More than just the X s and O s A manual for the new youth football coach By Tim Pettay

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2 Why I Coach More than just the X s and O s A manual for the new youth football coach By Tim Pettay Growing up, I was one of those kids who went through childhood with a football in one hand and a baseball bat in the other. From age 7 until my enlistment into the Marine Corps at age 19, I was consumed with the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Like most young athletes, I fantasized about hitting the game winning home run in game seven of the World Series or scoring the final touchdown in the Super Bowl. Now I m 40, with 3 boys of my own, and I coach football in the fall, boxing in the winter and baseball in the spring. But this story is not about one of my own children; it s about a kid who taught me why I coach. It was August, and 5 days of training camp was underway to help get the kids in shape before the regular practices begin. As I pace back and forth between the lines of future football players, barking out exercise commands, I make eye contact with a chubby first year player who was obviously struggling to handle these exercises. With the look of terror in his eyes he says Coach, do I have to take the long run today? Tears swelling up in his eyes, I don t think I can make it. I had noticed that he was the last one back every time we ran, and he walked a good part of the run because of the distance. So I bent over, got eye to eye with him, and said, What s your name son? Elias, Coach. OK Elias, will you do something for me? Will you try, just try to make the run, and run the whole way? Unsure of himself, and disappointed, he said, OK Coach. And off they went. I watched the whole way. He came in last, but he made it without stopping. I ran up to him, gave him a high five, and told him, I knew you could make it, I knew it! Good job Elias! He smiled, and you could see the self-confidence begin to show itself. By the end of the week he was beaming with excitement about the season which was about to begin. All the coaches got together to pick their teams; when I picked Elias Hansen from the hat I was so excited, not because he was going to be a good player but because he has the heart of a champion. Elias earned a position of starting Center and helped our team go undefeated. I love that kid, and he s now, only one year later, one of the best linemen in the league. These kinds of stories are why I coach. 1

3 This is a Purple Mountain Publishing Book Copyright 2002 by Timothy L. Pettay All rights reserved. Published and Distributed in the United States by Purple Mountain Publishing Port Orchard, WA Purpmountain@yahoo.com ISBN X Manufactured in the United States of America 2

4 Acknowledgments It is with great pleasure that I give special thanks to Ken Hansen for his support and contribution in Chapter 6 of this book. I also would like to thank Daryl Read and Chuck Burns for allowing the use of their plays in Chapter 7 of this book. This book would not have been possible if not for the constant support of my wife Lavonne Pettay who did all the graphic design in this book including the playbooks in Chapter 7. Lavonne also did the page layout graphics and photos. Thanks also go to Larry Dusavage who helped transfer files and convert the document for us. Thanks to Kenny Cook, Sam Higgins, Ryan Kahler, Bryant Hovland and Cameron Pettay for posing for the pictures. To the South Kitsap Peewee Association Board and all of you who have supported this project, Thank You. 3

5 Foreword Coaching youth football is a lot of work and takes a person who is willing to dedicate up to five (5) nights a week for practice with games on Saturdays. It takes a person who loves kids and understands the mental capacity of a child and just how much they can comprehend. It takes a person who wants to teach and bond with the youth of the community. Coaching youth football is demanding and you should be aware of what you re in for before you make the commitment. If you believe you can give of yourself what is required to become a coach then this book will help you. I think sometimes that people get into coaching football for the wrong reasons. Maybe they want to relive their own playing days or try and turn their own child into something they wanted to be. Sometimes we forget youth sports is not about molding kids into the next superstar in the NFL but a way for kids to learn the skills of the sport and have FUN! With youth football you can help the youth of your community build self-confidence and gain discipline, learn sportsmanship and teamwork. If you can commit to the schedule, teach and motivate the players to come together as a unit and help each other work to achieve a common goal. If you can set a good example by being a good role model than you are ready to take on the challenge of becoming a youth football coach. 4

6 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION:... 6 CHAPTER UNDERSTANDING THE ADMINISTRATIVE PART OF COACHING YOUTH FOOTBALL... 7 CHAPTER COACHES PLAYERS AND PARENTS CONDUCT... 9 CHAPTER BASIC OFFENSE AND DEFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY AND FORMATIONS Basic Offense: Some Running Play Terminology: How to properly take a hand off: Basic Passing: Pass Receiving: Basic Pass Routes: BASIC DEFENSE: Very Important Note On Tackling: PRACTICE FORMATS AND DRILLS CHAPTER EQUIPMENT CHAPTER FIRST AID CHAPTER SAMPLE PLAYBOOKS INCLUDING SPECIAL TEAMS FORMATIONS Sample playbook # Sample playbook # Sample playbook # Sample Special Teams Section Extra Points and Field Goals: CHAPTER SAMPLE FORMS: Sample Player Information Sheet: Sample Parent s Pledge and Code of Conduct: Sample Stat Sheet Notes: Schedule:

