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Post by coachmonkey on Mar 18, 2015 10:47:16 GMT -6
Give me the number of NFL players that went on beyond football and lived life "normally". I guess that means...brain wise. Knees, shoulders, etc. were probably shot. My point is...it's like the bird flu. Concussions are a big deal and I'm not making lite of them. My point is...there are probably more people doing fine than people are going around killing people (or themselves) because they got knocked in the head. My oldest son is a freshman QB. He has a chance to start for the varsity as a sophomore...and his O line has ZERO career starts. We also play in one of the toughest conferences in California. I'm looking forward to it actually. If I sit there and think..."his poor little noggin" then we're all playing scared and making us vulnerable. Think about it...how many more times has a kid got hurt going slower? I'll just get his ass in the weight room more and prepare him for these games. I would also like to know how drug use and steroids impact the brain, combined with football collisions. I know Seau was busted, and i am sure a lot of the other ones were as well. They probably also combined that with some pretty powerful pain relievers. Concussions are not the only thing they should be looking at.
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Post by blb on Mar 18, 2015 10:50:13 GMT -6
I'm sure there will be some parents who were pre-disposed to keep their kids out of youth Football who will use Borland's retirement as a "There, you see?!" argument.
Other than that I don't see a big effect.
Personally I've always felt that 7th grade was early enough to start playing full pads, tackle Football.
It's a contact sport. Don't think Pre-Teens are ready for it physically, emotionally, psychologically.
The conundrum is Soccer starts so young now that many kids will not give Football a try because they will be so invested in Foot Hockey by the time they reach MS-Junior High.
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Post by tothehouse on Mar 18, 2015 11:08:41 GMT -6
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Post by jlenwood on Mar 18, 2015 11:19:31 GMT -6
This is why, for my tastes, I would like youth football to go away. I would love all organized youth sports to die a quick death. Opinions like this are widespread amongst a lot of HS coaches I have talked to, but the thinig is I don't see many of those same individuals having any other contact with said youth programs, unless it was their experience as a youth player. Instead of complaining about "youth" sports, why not get involved and try to change the direction of the programs in your area. I coached pee-wee football for years, and I will gaurantee that 90% of the kids who played for me will tell you it was some of the most fun they ever had playing a sport. I have also coached youth/rec baseball, 14U girls softball, ain other words a wide variety of "youth" sports. I didn't feel that the coaches who would be coaching my kids were doing things the way I thought they should be done, so I stepped in and took over. Having said that, I have visited some practices and cringe when I see 3rd and 4th graders doing bull in the ring. My point is, instead of being "above" youth sports, get involved and try to facilitate change. If we disregard or shrug off the youth sports, escpecially football, it isn't a far stretch to see something taking the place of football in that kids life and we have lost them as a potential player. Back to my OP. I still think as coaches, we had better come up with some solid answers and counter points to the anti-football talk to hang on to the kids who want to play, but may have parents telling them no.
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Post by larrymoe on Mar 18, 2015 11:48:44 GMT -6
I did attempt. My first two years here I had clinics, I offered for them to come to my practices, I held JFL camps, I did the whole deal.
5 people in 2 years came to the clinics. My first 2 years our varsity ran Double Wing. The JFL ran I. We switched to the I half way through my 2nd year. The past 3 years the JFL has ran Double Wing. My last year of JFL camp I had 12 kids. No coach ever came to one of our camps or practices.
I attempted. They're purposefully antagonistic and have no interest in change. So, I stay away. Far, far away.
But my personal relationship with our JFL doesn't really effect my overall attitudes toward youth sports.
