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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Apr 20, 2018 12:52:40 GMT -6
Delaware- no rule against it. We play 9th-11th graders on JV as appropriate for their skill level. My program carries a 9th grade team, JV team, and varsity team...totalling about 90-100 kids.
We have even (in the past) had senior foreign exchange students or VERY LOW functioning seniors be allowed to play a JV game through correspondence with the opposing school. It is a rarity, but it's pretty cool to see a kid get to experience the game and it has always been done (under my watch) with discretion and sensibility- never in a situation where that kid would be "good" even among soph/juniors.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 27, 2018 12:40:00 GMT -6
We do a typical Dynamic followed by our hip circuit that is static
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 23, 2018 11:06:20 GMT -6
I'll echo others:
- latch on to a mentor...someone who is experienced and not afraid to grow- you'll grow along with him - focus small- learn as MUCH AS POSSIBLE about a position of your choice...become an "expert" there. Don't spread yourself thin trying to learn all types of chit. Aim small=miss small - If you're looking at "big picture" stuff I would suggest learning how different coaches attack different situations...and then figure out which one makes most sense to you. I.e. attacking the blitz- some OC's thow hot, others protect it and throw at it, others will check to a run like speed option; they ALL work but it's the problem-solving mechanism in your brain and finding people who share that thought process.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 6, 2018 6:58:11 GMT -6
Sadly, I think if you're in this job long enough we all have a story like yours. I'll spare you the details, but irate parent dog-cussing everyone and threatening us are typically banned from sporting events for at least a season up to a year, and admin doesn't play...they will even go to away games and make sure that dude doesn't try to come in the stadium. I wouldn't exactly call my AD "a man of solid backbone" but this is an area where he gets it done.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Feb 23, 2018 9:47:54 GMT -6
Effort Attitude Body Language
These are fair game for anyone of us to coach up at any time.
But technique and details etc. come from the position coach or coordinator only.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Jan 12, 2018 9:52:51 GMT -6
2 things we do that's unconventional (for this area):
1) We play our players one way (although some defenders are used in our goalline offense package)
2) We go for two instead of PATs
Not that crazy, but people act like I'm a nutbag because of this lol
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Jun 23, 2017 12:53:26 GMT -6
a guy in college, actually a HOF'er for my school, used to sneak Snickers (the little bite-sized ones) in his girdle and eat them during practices late in the season...when it was cold enough not to melt LOL
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Apr 26, 2017 10:05:28 GMT -6
Coaches that yell "watch the option!", "watch the fake!" etc and expect the players to know what to do Coaches that refuse to learn how an offensive system works (it's not hard to find information on spread-inside zone, or read the dang playbook) but are the first to tell you why it doesn't work... We had a kid say something of this nature during a practice probably 5 years ago that I still chuckle at today: [Playing DL and taking his sweet a$$ time to get in his stance]: "WATCH THE RUN! WATCH THE PASS! THEY COULD PRETTY MUCH DO ANYTHING HERE!" I lost it lol
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Apr 11, 2017 8:34:58 GMT -6
I find most of the time kids that could play in college (any sport) don't want to bc of burnout and their desire really isn't what mom and dad think it is. Kids are not committed like they were back in the 80's,90's and maybe the early 2000's. Kids don't really want to work hard anymore. Now you do have the exceptions i know. Jmo I semi-agree. Commitment is not lacking altogether, but commitment has changed. I think commitment is stronger today than it has ever been, but it is a commitment to personal achievement more so than commitment to a team. I've got kids that will do ANYTHING I tell them if they think it will help them personally achieve their goals. But it's a little bit of a harder sell