7 Introduction: All right gentleman listen up, You ve busted your butts for weeks to get to this point, remember the blood, remember the bruises and broken bones, remember the pain you endured. Today is why, it s game day baby! You ve come together as a team, as brothers. But your job is not complete! The task in front of you is huge, We, as coaches, have done all we can do. It s time for you to bring all you ve been taught along with all your skills, lay it out on the line and go kick some butt. I believe in each and every one of you. Believe in yourself and you ll win regardless of the score. Ah, the pre-game speech, I remember it well; the words can change but the message is the same. Although it really never won or lost any games, its value to the whole experience is immeasurable. It s all about emotion, dedication, desire and heart. The pre-game speech is one of many aspects in coaching, the X s and O s of football are the easy part, consider the following and how much more is involved with coaching youth football. 1) Teaching Good sportsmanship. 2) Bringing out the emotion, dedication, desire and heart. 3) Teaching the fundamentals of the game, the X s and O s. 4) Dealing with injured players, dealing with parents or guardians, The good ones and the not so good ones. 5) Running an efficient practice schedule. 6) Selecting a team parent to oversee and schedule team activities like pictures, fund raising, and team parties. 7) Keeping the kids equipment in good working condition and making sure they know how to wear it. 8) Keeping files of the kids medical release forms and other paperwork. 9) Etc etc etc. In other words, coaching youth football is a demanding position and should be considered only by those who have a good understanding of all aspects of the game, not just emotion or the love of the game. Remember: we are here for the kids! (First and foremost) In coaching youth sports, any youth sport, the number one goal should NOT be to field the best team. The number one goal should be to teach the kids sportsmanship and how to interact with others to achieve a common goal (teamwork). Really we are teachers, and like it or not we are role models. Be a good role model, be a good teacher and you can be a good coach. How important is winning? Well pretty darn important considering the object of the game is to try and put more points on the board than the other team before the game ends. DUH! But if that is your main focus chances are your season will not be as meaningful or enjoyable for you or your team. Having a championship team might make you look good but to an eight, ten, or twelve year old kid it s meaningless if he or she didn t learn and have any fun and receive a overall good experience. Relationships between coaches, players and parents are extremely important to the success of your season, and by success I don t mean wins and losses I mean how positive was the entire experience for everyone involved. As you read on you will find samples of various forms that might assist you. You will also see examples of practice schedules and practice drills, you will learn a little about setting up basic offensive and defensive formations as well as some sample playbooks. It is my hope that you will get the basics you will need as a new youth football coach and that this might help you get organized and be prepared for an awesome football season. 6

8 Chapter 1 Understanding the Administrative part of Coaching Youth Football Most youth football organizations are non-profit and generally set up similar to a business. They use registration fees and various types of league fund raisers to pay for the operating cost involved, which in football can be quite extensive because of the equipment involved for training and in most cases it can cost up to $ just to suit up each player. Some leagues are more advanced than others in the organization of their program. Here is a good example of how your league might be set up. (EXAMPLE ONLY) Board of Directors or Executive Board: President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Eligibility Auxiliary (Oversees entire operation) (Assist the President) (Handles League Paper work) (Handles League Finances) (Enrollment and eligibility of players) (Handles Fund Raising and Head Team Mom/Parent) Non Executive Board Members or Auxiliary Staff: Head of Coaching Concession Stand Managers Field Maintenance Manager Equipment Manager Cheer Program Manager Sponsorship Manager Picture Manager (Head of Coaches) (Head of Concessions) (Head of Field Maintenance) (Head of Equipment Room and Equipment) (Head of Cheerleading Program) (Head of Sponsorship Program) (Head of Team and League Pictures) The Board members should be elected with new elections each year. This is to weed out the dead weight and also it is important to remember that these people are volunteers and usually won t want to stay on more than a few years or after their own son or daughter has moved on. The league should have rules and regulations or by laws which the program can operate under with some kind of guidelines. These guidelines should be reviewed from time to time to keep up dated with the program. Often the Executive Board will meet once a month year round. That might sound like a lot for a youth sports organization but if football last three months that only gives the board nine meetings to prepare for the upcoming season. During the season the Board may decide to meet more often. Each meeting should be done in a professional manner with minutes being kept by the Secretary and typed up for the next meeting to review, if the league has a web sight it can also be posted so everyone has access to the leagues progress. Each member should give a brief report on his or her area of responsibility to keep the Board up to date on the standing of each department. Each position is very important and plays a vital role in the overall success of the program. If the people in these positions don t take them seriously someone else has to pick up the slack. This can 7