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Post by Rooster on Mar 18, 2015 12:17:05 GMT -6
I did attempt. My first two years here I had clinics, I offered for them to come to my practices, I held JFL camps, I did the whole deal. 5 people in 2 years came to the clinics. My first 2 years our varsity ran Double Wing. The JFL ran I. We switched to the I half way through my 2nd year. The past 3 years the JFL has ran Double Wing. My last year of JFL camp I had 12 kids. No coach ever came to one of our camps or practices. I attempted. They're purposefully antagonistic and have no interest in change. So, I stay away. Far, far away. But my personal relationship with our JFL doesn't really effect my overall attitudes toward youth sports. I did attempt as well. I had a good turn out of coaches and players. But the coaches were not there to learn technique or fundamentals. They were there to scout and see who they were gonna draft on there teams. One of the coaches did ask if our WR's got into 3 or 4 point stances.......... WTF Rooster
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Post by s73 on Mar 18, 2015 12:36:38 GMT -6
Just curious as to how many guys on here have actually coached youth football or pop warner? My experience helping out a youth football team (and I am not in texas or in a football crazy area) was very close to Friday Night Tykes minus all the glitz and glamor. In fact we did the exact same drills that I see them doing - especially the two lines creating a tunnel to hit from a 10 yard head start. Why would anyone want the least educated and least experienced coaches coaching our most vulnerable football players is beyond me. Why do we have contact rules and time limits for adults and we don't for youth football? I am a DC in HS and we hit WAY less than what I saw in pop warner. I never once saw tackling of bags, form tackling progressions, or thud. If you don't think that Friday Night Tykes is representative, ask your self this: If the cameras weren't around what would be going on? My guess is much worse. This attitude right there is what creates a separation between youth football coaches and HS football coaches. I think sooner, or later, the separation is going to contribute to killing the sport that we all like so much. You assume that since your were a crappy youth coach and part of an even crappier staff, that it is indicative of the majority of youth football organizations. That is not necessarily true. Youth coaches are the ones that foster the love of the game in kids. I also think the 'burnout' excuse is just that; an excuse. Or, for those coaches that believe the kid when he says he's burnt out on football because of his youth playing days; have you ever just considered that maybe that kid thinks you're an a$$hole and he just doesn't want to play for you? Or, maybe your program sucks and he doesn't want to be a part of it. He may be using the burn out excuse as a polite, acceptable way of saying no. Now, I'm certainly not calling anyone here an a-hole or, saying that their football program sucks. It's just that there's no telling what is really going through a teen-aged boy's mind sometimes. As anyone can tell you, football just isn't for all kids. That's true at youth level, also. My league limits practices to three days a week. Two hour practices. We can only hit in full pads two days out of the three days that we are allowed to practice. A rule that I don't necessarily agree with; but, I have to deal with it. We teach tackling progression, use tackle dummies, form tackle, etc... We've even been known to occasionally give the starting players a drink of water. Heck, if that ain't exemplary coaching in a top notch program, I don't know what is. As far as experience goes, I've been a youth coach for 9yrs. My HC has been a coach for 15yrs. I can always learn more. I can always increase my knowledge. I feel it is my responsibility to do so. That's why I frequent football sites and buy materials, etc... I freely admit that I have never watched an episode of FNT. Just from what I hear from other coaches, it would be too cringe-worthy for me to watch. I was a terrible coach my first season and even I would have never done some of the stupid things that I've been told that goes on in that show. It's my time and money. I like that I spend both working with kids. But, I am not a professional coach. Great job. But, I don't want it. I like that I am a volunteer. I can walk away anytime that I so please and not worry about my mortgage or car payment. I don't know how you guys manage to put up with the bureaucracy, administrators, the politics of HS football and not want to punch somebody's teeth out. Tiger46, I am not going to say that there is not a-hole HS coaches out their b/c their certainly is. However, to say that one comment or thought process is the reasoning behind the split between youth & high school is not my experience at all. MY EXPERIENCE w/ youth coaches at my last school when I took over a program that had won 7 games in 8 seasons is that they wanted to throw me under the bus my 1st 2 seasons b/c we were not winning right away. Then, when we started winning they were anointing themselves the reason b/c the youth program was "so good". I had a meeting w/ them to teach my system, gave them all playbooks and contact information for anytime they would like to sit down again, etc. Also set up free admission to games, etc. EVERYTIME I went to a youth game no teams were running our systems. I am not bitter about it, but I believe my experience is probably not totally unique when it comes to youth coaches. They seemed to always be the guys 2nd guessing in the stands when we were down and patting themselves on the back when we were winning. Personally, I felt we could have all worked much better as a team but a relationship takes 2 parties. At my current school, things are better. The youth organization is much more professional and supportive However, they are still VERY tentative about adopting our systems despite extending my self on several occasions. My point is that while you may be a great youth organization, I think my experience MAY BE more the norm than the exception. At least it is to me b/c that's all I've experienced. I think what I stated above MAY be more the reason for a HS/ youth split than what you stated. JMO.
