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Post by veerwego on Aug 24, 2023 9:19:20 GMT -6
So after 21 years of coaching varsity football, I got out a few years ago to have more time for God, family, church, exercise, my widowed parents (both remarried and lost their spouses) etc. I'm the guy that said he was leaving coaching to spend more time with family and really did it. Still teaching at school I was coaching at. I have to say, I have really enjoyed it. Didn't realize what I was missing. I miss football a little here and there, but not as much as I thought. I think it is mainly because I have stayed busy, coaching little league baseball fall and spring, leading men's groups at church, my wife and I do pre-marital mentoring as well. And for a time was doing a good job of lifting and getting healthy (still down about 35lbs, but have put a bunch back on).
Anyway, my oldest is in 7th grade and truth be told, I probably overly encouraged him to play football for the first time. I just wanted both of my boys to do something that is hard and gonna force you to get up when you get knocked down. So the head coach at the school he will go to is an old friend and I told him I would help coach the middle school team.
We are 3 weeks in and it is by far the worst group of kids I have ever been around. We have about a dozen that cannot be quiet, talk incessantly, can't be still or pay attention, do not want to be coached, they are constantly suggesting things we should be doing or have their own ideas about coaching, and so on and so on. They are not blatantly disrespectful, but it is absolutely not fun to drive over there everyday and work with them. On top of that we stink and I doubt we win a game.
I've coached ms basketball before and, as I said, little league (similar age, a year or two younger), and have never seen anything like this. I realize a portion of this is just the immaturity, but it is also almost like a group psychosis descends on them and they cannot control their behaviors. It would certainly appear that the rod (and other forms of discipline in their homes) have been spared.
So my best thought is that when anybody talks out of turn, talks back, just doesn't try, etc. that I am throwing them out to the sideline and they aren't playing offense anymore that day. If we run out of players then we can just condition for the rest of practice, but I am not coaching kids that do not want to be coached.
Just wondering what you all think and if you have any suggestions on dealing with a group like this? Thanks
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Post by CS on Aug 24, 2023 10:19:21 GMT -6
Up downs are your friend
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Post by bulldogsdc on Aug 24, 2023 11:05:30 GMT -6
Brah, you mid. Your plays are sus...............
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Post by newt21 on Aug 24, 2023 11:10:43 GMT -6
Sounds like my experience coaching middle school sports at one of my stops. It’s extremely difficult and it’s extremely frustrating. As you’ve noted they likely haven’t been raised at home and they have to learn somewhere. Do the best you can, praise the ones who do right and hold the others accountable. I have to remind myself this consistently, things are never as bad as they feel.
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Post by veerwego on Aug 24, 2023 11:17:21 GMT -6
Brah, you mid. Your plays are sus............... Really... if they say bro again I'm gonna piss my pants and forget who I am for half an hour. |
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Post by fantom on Aug 24, 2023 11:37:21 GMT -6
Hard to talk back when you're out of breath. |
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Post by CS on Aug 24, 2023 13:31:39 GMT -6
Hard to talk back when you're out of breath. Fixes problems pretty quick in my experience |
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Post by freezeoption on Aug 26, 2023 8:02:34 GMT -6
We start off with "stretching". But it's usually a decent workout. Then we do special teams and and get them running. Then we do some conditioning. Then indy, group, team. If you wear their butt out early they talk less. I've coached varsity ball 27 years. I'm on year 5 now for middle school. You got a different beast in ms. As soon as you see some jacking around do a drill where they all work but you bust their butt. County fare conditioning and drills are your friend. I hope this helps.
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Post by wingtol on Aug 27, 2023 7:02:23 GMT -6
In the same situation as I have been coaching my sons 7/8 grade team this season and last....can't wait to get back to high school ball!!! LOL
We tried a walk through in just helmets and not to much hitting etc...that's gotta change for next week!! Way to much phuckery going on for my liking. Gotta keep em moving and involved and all that or it descends into chaos quick.
We are a mix of like 6 schools so not run by a district so we get mostly dads coaching. Which is a WHOLE different thread. Example the "OC" and his Xbox offense called a play that just was formation and all the routes with just play action at the end. I said what are we play actioning off of? Well its just play action he said. So whats the action for the backs and linemen for the play action? What do you mean....
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Post by rsmith627 on Aug 27, 2023 19:10:25 GMT -6
Brah, you mid. Your plays are sus............... Where'd you get that playbook? The toilet store?! |
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Post by coachwoodall on Aug 29, 2023 6:55:43 GMT -6
It ain't MS, but this year I became the Frosh 'HC' to take some the load off the HC's plate. These kids aren't much different that one's I've dealt with in the past. You have to tell them the same thing a million times. The questions they are off the wall. They try hard and yes there are some that come off with that WTH look/comment/reply, but if you nip that in the bud early it is much less of a problem.
We are up front with them. We don't care how good they are, if they don't do right they run and don't play. Their grades aren't passing/have zeros for assignments they run and don't play. They get in trouble in class they run and don't play. The screw around in practice they run, and if it keeps up they don't play.
We aren't very good athletically other than a handful of kids. We picked a game this week (varsity opponent doesn't have freshman ball) vs Wing T program and we will get smoked.
I get enjoyment out of the little gains and thinking big picture/long term. I also like the problem solving of how to make things runs better and getting the kids in the best position for the program and themselves.
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Post by veerwego on Sept 20, 2023 8:42:43 GMT -6
So things have gotten some better. Last Wednesday we had to go in the gym b/c of lightning so I just gathered them up beforehand and said when we had practiced indoors before we got nothing accomplished so we were gonna behave and get work done or do up downs. We did about 70 up downs in the 50 min or so I was there and then I had to leave early b/c my other son had a program at his school. That definitely helped.
Anyway, we lost 12-0 last week and then a few attitudes were pretty bad on Monday. On Monday I was installing mesh with the skill guys by myself and things started getting out of hand, so we did some up downs but I kept trying to keep going to get stuff done b/c this week is probably our best chance to win one. But a couple kids showed their butts. So I went yesterday and said to the two that caused a problem, you are off of offense this week (starting WR and # 2 RB). We will let you try again next week. I told them that I would rather lose with kids that try and behave than win with the ones who won't. Anyway, that seemed to have taken things to a new level and we got a bunch done after this. So hopefully that will work going forward.
I appreciate the thoughts and suggestions. Unfortunately, I think my mindset (how I was raised/coached and I'm 47) of respecting elders and authority and not plowing all obstacles out of your children's way is in stark contrast to how most folks have raised the 9th graders I teach and the ms I'm coaching. Mind you I'm in a county/district that doesn't support athletics well and particularly football. I do think the vast majority of them are good kids and need help learning how to grow up, but when parents don't want that because they just want everything to go right for their kids and you are the problem, I don't really have interest in fooling with that. Maybe I'm just becoming the get off my lawn guy.
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Post by coachwoodall on Sept 20, 2023 9:47:18 GMT -6
Up down, and other types of quick punishment for quick reminders, then taking playing time for greater reinforcement are the two best methods.
Suspended the top 2 Fr RBs for skipping study hall, making them run 10 stadiums everyday.
WR is going to be suspended the first game back from injury b/c he didn't go to treatment. He is getting another for not wearing tie on profession dress day. His season might effectually be done.....
Yesterday the whole team ran stadiums for warm ups b.c nobody wanted to fess up on throwing a kid's shoe up on the AC duct.
I run the freshman team.
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Post by veerwego on Sept 20, 2023 10:35:31 GMT -6
We have definitely have had a battle of wills issue, some oddities of our coaching situation have made it possible and exacerbated it, but no more.
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