9 cause burn out and over time will take its toll, it may even lead to the dismantling of the program, and then it s the kids of the community that get hurt. Why are we here? For the kids! This is a basic example of how a league might be set up and operate, now lets move on to the administrative responsibility of the team coach. Have a good file system A-Z with a waterproof case to keep it in, football is an all weather sport and this will help protect your files. You will need to have with you at all practices and games the children s medical release forms. These should be provided to you from your league officials. If a child gets injured you will need this information to pass on to the medical personal who treat the child, not having this information puts you, your league and the child at risk. You should also have a good first aid kit with you. These are not an option (HAVE THEM WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES). You will also want a basic player information form on file for each player on your team, with NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, AGE, WEIGHT, HEIGHT, EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION, and any other information that might apply to each individual player on your team. For example, let's say you have a child that is allergic to bee stings, you will need to have the proper medicine in your first aid kit and the knowledge and permission to administer it. This form is the place to have this type of information (See page 92 for a sample). It will help you generate a team roster and give you the ability to contact the child or the child s parents if necessary. In Chapter 8, you will find sample forms that you are free to use. They are only samples, but may help you keep track of your player s information, or may help your league establish a code of conduct for parents, and also a sample medical release form is included. And last but not least you will need a place (like a notebook) to keep your playbook and other forms your league may require. You may also choose to keep such things as game statistic sheets and information on scouting your opponents in your file. Keep your files organized and up to date. Now that you re somewhat organized, let s meet your players and players parents. 8

10 Coaches Players and Parents Conduct Chapter 2 Most of the time in football you will practice for a week or so with helmets but not in full gear and most leagues require you to practice a week or so in full gear before you can start full contact drills. This is a good idea because it gives the child a chance to become used to the equipment and gives his body a chance to adjust to wearing it. This gives you a little time to take care of other things before you get down to the business of yelling and screaming, ranting and raving and all the other cool stuff football coaches are known for. First, make sure you have a coaching staff that can work together. Have a pre season meeting with your staff and delegate areas of responsibility for each coach; this should be based upon their experience. Another very important role for one of your coaches besides their standard duties might be sideline control during games and scrimmages. Remember that we are dealing with kids, and they tend to have a short attention span. When goofing off starts, two things tend to happen: first, your team appears to be out of control and undisciplined and second, if you need to substitute one of these players in the game they will not be focused or know what is going on. You need someone to keep the sideline players involved with what is going on out on the field. Another duty that a coach might have is watching the game clock or keeping game statistics. As you can see it starts to become too much for one person real quick, so work together as a staff and make sure everyone knows what their responsibilities are. The very first thing you want to do when you have your team together is meet as a team with the players and the parents. This is where you set the stage for the rest of the season; here is a sample format of how that first meeting might take place: (NOTE: Smile and show you are genuinely happy and excited to be here, be enthusiastic!) 1) First introduce yourself and thank everyone for coming. 2) Introduce your coaching staff and explain each coach s role. 3) Give a little background on yourself, your family, your work, your schooling and whatever football experience you may have, high school, college or even professional and any prior coaching experience. 4) Allow each coach to give a little background on him or herself. 5) Now give a firm, but not harsh, talk on what you, as the head coach, expects concerning the conduct of the players, coaches and the parents of this team. Explain that foul language will not be tolerated, misconduct towards referees, or anyone else in the league will not be tolerated, and explain what action would be taken if these rules are not met. (This should be agreed upon with the other coaches in advance). It is my belief that a player should not be disciplined by being forced to do extensive drills or running, bear crawls, etc. This will cause the child to associate drills and running with being disciplined. A better option might be to suspend the player for a given time depending on how serious the offense was. This takes away something they want and gives them time to think about what they did. This is only a suggestion; every situation is different. 6) Your league may require that Parents sign a Code of Conduct form at registration. The main thing is that everyone understands what the rules are right from the start. It is a good idea to let everyone know that if they have a problem they can come to you directly in private and discuss it before or after practice. Establish an open door policy and explain that the league has a chain of command from the coach up to the President to get problems rectified. The last thing you want is to have parents or coaches or, for that matter, players fighting between themselves, yelling at 9