to get them to buy in to the team concepts (we still get them to buy in but it's a tougher fight). If you think there is a lack of commitment just ask yourself: How many kids are seeking personal trainers/individual development today versus the 90s? How many kids are engaging in off season action, 7v7 tournaments, camps, prospect days etc vs the 80s? My parents would have laughed at me if I said I wanted to go to 4 7v7 tournaments, lift 4-days per week with a personal trainer, go to 5 camps in the spring/summer and they have to give me a ride to all of them...HA! I had blue-collar parents and they would have told me it's cool if I pay for it all and find rides because they had to work, but I would have had to do it myself. Now I do agree that their is a DOWNFALL to all of this- the kid/parent inevitably will want something in return, whether it comes from their own coaches, playing time, scholarship etc. And if they don't get a return on investment then it's always someone else's fault.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Apr 10, 2017 5:53:23 GMT -6
I was a d3 player as well. I "survived" if you will for a few different reasons (in hindsight):
- I played early...therefore never went though the process of being a HS star and becoming a nobody again - I had a non-athlete roommate...so during camp, when players really question themselves about their decision to play college football (i.e. their body is destroyed from 3-a-days, they are getting wrecked as a piss-ant freshman in drills etc) I was totally by myself and I basically went to practices/film all day then came back and went straight to bed until the next day came - I NEVER expected to play early...I was just trying to make the team and get on a special teams unit or travel; these kids live in a different culture where they have created pressure on each other...basically they are "trash" if they don't make the travel list or get on the field, and I never felt like that at all.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Apr 7, 2017 9:01:13 GMT -6
We seem to be the only team with the opposite problem. We haven't had anyone with a chance to play above D3 since I've been here, but we've had a lot of kids who would be very good D3 players who just choose not to play in college at all. Anyone else have experience where your best players don't seem to want to go on to the next level? Yes. I'd rather have kids decide not to go play college ball than go and quit because they find out they really didn't love it like they thought. The latter happens a lot.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 31, 2017 12:41:56 GMT -6
Ridell and Schutt Helmets
We sent out 95 from HS and 4 got rejected.
I think it's an absolute racket...its like $20-25 a pop isn't it?
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 29, 2017 8:13:25 GMT -6
I would love to be able to just work football-specifically in the offseason. Here are our regulations:
-No out-of-season work done unless it is strength/conditioning until last spring sport championship is played (no footballs/pads etc)
-At the start of the summer, 1 coach can work with up to 2 kids for 1 hr at a time, 3 times a day on specific football drills/technique
-No high school coach can work with players from their feeder middle schools until that student has been promoted to 9th grade
The caveat to all of this is that there are these rules but no active regulation.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 10, 2017 11:33:15 GMT -6
The plan should be put in writing ahead of time.
I'm not sure whether our athletics are covered under union representation. But I always ask admin if they would sit in on meetings if I think they may get out of control- for my sake AND the parents' sake (to keep me in check). I know our admin really appreciate this as they have told me directly.
I posted about an issue earlier this season where a parent was getting out of control and accusatory. I asked admin to sit in on the meeting and they did. After reviewing the paper trail my principal told me "With all the BS you have put up with here I applaud your patience- this kid and parent would have already gotten their walking papers.." It was also the first time she had ever heard of a parent/coach meeting where the coach was asking the kid to come back to practice. Basically the parent had pulled the kid and started accusing us of being abusive etc. He never showed for the meeting (2nd time he no-showed) and then transferred his son. Jacka$$!
