Points for helmet stickers

i personally do not believe in those since they single out an individual in a TEAM game.

Most of ours deal with off season items. We give one helmet sticker for every 4 off season workouts that a player attends, going to team camp, reaching lifting goals, fundraising goals, and then for each team goal reached for a game.

I am constantly amazed at how much kids like helmet stickers.

now I am no where near having the "right" way to do things....but

we attempted this again this year (on defense). I don't have a problem with it...but when it came down to it, we started analyzing it and talked ourselves out of doing it.


Originally, it was for big hit, sack, 5+ tackle, TD, Int, etc....but then, who's to say that interception wasn't a result of fantastic DL pressure? Or that sack wasn't because of great Secondary coverage....etc....so we started thinking about giving them out to EVERYONE that was on the field when that play happened.....then who's to say that the kids on the sideline who play scout team didn't contribute to the success (recognition) of the guys that WERE on the field....?


so we just played for shutouts....

Incentives

1 sticker for every time a back gets tackled while faking
oline = superman sticker for 250 yards rushing, additional for pancakes
back= sticker for 100 yards rushing and 0 fumbles, additional for 30 yard runs, tds, pats
dback= sticker for shut out of rec (we are a man to man team)
defense= 1 sticker for every 3 tackles, one per sack, interception, fumble, "big play" or hard hit award.
..

just some that I have used...i can honestly say, it gets kids to practice because i have a rule, you have to be at practice following a game to get them...also i suggest practice stickers adn best sub stickers...stuff like that...make no mistake, the kids and parents LOVE THEM when they leave...i have kids buy their helmets and the parents take photos of them, the kids sometimes peel stickers off and paste them to their lockers...this gets kids out for football.

saint, I used to say the same thing. I played in a very successful football program in HS. We did not use them and I looked at them with disdain, but I have leanred alot as I am attempting to build a program that has only won 28 games in 12 years. The system we used only awarded 2 kids with 3 extra helmet stickers. I awarded my kids for coming to off-season stuff. The first time my present school has ever had a summer program. The kids with the most helmet stickers did the most in the offseason, which helped the TEAM.

The selling of the helmets is also huge. For the first time in school history we had 5 seniors buy their helmets. Our AD was initially against it, but he soon realized that we were able to add 5 new helmets to the program and make $10 per helmet.

Funny you bring this up... My boys have been asking, if I will do this for next season, but I'm afraid this will just make them a bunch of individuals.
I had problems this year with players being more concerned with their stats then in our opponent. The last thing I want to do is have them compete for stickers. Not to mention the Fatties always have the fewest stickers on their helmets, and there the ones bustin' there tails to block for the "skilled guys", who get tons of them by season end...

sls-

i like the concept of the off-season work but it is something that must be very well though out and have the consistency not waiver

All I can tell you is that I used to be against them, but I have found in the last year that they really helped raise excitement about football. Was it just helmet stickers? No,it was new uni's, new colored helmets, more confidence in their appearance, more confidence in thier ability, and most importantly, the beginning of some success due to everything else I mentioned. I will continue to use them because they helped create excitement for football and I need that.

Thanks for the replies. My main concern was having the ability to give the OL a fair shake cause thats were it all starts. In my opinion the commitment level the kids make to the program and investment of blood sweat and tears is what makes a group of individuals a team. I think you are rewarding with decals those that have done something special. If an OL get cranked up about getting a decal for a pancake I am all for that.

That is a great Idea with the names on the jersey's.

Luckily for us this year 20 out of 21 starters had their names on the back of their jerseys. I continualy make it a point to the kids on the sideline why these kids are starting b/c they have done the things to put them ahead of the others. The one starter that did not have his name on the back of his jersey was gone to his dads for the summer in another state. But he came back in unbeliveable shape. As a staff we did not award him his name on the back of his jersey because he did not workout with the team.

that is a very good idea also!

We reward our offensive lineman with pizza for lunch during lunchtime during the week when we rush for 200yds and win the game. Our lineman bust their butts for this reward. We also use that time when we are eating to bond by watching game film, in not such a strict environment.

I've used a point system for the helmet stickers. Ten points earns the player a helmet sticker. Everything that we've coached in practice holds a point value in a game. For example, a third down conversion is worth so many points, be it a run or a pass. A reception is worth so many points. So if a receiver makes a reception AND converts the down on the same play, those point values are combined.

We also have points for the unsung heroes. Pass blocking for a specified period of time on a three step drop and five step drop, "stick and stay" on a run block, pancake block, each grade being worth X amount of points, etc.

We've had a point system for each area of the inseason program:Offense, defense, special teams, practices, etc.

Look at your program and what you emphasize. You get what you allow. Reinforce what you want and let unacceptable behavior and actions go extinct. I say do it, but know that the record keeping can be a real pain in the neck. Once you do it, you have to keep on doing it because the kids will become accustomed to getting their "helmet candy".

The assistant coaches should be the ones who keep track of the players in the positions that they coach. The head coach should keep track of the assistant coaches. Not only will something like this make the program better ( if done correctly) it will make the assistant coaches AND the head coach better because it will provide you with tangible evidence of what you are expecting out of your team, you will be rewarding what you want to see happen.

Other students like this too, we actually had more kids come out for the team because they saw that they could be a part of something that recognized them and their efforts, even if they didn't play in a position that regularly handled the ball.

Personally, I liked the life lesson that it reinforced; if you do well and work hard, you can do well for yourself.

While it's true, football is a team sport, motivation is a personal thing.