11 referees or doing anything that would not be in line with teaching the kids good sportsmanship. If a kid sees a coach and a parent yelling at each other or fighting, what kind of example does that set? Explain to the kids that even though football is a violent sport, they are not thugs or gangsters and we will play hard but we will play fair. (This will impress the parents) also make sure to reassure the players and parents that every step will be taken to ensure the safety of every child. If your league does not offer a first aid course, you might want to take one anyway. (This also will help the parents relax about the situation, especially those who are new to football). 7) End the meeting with a lively upbeat POSITIVE talk about how excited you are to be the coach of these great kids and you and your staff can t wait to get started working with them. This is also a great time to ask for volunteer help. For example, a team parent (mom or dad), would be someone to help plan the end of the year party and help with fund raising for trophies. Also they help call the players if information needs to get out as soon as possible. Sometimes you can get a volunteer just to make phone calls, this is an easy position to fill. The team parent is like a team secretary. Let them know it s a lot of work but can be a lot of fun also which can make it a rewarding task to take on. 8) Close out the meeting by once again thanking everyone for coming and asking if anyone has any questions. You should have already had a meeting with your coaching staff discussing what each coach s role will be and how you will all interact on the practice and game field. You will find parents who want to come out and help coach the kids. I have mixed feelings about this; each team has its own chemistry and each coach has his or her own rules, but most leagues require a background investigation before a person can coach. Having this parent who has not registered to coach out on the field with the kids may put you in violation. Also, he or she may not be teaching the proper techniques, thus putting the children at risk of injury. As a rule of thumb, I would advise against it! If a parent comes out on the practice field simply explain to them that they must be registered with the league as a coach to be out with the kids but he can submit his name with the board to be put on the list for a future coaching position. Take time to get to know each player and each parent or guardian, you can develop wonderful new relationships as well as forming a bond between yourself and the youth of your community. If you notice a parent who comes to games or even practice intoxicated, and tends to get belligerent you must talk to that parent and explain that this is not acceptable and to not let it happen again. We ve all seen this before at youth sporting events. First, it is very embarrassing for a child to have a loud drunken parent out in the public eye especially in front of his peer group and second, it sets a real bad example to our youth. Many times parents will drop the kids off at practice and go home and come back to pick up the child after practice. From time to time they don t return on time. You, as the coach, must wait with the child until the parent arrives. You cannot leave a child alone at some field or park. If it becomes a problem simply explain to the parents that you are a volunteer, that you have a job and a family and when practice is over you to want to get home. If the parent cannot be there to pick the child up on time see if they would call another player s parent to make arrangements for a ride, most will comply. Now that we ve got a lot of the administrative process out of the way let s get ready for some FOOTBALL! 10

12 Chapter 3 Basic Offense and Defensive Terminology and Formations Basic Offense: Proper Three Point Stance: Feet spread and pointed straight ahead, back straight, head up, and good balance. In the beginning, especially for the new kids, I begin to drill them throughout practice on terminology. For example What is offense? Offense is having control of the ball Coach What is defense? Defense is trying to get control of the ball Coach It sounds pretty basic but you might be surprised how many kids really don t know the difference the first year they play. Lets start with a basic offensive line up. This formation might be called a Split left/slot left formation Split end TackleGuard Center Guard Tackle Tight End Quarter Back Slot Back Full Back Tail Back The dotted line represents the line of scrimmage. Notice there are seven men on the line and four in the backfield, for a total of eleven, the four in the backfield can line up in different locations as long as they remain in the backfield. If we were to pass the ball out of this formation, who are the eligible receivers? The answer is the split end, the tight end and any of the backs. You can not go out for a pass if you are a lineman unless you are on the end of the line on your side of the field and you can not pass the line of scrimmage until the ball does unless you are an eligible receiver. The general idea on offense is that you have four downs to move the ball ten yards. If you accomplish this you receive four more downs, and so on, as you try to move down the field toward your end zone until you can no longer move the ball or you score. Normally on fourth down an offense will punt the ball away, down the field to the other team, therefore turning over the ball possession. If your 11

13 team scores a touchdown, they are rewarded six points and get to attempt a point after touchdown (PAT). There are two ways to try to accomplish this: (1) you can kick an extra point, or (2) you can run one play from three yards out, sometimes called a two point conversion. Normally the kicked extra point is worth one point and the conversion is worth two, but in youth football some leagues elect to reverse this because it is easier for the kids to run or pass the ball in than it is to kick the ball through the goal post. Lets look at another formation. This formation might be called Wishbone double tight end Tight End Tackle Guard Center Guard Tackle Tight End Quarterback Half Back Full Back Tail Back Notice in this formation we have two tight ends and no slot back, this style of formation would normally be used in short yardage situations when you plan to run the ball up the middle of the formation rather than to the outside. For every coach who ever played the game there is an offensive strategy, so understand what we show here is simply to give the new coach a basic idea of how he or she might want to set up his or her offense. Your offense will assemble before each play; this is called the huddle. The huddle is usually set up about ten (10) yards behind the new line of scrimmage; the huddle is where the next play to be called is relayed to the offense so everyone knows what to do. Sometimes the coach relays the play to the quarter back through some sort of signal system. The quarterback, in turn, gives the play to the offense in the huddle. Other times the coach may elect to rotate two players with the play. He sends in a player with the new play and the player he replaces comes out and gets the next play to be called from the coach. It is important that no one talk in the huddle except the player calling the play, he should call the play two times and the count it is on, for example: Let s break this call down. Split Right Slot Left (23) Dive Right On One Split Right Slot Left (23) Dive Right On One Ready, Break Split Right, Slot Left tells us the formation (23) Dive Right tells us the play and the direction of the play On One tells us the count it is on By repeating, it assures everyone heard and understands it. 12

