kids 9-12) and preached the angle of out conditioning everyone we face. Most guys play both ways but we do try and play as many one way guys as possible when it's realistic. The biggest thing to me would be a united belief in whatever you do from varsity down to youth leagues and get all coaches on board. The kids enjoy the system so that is a huge factor when it comes to keeping fringe kids out and motivating the fringe kids to work hard and believe.
|
|
|
Post by eaglemountie on Feb 18, 2015 14:58:10 GMT -6
We took the other approach and have been competitive. We are no huddle, uptempo (34 kids 9-12) and preached the angle of out conditioning everyone we face. Most guys play both ways but we do try and play as many one way guys as possible when it's realistic. The biggest thing to me would be a united belief in whatever you do from varsity down to youth leagues and get all coaches on board. The kids enjoy the system so that is a huge factor when it comes to keeping fringe kids out and motivating the fringe kids to work hard and believe. Coach, are you playing teams that are similar in roster and enrollment size? Are you more talented than most of the teams you play?
|
|
|
Post by Inthesticks on Feb 18, 2015 15:06:36 GMT -6
We took the other approach and have been competitive. We are no huddle, uptempo (34 kids 9-12) and preached the angle of out conditioning everyone we face. Most guys play both ways but we do try and play as many one way guys as possible when it's realistic. The biggest thing to me would be a united belief in whatever you do from varsity down to youth leagues and get all coaches on board. The kids enjoy the system so that is a huge factor when it comes to keeping fringe kids out and motivating the fringe kids to work hard and believe. Coach, are you playing teams that are similar in roster and enrollment size? Are you more talented than most of the teams you play? Like everyone else, some years are better talent wise than others, but for the most part we are playing equal size schools with similar to better talent than us
|
|
|
Post by coachjm on Feb 19, 2015 6:08:54 GMT -6
We are the second smallest school in our league of 8. We play 5 of our 9 opponents are nearly double then us in enrollment there is one school smaller then us, one the same approximate size and the other 2 opponents are approximately 25% bigger then us. Our first year at our school we had 34 kids 9-12 playing and the majority of our opponents have between 50-60 boys playing. Last year we did have the most kids playing in the league so that has flipped to some degree. However, due to our enrollment there will be ebb and flow to this, our current 6th and 7th grade boys have extremely low numbers. Here are some thoughts:
1. Use your enrollment to your advantage, ensure every boy participating has a significant and meaningful role with in the team that is embraced and appreciated by all this doesn't mean everyone plays equally but you can empower many kids if you as the coach emphasize their role even if it doesn't include playing as much.
2. Rotate on offense, we try to play our best kids defensively all the time, we keep them fresh on offense we try to rotate at every offensive position with the exception of Center and QB and often times FB. When we are training our kids we try to always have a back-up game ready at every position so thy are getting meaningful practice reps.
3. Spend time teaching individual drills in special teams, get good in this phase and teach individual skills during these periods as this gives greater value to kids who are in these roles.
4. Have fun in the offseason, we lift year round like everyone but it is far from a grind, it is a workout with a positive atmosphere that kids generally enjoy if a kid doesn't show up we don't fret about it we are thankful for the boys who do attend we have good attendance without it being a grind and the boys who are playing are generally energized come season.
5. Limit your contact low numbers is less depth and you want to make sure you keep as many healthy as you can.
6. Keep schemes simple if you overload the brain they aren't gonna play faster and the fact is your kids due to numbers are probably gonna be on the field more and will need to know more.
7. I believe in using as much clock offensively as possible.
Several years ago at a school with 900 students we dressed 22 varsity players and beat one of the largest schools in the state, and two others with 2000 students in one season. All three schools had between 50-70 varsity players. I remember my post season meeting with the AD and I talked to him about how this was not likely to happen again and that we would need to address the schedule or this wasn't gonna work long term. Ultimately, it is ok to look at things with logic as well so if the playing field isn't level you may have to adjust your goals to what is realistic in that situation.
|
|
|
Post by veerman on Feb 19, 2015 14:20:07 GMT -6
Been at places that only had 18 players 9-12... and only about 300 in school.
|
|
|
Post by Coach Bennett on Feb 19, 2015 16:18:52 GMT -6
Finding the balance between optimal fitness and not grinding your kids into the earth is critical, IMO.
Your players will basically be "iron manning" every game so they need to have the fitness to go 12 rounds...I think sometimes that translates to too much conditioning work once the season starts, for others not enough.
We don't have numbers as low as yours but only had 23 on varsity this year. For Saturday games, we went helmets only on Thursdays this year and went full for walk throughs on Fridays. We got the idea from a post here at Huey and I think it kept us a lot fresher come game day. We essentially count game day as a conditioning day, get after it on Tuesday and Wednesday and then start dialing it down for Saturday.
|
|
rosi
Junior Member
Posts: 359
|
Post by rosi on Feb 19, 2015 17:39:04 GMT -6
Been at places that only had 18 players 9-12... and only about 300 in school. Did you competitive at that time?
|
|
|
Post by veerman on Feb 20, 2015 10:43:34 GMT -6
Depending on who we was playing. Against most it was just a matter of time. There were usually about 3 games you had a chance at winning, but that depended on how healthy you were going into those games.
|
|
|
Post by blb on Feb 20, 2015 10:52:32 GMT -6
rosi coaches in a foreign country, men.
If you get into a fight you're outnumbered. So long as they can only put 11 on the field at a time, you've got a chance.
You can't worry about who or how many the other coach has, just what your guys can do.
Spend your mental, emotional, and physical energy on coaching them up. Do what you do as well as you can, after the ball's in the air let the best Team win. That's Football.
|
|