GREAT for first year coaches:

COMMON COACHING ERRORS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

By:  Bud Wilkinson (winner of 47 straight games & 3 National Championships at U. of Oklahoma):

GENERAL COMMENTS:  The best coach is the one who makes the fewest mistakes; the one who does the best teaching job; the one who is the best organizer.  Writing the X’s & O’s is not the most important thing.  There are 22 variables in a football game.  Coach must be a salesman  to the extent that when his team loses, they don’t blame him or the offensive and/or defensive system, but rather themselves.

ERRORS IN TEACHING METHODS:
FIRST = FAILURE TO USE TIME EFFICIENTLY.  Failure to recognize the time factor available to get the job done.  Planning makes for valuable use of time.  Too long on any one thing produces boredom.  When boredom comes in, learning goes out.  Football players have a short attention span.  Hold to time schedule.
SECOND = FAILURE TO EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE DRILL.  Tell the boy WHY he is doing what he is trying to accomplish and he will do a better job.  Explain WHY, then show HOW.
THIRD = IMPROPER TEACHING PROGRESSION.  You can’t teach a boy how to block until he has learned stance.  If he hasn’t learned stance, he doesn’t know how to step out of the stance into the block.
FOURTH = TOO MUCH VERBAL INSTRUCTION ON THE FIELD.  How much can boy learn from your verbal instruction with his helmet on, he’s breathing hard, he aches, he’s stunned, etc.  Do WHO and WHY in chalk talk.  Teach assignments before hitting the field.  Correct on the field.  Teach – no!  (HOW is taught on the field – not WHO & WHY).
FIFTH = TOO MUCH DEMONSTRATION BY COACH.  How much you know is not important.  How much player knows is.
SIXTH = BEING ON THE FIELD TOO LONG.  Better to have a team eager to play rather than physically tired.  How long to practice is a judgment factor.  Cut down as season goes along – not going to change mechanical ability late in season.  Only one rule never violated at Oklahoma.  If one coach on staff feels practice too long, we must cut it down.  More boys play poorly because they practiced too long than boys playing poorly because they didn’t practice long enough.

ERRORS IN TACTICS AND STRATEGY:
FIRST = TACTICS AND VICTORY.  You get very few victories on tactics.  Victories come if you can out block, out tackle, out fundamental your opponent.  Red Sanders quote: “Intimidate them physically”!  Outmaneuver – no.  Defeat – yes.
SECOND = CLEAR CUT PHILOSOPHY A MUST.  Decide on an offense and defense that will suit your personnel then stick to it.  Depth of morale can be determined by a kid’s reaction to a loss.  If morale deep, they’ll blame themselves.  If morale shallow, they’ll blame you. 
THIRD = TOO MANY PLAYS AND DEFENSES.  Subtract the number of different plays used in the game from the total number of plays you practiced.  If this number is too large you better get rid of some plays.  It is difficult enough to know when to run off- tackle, but if you have four ways to run off-tackle, you will never get the right play.  Beauty of Split-T was it’s very limited number of plays

ERRORS IN JUDGMENT:
FIRST = BE REALISTIC ABOUT PLAYER’S ABILITY.  Don’t just put an X or an O on the board.  Put up the boy’s name.  Immediately his limitations affect the offense or defense you put up.  Whale of a lot of difference between Dick Butkus and Humpty Dumpty.
SECOND = WHEN CHIPS ARE DOWN, BEST PLAYERS ARE IN THE GAME.  It is a mistake to be able to play blue chippers only one way.  Say best kid you have can only go on offense.  Say opponent has ball for 45 minutes.  These are 45 minutes he cannot help you.

ERRORS IN OFF FIELD RELATIONSHIP:
FIRST = RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER FACULTY MEMBERS.  The environment that exists has a lot to do with winning or losing.  If  they are with you, your job is easier.  If they are against you, you’re in trouble.  Work on a program of how to win friends and influence faculty members.
SECOND = ORGANIZE A MOTHER’S CLUB.  Get mother on your side by pointing out to her what he can get out of football besides winning games.
THIRD = PRESS, TV, AND RADIO.  Straight up fact of life that the great majority of people get their impression of you from what they read in the paper, see on TV, or hear on radio.  Their jobs depend on info.  Get it to them to make their jobs easier.  Get these people on your side.  Let them know what you’re doing.  They will interpret what you’re doing in the way you want it interpreted if they are with you.