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Mar 3, 2017 10:29:00 GMT -6
I don't see how you guys function without weight training classes. It's rough. We have classes- not exclusive to football. Only juniors and seniors can take them, and there are only 3 classes of 35 kids. I have maybe 15 total football players in my classes. EVERYTHING team-wise is done after school.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Feb 17, 2017 8:07:01 GMT -6
For us, all 12 of our games were decided before the flip. Not to sound like an a$$ but we were the best team on the field at all times talent-wise and the most prepared. Our closest game was a 21-14 win with 2 of our studs out with injury and the other team had a GREAT gameplan against us in a nasty weather game. They led 14-0 going into the 4th. We scored the game winner with 22 secs on the clock.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Feb 14, 2017 10:13:32 GMT -6
Remember when playing time and winning games was enough to motivate guys to practice hard/lift hard/play hard? I miss that... It still is in many cases. But there's something about being able to display your hard work that solidifies the impact of your actions. We use many different avenues to promote good habits. We do: -performance tees for kids with 90+% attendance to weight room -Weekly hammer award for best OL gradeout -WWE belt for daily performance (we usually give it to someone who is selfless/team-first, practices hard, enthusiastic etc. That person keeps the belt for 24hrs on weekdays, they keep it for the weekend after games. New kid everyday- we also award it to coaches/staff sometimes as well. ***THIS IS OUR BIGGEST REWARD- MOST PRESTIGIOUS*** -Defensive Plays of the Game shirts - we have custom-made tees each week awarded to defenders who make big plays in the game. The recipients may not have made a tackle or interception, but they may have wrong-armed the chit out of a power and "made the play without MAKING the play" (it's a stupid phrase I use all the time but the kids understand it). Often awarded to role players who go unnoticed. We put the defensive call (in symbols) and what he did i.e. "wrong arm" or "immovable object" if he destroyed a double team on a key play. THE KIDS LOVE THESE. I would say that our use of positive awards helps balance the harsh consequences for negative behavior. Examples: -if a kid's body language just sucks...lack of energy, focus, pouting etc...we will absolutely berate him. But a kid that shows positive behavior, clapping it up/motivating all practice long, then that kid may get the belt for the day. -if a kid comes to the weight room religiously then they earn one of the shirts; if a kid doesn't come at all he gets berated by me and status on the team may be in question. I think the reward systems have allowed us to promote the behavior we want AND make the harsh consequences we inflict more acceptable. The kids don't see us as "out to get people" or "trying to make him quit," our actions are seen as us holding them accountable to our program standards. We definitely walk a fine line...
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Feb 9, 2017 7:58:04 GMT -6
The recruiting process.
Long story short- I coach in a small state. Little traffic from big schools, and not nearly enough traffic from all schools. I have 2 D1 kids- one has 8 offers, the other has 1 offer (he is 2x player of the year mind you and a bonafide stud- best player I've ever coached FOR REAL.) I take these kids to camps/combines and they kick the {censored} out of kids from Texas/FL with 20-25 offers. Neither can be covered in the LB/RB drills, test well etc.
It baffles me how kids in these "football factory" states get the nod and I have to beg and plead for a 3-9 D1 team to even look at our kids...unreal
Makes me want to choke people
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Feb 1, 2017 13:38:03 GMT -6
Had a good one a few years ago. Started the season 5-0 (first time in school history) and got a phone call from a parent saying he thought I did a great job, but we need to balance the offense more. I got some bad news for you... We're 24-1 in the last 2 years and I STILL field e-mails and phone calls from folks trying to tell me how to run our program. It seems like it will NEVER stop
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Feb 1, 2017 10:03:16 GMT -6
My second year as a HC - I was 26, still young, dumb, and full of you-know-what - we were doing a 1-on-1-type drill and we got down to the bottom of the roster, so we had two kids, neither of whom was taller than 5-9 or weighed over 140, going at it.
When they finished (meaning neither won and I blew the whistle to mercifully end it), I turned to our DC and said (under my breath or so I thought), "That looked like two old people f-----g!"
Three years later when I left for another job and coaches held a "going away" party (which included Superintendent who hired me) for my wife and I - guess which story was brought to light?
