AFCA..am I not allowed to join?

Then there is always the "Its better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission" theory.

I emailed them last season. I coach at a middle school that doesn't really have much contact with the HS in town. They said it was fine. I know another guy on Base that coaches the youth team and he's a member. I don't see why they'd turn down a willing dues paying member, but I think tvt50's right here. I'd go ahead and just join with whatever school you put down. My school's never been contacted about my membership in anyway, so I'm not sure how they would find out.

I guess I should clarify that the AFCA allowed me to use my middle school, not the high school in town. Not sure why I even included the bit about the HS in my last post... If you were to use a school you don't coach at, fbdoc's post is perfect. At least let the HC at the HS know about it.

Find another one to join.

sorry, coach, no answer for you - maybe you can start your own - The Fine Youth Coaches of America - or the FYCA. You would probably make a mint selling a magazine with a bunch of ads and articles in there from other highly sought after coaches talking about new formations and trick plays so that they have no idea what in the world is going on when they get to Middle School or High School and are trying to learn fundamentals. I am not bitter or anything - and no offense - you are probably one of the guys who does it right and talks to the schools that your kids are going to go into and ask them what they need to know. But, seriously - you could probably do really well.

I took no offense Coachd5085. I don't know why he felt the need to throw that in. I am aware that coaching on the youth level is not as advanced as higher levels. I would put my fundamentals their with anyones though, and so would the HS coaches around here that asked me to help with the team. I know I have a ton to learn and that is why I hit you guys for so much. I know that you guys are head and shoulders above me and are willing to teach. I can say for certain given the knowledge I have gained in the last few months. It won't be long before my guys are learning as well and as much as YOUR guys. Thanks for all of the help and assistance. Sorry for whatever made you so ill Coach. I was just asking for assistance . I thought that is what coaches provided.

Warrior,

You'd be surprised at the # of youth football players that don't play high school sports.. I read a survey that reported the # of youth football players that don't play in HS as high as 70% in unlimited weight leagues and close to 80% in weighted leagues..

There's various reasons for this I'm sure, such as coaching (both at the youth league and the HS- I'm sorry, but I've seen some guys just out there collecting a stipend even at the HS level), other interests, girls, or maybe the kid was never really good enough to play HS ball to begin with and he was playing youth ball for the fun of it- happens a lot..

The point is, taking very general, vague shots at youth coaches who don't run what the HS or MS runs isn't really necessary, is it?.. I see a lot of youth coaches busting their butts to learn as much about the game as possible.. They also shell out money out of their own pockets for clinics and instructional materials because they don't have the ability to get this stuff through their school..

All I'm saying is let's give the youth guys some credit- they volunteer their time and actually PAY money to coach- I think that's commendable..

Great post bhb
and there is a magazine out for youth coaches. kick off magazine for youth.
Also you could check out info at National Youth Sports Coaches Association
www.nays.org
I believe youth coaches have a moral obligation to give kids a positive youth football experience and to learn to love the game as we do.
that is also your responsibility as a coach warrior53
So except the challanges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory!

Good greif!!! I am going to say this one more time - there are great coaches at every level and poor coaches at every level. I respect good coaches at every level and the job they try to do. This is not a personal attack of any guy on this board, nor was it meant to be. My first comments were an over-generalization and for that and all you guys that took offense to it...it wasn't about you I am sure. Every situation is different all over the country and I am sure there are some great youth leagues out there. OUR YOUTH LEAGUE teaches some bad habits and puts some ideas into kids heads that should not be there (I will let your mind wander). Believe me our Jr. High system has some flaws, and our High School system is far from perfect. MOST of our kids that play high school ball and Jr High before that, played in OUR YOUTH LEAGUE, which means I have an interest in what happens at that level. I think the MAJORITY of OUR YOUTH LEAGUE does a fair enough job teaching the basics of the game, but I think there are some flaws. Why are you guys that are upset with my comments so upset? Are you upset because I described your situation as well, or are your organizations devoid of this type of stuff? If it is the former, are there some checks for the coaches doing this and rules in place to keep them from doing it? I do want my youth association to change so that they have a feeder system that goes into the Jr. High and then into the High School. I think it would allow High School coaches to become more involved and to aid in retention of good athletes that move on to other sports. In OUR AREA that is a big problem. My sport is football so that concerns me. I want our sport and our team to be the best it possibly can.

Alright, I admit it - cheap shot. But my concerns are real. Are my concerns (albeit crude to begin with) not legitimate?

search the web for" kick off magazine football" I believe it is affiliated with pop warner
so i think you may find it in the pop warner national website also www.popwarner.com
Hope this helps
Warrior53 if you have an interest in your local youth program. enlighten us on some of the things you do to help your youth program or correct their deficiency's it may benefit us all ;D

warrior---to be frank, it is because the context in which you posted was that of a national magazine. That is NOT referring to your home youth league.

I do agree, there are plenty of youth issues, plenty of H.S. issues..plenty of college issues... But your post did come off completely condescending.

now, after your apology--i think it is all good.

And I would LOVE to have a thread about youth issues.

Well..just so you know, i don't think you would have to defend yourself for saying something like

"How can I help my youth program", or even something as charged as "ALL of the youth organizations I PERSONALLY have been involved with did not teach blocking and tackling. They taught crazy formations and put the big kid at TB"

Now, I haven't dealt with youth ball in a long long time, but I have been enlightened by the opinions of many on this board. Good solid point/counterpoint type discussions ranging from issues such as running the system of the local high school (counter point being that H.S's often change their "systems" frequently anyway, so there is no benefit for the kid) to putting the big kid as running back (counter points being that H.S. often put their best player at TB, why shouldnt youth... also being that at the age of 12-13..the biggest kids often are closer to maturity, and wouldn't be very big at 16 or 17 anyway)

If you have some issues and want some feedback, but don't want to have to defend yourself in written form, PM me with them..and I will take the heat.