14 Ready, Break is what the whole offense says and then they break from the huddle and run up to the line of scrimmage. The Quarter back will come behind the center, place his hands together at the palms and spread them wide apart between the center's legs. He should have his passing hand on top firmly up against the center's crotch. He will wait until his teammates are lined up and ready to go before beginning to call out the cadence. It is important that he is loud and demanding when calling the cadence. Here is an example of how the quarterback should accept the snap from the center: Example: READY SET HUT HUT From the time the referee sets the ball on the new line of scrimmage after the last play and blows his whistle, your offense only has about 25 seconds to have the play called, come to the line, and snap the ball to avoid a delay of game penalty. This must be practiced and done quickly. Some coaches may use an offensive program where they number the backs and number the holes the back runs through. This is a good system because it is easy for a young player to catch on to, and it makes calling plays easy. On the line the numbering system might be set up as follows. Between each player on the line a number is dedicated. Usually odd numbers to the left side of the center and even numbers to the right side of the center. Using the center as the point of origin, the hole between the center and the right guard would be (2); the hole between the right guard and the right tackle would be (4). The hole between the right tackle and the right end would be (6), and the area outside the right end would be the (8) hole. With the same process to the left of the Center using odd numbers. Example: (7) Tight End (5) Tackle (3) Guard (1) Center (2) Guard (4) Tackle (6) Tight End (8) Quarter Back (1) Full Back( 2) Half Back (3) Tail Back (4) So looking at the example above, if we were to call a 23, this would mean the (2) back which is the fullback, gets the ball from the quarter back and runs through the (3) hole, which is between the Tackle and the Guard on the left side. When calling the play, the first number called is the back who will get the ball and the next number called is the hole the back will run through. This also makes blocking schemes easy, using the same play-23-our lineman know which hole the ball is going to be run through so they know to block the man in front of them away from that hole. 13

15 Example: The left Tackle will block his man to the left and the left Guard will block his man to the right creating a bigger hole for the running back to run through, the rest of the line will use the same process blocking away from the ball runner. The two most common types of blocking are (A) Run Blocking and (B) Pass Blocking. Run Blocking is when the offense is running the ball, the line will blast off at the snap of the ball and drive the defense backwards and keep driving away from the ball and non stop until the whistle blows calling the ball down. You are not allowed to grab the defense, this would be considered a holding penalty. Some coaches teach an open hand pushing type of block, others teach a forearm method. Regardless, it is important that they keep good balance and a low center of gravity and drive hard using their legs. A common mistake is the player will hit his man and then stop. Teach the kids to continue to block moving down field until the whistle blows to stop the play. Pass Blocking is when the offense is going to pass the ball. In this situation, the offensive linemen will not cross the line of scrimmage until the ball does or they will get an illegal man downfield penalty called on them. They simply let the rushing defenders come to them, pushing them away as they continue to try and come in. Most of the time the offensive line will form what is called a pocket where the center holds his ground, the guards give up just a little ground and the tackles give up just a little more ground. The same should be for the ends who are not going out for a pass. This procedure gives the quarter back a pocket to step up into to pass the ball. I teach my kids they must try and keep the rushing defenders away from the quarter back for four (4) seconds. This is not an easy task, but the more time the quarterback has to set up and find an open receiver, the better chance he has to complete the pass. 14

16 Some Running Play Terminology: 1) Dive A quick hand off up the middle Example: 23 Dive the (2) back quick dive through the (3) hole. 2) Lead A quick hand off to the second back through the hole Example: 33 Lead The (2) back runs through the (3) hole to lead block for the (3) back who gets the ball. 3) Sweep A quick pitch or run around the end. Example: 47 Sweep The quarter back turns and pitches the ball to the (4) back who runs around the left side. 4) Cross Buck The backs cross in the backfield, the QB fakes the ball to the first back turns and give it to the second back. Example: 41 Cross buck The QB turns to the right and fakes the hand off to the (2) back through the (2) hole then turns and gives the ball to the (4) back through the (1) hole. These are just a few examples of the thousands of offensive styles of plays you can run; see the sample playbooks in chapter 7. Also included are Special Teams and Passing Game Samples. 15

17 How to properly take a hand off: The proper way to take a hand off is to form a box using your arms with the open side being the side you receive the ball from. Let's say the play is to the left, the ball runner will form the box with his left upper arm down and his forearm bent at the elbow across his lower stomach. His right arm is bent across his chest with his elbow out so that his right and left forearms are parallel with each other leaving a gap across his stomach area for the QB to place the ball. The runner then will clamp down on the ball when it hits his stomach. This offers ball protection as he runs through the line and therefore less chance of fumbling the ball. Take special note that the open end of the box is the side you receive the ball from, if this gets reversed the upper arm will get in the way thus causing a bad hand off or fumble. This takes practice for young ball runners to get used to so ask often. How do we take a hand off? The answer should be with the box, the ball on the open side coach They should make the box when answering the question. When running the ball it is very important to tuck the ball away to protect it so it doesn t get knocked loose and fumbled. Right Way Wrong Way 16