It was 1980. Things were a little different then. But I'm still embarrassed and feel badly about having said it every time I think about it. My DC calls it "drunk turtle sex"...aka everything is slow and sloppy
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Jan 30, 2017 13:42:58 GMT -6
I got my first coaching job at my alma mater with the man who came in as HC when I was a Senior. He's a good man, was a good coach, but he changed offenses too much to my way of thinking. At various times he ran Run 'n Shoot, Slot-I, two-TEs with Flanker and split backs, Power-I, T, Slot-T, and Veer. Had two winning seasons in 11 years. In the last "big school" league I coached in there was a school who changed offenses virtually every year - went from Wing-T to Spread to Pro-I to Veer. And their Sub-Varsity teams ran something other than Varsity and different from each other. They struggled to have success, in fact Varsity recently went through six losing seasons in a row. Philosophically I believe you have got to have a system and Vertical Continuity in order to have a chance to be consistently successful. Adjust, yes. Adapt, yes. Change, no. I 100% agree. I think many people look at offenses and categorize it based on the formation/plays being run. IMHO, this is just a small part of what "makes and offense." I truly believe that how your staff "problem solves" the offense is really what ties to the namesake. I'll give an example: I worked for a guy who was a wing-t guy. His philosophy was to run the 20 series (Buck/Trap/Waggle) and the 80 series (Belly/Belly Keep Pass/Tackle Trap) and really establish the primary run of each series by protecting it with the other plays in the series. This makes sense to me. Where we differ in philosophy was with situations: what do you do against Cov 0 blitz? how do you deal with defenses that play different fronts/structures? etc. His idea for attacking the blitz was to pin it and run outside or trap it and get north/south...not once did he consider attacking the 1v1 coverage on the outside. It worked for him (sometimes). Fast forward to where I have evolved- We run a few formations with no TEs. I feel as though the TE is becoming extinct in my area- I haven't seen a "real" TE in years here AND I hate how adding a player to my box allows the defense to do the same and "muddy" the waters/picture for blocking assignments (more on that in a minute). Everything...our entire offense is built around our IZ RPO. It's IZ with give/pull key, possible throw off the backside alley player, and open-access throws out the frontside pre-snap. That play is called 75% of the time (out of several formations of course and at different tempos). It is essentially triple (really quadruple) option football. Our formations and spacing is all about putting people on islands. Our WR are typical between Top of #s and sideline. This allows us to put our slots in 1v1 matchups a lot and affords us easy reads/throws against dudes that can't cover our best guys (slots). Keeping the box clean is a key to the offense. We teach IZ vs 3 front, 4 front, and Stack. If the box looks any different pre snap, then that means there is leverage/numbers/matchup issues for the defense on the edge and we go there...we don't give the ball on IZ and slam into a crowded box...non-negotiable. Vs blitz we attack it- screens, sprintout, quick game. We don't try to "split it" hoping their guy doesn't make the tackle...to me, that's a losing mentality when you put your success lying solely on your opposition making a physical/mental mistake. We attack the structure of the defense...attack areas they can't play or where they lack numbers/angles etc.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Jan 13, 2017 14:08:00 GMT -6
I have three kids under the age of three and a to farm run also, so I wouldn't over do this time wise or money. Invite the coaches and their families over to a few cookouts a year, and let that be it. That's kind of where we're at as a staff as well. -Staff Fantasy Football Draft party before FB camp in August. -I host an "End of the Year" party for my staff at our house in Dec/Jan. -We have a SuperBowl party as well -This season my OC hosted a NCAA Playoff party -We do a clinic or 2. We have also in the past taken the staff out somewhere to a crab feast/beef-n-beer event just to get together. As the HC I don't push anything on my guys. They are welcome to attend/host/decline based on their situation. All of the coaches work their nuts off during the season despite most having young kids. We're a pretty tight group- coaches will attend the other coaches' kids sporting events and such...we try to support each other and our families. Our significant others have formed "The Wives Club" as well- they get together and do stuff (kids play dates, drink wine etc...) and stay pretty tight throughout the offseason.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Dec 20, 2016 14:34:26 GMT -6
Mental Toughness is an interesting concept to teach. I feel like kids either have it growing up or they dont. Experience and on-field play is the only way to measure how far an athlete has come. I like this as a concept hard to teach- mental toughness. It's easy to be "tough" when you're winning. Can you do all that is necessary even in a losing effort? That's a TOUGH lesson to teach AND learn from.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Dec 20, 2016 11:02:35 GMT -6