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Post by mahonz on Mar 18, 2015 12:49:52 GMT -6
I did attempt. My first two years here I had clinics, I offered for them to come to my practices, I held JFL camps, I did the whole deal. 5 people in 2 years came to the clinics. My first 2 years our varsity ran Double Wing. The JFL ran I. We switched to the I half way through my 2nd year. The past 3 years the JFL has ran Double Wing. My last year of JFL camp I had 12 kids. No coach ever came to one of our camps or practices. I attempted. They're purposefully antagonistic and have no interest in change. So, I stay away. Far, far away. But my personal relationship with our JFL doesn't really effect my overall attitudes toward youth sports. Did you provide food at your Clinics? That is a must for a good turnout. Seriously....food works.
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Post by mahonz on Mar 18, 2015 12:59:10 GMT -6
This is why, for my tastes, I would like youth football to go away. I would love all organized youth sports to die a quick death. Opinions like this are widespread amongst a lot of HS coaches I have talked to, but the thinig is I don't see many of those same individuals having any other contact with said youth programs, unless it was their experience as a youth player. Instead of complaining about "youth" sports, why not get involved and try to change the direction of the programs in your area. I coached pee-wee football for years, and I will gaurantee that 90% of the kids who played for me will tell you it was some of the most fun they ever had playing a sport. I have also coached youth/rec baseball, 14U girls softball, ain other words a wide variety of "youth" sports. I didn't feel that the coaches who would be coaching my kids were doing things the way I thought they should be done, so I stepped in and took over. Having said that, I have visited some practices and cringe when I see 3rd and 4th graders doing bull in the ring. My point is, instead of being "above" youth sports, get involved and try to facilitate change. If we disregard or shrug off the youth sports, escpecially football, it isn't a far stretch to see something taking the place of football in that kids life and we have lost them as a potential player. Back to my OP. I still think as coaches, we had better come up with some solid answers and counter points to the anti-football talk to hang on to the kids who want to play, but may have parents telling them no. I know the biggest problem youth coaches have is they dont realize the commitment required to run a team and they get in over their heads. That is 100% on the Org. Too many times the Org just needs bodies and hands anyone a clipboard and a whistle with no support whatsoever. Then said coach proceeds to install Oregon's Offense and Saban's Defense because he saw it on TV and found a website thinking all that stuff would apply to his 10 year olds. Youth coaches first need to understand that running a successful team really has nothing to do with X's and O's. It has everything to do with everything else. But you cant convince them of that until they actually get in over their heads. I will say this...I started coaching youth football in 1983...and can say with certainty that the Internet has really helped things out tremendously at the youth levels. Coaches now have a ton of info at their fingertips if they try. Getting them to try is another matter.
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Post by jlenwood on Mar 18, 2015 13:14:19 GMT -6
I did attempt. My first two years here I had clinics, I offered for them to come to my practices, I held JFL camps, I did the whole deal. 5 people in 2 years came to the clinics. My first 2 years our varsity ran Double Wing. The JFL ran I. We switched to the I half way through my 2nd year. The past 3 years the JFL has ran Double Wing. My last year of JFL camp I had 12 kids. No coach ever came to one of our camps or practices. I attempted. They're purposefully antagonistic and have no interest in change. So, I stay away. Far, far away. But my personal relationship with our JFL doesn't really effect my overall attitudes toward youth sports. Then it is on them for not taking you up on the offer. Hats off to you for at least trying.
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trip67
Freshmen Member
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Post by trip67 on Mar 18, 2015 15:52:40 GMT -6
Watching a lot of football, I have to say that many of the worst head shots I see come from friendly fire. Defensive players are all taught to fly to the football + gang tackle. Sometimes they just miss + some scary collisions occur. The teammate isn't prepared and doesn't see it coming.
When I played in high school many moons ago (early 70's) the only real bad head shot I took was when a teammate made a wrong read and smacked into me blindside, helmet-on-helmet. I went numb but didn't black out; thankfully I was okay after that.
