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Post by Wingtman on Oct 26, 2021 9:15:37 GMT -6
Morning coaches,
Our JV season finished up last week (4-3, could have been 6-1, but hey, everyone got some good experience, thats what we were after). Now, the varsity is in playoff mode. Very fortunate to have a bye this week, but the question is, how do you guys keep your younger cats engaged in practices etc? We are a small program of about 45, so we need everyone. But I can tell even during indy late last week, that in my position group of 6, the 3 younger backs were smi motivated. I know its hard to want to come to practice when youre most likely just a scoutie, and we've talked about how much value that has, but at as a freshman, its hard.
What are some of the things you guys have done to help keep them going and motivated? I know our season could be special and they wanna be apart of it (or should want to be), but how do we keep them fired up at practice this week?
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CoachC
Freshmen Member
Posts: 56 
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Post by CoachC on Oct 27, 2021 8:09:15 GMT -6
We have been trying to make sure they get some reps with the 1st team. Usually just one or two kids at a time so it doesn't hurt production, but they get some quality reps and don't feel like tackling dummies all week.
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Post by chi5hi on Oct 27, 2021 8:19:10 GMT -6
It's hard because they're kids. For many of them just 5 years ago, they were waiting for Santa Claus.
They get tired of playing football and want to play something else. An attention span thing, I suppose...
We had a short Covid season in '21, and immediately after went into off-season mode, (weight training, film groups etc) Thinking about that you realize that the kids have been involved in football for about 10 straight months.
They want to go inside and play Basketball for a while...
For kids it's a game and for some coaches it's their business. Coaches live and breathe football. Kids just play it for a while.
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Post by larrymoe on Oct 27, 2021 8:58:21 GMT -6
We let the fringieish kids go ahead and move on to basketball practice. We also had about 45 kids. We had about 5-8 take us up on it. And honestly, we didn't miss them.
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Post by coachcb on Oct 27, 2021 9:14:56 GMT -6
We let the fringieish kids go ahead and move on to basketball practice. We also had about 45 kids. We had about 5-8 take us up on it. And honestly, we didn't miss them.
This is we approach it. We've taken multiple approaches on it over the years and any sort of hard stance failed miserably. With small schools, we've found that it helps to set lettering requirements on the low side:
1. The kids need four quarters of varsity play to letter. Define a quarter how you see fit, we said a full series in one quarter counted.
2. The kids need to finish the entire season to letter. This is obviously indisputable with the admin or parents; never lost on this one.
So, Billy has 4 quarters of varsity time in but wants to go to basketball open gyms once the regular season is over. Well, Billy, you do you but you won't letter.
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Post by larrymoe on Oct 27, 2021 9:28:16 GMT -6
We let the fringieish kids go ahead and move on to basketball practice. We also had about 45 kids. We had about 5-8 take us up on it. And honestly, we didn't miss them.
This is we approach it. We've taken multiple approaches on it over the years and any sort of hard stance failed miserably. With small schools, we've found that it helps to set lettering requirements on the low side:
1. The kids need four quarters of varsity play to letter. Define a quarter how you see fit, we said a full series in one quarter counted.
2. The kids need to finish the entire season to letter. This is obviously indisputable with the admin or parents; never lost on this one.
So, Billy has 4 quarters of varsity time in but wants to go to basketball open gyms once the regular season is over. Well, Billy, you do you but you won't letter.
None of the kids we let move on were ever a threat to letter.  |
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Post by 33coach on Oct 27, 2021 9:34:39 GMT -6
1) JV plays scout (mixed in with varsity), learns the opponents offense/defense during the weeks install period.
2) try to get some of the receivers a catch or 2 with varsity
3) find a way to make them effective on friday night. everything from water, to charting play calls, to maybe even getting a snap or 2... make them feel included.
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Post by coachcb on Oct 27, 2021 10:05:12 GMT -6
This is we approach it. We've taken multiple approaches on it over the years and any sort of hard stance failed miserably. With small schools, we've found that it helps to set lettering requirements on the low side:
1. The kids need four quarters of varsity play to letter. Define a quarter how you see fit, we said a full series in one quarter counted.
