trojan
Junior Member
[F4:wingtcoach.com] [F4:wingtcoachdon]
Posts: 494
|
Post by trojan on May 4, 2008 9:18:25 GMT -6
I coach 7th grade. We get large numbers of kids (about 40) out each year, and they are enthused. The kids don't know jack, but they listen and work to improve. I'm lucky.
As time goes on, these kids become 8th graders and start to think that they are the $h1t. Then some kind of attitude creeps into a lot of them. They get lazy. or at least don't work like they used to. Their fakes are garbage, or they don't block when they aren't getting the ball. Then they just don't come out for football.
These are generalizations, of course. They are based on kids that got plenty of playing time, or were "stars" for us.
How do you get the strong core from middle school to stay coachable and hard-working? How do you keep them on the team when they don't feel like putting in the off-season time? It seems to me that a bunch of guys that experienced success in MS would want to continue until they went deep into the HS playoffs.
Our varsity has gone to the playoffs in the largest division in Ohio often in the last several years, but it gets harder and harder since we lose kids (or their hearts).
Any program advice from middle school and frosh (or even JV & varsity) coaches would be appreciated.
|
|
|
|
Post by coachsky on May 4, 2008 10:06:26 GMT -6
How do you get the strong core from middle school to stay coach-able and hard-working? How do you keep them on the team when they don't feel like putting in the off-season time? I've been a part of two really successful MS programs that fed successful HS programs and there was never any expectations that MS kids put any time into football during the off season. They're too young for that. They should be playing other sports and mowing lawns. Off - season shouldn't start until entering your freshman year. Poor attitudes individually need to be addressed and corrected. Poor attitudes collectively might be a coaching problem. If' its individual, fix it. If it's systemic, evaluate your approach and the "tone" that is being set in the program. Kids can get a little sassy or harder to get focused in 8th and 9th grade (hormones). It still comes back to the environment being set. Are kids challenged, are they having fun, do they know their getting better. |
|
|
|
Post by justryn2 on May 4, 2008 13:03:14 GMT -6
Our situation here is a little different. I coach a team of primarily 8th graders. a few 7th graders if they're big enough and good enough. However, the players I coach go to two, three or even four different area high schools. So, we aren't exactly a feeder program for any specific high school but do get a large number of those who will be playing freshman football for the two high schools in the district we serve. We are a private, non-profit youth football program because few of the middle schools here have football programs.
Now the strange thing is that the numbers usually pick up from 8th grade to freshman. Most of the kids I coach go on to play freshman football, along with lots of kids who never played before high school. Once they get to high school is when the numbers seem to start dropping. Neither of the local high schools has any tradition of winning in football.
In the high school my son attends the sophomore team had just about half the number of players as the freshman team. A lot of the kids who have played football for several years are already talking about not playing next year because they don't have any confidence in the coaches.
All in all, when teams don't win games and the coaches try to make the players feel that it is the players fault that the team isn't winning; I think it makes players think twice about whether or not they want to continue in football.
|
|
trojan
Junior Member
[F4:wingtcoach.com] [F4:wingtcoachdon]
Posts: 494
|
Post by trojan on May 4, 2008 15:50:06 GMT -6
We have a BFS program two days a week for 6th and 7th graders (who will be next year's 7th and 8th grade players). The 6th graders last year ate it up (just like the current 6th graders), and went on to go 6-1 (plus a scrimmage "victory"). Those guys are hardly out this year, however. They had a great experience, from beginning to end.  Now that they are approaching 8th grade, and the current 8th graders are almost gone, they are becoming the top of the food chain. I have a great relationship with these guys. Any thoughts on how I can influence kids that I don't have in class and don't seem motivated to show up to our mini-BFS program? Little talks with individuals aren't cutting it, even though they go well. This drop off occurs after they leave middle school, and the attrition continues as they go on through high school. |
|
|
|
Post by coachcb on May 4, 2008 19:59:10 GMT -6
1. If the bad attitudes are consistent year to year, I would re-evaluate how you communicate with the kids. W
|
|
trojan
Junior Member
[F4:wingtcoach.com] [F4:wingtcoachdon]
Posts: 494
|
Post by trojan on May 4, 2008 20:11:21 GMT -6
1. If the bad attitudes are consistent year to year, I would re-evaluate how you communicate with the kids. W I see them in middle school, but not much at all after they leave. I don't coach at the high school, but do get some opportunities to see these guys during some summer practices. What would be your suggestions for me? I hate to see things break down after they leave MS. Should I just do my job and not worry about high school? Should it be part of my job to help these kids and our program once they are no longer under my control? |
|