ERRORS IN DEVELOPING MORALE (MORALE IS TO THE PHYSICAL AS 4 IS TO 1).
FIRST = FOOTBALL BEGINS WITH MORALE!  Once you get morale, it is easy to maintain.  How to get it is a problem.
SECOND = HOW TO LOSE MORALE.  Do what you said you’re going to do.  Don’t say we’re going to practice 1 ½ hours and go 2 ½ hours.  Training rules – if you’re not going to enforce them, don’t have them. 
THIRD = MORALE STEMS FROM DISCIPLINE (ALL Discipline begins by being on time).
FOURTH = TREAT PLAYERS AS A PERSON.  If he feels you are interested in him only as a football player, he won’t go all out for you.  If you are interested in his academics, his personal problems, etc. and he knows this, he’ll go all out for you.  Convince him that football is good for his future.
FIFTH = One year, Notre Dame had 2 competing QB’s.  Under great athlete, team failed; under mediocre QB, team succeeded.  Why?  Captain’s reply – “the great athlete is trying to show how good HE is.  The TEAM is trying to make the average guy look good”.

COACH IN YOUR OWN WAY:
FIRST = DON’T COPY!  Note clinicians and their personalities.  ALL different ways of being successful.  Plan carefully in the off season.  Can’t take golf lessons between the 8th green and 9th tee.

CONCLUDING REMARKS:  The man who is best organized and does the best teaching job, is the best coach.

Very good information I've been coaching for only 3 yrs and I've done good I think because i do alot of what youre saying but still in all I must say i did learn a few new things thanks coach. I'm going to have my new coaches read this.

Know the fundamentals.

Read the "WINNERS' MANUAL" (ATTACHED):

https://district.d230.org/Publications/Winners_Manual_AAS.pdf

Anybody can coach little kids to play football.  Just spend time learning the technical side.

It takes a true leader to motivate kids (parents), coaches, and helpers.  It take an even better leader to be responsible enough to get there on time with the right equipment and aq well-thought out plan.

Need goals, objectives and those need to be known, understood, and ACCEPTED by all members of the organization.

Now whne you move to 10-12 year olds you obviously have to be redhot on xs and os in addition to the above

Hi, I was a new coach this year, and it was quite the learning experience.  We had coaching drama from Day 1 (by day 1 I mean the pre-season before the teams were even assigned).  The league decided to split the 2 teams in our division (3rd Graders) by what section of town we live in, last year they just had 2 teams and a draft.  By splitting us up this year, both the head coaches lfrom last season ive in my sector, so one was made the HC and the other an AC (who became our offensive coord).  The coach who was made AC was quite bitter about the demotion and sabotaged our whole season with his play calling.
This caused several sideline arguements, threats of violence, termination of that AC, and suspension of the HC for one week.  All the drama affected our team as we went 0-9 with 28 pts scored and 230 scored against us. 
On a bright note, the boys had fun and everyone got to play - a lot (we had 18 on the roster).

LOOKING FOR HELP IN FINDING A GOOD DRILL FOR 7 - 12 YEAR OLD KIDS THE DAY BEFORE  DRAFT DAY . IN THE LEAGUE I COACH IN THE COACHES HAVE TO PUT THE COMBINE TOGETHER FOR THE KIDS BEFORE DRAFT DAY. AND EVERY YEAR ITS THE SAME OLD THING PASING, CATCHING, TACKLING A DUMMY, AND 40 YARD DASH. MAYBE IM STUPID BUT AT THIS AGE I WANT TO FIND QUICKNESS, AJILITY,GOOD FEET, AND DETERMANATION. ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS. 
                                THANKS COACH ERIC

Get a ladder.

--Dave

LOOKING FOR HELP IN FINDING A GOOD DRILL FOR 7 - 12 YEAR OLD KIDS THE DAY BEFORE  DRAFT DAY . IN THE LEAGUE I COACH IN THE COACHES HAVE TO PUT THE COMBINE TOGETHER FOR THE KIDS BEFORE DRAFT DAY. AND EVERY YEAR ITS THE SAME OLD THING PASING, CATCHING, TACKLING A DUMMY, AND 40 YARD DASH. MAYBE IM STUPID BUT AT THIS AGE I WANT TO FIND QUICKNESS, AJILITY,GOOD FEET, AND DETERMANATION. ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS. 
                                THANKS COACH ERIC