18 Basic Passing: The quarterback must be able to retreat from under the center quickly. Depending on the style of pass, the QB may take a short drop back or a deep drop back. A short drop is for quick passes and a deep drop is for longer passes. When dropping back he should hold the ball with both hands and the fingers of his passing hand placed with the laces of the football in a comfortable position to pass the ball. When he is dropping back his eyes should be down field looking for his open receivers, when his drop is complete he should first make sure his receiver is open before he releases the ball then plant and throw. The passing arm should be bent and should pass by the QB s ear. 17

19 Pass Receiving: We already talked a little bit about pass blocking so let s move on to pass receiving. First of all your receivers should be able to catch a football, they are normally fast and can take a hit. To begin teaching kids the proper way to catch a football, have them stand about feet apart and just play catch. They should place tips of their fore fingers together and tips of their thumbs together with the palms of their hand facing out, forming a triangle with their fore fingers and thumbs. When the ball comes to them they should try to place the point of the football in the hole of the triangle they have made with their hands, then grip the ball when it hits their hands. This teaches them to catch the ball with their hands, not their arms. The most common mistake a receiver makes is to try and use his arms, what will happen is the football will hit the shoulder pad and bounce away. Ask them often, how do we catch a football, their answer should be to hold up the triangle and say with yours hands coach Also it is very important to make sure they keep their eyes on the ball and look it all the way into their hands. When running pass routes, the receiver should always run fast and make quick and decisive cuts. A good rule of thumb is to make all cuts at five (5) yards from the line of scrimmage. They should practice with the team s QB before every practice starts. It is also a good idea to have the team's center practice snapping the ball to the QB. This helps give good timing for the QB and will help avoid bad snaps in the games. The QB and the receivers should all know approximately when the QB is going to release the ball. A good way to teach this is to teach everyone involved that the QB will pass the ball so that it arrives to the receiver just after his cut as long as the receiver is open. It is also important to teach the receivers to come back to the ball if the QB is in trouble or has not yet passed it by the time he normally would have. 18

20 Basic Pass Routes: Fly Post Flag Square In Square Out (5) Yards Line of Scrimmage The above examples of pass routes are the basic routes, but it s a good place to start. It is important to note that the cuts are all made at five (5) yards. The square in pattern and the post pattern are always to the inside of the field. The square out and the flag are always to the outside. The post represents the goal past and the flag represents the flag in the corner of the end zones. 19

21 Basic Defense: What is Defense? Trying to get control of the ball Coach! Remember the offense has four downs to try and get ten (10) yards, so the idea on defense is to stop the offensive attack and regain possession of the ball. Some coaches will say the best offense is a good defense. On defense we have a line similar to that of the offense. We also have a middle line of defense behind the line of scrimmage and a third line of defense behind that. Just like offense for every coach that played the game, there is a different defensive strategy, so what we offer here are just samples of what a defense might look like End Tackle Guard Guard Tackle End Corner back Line Backer Line Backer Corner Backer Safety In the sample above we have a six (6) man line with four (4) middle defenders behind them and a safety behind the middle line. The Ends have what is considered outside containment, meaning their job is to cross the line and not let the ball outside of them thus turning the play into the other defenders who should be pursuing the ball and ready to make the tackle. The Tackles and the Guards may be required to shoot the gap between the offensive lineman and stop the ball from coming through the hole. They might also be required to push the lineman in front of them back into the backfield thus clogging up the holes. Either way the tackles and guards are the first line of defense to stop the progress of the offense. If the offense is passing, it is their job to try and sack the QB or block the pass. The Defensive line should always be taught to keep their hands up high and yell Pass! as soon as they see that the play is indeed a pass play. The second line of defense in this example are the Corner Backs and Line Backers, their job on running plays is to meet the ball runner at the line of scrimmage and hit them pushing them backwards thus stopping the forward progress of the ball. They are normally very tough and good open field tacklers. They also have to have good lateral movement and are able to guard offensive receivers against the pass. The line backers in this example would have inside responsibility and the corners would have outside, which can also be referred to as the flats, many times the offense will send a running back out of the back field on pass route as well as the standard receivers. The last line of defense in this sample is the Safety, or sometimes called free safety. His job is simple-no ONE GETS BEHIND HIM! He is mainly pass protection but he is the last line of defense against the run also. He is usually very fast, has good hands for catching the ball, is a good open field tackler and can read the plays well. Lets look at another defensive line up End Tackle Guard Nose Guard Guard Tackle End or Middle Linebacker Outside Linebacker Outside Linebacker 20 Safety Safety

