Venting about my Football team

[Phreezer]

One of the things I do with my spare time in the summer and fall is Coach Youth Football. This year seems to be the worst group of kids that I have ever came across. Keep in mind that these kids are all about 12 years old. We're a full contact league with Pads and National Highschool Football rules and regulations. Yet almost none of them came to me this year with even the most rudimentary of skills. I accepted this fact from the beginning and resigned myself to just teaching the basics of football. we play a 6 game season and I was hoping to just break even.

Well, tonight we had our first scrimage with one of the other teams. It was absolutly horrific! My offense (and defensive as we play ironman) would not block anyone! I had kids turning their sides and backs to blitzing linebackers to keep from being hit head on. I like these kids personaly, but they are easily the biggest group of Pussies that I have ever coached. Example, I've got a kid who is 5'10 and 165lbs (that's flipp'n huge for a 12yr old) He's my center, and he couldn't block my 80 year old grandmother. I've tried everything I can think of to motivate this kid, but nothing I can do or say can make him block, hit or tackle. I have two other Lineman who are even bigger pussies than this kid. They fall down at first contact and won't run block to save their lives. They immediatly stand up when the ball is snapped and then get bowled over. I have tried everything I can think of, I make them crab 5 yards off of a snap in practice, I make them fire out under a 3 foot high metal shoot.. (which they succesfully do in practice) but as soon as someone is there to hit back they turn into a bunch of Girl scouts!!

I am so frustrated that I just don't know what to do. I can't make the offensive line or WR's block.. I can't make them tackle when they are on defense, and I can't get my CB's or OLB's to contain an offense and push them back to the middle.. I keep getting killed on the outside and I simply don't know what to do, I try fanning out my OLB's and safeties to help the corners, but then the other team just runs up the middle against my linemen who are big pussies..

For the first time in all my years of football, I am at a standstill and have no Idea what to do. I can't find a way to motivate these Playstation loving kids into doing anything that they are supposed to be doing. I have been coaching for many years and I have never had a losing record before, I know that this year I will be lucky to win 1 one game. I have to think that this is my failure as a coach. I simply can not motivate these kids to play.

Tonight, I am trying to create some kind of defense that these kids may be able to work with... Offense....... I don't know, what's the point if no one will block?


Any ideas on how I can motivate these kids? I've tried Praise, I've tried negative re-inforcement, and I've tried Comparing them to the girls softball team.. nothing I can think of seems to motivate them, They simply don't care if they win or lose.

[Massive690]

maybe you're just a shitty coach... lmao

[Phreezer]

Maybe so.... and thanks for the helpful input...

[rolldice]

are they afraid of contact? if so I would have 1 complete practice of the drill where one guy is in the middle and people are all around and are comming after him one at a time once they see it does not hurt then maybe they wont be such pussies

[occam]

Well it might take more time than you have to put into it but I'll offer you something.

For each position, pick a role model. Have you center pay attention to Jim Ringo, find some footage of brutal blocking etc.

Maybe giving these kids someone to identify with or try to emulate on a personal level will allow your message to sink in.

Whenever I see kids who are not into what they are doing on the field, even openly dislike it, I wonder why they are out there. Usually it's a vicariously obsessive parent, no?

Good luck and try to have fun making something out of nothing this year.

[Phreezer]

I think half of them are very afraid of getting hit..... In our first week of practice I noticed this and I tried running the King of the circle drill.. Hell, I even make them go full contact one on one tackling every practice... They line up in two lines and face each other, one group are ball carriers and the other group are tacklers. They have a 3 yard space that the ball carriers can move left or right in. This is our one on one form tackling drill.... and I have tried it at 25%- 100% and they do great at low speeds, but as soon as the speed is turned on.. they start turning their bodies away from the ball carries/tacklers and either get run down or they look like a couple of marrys trying to bump shoulders....

I think I just need to scrap everything and start over like it is Day one of practice again.. We have our first game in 11 days.... Perhaps I can get something going. The sad thing is, I've easily got the best Running back in the league, but he's got no line to block for him.

Do what Arnold did in Kindergarten Cop. Turn mush into muscles by gentle intimidation.

K-

Originally Posted by Phreezer

I think half of them are very afraid of getting hit..... In our first week of practice I noticed this and I tried running the King of the circle drill.. Hell, I even make them go full contact one on one tackling every practice... They line up in two lines and face each other, one group are ball carriers and the other group are tacklers. They have a 3 yard space that the ball carriers can move left or right in. This is our one on one form tackling drill.... and I have tried it at 25%- 100% and they do great at low speeds, but as soon as the speed is turned on.. they start turning their bodies away from the ball carries/tacklers and either get run down or they look like a couple of marrys trying to bump shoulders....

I think I just need to scrap everything and start over like it is Day one of practice again.. We have our first game in 11 days.... Perhaps I can get something going. The sad thing is, I've easily got the best Running back in the league, but he's got no line to block for him.

[Mark Kerr]

I have a sure fire solution...

Meso-Bros can be ringers...

Grizzly as OL and LB...

and Rambo can be cheerleader!

[Mark Kerr]

Originally Posted by KTCKSports

Do what Arnold did in Kindergarten Cop. Turn mush into muscles by gentle intimidation.

K-

Is there any problem Arnold CANT solve?...