If you do take the job here make sure you don't talk about winning right away "We're gonna turn this around and win right away!" "Gonna shock the world!" It has to be from day one about getting better, improving every day not talking about winning all the time. Also your coaches need to be no the same page and in it together, players can't see you argue or challenge each other on the field etc has to be a unified staff. This. If the program has fallen on hard times, the kids are likely (along with everyone else looking in) qualifying success with the amount of wins. Their focus is all wrong. For those critical months where EVERYONE is 0-0 (January-August) you must go about trying to change that mentality. We call it a growth mindset- how do I/we get better everyday? We ask our kids to admit some things: 1. You change, better or worse, everyday. 2. There are factors I can't control and there are those I can- ALL of my energy must go to the latter. 3. It is useless comparing yourself to someone else (individual or team); it doesn't matter what Johnny benches or runs...what do you bench and run and how much am I willing to improve? 4. You have to be all-in; you must trust the process of growth that the coaches lay before you. 5. Many people outside of the program do not have your best interests in mind- ignore them.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Dec 8, 2016 7:32:49 GMT -6
So if a senior who isn't good shows up in August and you haven't seen him since November, he gets to pick his number over a hard working junior? If jersey number is that important to someone,they should show up in the off-season or else it can't be that important. I don't want a kid who played his junior year to take the off-season off and think he deserves something from the program for doing nothing to better himself or the team. I agree. May have not elaborated enough in my last post. I should have prefaced it by saying that you have those guys who meet expectations or don't. If a senior shows up in August and he hasn't been grinding we send him home. Jersey's that are "open" due to graduation/matriculation are up for grabs. NOBODY can take someone's number unless they both agree on it.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Dec 7, 2016 22:18:53 GMT -6
Just my 2 cents as well-
Being at every workout guarantees you nothing other than:
1) You probably will be a LOT better next season 2) You will get a chance to compete for a spot
It is the expectation. Championship teams are full of players that strive to exceed the expectations. THAT is what is communicated (i.e. "You can't have championship goals with cellar-dweller effort...") Like others have said- you have good intentions with this, but it will great division among your players. Accountability doesn't have to be enforced this way.
I just feel that seniority rules a few things- one of which is jersey choice. Another is seat on the bus. Another is line order for pre-game meal. It becomes something the kids discuss among themselves and create their own hierarchy. When youngsters get pulled up to varsity they get to choose jersey number based on what's open. If #3 comes open next year whoever wants it will have to sort it out- I'm not delegating it.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Dec 5, 2016 22:23:30 GMT -6
Fellas-
I have another week or so to brag until it's time to get back to work so just stay with me here...
In 2014 we took over a program that was perennial doormat and went ended the season 5-5 with a MAJOR culture change.
2015 we went 12-1, conference champs and eventual state champs in OT thriller as we [the 3 seed] beat the 1 seed.
2016 we set out to erase that damn "1" from the back of our jackets [12-1] and last Saturday we finished 12-0, won the conference and state championship as the 2 seed in the tourney, beating the 1 seed 36-14.
I just wanted to thank many of you guys who post on here for helping me along the way; it just goes to show you never realize the impact that your advice can have on a fellow coach. For 10 years [this spring] I have been cruising this board, throwing my 2 cents in once in a while and trying to learn as much as I could from some "old wiley vets" from across the country. I honestly don't even know how I found this site back in 2006, but I know it has had a HUGE impact on me and my coaching. I truly appreciate the amount of time and effort you all have given to this coaching fraternity and urge you to continue sharing ideas/methods etc.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Dec 2, 2016 8:01:45 GMT -6
Finding a way to eliminate any down time for the JV kids. We coach Var/JV as a staff, and we feel like we don't get them enough team reps. It is my fault as HC and needs to be addressed. Besides too much down time, what other issues have you found coaching jv/v together? Really just not coaching them to the same level of attention and detail that the varsity guys get. Here's the rub: my best coaches are varsity coaches; if we were to be separate I don't think they'd get the attention to detail they need anyway because my sub-varsity staff may not be capable of that (not a knock on them, but there are different levels to our coaching abilities).
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Nov 27, 2016 1:31:45 GMT -6
Missing practice, depending on the reason, may be excusable if it's communicated (had a LB miss Friday's practice because Mom's car broke down and couldn't get a ride).
Missing practice and not communicating it can be a death sentence where you get buried at the bottom of the depth chart. We're BRUTAL to them if they do that- guilt trip, never stop talking about it, "break our trust" etc... I basically want them to feel like a d!ck for missing and never want to do that again. Peer pressure can be a huge help here.
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Nov 22, 2016 8:16:23 GMT -6
I let them pick it. Seniors get priority over juniors etc. If there are issues they rock/paper/scissors for it...seriously.
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