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Post by coachmonkey on Mar 18, 2015 20:40:52 GMT -6
This is why, for my tastes, I would like youth football to go away. I would love all organized youth sports to die a quick death. Opinions like this are widespread amongst a lot of HS coaches I have talked to, but the thinig is I don't see many of those same individuals having any other contact with said youth programs, unless it was their experience as a youth player. Instead of complaining about "youth" sports, why not get involved and try to change the direction of the programs in your area. I coached pee-wee football for years, and I will gaurantee that 90% of the kids who played for me will tell you it was some of the most fun they ever had playing a sport. I have also coached youth/rec baseball, 14U girls softball, ain other words a wide variety of "youth" sports. I didn't feel that the coaches who would be coaching my kids were doing things the way I thought they should be done, so I stepped in and took over. Having said that, I have visited some practices and cringe when I see 3rd and 4th graders doing bull in the ring. My point is, instead of being "above" youth sports, get involved and try to facilitate change. If we disregard or shrug off the youth sports, escpecially football, it isn't a far stretch to see something taking the place of football in that kids life and we have lost them as a potential player. Back to my OP. I still think as coaches, we had better come up with some solid answers and counter points to the anti-football talk to hang on to the kids who want to play, but may have parents telling them no. I think it has to do with the fact that playing sports at a young age is not a predictor of future success. Kids would be better off just out engaging in free play.
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Post by silkyice on Mar 19, 2015 6:47:36 GMT -6
Here is my short take on the whole issue.
First, we are now educated about it. This is the most important thing. We know there are issues and treat it like any other injury.
Second, any hint of brain injury, the kid comes out and is evaluated by medical professional who is also now more educated.
Third, our helmets are incredibly better than in the past.
Fourth, we now teach better tackling techniques.
Fifth, we have rules in place to help.
Sixth, we continue to improve safety every year through all kinds of methods. We are starting to find out that shrugs and necks exercises might help. Less contact in practices. Etc.
All this adds up to making football tremendously safer than when our dads played. And I also think only a very tiny tiny minority had issues from my when my dad played football. That percentage greatly decreases from the NFL, to college, to high school.
The issue is real, but it has also been a blown out of proportion "the sky is falling" media driven issue.
I think for the most part we have drastically reduced the problem already. Now we just have to win the media battle.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2015 8:47:03 GMT -6
Or, teach the kids the basic skills of the game, allow it all to be fun, pay very little attention or no attention to the score and everybody plays. At least until high school that is. I haven't been coaching too long, but the number of able bodied kids that got chased off because they didn't play in the games at a young age is TOO DAMN HIGH! That 4'6'' 7th grader turns into a 6'2'' junior!
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Post by jlenwood on Mar 19, 2015 9:12:39 GMT -6
Here is my short take on the whole issue. First, we are now educated about it. This is the most important thing. We know there are issues and treat it like any other injury. Second, any hint of brain injury, the kid comes out and is evaluated by medical professional who is also now more educated. Third, our helmets are incredibly better than in the past. Fourth, we now teach better tackling techniques. Fifth, we have rules in place to help. Sixth, we continue to improve safety every year through all kinds of methods. We are starting to find out that shrugs and necks exercises might help. Less contact in practices. Etc. All this adds up to making football tremendously safer than when our dads played. And I also think only a very tiny tiny minority had issues from my when my dad played football. That percentage greatly decreases from the NFL, to college, to high school. The issue is real, but it has also been a blown out of proportion "the sky is falling" media driven issue. I think for the most part we have drastically reduced the problem already. Now we just have to win the media battle. So you have a great answer for parents/administrators when they ask you about what you are doing to address the issue. This is what i was saying we as coaches need to do. As far as the"sky is falling" media coverage, this is where some national organization HAS got to get involved and start giving information that is showing coaches and programs, at least the good ones, are doing exactly as you say your are doing.