[bear6969]

Originally Posted by Mark Kerr

Is there any problem Arnold CANT solve?...

teach your o -line to cut block and leg whip...hey it worked for the 49ers undersized lineman back in the day....jk....dont know what to tell u but work on the basics..

[Massive690]

any time... lmao


come on now bro, you know im just hackin on ya

Originally Posted by Phreezer

Maybe so.... and thanks for the helpful input...

[tonyton]

Originally Posted by Phreezer

One of the things I do with my spare time in the summer and fall is Coach Youth Football. This year seems to be the worst group of kids that I have ever came across. Keep in mind that these kids are all about 12 years old. We're a full contact league with Pads and National Highschool Football rules and regulations. Yet almost none of them came to me this year with even the most rudimentary of skills. I accepted this fact from the beginning and resigned myself to just teaching the basics of football. we play a 6 game season and I was hoping to just break even.

Well, tonight we had our first scrimage with one of the other teams. It was absolutly horrific! My offense (and defensive as we play ironman) would not block anyone! I had kids turning their sides and backs to blitzing linebackers to keep from being hit head on. I like these kids personaly, but they are easily the biggest group of Pussies that I have ever coached. Example, I've got a kid who is 5'10 and 165lbs (that's flipp'n huge for a 12yr old) He's my center, and he couldn't block my 80 year old grandmother. I've tried everything I can think of to motivate this kid, but nothing I can do or say can make him block, hit or tackle. I have two other Lineman who are even bigger pussies than this kid. They fall down at first contact and won't run block to save their lives. They immediatly stand up when the ball is snapped and then get bowled over. I have tried everything I can think of, I make them crab 5 yards off of a snap in practice, I make them fire out under a 3 foot high metal shoot.. (which they succesfully do in practice) but as soon as someone is there to hit back they turn into a bunch of Girl scouts!!

I am so frustrated that I just don't know what to do. I can't make the offensive line or WR's block.. I can't make them tackle when they are on defense, and I can't get my CB's or OLB's to contain an offense and push them back to the middle.. I keep getting killed on the outside and I simply don't know what to do, I try fanning out my OLB's and safeties to help the corners, but then the other team just runs up the middle against my linemen who are big pussies..

For the first time in all my years of football, I am at a standstill and have no Idea what to do. I can't find a way to motivate these Playstation loving kids into doing anything that they are supposed to be doing. I have been coaching for many years and I have never had a losing record before, I know that this year I will be lucky to win 1 one game. I have to think that this is my failure as a coach. I simply can not motivate these kids to play.

Tonight, I am trying to create some kind of defense that these kids may be able to work with... Offense....... I don't know, what's the point if no one will block?


Any ideas on how I can motivate these kids? I've tried Praise, I've tried negative re-inforcement, and I've tried Comparing them to the girls softball team.. nothing I can think of seems to motivate them, They simply don't care if they win or lose.

I coached high school football....I had a similar situation as yours..small school small kids and not motivated...my head coach ran a wing t offense and always blitzed on d....every down someone was comin...it kinda lights a fire under their asses...the wing t is all about angle blockin so u dont have to be huge or poweful to be an evective blocker just a tap works...try that,,,I thin we ran a 50 stack monster on d...blitzed the weak side alot...

[esco]

bull in the ring is an awesome drill. but anyways, do yoiu know any nfl pros .. guest speaker sometimes help ... other then that i dunno.

[thick]

man phreezer that has to be frustrating as hell. I know this isnt what you want to hear but I doubt you have enough time to turn those pussies into ball players. I cant imagine having a whole team full of kids afraid to hit.

Since u have already done drills to show them that it doesnt hurt to get hit, i dont know what to suggest. How about letting them know that girls come and watch the game and they will be making fun of these losers. Of course that might not work b/c they sound gay.

Or you could bribe them into a playstation party at your house for the guys who had good hits or good games. Or even use headhunter stickers for the helmets. Give them out to guys who had good hits and good plays. THis could motivate others out of jealousy Good luck

[G-Head]

Originally Posted by tonyton

I coached high school football....I had a similar situation as yours..small school small kids and not motivated...my head coach ran a wing t offense and always blitzed on d....every down someone was comin...it kinda lights a fire under their asses...the wing t is all about angle blockin so u dont have to be huge or poweful to be an evective blocker just a tap works...try that,,,I thin we ran a 50 stack monster on d...blitzed the weak side alot...

We butted heads but when it comes to kids ...I agree with TT after coaching H.S. ball for awhile, we utilized blitzing schemes because our kids would not knock someone on their ass. If your kids are quick off the ball gap defenses and shooting guards through first hole worked best for us. (we had a lot of arm tacklers and shirt grabbers) As much as we tried to teach them we could only get the point across to a select few. In addition we increased their aggression and hitting skills while running the ropes or tires if you will, by having a player stand at the end of the drill 5 yds. out and having the man coming out of the ropes make moderate to heavy contact with the guy who ran before him. Just a thought.

Offensively we ran a lot of misdirection with the thought that "if our blockers just get in the o-lineman's faces we'll let the running back (our best athlete) make his decision from that.

One more thing --- I dug some old "Sport's Illustrated" videos of the best hits in football at that time and had them watch it which really got them pumped

Good luck.