22 In this example, notice that the nose guard can also play back as a linebacker in the middle. Also notice we have two safeties; this might be used in more of a long yardage or passing situation. Once again remember these examples are only to give the new football coach some ideas of how to set up a defense, we could go into much more detail but this gives you the general idea. Some coaches prefer to put the defensive lineman in a four-point stance where others may like the three-point stance. Whatever your preference, the linemen are in a down position, and unlike the offense, they do not listen to the QB s cadence to begin the play. Teach them to look at the ball and block out the QB s voice. They should only go on the movement of the ball by the center. This will get them to jump off of the snap quicker and help avoid an offside penalty. Your middle defenders should be on their toes feet straight ahead and spread slightly more than shoulder width apart and knees bent, this give them good balance and allows for quick reaction to the movement of the ball. The same leg position applies to down lineman except they should have a straight back with their head up and good balance. The following are other defensive line-ups, in these examples the first number refers to the number of players on the line and the second number refers linebackers and cornerbacks. Run Defenses: Pass Defense:

23 Very Important Note on Tackling: Always teach your players to keep the head up when tackling. If they lower the head, impact forces the spine to contract so you risk serious neck and back injury. Once again, each league has its own requirements on equipment, but I highly recommend the player wear a neck pad, which ties to the front and back of the shoulder pad. The purpose of this device is to prevent the head from pushing down on the spine too much. I have heard both players and coaches say these interfere with the player s flexibility. My answer to that is YEAH? SO WHAT! If it helps protect the player (CHILD) from serious injury, then make him wear the darn thing. He or she will get used to it. Remember that we are talking about youth football, not professional, college or even high school. The safety of the player is far more important than a missed tackle or a dropped pass. Proper Tackling Technique: When Open Field Tackling, square up to the runner, head up, face mask in the numbers (try to stay lower than the ball carrier), wrap the arms and lift and drive the ball carrier back and to the ground. When Angle tackling, always try and keep the head in front, and stay low. If you are too high on the runner s torso he will just drag the tackler down the field. (Legs are stronger than arms) this also helps avoid grabbing the helmet area and getting a face mask penalty against you. I try to teach my defense that we want eight (8) defenders on or around the tackle every play. Over time this will help your defenders to be come more aggressive when trying to get to the ball, it will also help your team gang tackle. During scrimmages we will make the players freeze from time to time right after the tackle so we can count defenders to see if at least eight made it to the ball. 22

24 A good defensive coach can teach more advanced defensive schemes. Blitzing, for example is where the linebackers and sometimes even the safeties rush through the line into the backfield at the snap of the ball, thus putting extra pressure on the QB. Other schemes might consist of Stunting the lineman. For example, have your right defensive tackle and right guard cross each other into the gaps between the offensive line. This could confuse the offensive line and cause them to miss a block, allowing one of the defenders to run into the backfield untouched for quicker access to the ball carrier. These types of stunts can be dangerous in the sense that you are guessing what the offense is going to do or where they might be going with the ball. If you guess wrong, this could work against you allowing for a bigger offensive gain. On the other hand, when it does work it usually results in a substantial loss of yardage for the offense. A good defensive player will instinctively play hard and be aggressive. This is hard to teach so some coaches will offer incentives such as a point system for tackles and assisted tackles. The player might receive a star on his helmet or some other kind of recognition for his efforts. This can motivate the other players to try harder. It is a good idea if it is done fairly. Another very important thing to teach your defense is to move fast off the movement of the ball. In other words, when the Quarterback begins calling his cadence, the defensive line should have their eyes on the ball. As soon as the center moves the ball to snap it they should go, and go hard and fast. They should not listen to the quarterback s voice for signals. Some kids will love playing defense because they just love to hit; others will tend to shy away from it because they might be scared. Teach the kids that they have good equipment to help protect them and always stress the proper techniques to help prevent injuries. Remember, we are dealing with children and they don t play because they want to get hurt. If a player is too small or just too afraid maybe you should talk to the parents or league officials as to weather that child is ready for this sport. Most youth football organizations have age and weight requirements to help protect the players. 23

25 Proper Defensive Stance Line backers: Feet spread, butt down, knees bent, hands out, head up. Balanced with a good center of gravity. Proper Four Point Stance: Feet spread and pointed straight-ahead, back straight, head up, good balance. 24