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Post by mahonz on Mar 19, 2015 9:41:05 GMT -6
Here is my short take on the whole issue. First, we are now educated about it. This is the most important thing. We know there are issues and treat it like any other injury. Second, any hint of brain injury, the kid comes out and is evaluated by medical professional who is also now more educated. Third, our helmets are incredibly better than in the past. Fourth, we now teach better tackling techniques. Fifth, we have rules in place to help. Sixth, we continue to improve safety every year through all kinds of methods. We are starting to find out that shrugs and necks exercises might help. Less contact in practices. Etc. All this adds up to making football tremendously safer than when our dads played. And I also think only a very tiny tiny minority had issues from my when my dad played football. That percentage greatly decreases from the NFL, to college, to high school. The issue is real, but it has also been a blown out of proportion "the sky is falling" media driven issue. I think for the most part we have drastically reduced the problem already. Now we just have to win the media battle. So you have a great answer for parents/administrators when they ask you about what you are doing to address the issue. This is what i was saying we as coaches need to do. As far as the"sky is falling" media coverage, this is where some national organization HAS got to get involved and start giving information that is showing coaches and programs, at least the good ones, are doing exactly as you say your are doing. USA Football is trying. The Youth League I coach in is huge. An Independent meaning no National affiliation like Pop Warner. Started in 1944. We survived the Jake Snakenberger Law...the Great Recession....Junior Seau...Frontline....ESPN....Madden....HS Programs getting sued...local exposure on TV....etc. Numbers always grew. Then the moment we aligned with USA Football where Parents could now go look for themselves numbers immediately dropped 12% League wide. That is 500-600 kids in one League all in one season. Coincidence? Hardly. All that did was admit there might be a problem with our Sport and that we are all working hard to fix a problem that might exist. It blew up in our faces. I used to think this whole thing would run its course and rectify itself. Now I don't. I believe before its all said and done our Sport will be very different. That might take 10-15 years but its going to happen. Kinda like what Teddy Roosevelt did for the NCAA back in the day....I hope. He saved our Sport.
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Post by spartandefense on Mar 19, 2015 13:03:51 GMT -6
Interesting side note to this whole discussion. Junior Seau, probably the poster example used by the media for CTE, has two nephews who are playing D1 Ball.
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Post by larrymoe on Mar 20, 2015 8:12:35 GMT -6
Or, teach the kids the basic skills of the game, allow it all to be fun, pay very little attention or no attention to the score and everybody plays. At least until high school that is. I haven't been coaching too long, but the number of able bodied kids that got chased off because they didn't play in the games at a young age is TOO DAMN HIGH! That 4'6'' 7th grader turns into a 6'2'' junior! I can guarantee you that had we had youth football as early as some of these kids do now, there is no way I would have ever gotten involved in the game. Some JFL Lombardi would've soured me on it I can assure you. Who wants a passive, 175lb 5th grater on their all star youth team? Heck, we had a touch league at that age and I almost never played HS because of it. I was a lineman in a touch league. "Everyone" was supposed to play multiple positions, but our coach was your average youth Ditka who just wanted to "win" and there I was practice after practice. Struggling to get in a terrible 3 point stance so I could just stand straight up on the snap of the ball and put my hands up while everyone else got to do other stuff. I quit after three games. Only went out for the sport in HS because my freshmen coach basically kidnapped me. Football wasn't a big deal in my family and I never honestly ever saw myself playing the game. Fell in love with it though and here we are.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 20, 2015 8:37:59 GMT -6
Interesting side note to this whole discussion. Junior Seau, probably the poster example used by the media for CTE, has two nephews who are playing D1 Ball. Not to mention a son playing D1 Lacrosse at Duke
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Post by irishdog on Mar 20, 2015 9:14:20 GMT -6
I'm an older coach (40 years of coaching football at the college, HS, and youth levels). Currently a HS head coach in Texas. I've been all around this great country, and believe me…I've seen it all. I've been trying to keep up with all this concussion debate. Latest article I read is by a Dr. Joseph Maroon (yes…that IS his name), a professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center - Steelers neurosurgeon - and consultant to the NFL. His findings…long-term neurological damage is exaggerated. There is no proof of any connection between CTE and youth or high school football.
Coaches today need to gather this type of information to make available to parents of youngsters who have a desire to play football. All parents see and hear are the over exaggerations pushed by the sensationalism of today's media. Coaches also need to adjust their approach to practices and actually practice the fundamentals of safe blocking and tackling. I've seen plenty of football practices at all levels during my coaching career and am convinced more coaches don't practice what they preach.