2. The kids need to finish the entire season to letter. This is obviously indisputable with the admin or parents; never lost on this one.
So, Billy has 4 quarters of varsity time in but wants to go to basketball open gyms once the regular season is over. Well, Billy, you do you but you won't letter.
None of the kids we let move on were ever a threat to letter.
We only dealt with one player who didn't letter because he left after the regular season was over. He was a sophomore backup TE/DE that had a fair amount of varsity playing time but bailed on us. He would've gotten time during the playoff game and been a great help on scout team. Basketball open gym was more important to him than lettering. Que sera..
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2021 10:51:05 GMT -6
If they are not a legit threat to come up and play a significant role, dont bring them up. It helps nobody if the kids and the coaches are not happy with each other.
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Post by MICoach on Oct 27, 2021 11:56:08 GMT -6
I'm gonna go the opposite direction and say if they're not a distraction or detriment to the team, absolutely DO bring them up. Its at least one free week of practice and getting better they wouldn't get if they were sitting around waiting for basketball open gym. If you make it to the second week then they got a full training camp worth of practices. Additionally they get to see what varsity practices look like, the speed of varsity football, the feeling of playing in front of a crowd, and just generally keeps them tuned in and excited about football for longer in the year.
We have always pulled up several JV kids and even a couple freshmen. They're not obligated to do it but rarely do we have a kid turn down the offer.
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Post by Down 'n Out on Oct 27, 2021 12:59:51 GMT -6
We like to have the JV around for the experience of working with the older kids, especially if the older ones are a good group and teach them. Our late season opponents aren't exactly strong so our JV kids get playing time. The big thing is have the JV staff(If they're not wrapped up as position coaches) give those kids attention: talking with them, explaining overall strategy, individual coaching, etc. Stay involved with them. My JV kids kinda follow me around on the sideline asking questions on Friday nights and they're getting encouragement/coaching from me and the other JV coach all week. These last few weeks of the season can give you a leg up heading into next season with those kids.
All of that being said, we've had kids who knew they weren't getting in and really lost interest. I take the blame in part for that, I should have done more of the above. Its hard to come out in November when its cold and rainy to be a rotational guy on the scout team, I try to tell them that those are the times they will remember in 20 years, just being with their teammates and friends.
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Post by carookie on Oct 27, 2021 15:59:27 GMT -6
I agree with what most everyone is writing, about only calling up those who can contribute & cutting lose those who arent really needed, but I don't think that is applicable to the OPs question.
Based on what he writes, it appears that they have a smaller program where JV and Varsity all work together for practice, on JV game days they go and play separately but outside of that everything else is done together. Now, the issue is that those JV players will no longer have games to play in, but are still going to be expected to remain part of the varsity team.
I have been there before, with smaller schools: about 30-50 in the program all, where all practice together & JV are the varsity backups on Friday night, but get some separate JV games during the year as well. I never really noticed a drop off though when the JV season ended and varsity was getting playoff ready, as most of the kids felt part of the varsity team as was (even if they never saw the field). Its no different than keeping a 4th stringer engaged, just have them focus on being part of the team as well as their own personal growth through the process. Encourage and engage.
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Post by fkaboneyard on Oct 28, 2021 10:03:36 GMT -6
I was in a similar sized program that had a good JV and a very good varsity program. For the first couple years we made all the JV kids join the varsity practices for playoffs. The JV kids knew they would never sniff the field during the playoff games. Most of them would stand in the back and chitchat during team and loaf during drills indie time. I wouldn’t say they were a distraction because the varsity kids were all business and coaches basically ignored them. But allowing kids to act like that on our field when we previously had demanded focus & hustle started to set a bad precedent. So we eventually allowed the kids that wanted to split to split and told the kids that wanted to stay that we would love to have them but they had to have a great work ethic. The kids that stayed, did and were actually better from the experience.
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