bdm
Sophomore Member
Posts: 104
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Post by bdm on Jun 1, 2017 7:21:48 GMT -6
Hello All,
I am running a youth football camp for two days at the high school I just got a HC job at. It will be roughly 2 to 2.5 hours each day. Ages from 5 to 13 will be there potentially 50 to 75 kids (I hope). What are some suggestions for things to do other than the regular drill stations such as agility stations and Indy periods. I figure the best route is dividing the age groups up youngest to oldest. I also think having a punt pass and kick competition the last day would be really good as well. Open to whatever suggestions anybody has.
Thanks.
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Post by 44dlcoach on Jun 1, 2017 7:35:26 GMT -6
If you have enough coaches split the age groups up and have the younger group work on offense and the older group work on defense, then switch half way. Cuts down the number in eacharacter group and let's you cater to a more specific age range during each period.
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Post by chi5hi on Jun 1, 2017 8:55:55 GMT -6
I think this is a really bad idea. These kids are too young for a camp.
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Post by blb on Jun 1, 2017 9:03:57 GMT -6
I think this is a really bad idea. These kids are too young for a camp.
The communities I coached in Youth Football started in 5th grade (and I'm not sure that's not too young).
So our Junior Camps were for 5th-8th graders.
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Post by chi5hi on Jun 1, 2017 9:25:27 GMT -6
I think this is a really bad idea. These kids are too young for a camp.
The communities I coached in Youth Football started in 5th grade (and I'm not sure that's not too young).
So our Junior Camps were for 5th-8th graders.
Age 10 to 13 is possible. My experience (some years ago in Pop Warner) is that it is very easy for the wrong types of coaches, to completely turn off youngster to the sport. Kids that age try different things, and if they're not having fun, they generally forget it and try something else...like soccer. (ugh) Ages 5 to 10...kids are on the field chasing grasshoppers because they're easily distracted. Getting Daddy and Uncle to be a coach is a bad idea, too. Trying to get a child to do too much, beyond their capabilities, can lead to injuries. REAL Youth football coaches are a different breed and are really good at what they do. 2 to 2.5 hours is too long IMHO.
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Post by blb on Jun 1, 2017 9:36:28 GMT -6
We used HS coaches, Senior players, and the Youth coaches if they were interested.
We went two hours but that included Warm-up, water breaks every 15-20 minutes, and coaches' comments last five minutes. Went pretty fast.
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Post by agap on Jun 1, 2017 9:46:18 GMT -6
I would recommend not running it longer than 2 hours. I'd probably keep it less than 2 hours. High school players sometimes struggle to practice 2 hours.
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nhs40
Freshmen Member
Posts: 64
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Post by nhs40 on Jun 1, 2017 10:08:12 GMT -6
We ran ours for 1.5 hours for 2 days (offense with punting and long snapping and defense and kicking on day 2), and then did a punt, pass, kick, etc competition on day 3. Built in stretches, water breaks, brief talks, and it went pretty quickly. We ran ours for grades 3 though 7 (incoming 4th through 8th).
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Post by huddlehut on Jun 1, 2017 11:10:40 GMT -6
We finished our camp each day by simply letting the kids play touch football. We divided the kids into teams and played shirts vs. skins. The kids loved it - even if they were too small to know what they were doing.
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Post by badtotheflexbone on Jun 1, 2017 11:41:12 GMT -6
I've worked quite extensively with youth a few years ago. My thoughts,
I wrote about this somewhere before but you CANNOT use cone drills designed for adults to increase agility and have 5-12 year olds run through it. This is NOT FUN. The only reason adults even do it is because they understand it will help them improve agility, that is not the same as being fun. I tried warning my buddy who ran a camp and sure enough, within 5 minutes of camp starting, all the excitement out of camp was non-existent. He had to do a complete 180 on the fly to salvage it.
If your goal is to create excitement, passion for the game, sell your program, to hopefully keep players playing up through high school, got to make it fun. Research shows around age 13-14 is when kids begin to specialize in a sport (it is also the time puberty kicks in, coincidence?)
How to make it fun? Think back when you were 5-12, what did you want to do? Set up figure-8 cone drills and run through them? I hope not, all kids want to run, catch, and throw the football. If you set up drills that have kids catching, running, or throwing the football you will be good. Also, limit lines/standing around and keep kids moving as much as possible. Running through bags, diving over dummy bags for a TD are also good.
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Post by newt21 on Jun 1, 2017 11:48:35 GMT -6
I'd recommend teaching various skills for 10 minute segments. For example do offense for 30-45 minutes, 10 OL, 10 WR/RB, 10 QB then break for 10, do the same for defensive positions. Finish with 30 minutes of flag football at the end. Every kid gets instruction at every position, so the hogs get the glory of learning QB and vice versa.
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bdm
Sophomore Member
Posts: 104
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Post by bdm on Jun 2, 2017 8:56:10 GMT -6
1. This camp has nothing to do with getting daddy and uncle to coach, the youth organization already has coaches in place and they have been doing a good job.
2. The 2-2.5 hours includes registration and everything so real on field time will be more like 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours
3. Obviously having 5 year olds go through the same kinds of agility stations as the 13 years olds would not be of benefit.
4. It is also a fundraiser for the us at the high school, and a way for the younger guys especially middle schoolers to be around the high school coaches and start to learn who we are and how we operate.
5. It has been done in past years with pretty good success.
For those of you with suggestions thanks I will apply them.