While kids are still kids, today's youngster is light years different from those of 30+ years ago. Today kids have a need to feel entertained in everything they do. They are more pre-occupied with electronic devices. They don't play the same way we did. Used to be we would get together, throw a ball around, and have fun doing it. Today kids are funneled into organized activities at every turn. They're pushed into sports at a much earlier age. They're encouraged to specialize in one particular activity as they get older. Kids today just don't know how to enjoy the pure physical fun of playing on their own. We have no one to blame but ourselves for allowing it to happen. Too late to put the toothpaste back into the tube. It is what it is.
So…if we're faced with the very real possibility of seeing less kids playing our game, we need to adapt, adjust, and make our game better, safer, and a lot more fun to play than any other game they could play. Support and make available any literature from medical professionals like Dr. Joseph Maroon to the parents, youth sports organizations, and high school administrators in order to reduce the fear of playing this game we all love.
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Post by tiger46 on Mar 20, 2015 11:10:19 GMT -6
I wasn't going to post in this thread, again. I was hoping it would die. I get sort of sick of having to defnd youth sports. But, I just had to have this concussion discussion with a mom last night. She's a friend. She doesn't mind what sport her kids play. She just wants them to participate in something. However, her husband doesn't want their boys to play football due to concussions. So, his choice is to have them play hockey- like he did when he was a kid. He also has put them into some sort of youth MMA classes?! You don't know how long I laughed. Personally, I've never heard of such a thing as youth MMA classes. What would happen if youth coaches started recommending to parents that they not let their kids play HS football? Now, why would a youth coach do that? Let's put aside the whole concussion debate for a second. Personally, in a lot of HS football games that I go to watch, there are boys on the sidelines of both teams standing around on crutches, arms in slings, in street clothes due to some injury, etc... Don't see a lot of torn ACL's in youth football- not a lot of 'turf toe', sprained ankles or broken collar bones, either. My job does not rely on my season's W-L record. Little Johnny will participate and play in youth football. MMP rules require it. Can't say that about HS football. All that kid's hard work in practice; only to be denied the glory of the Friday Night Lights is a damned shame. Blah, blah, blah, etc, etc... I can come with a laundry list of reasons not to recommend HS football to any of my players' parents and to anyone else that will listen. Now, I wouldn't need any actual facts behind any of my data. All I'd have to do is inform parents of the dangers of HS football due to kid's larger sizes, heavier weights and increased athleticism. Also, I can point out all of the a-hole HS coaches and terrible programs in any given area. Again... no facts needed. All anecdotal evidence, at best. But, it will rub off on some parents. And, youth coaches only need to keep repeating it to parents and players, alike. Here's an interesting thread. But, one question... coachhuey.com/thread/68251/teaching-football-kids-xs-osIf HS football coaches aren't teaching football to kids, then wtf is the point of their jobs- or, even, their existence?
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Post by irishdog on Mar 20, 2015 15:43:42 GMT -6
I wasn't going to post in this thread, again. I was hoping it would die. I get sort of sick of having to defnd youth sports. But, I just had to have this concussion discussion with a mom last night. She's a friend. She doesn't mind what sport her kids play. She just wants them to participate in something. However, her husband doesn't want their boys to play football due to concussions. So, his choice is to have them play hockey- like he did when he was a kid. He also has put them into some sort of youth MMA classes?! You don't know how long I laughed. Personally, I've never heard of such a thing as youth MMA classes. What would happen if youth coaches started recommending to parents that they not let their kids play HS football? Now, why would a youth coach do that? Let's put aside the whole concussion debate for a second. Personally, in a lot of HS football games that I go to watch, there are boys on the sidelines of both teams standing around on crutches, arms in slings, in street clothes due to some injury, etc... Don't see a lot of torn ACL's in youth football- not a lot of 'turf toe', sprained ankles or broken collar bones, either. My job does not rely on my season's W-L record. Little Johnny will participate and play in youth football. MMP rules require it. Can't say that about HS football. All that kid's hard work in practice; only to be denied the glory of the Friday Night Lights is a damned shame. Blah, blah, blah, etc, etc... I can come with a laundry list of reasons not to recommend HS football to any of my players' parents and to anyone else that will listen. Now, I wouldn't need any actual facts behind any of my data. All I'd have to do is inform parents of the dangers of HS football due to kid's larger sizes, heavier weights and increased athleticism. Also, I can point out all of the a-hole HS coaches and terrible programs in any given area. Again... no facts needed. All anecdotal evidence, at best. But, it will rub off on some parents. And, youth coaches only need to keep repeating it to parents and players, alike. Here's an interesting thread. But, one question... coachhuey.com/thread/68251/teaching-football-kids-xs-osIf HS football coaches aren't teaching football to kids, then wtf is the point of their jobs- or, even, their existence? Unfortunately I have found that there are a-hole coaches at EVERY level. Good coaches are good teachers. The best teachers are the best coaches. It is up to the best coaches to not only teach their players, but teach their coaches as well. As for HS ball, I can only speak for myself. The only requirement I have of the freshman coaches is that all the boys play. We'll make a pre-game agreement with the opposing coach to play a 5th quarter if necessary to make sure all the boys have played. JV football games are for the varsity boys who don't get to play as much as the others in the varsity game. By the time the boys reach the varsity level they know the expectation is that I will play as many boys as I can depending upon their attendance at practices, their effort in practices, and their ability level. In every program I have coached (5 different schools…successfully) the overall numbers of participants increased each year.
