Coaching a size doesn't matter kid.
Sept 18, 2024 9:02:06 GMT -6
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silkyice and vasa like this
Post by prob2236 on Sept 18, 2024 9:02:06 GMT -6
I've coached 7th and 8th grade football for a while now, and every year find myself trying to coach certain kids past the mental task of not sizing a team up before a game. There's always a handful that will psych themselves out when a bigger opponent comes in, and I've spent many a first quarters trying to break usually sound players out of funks that are all self inflicted.
I've always taught the "It's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog mentallity." And why I've preached that mantra a thousand times I suppose I've only ever partly believed it. Just because a kid is big it doesn't make him a good football player. That's a fact. With that being said, a big, aggressive, smart player is an absolute force of nature. The past two seasons, however, I've had the real pleasure of coaching a kid who I believe is the embodiment of the "size of the dog in the fight" quote. I've known Noah for a long time and while coaches have always talked about his ability, the only thing that ever stuck out to me was his size. Now I will add on to this statement that the kid is blazing fast. It's not like this is a pure "try hard kid." He's talented, but VERY small. While his speed is a weapon what makes this kid special is the absolute inferno that burns in this kids heart. He runs, hits and tackles like you wish every kid would. And when I say hits I mean HITS. This kid will absolutely drop players twice his size.
He'll likely never play beyond highschool. I know that. But he will absolutely be one of those kids I remember for years after he's gone. Watching every opponent size him up, literally walk up to him chuckling, measuring his head up their chest and laugh, only to watch the same player go up to him at the end of the game, remorse in their eyes, and dap him up with the respect he should have had all along is what makes a coaches day. Love coaching this kid and would love to hear a few other stories from coaches who have had the pleasure of working with a little demon like I have.
I've always taught the "It's not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog mentallity." And why I've preached that mantra a thousand times I suppose I've only ever partly believed it. Just because a kid is big it doesn't make him a good football player. That's a fact. With that being said, a big, aggressive, smart player is an absolute force of nature. The past two seasons, however, I've had the real pleasure of coaching a kid who I believe is the embodiment of the "size of the dog in the fight" quote. I've known Noah for a long time and while coaches have always talked about his ability, the only thing that ever stuck out to me was his size. Now I will add on to this statement that the kid is blazing fast. It's not like this is a pure "try hard kid." He's talented, but VERY small. While his speed is a weapon what makes this kid special is the absolute inferno that burns in this kids heart. He runs, hits and tackles like you wish every kid would. And when I say hits I mean HITS. This kid will absolutely drop players twice his size.
He'll likely never play beyond highschool. I know that. But he will absolutely be one of those kids I remember for years after he's gone. Watching every opponent size him up, literally walk up to him chuckling, measuring his head up their chest and laugh, only to watch the same player go up to him at the end of the game, remorse in their eyes, and dap him up with the respect he should have had all along is what makes a coaches day. Love coaching this kid and would love to hear a few other stories from coaches who have had the pleasure of working with a little demon like I have.