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Post by newt21 on Jun 2, 2017 9:58:53 GMT -6
1. This camp has nothing to do with getting daddy and uncle to coach, the youth organization already has coaches in place and they have been doing a good job. 2. The 2-2.5 hours includes registration and everything so real on field time will be more like 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours 3. Obviously having 5 year olds go through the same kinds of agility stations as the 13 years olds would not be of benefit. 4. It is also a fundraiser for the us at the high school, and a way for the younger guys especially middle schoolers to be around the high school coaches and start to learn who we are and how we operate. 5. It has been done in past years with pretty good success. For those of you with suggestions thanks I will apply them. Let us know how it goes!
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Post by bobgoodman on Jun 2, 2017 10:10:12 GMT -6
I think this is a really bad idea. These kids are too young for a camp. I've coached in 2 organiz'ns that had spring unpadded football clinics/camps for children those ages. No problem at all with that, very well received.
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Post by coachthomason on Jun 2, 2017 11:43:07 GMT -6
Coach,
We run a four day youth camp too. I'd say the most important thing for a youth camp is to make sure the kids have fun. We do stations and circuits and end with some 7-on-7 stuff. We make the varsity players help out because our youth players look up to those guys for some reason. We (the coaches) organize the camp and (for the most part) we have the HS players to run it. I can share our camp plans with you if you'd like. PM me.
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Post by scotdaking on Oct 11, 2017 18:03:47 GMT -6
We have done camps since 2009 and the kids absolutely love it. We keep it fun and go 3 hours Friday, two 4 hour sessions Saturday and finish with two 3 hour 7 on 7 sessions Sunday. The kids love it. They don't want it to end after 3 hours. They want us to go longer. First thing we do is have them register as offense and defense and then get an idea of what specific position they want to play. We do position specific drills emulating the high school environment as much as possible. We emphasize competition. We want the kids (aged 9-15) to compete. We want the kids to develop their skill set. We do some combine stuff (40 times, shuttle, standing broad jump) and recently added film study. We ask local high school coaches to assist and charge $250 so we can pay for the field, lights, and a small coaching stipend. Occasionally, I will walk up to a parent and total stranger to get their impression of the camp and honestly I have never received a negative comment. Parents like that kids are not standing around and they are facing talented competition.
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Post by carookie on Oct 11, 2017 20:44:45 GMT -6
I have done this before (youth camps for ages 5-12). Here are a couple things I have learned:
1) Divide by age level. You will have multiple groups, most likely a lot more of 6 & 7 yos then 10-11. You can have multiple groups of young kids and just one of older kids. This helps keep kids doing things at age appropriate levels.
2) Have a series of stations that the kids rotate through. So for offensive days, you have a pass catching station, a runningback gauntlet, a pass block, drive block, etc. Each station is designed for kids to learn a skill then repeat it for about about 7 minutes then rotate.
3) Players have one of two responsibilities: a) Stations- these players remain at a station instruct the drill and make sure the drills are being executed as best the kids can. Have multiple at each station and make sure they know the drill. Set your stations up spread around the field, in a logical (hopefully circular) pattern. b) Group Leaders- these players remain with the groups throughout the camp and rotate with them. They get to know the kids and keep them in line. The younger the group the more group leaders (you may like a 4-1 ratio with your youngest). Group leaders tend to be your better kids and have more responsibility. Make sure your group leaders know how to work with the age groups they have. Be encouraging, don't yell. When they rotate between stations leaders will move with them. The best way to do this is after time is called for a station all groups come together and call out a break. They are then hudled and HC or AC can move them (in a circle) one at a time under control.
4) Remember age groups and what parents expect. I coached with a guy who thought he was gonna teach 5 year olds good technique?!? For ages 5-7 its basically herding cats, mom and dad just want them active and having fun. 8-10 is a little technique but not too much. Your MS kids can be taught a bit more. But for a lot of kids its a day care to hype your program, if the little kids enjoy it then you did your job.
5) Ice, water, bandaids, and assistant coaches to put out fires. There will be 5 year olds who kick and shove, there will be a scraped knee. Have the AC's focus on this and other things of this nature. Make sure you have enough of all things listed.
6) Schedule movement- off the top of my head here was the basic sked we've used. Attendance and Coach intro (5 Min) Warm up routine, in group lines with leaders (10 Min) Water- stay with groups (3 Min) Stations- Each station in 7 minutes with 1 minute rotation time between. Have a water break after 1st three stations. (45-55 Minutes all told pending your numbers) Obstacle Course- Set up an obstacle course for each group to go through timed (10 Min) Measured challenge- One day we do a broad jump, or 40, or shuttle. Break them up into groups so there isnt a lot of standing around (7 Min) Closing- Bring them all together tell em good job have a break, whatever (5 Min)
7) Sign outs- Have an organized way to have parents sign out. Best is by grade level. Make sure ACs help and that no kid leaves until parent signs out. Have group leaders help.
Remember- these are mostly little kids, keep it fun and don't go around thinking you are going to install your blitz schemes or your route tree. it will be work, but it helps your program. Also I'd shorten it time wise- 150 minutes is a bonkers amount of time.
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Post by PSS on Oct 12, 2017 10:01:47 GMT -6
We used HS coaches, Senior players, and the Youth coaches if they were interested. We went two hours but that included Warm-up, water breaks every 15-20 minutes, and coaches' comments last five minutes. Went pretty fast. We have a 4 day camp before we start fall practice. We go by grades, incoming 2nd graders to incoming 9th graders. We divide it up 7th-9th and 2nd-6th; 45 minutes on offense, 45 minutes on defense, 20 minutes of kicking. One group starts with offense and other group starts with defense. With the younger group everyone rotates through every position, offense and defense. With the older group we try to specialize with what they played the year before. It also gives us a chance to work with our incoming freshmen before we start fall practice.
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