26 Practice Formats and Drills: Chapter 4 Thank God, we can finally start practice, and you are the Head Coach (in your mind second only to God!). Wait a minute, before you start dropping fire and brimstone down on these kids, are you prepared? Do you have a plan? Does your coaching staff know what their role is? Have you thought about what your exercising, stretching and warm up program will consist of? Do you have good fundamental drills that will actually accomplish anything? Have you thought about what kind of time frame you have to be ready for your first game? Are you starting to feel more like a peasant now, rather than second only to God? Well that s the reality if you re going to turn this rag tag group of kids into a lean mean football machine. So let s get started! It s a good idea to have the players line up for pass routes if they arrive early before practice starts, this avoids kids running around goofing off and being put at unnecessary risk of injury. To start practice, have the team take an easy, slow jog around the field to get the blood pumping a little, then line the players up in even lines facing the front and at even spread intervals (some coaches prefer a circle). Choose a couple of players to be the captains for the day and have them step up front and lead the warm up exercises for that day s practice. It is during these warm up exercises that you begin to form a group out of a bunch of individuals. Start by insisting that they all count out loud and stay together as a group, this will be hard at first but don t let up on them. Every time they become complacent, sloppy or not loud enough, make them start over again until they get it right. It will come slowly, but it will come, and you will see them begin to come together. Don t make the program too advanced, use simple stuff like jumping jacks, push ups, leg lifts and various leg stretching activities. (If you are unsure about these, talk to an experienced coach or athletic trainer. It is important that these stretches be done properly. If not, they can do more damage than good). It is also important to develop a program and stay consistent with it; this will make it easier for the players to stay focused and together. Try to keep this down to a reasonable time so you won t take up too much practice time yet allow for a good warm up. Example warms up program: 10 three count Jumping Jacks Note: When doing stretching exercises, do not bounce, it should not hurt. Start out easy and stretch more each day. 25

27 10 count Right Leg over Left Leg Stretches Standing and bending foreword and reaching down to touch the toes. 10 count Left Leg over Right Leg Stretches -Same as above. 10 three count Cherry Pickers-Spread legs and reach down to touch ground with both hands. 26

28 Butterfly Stretch or Groin Stretch-Sitting position, bend knees with the bottoms of feet together and pull back toward crotch applying downward pressure to the knees. Hurdlers Stretch-Sitting place one leg straight out with toe up and bend the other leg out to the side, lean foreword and touch the toe and then lean backward to stretch the Thigh. Switch legs and repeat. Note: It is important when stretching to not bounce and to not stretch to the point of pain. Start slow and over time the muscle will stretch out more and more. Stretching is very important before every practice and game and more or longer stretches when it is cold out side. 27

29 10 to 20 Push-ups-Back straight and head up. 10 to 20 Leg Lifts-Lying on back with leg together, point toes out and lift legs six inches off ground, this drill is to work the stomach muscles. 28

30 Neck Drills-There are many schools of thought on this drill. Some will have players roll around on the top of the helmet to work the neck, (See figure on left) others will have players team up in pairs of two having one on his hands and knees and the other stand and place his leg against the down players helmet. The down player will then use his helmet to apply pressure to the right and then to the left of the standing player s leg for about 10 seconds each way. Repeat a few times, then the players switch places. (See figure on right) Other coaches will simply have the players stand and rotate the head around in circles to loosen the neck. 10 Rocket Jumps-Have players squat all the way down and together on the sound of the whistle, jump as high as they can with both hands up in the air and yell pass then quickly get back in the squatting position and repeat each time the whistle sounds. Wind Sprints or Long Run The next part of your practice might be the Agility Drill phase, this is when you do drills that sharpen the player s ability to move and react, and here are some examples: Rail Road Drill-This is where you have the team line up in a straight line, arm's width apart and lay down on their stomachs with their helmets all on the same side. Have the first player jump up, and with his legs pumping as high as he can, begin running over the top of his teammates. As soon as he steps over the second player in line, that player jumps up and goes, and so and so on. This will teach them to move quickly over the tops of the players who are down on the ground without tripping as easily. Tire Drill-Simply line up tires on the ground and have the players run through them stepping high as to not trip. 29

31 Monkey Rolls-Line the players up in three lines; have the one in the middle jump out onto his stomach and roll in front of the one on the right side. Then the one on the right side dives over the one on the ground, rolls in front of the one on his left who in turns dives over the second player towards the middle. As each player hits the ground and rolls, they quickly jump to their feet and try to keep the process going. It helps if you teach them to keep their helmets always facing the same direction. This one takes a little practice, but it is fun for the kids and it teaches them to get up and off the ground as quickly as possible. Dummy Drill-Take some tackling dummies and stand them up or lay them down and have the players run around them forward, backwards and sideways without crossing their feet, keeping their butts down their knees bent and a good low center of gravity. This teaches them balance on their feet. These are just a few examples; if you use your imagination you can make these drills fun and productive. After your agility drills you might want to start the drill phase of your practice. This is the time you use to teach the players the proper techniques for Blocking, Tackling, Passing, Pass Receiving, Pass Defense, and the proper way to get in a three and four point stance. This is a good time to break up into backs and receivers and lineman. Remember to give plenty of water breaks to the players to avoid dehydration. The next phase of your practice might be the playbook phases where you begin to work on the plays you have developed from your playbook, it is a good idea to run these plays dry without contact at first so that everyone can get the timing down. 30