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Post by jraybern on Apr 22, 2007 23:24:34 GMT -6
I am the new head coach at a very small HS. The best athlete in the school is a good BB player and has dreams of playing after HS. He COULD be a huge help to our team next year if he goes out. The previous coach ran a tight, 3 yards and a cloud of dust style of football (which I have no problem with). I think this has pushed some of the better athletes away. I have spoken with this young man and told him that I plan on spreading things out and throwing the ball (which I fully intend to do). I would make a fantastic receiver or H back type of player. He played RB in junior high and was a stud and got hurt playing as a freshman. He is afraid of getting hurt for BB. I have seen him run at track practice and the kid is a competitor. Again, he could be a huge asset. How do I get him on board for football? What are some things that you all have done to get the kids out that should be out? I think if he gives it a chance he will love it, he just doesn't know it yet. Again, big school folks will say, fotget it, play with the kids that want to play; while I do agree with that stance, I also would like to have this kid wanting to play because he might be the best player on the team if he desides to want to.
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Post by jraybern on Apr 22, 2007 23:26:07 GMT -6
I would make a fantastic receiver or H back type of player.
I meant HE (not I, sorry) would make a fantastic WR/H
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Post by los on Apr 23, 2007 0:50:05 GMT -6
Thats a tough call there coach, we had the same kinda situation here, while starting a "new" football program at a small school that didn't play it at all previously. We also ran the gun spread system for the most part. As you know, even though it appears like "basketball on grass" from a distance, to unknowing parents and unsuspecting players (like we had), its still football and you can still get hurt. I'd make sure the kid and his parents( in fact every kid and parent for that matter) were fully aware of "all" the inherent risks and rewards of playing football as part of my "sales pitch". We had a really good turnout of kids the 1st few seasons but as the "new" wore off and guys started to get injuries(some season ending), we lost several of our better athletes for the same reasons as your kid there, getting injured or the fear of getting injured and not being able to play basketball or baseball! I also think that many of these descisions were made jointly by the kids and/or parents, whether they admitted it to the hfc or not? So personally, I wouldn't talk to the kid about coming back to football, without including his parents in the meeting, and then wouldn't "sugar coat" a thing! "Heres the rewards of playing football, these are the risks(injury wise), and this is what we'll do to try to prevent them"! Then they have to decide for themselves?
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Post by khalfie on Apr 23, 2007 7:34:10 GMT -6
Got the same issues over here...
Small school...
Historically not good...
Not good because the athletes don't play because they don't want to lose, and secretly fear the game...
My answer: Recruit them all... Take who I get... but more importantly...
Focus on getting all my freshmen back, and the 8th graders/incoming freshman...
My forthcoming Juniors and Seniors, are who they are going to be... they are the results of a different regime... I will do everything within my power to ensure their Junior and Senior seasons are enjoyable and memorable... but I fully understand, the future of the program... will be the Freshman and Sophomore class...
Got to get those kids acclimated to the program, beyond the fear, and used to the work...
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Post by touchdowng on Apr 23, 2007 8:17:42 GMT -6
Recruit him hard for Spring ball with the intent of giving him a sample of what could be if he commits to the team for Fall.
Not sure how you handle spring, but we use spring as a time to get our guys better and to see how some of the invited guys work out. We tell them that we will ask the returners how they felt about their interactions. We'll (coaches) either be very enthusiastic about wanting you out, or we will allow you to be on the team because we are no-cut sport.
Having a few weeks under his belt will allow him to make an educated decision. Whether he chooses to play, or not.
If he can't commit to a couple of week he should go play bball
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Post by CoachJohnsonMN on Apr 23, 2007 8:21:34 GMT -6
I am in a similar situation: small school, horrible tradition, and we are a co-op. All of our varsity coaches are in one school, one junior high coach in the other school's elementary, and one junior high coach is from our community. I try to have as much contact with the students in the other school as possible, but our participation in the other school is low. We had a player who played for us through his sophomore year (6'5" 225 lbs.) who started for us at DE mainly because of his size and speed. He did not enjoy contact and was constantly whining about some boo-boo. He did not come out for football because "he wanted to concentrate on basketball." He did not step foot in the gym last fall and spent most of his time chasing tail. It takes a special kind of competitor to be a football player. He did not have it. He understood this and we understood this. We were better at DE this past season because we had a competitor. A kamikaze who put everything on the line instead of worrying about injury. The kamikaze will be back next year and the big doofus is thinking about trying out for his senior year. If he has developed what is needed for football, our small school program could use him. If he has not, we will have the biggest bench warmer in the conference. These "I want to concentrate on basketball kids" usually use that as an excuse because they do not want to admit a lack of testicular fortitude.
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Post by dubber on Apr 23, 2007 8:46:36 GMT -6
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Post by fbdoc on Apr 23, 2007 8:55:59 GMT -6
It's an old story and I've had to deal with it. The arguements for playing football are many. The main reason to play football is that it will help his basketball game tremendously! More strength, toughness, you name it.
Football also gives him another college opportunity if basketball doesn't pan out - which is the norm! I've had a number of players - I even thought the same myself back when I was in high school - who thought they were going to be a college basketball player who ended up playing football or another sport.
Give him your best shot, hopefully the basketball coach is on the same page.
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Post by kloranc on Apr 23, 2007 9:52:13 GMT -6
I agree with fbdoc. If the basketball coach is not against football, have him help you with the kid. Help him out with some of your players who are not playing bball but could probably do well. When I was the HC at a small 1A school, I recruited the BB coach to be my DB/rec. coach. It is vital that small schools share the best athletes, so we worked hard to recruit for each other.
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Post by tvt50 on Apr 23, 2007 11:03:32 GMT -6
Is he 6'8 or taller? If not he should play football?
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Post by tothehouse on Apr 23, 2007 11:52:23 GMT -6
Had a wrestler who didn't want to play football for fear that he would injure himself. Well, as a junior he played.....and did his ACL............IN WRESTLING!!!!!!!!!!!
Point being..he could get elbowed in the eye, land on someones ankle wrong, run into a screen and get crunched. Not buying the "I could get hurt if I played" routine.
I am all for student/athletes to play everything. Shouldn't choose one and say that's it.
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Post by los on Apr 23, 2007 12:42:45 GMT -6
I agree with you 1000% house, play everything you're good at, but to try to "sell" (as the original post kinda asks), come out for football, we run the spread now, its more wide open, lots more playing in space, you'll really excel in this offense, we really need you, etc... etc.., "so you're not gonna get injured as easily", that seems to be leaving yourself open to a lot of bad scenarios? Just something to think about? P.S.- read the original post real close and you'll find the kid has already been injured playing football in jv. Now, his opponents are much bigger, faster and hit even harder!
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