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Post by fantom on Mar 20, 2015 16:05:39 GMT -6
Gentlemen, arguing between youth and HS coaches will not help the cause. We're all in this together.
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Post by irishdog on Mar 20, 2015 19:37:40 GMT -6
Gentlemen, arguing between youth and HS coaches will not help the cause. We're all in this together. Precisely. No argument from me. Just pointing out that if we're going to coach we need to coach each other as much as we coach the kids.
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Post by s73 on Mar 21, 2015 6:34:28 GMT -6
I wasn't going to post in this thread, again. I was hoping it would die. I get sort of sick of having to defnd youth sports. But, I just had to have this concussion discussion with a mom last night. She's a friend. She doesn't mind what sport her kids play. She just wants them to participate in something. However, her husband doesn't want their boys to play football due to concussions. So, his choice is to have them play hockey- like he did when he was a kid. He also has put them into some sort of youth MMA classes?! You don't know how long I laughed. Personally, I've never heard of such a thing as youth MMA classes. What would happen if youth coaches started recommending to parents that they not let their kids play HS football? Now, why would a youth coach do that? Let's put aside the whole concussion debate for a second. Personally, in a lot of HS football games that I go to watch, there are boys on the sidelines of both teams standing around on crutches, arms in slings, in street clothes due to some injury, etc... Don't see a lot of torn ACL's in youth football- not a lot of 'turf toe', sprained ankles or broken collar bones, either. My job does not rely on my season's W-L record. Little Johnny will participate and play in youth football. MMP rules require it. Can't say that about HS football. All that kid's hard work in practice; only to be denied the glory of the Friday Night Lights is a damned shame. Blah, blah, blah, etc, etc... I can come with a laundry list of reasons not to recommend HS football to any of my players' parents and to anyone else that will listen. Now, I wouldn't need any actual facts behind any of my data. All I'd have to do is inform parents of the dangers of HS football due to kid's larger sizes, heavier weights and increased athleticism. Also, I can point out all of the a-hole HS coaches and terrible programs in any given area. Again... no facts needed. All anecdotal evidence, at best. But, it will rub off on some parents. And, youth coaches only need to keep repeating it to parents and players, alike. Here's an interesting thread. But, one question... coachhuey.com/thread/68251/teaching-football-kids-xs-osIf HS football coaches aren't teaching football to kids, then wtf is the point of their jobs- or, even, their existence? Tiger, You just posted previously that Spartan had "the attitude" that causes separation amongst HS & youth level coaches. I commented that my experience w/ youth coaches was not great & that Spartans attitude was not a main cause for that separation. Now in your next post you comment on "a-hole" HS coaches...AGAIN. And mention all the "terrible HS programs" in your local area AGAIN. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt previously but you sound like a lot of the guys I described above. You seem to have some weird axe to grind IMO. Do you resent the fact you're not coaching HS ball? I mean, what's with hammering your FB brothers? I don't get it. Seems like if we really care about the KIDS, then we should all be in this together right? Confused by your approach here.
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