Practice Input

z
Junior Member

Posts: 332

Practice Input Jan 10, 2014 8:38:25 GMT -6

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Post by z on Jan 10, 2014 8:38:25 GMT -6

Coaches,
Looking for suggestions. We have a program that has 70 plus kids (JV and varsity), however, we have a small staff (HC who also coaches OL, OC-coaches QBs, RB coach, WR coach, DL coach, LB coach/Def. Coord, DB coach, along with 2 volunteer coaches). I want to have effective practices for both the JV and varsity. This past season, we separated into JV and varsity teams with mixed results. Our typical practice consisted of dynamic stretch, team talk and prayer, special teams-2 per day, offensive and defensive indy, inside drill for the defense and 7 on 7 for the offense going on at the same time (15 minutes), and then we flip (inside drill for the offense and 7 on 7 for the defense). From there, we move to team (from scripts-15 minutes on each side of the ball).

In the past, I have gone one side of the ball each day (ex-Monday-defense, Tuesday-offense, Wednesday-combo), and it went well. Would you consider having varsity go defense one day while the JVs go offense? That way, the offensive staff can work with the JV and the defensive staff can go with the varsity. I did not feel that we got quality teaching and maximum reps in practice. Mind you, we have to do in season weights and team/group meetings (Monday-weights, Tuesday-unit meetings, Wednesday-weights) before practice (we don't have a football class period-although I've been promised one next year).

Any suggestions?

"If can't is in your vocabulary, success is not in your future!"

coachbw
Senior Member

Posts: 1,161

Practice Input Jan 10, 2014 8:55:38 GMT -6

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Post by coachbw on Jan 10, 2014 8:55:38 GMT -6

If it was me, I would look at basically having a practice that repeated itself for the JV and the Varsity. So if you have a 2 hour practice, hour one would be varsity on defense and JV on offense. Hour two would be JV on defense and varsity on offense. The same individual drills, group, and team drills would occur for each side of the ball. So if varsity had defensive skelly during their practice, JV would get a defensive skelly an hour later. A few reasons that I like this format:

1. It reduces the number of players being worked by a position coach at one time which increases the reps they get.

2. It gives our position coaches time when they can focus on developing the younger players.

3. It allows for the JV and Varsity to go in team against one another. If you have 7 players, you could think of it as having your 1st varsity squad scrimmaging your JV squad, and your 2nd varsity squad scrimmaging your 2nd JV squad. The one drawback of this is that you have to be careful that the JV gets to run your stuff and not just always use them as a scout squad.

4. If we have a varsity player that we know is only going to play one side of the ball (maybe a QB or a lineman), they can go through the JV practice for that side of the ball as well. So our QB could get double the time with his position coach.

5. It lets kids be on each side of the ball every day instead of having an offensive and a defensive day.

joker31
Junior Member

Posts: 258

Practice Input Jan 10, 2014 11:39:37 GMT -6

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Post by joker31 on Jan 10, 2014 11:39:37 GMT -6

You have one coach for every position, plus two assistants. Not sure this is that small, we have about 80 kids in the program for Varsity and JV and have only one coach per position.

We have our coaches coach one side of the ball. So for us, Monday is our primary Offensive day. So our Offensive staff is with the Varsity, the Defense is with JV's. Then we'll flip on the next day.

Last Edit: Jan 10, 2014 11:40:11 GMT -6 by joker31

bruinfb
Junior Member

Posts: 363

Practice Input Jan 10, 2014 12:01:37 GMT -6

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Post by bruinfb on Jan 10, 2014 12:01:37 GMT -6

I agree with Coachbw in that splitting each practice in half would be the most beneficial. I would love to be able to practice that way.
Both ways would work, but I would like all of the position coaches to be able to work with their varsity kids each day and splitting up days would not allow that.

Also, that sounds like a lot of coaches to me. We had 78 varsity players last year and it was just me and 3 assistants.

coach2013 Executive Member Job Security- every village needs an idiot. Posts: 2,553	Practice Input Jan 11, 2014 7:04:12 GMT -6 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by coach2013 on Jan 11, 2014 7:04:12 GMT -6 Just train everyone as varsity mon-wed, then on thurs focus on your varsity 1s and 2s getting reps. If you run carbon copy the jvs will be fine.
	The defense is gonna melt faces this year!

fballcoachg
Senior Member

Posts: 1,835

Practice Input Jan 11, 2014 22:06:27 GMT -6

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Post by fballcoachg on Jan 11, 2014 22:06:27 GMT -6

You have more than efficient staffing. I like the plan of splitting the staff and practice. Half the practice JVs are practicing Defense while Varsity is practicing Offense then switch. If you need (which you shouldn't) to have everyone together for team then just modify your schedule.

This way everyone is getting reps and all coaches are coaching everyday.

realdawg Executive Member Posts: 4,735	Practice Input Jan 12, 2014 7:16:39 GMT -6 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by realdawg on Jan 12, 2014 7:16:39 GMT -6 Your staff is not small. We do it like coachbw suggested. I think that is the way to go

Post by z on Jan 10, 2014 8:38:25 GMT -6

Post by coachbw on Jan 10, 2014 8:55:38 GMT -6

Post by joker31 on Jan 10, 2014 11:39:37 GMT -6

Post by bruinfb on Jan 10, 2014 12:01:37 GMT -6

Post by coach2013 on Jan 11, 2014 7:04:12 GMT -6

Post by fballcoachg on Jan 11, 2014 22:06:27 GMT -6

Post by realdawg on Jan 12, 2014 7:16:39 GMT -6