True

Im looking for body control, explosiveness, heart

To determine that- we do:
Deer Hunter
Towel Game
Dummy Relay Races
Sumo

Most of them are in my blog under Evaluating Players:
http://www.winningyouthfootball.com/wp-blog/

THANKS COACH, I ALLREADY HAVE YOUR SINGLE WING AND WIDE TACKLE 6 CD,S AND BOOKS. I OREDERD THEM TWO YEARS AGO BUT I NEVER THOUGHT OFF RUNNING THE DRILLS  AT THE COMBINE. YOUR SYSTEM IS WHAT IM GOING TO RUN THIS 2011 SEASON WITH 7 & 8 YEAR OLDS. MY FIRST YEAR WITH IT I MOVED UP FROM THE 9 & 10 YEAR OLDS TO THE 11 & 12. THREE NEW COACHES (ALL 5 HAD NEVER PLAYED FOOTBALL AT ALL) AND  2 HAD HELPED ME THE YEAR BEFOR RUNNING THE POWER I. WE WENT 3 & 4 ON THE SEASON, NOT WHAT I HAD HOPED FOR. AFTER THE SEASON WAS OVER I SAT DOWN AND WROTE ON PAPER WHAT WENT WRONG. 1ST TRYED TO PLAY ALL 26 PLAYERS. HAD AN OFFENSE AND A DEFENSE. AT END OFF SEASON PLAYED MY 7 BEST PLAYERS BOTH WAYS 75% OF THE TIME AND WON THOSE GAMES. BIG NO. NO. IN YOUR SYSTEM WAS I LET A O LINE COACH FOR ME THE YEAR BEFORE BE THE O LINE COACH I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE O LINE  COACH  AND I DID NOT COACH HIM LIKE I SHOULD HAVE. I LET MY OFFENSE PLAY CALLER PUT IN TO MANY PLAYS BEFORE THE SAINTED 6 WAS RIGHT. IN THE END THE PROBLEM WAS ME .....I AS A COACH DID NOT FOLLOW THE BLUE PRENT YOU LAID OUT .
  WITH THAT SAID I COACHED MY 6 YEAR OLDS FLAG TEAM THIS YEAR AND USING A BASE FROM YOUR SYSTEM THEY LOST ONLY 1 GAME AND WON THERE SUPER BOWL. I ALSO WATCHED A 9 & 10 YEAR OLD TACKLE TEAM LOSE IN THER SUPER BOWL 16 to 19. THE COACH FOR THAT TEAM DID NOT SCORE 1 POINT LAST YEAR BUT HAD THE TOP DEFENSE IN HIS AGE GROUP. THIS YEAR HE RAN YOUR SINGLE WING AN WENT 6 & 1. SO I KNOW IT WORKS WHEN RUN RIGHT.    THANKS COACH ERIC 

Coach,

Good to hear.

Im a HUGE fan of the guantlett drill as well, it really seperates those that look pretty good athletically from those that are fairly good athletes- but better football players. Usually shows the Tarzans from Janes- heart, ability to handle contact/pressure, ability to keep hips low

TIM WATSON after 6 months !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Citycoach
Bobblehead
Posts: 3
 
Coaching: 14 & Under
Offense: Other
Defense: 4-4 Stack

United youth football
« on: Today at 0601 PM »
QuoteModify
  well the 2011 season is underway, and UNITED YOUTH FOOTBALL is here!!
Please visit www.unitedyfl.com.  If interested in our national championship series for I dependents, or come in with a full conference we welcome all as you are without interfering.

We are up to over 100,000 fb players in our first year in seventeen states,

Have an eight grade all-star team ? Think your the best? Register to come down for the first ever eight grade all-star national championship!!!!!

Let's get ready to rumble, join us in tampa in December call now to reserve spot

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I have enjoyed the posts here.

As a football coach you are probably itching to get out your old practice plans and playbooks to start reviewing them and make the necessary changes.  It is hard to believe that football tryouts, conditioning, and team selection will start in a couple months.  However, before you go straight to your playbook and try to figure out which plays to run this year you need to have some “basics” set as a foundation to have a successful season.

Some of the "Basics" to Consider

1. Preparing for you coaching interview with your league Board

2. How to recruit players

3. Getting more football education - you can ALWAYS learn more

I have my own coaching blog website that has football articles.  Feel free to check it out at: www.coachingclearinghouse.com

Best wishes on all of your 2012 seasons!

Coach Rob