Pee Wee Football

[AU_Tiger_2000]

Anybody here have kids playing Pee Wee/Pop Warner/Mighty Mites/etc.... football?  My oldest daughter cheers for the 8 year old local team so we were at the game this weekend (thankfully last one of the season) and the way the stands were situated at this particular city field we were within 6 feet of the bench.  One of the assistant coaches on our team (mid 50's, big A tattoo on his leg) was stomping up and down in front of the bench yelling meaningless platitudes at the 8 year old players (Winners Never Quit!  Keep Hitting Them and They'll Quit!  You Gotta Play Mean!) for the entire games.  Never saw him actually coaching (as in giving instruction on techniques to players).  Was talking it over the next day with a friend of mine who played high school and college ball (Alabama A&M).  He rolled his eyes and stated that he wasn't letting his son play until he was around 7th grade just because of idiots like that.

So anybody on here with kids playing football, when did they start playing?  I didn't start playing until 7th grade (in my little town Pee Wee football wasn't even available).  What's more damaging, not getting the earlier experience or getting coached by dumbasses?  I always thought that when he got of age I would volunteer to help coach football (nobody wants me teaching kids to play baseball) but I really don't want to have to put up with idiots like that.

[Townhallsavoy]

I played little league but have never coached it.  From my own memory and now adult analysis, I'd say it's detrimental for most kids to play little league football.

I was really big for my age up until around 8th grade when I quickly became very small for age.  But in little league ball, I dominated.  I played running back and middle linebacker and many times hit kids smaller than me so hard that they would stay down crying.  For me?  It was great.  Big confidence boost. 

For them?  They quit.  There was a guy that was scrawny and smaller and used to get beat up a lot on the field.  Would get thrown to the ground, he'd cry, he definitely wasn't having any fun.  So he quit football.  Focused on track.  Shot up to 6'1 and became a sprinter at the collegiate level. 

Or another guy whom I didn't play with in little league but he had a story similar to yours.  Hated football.  Tried playing it in little league but had a redneck dumbass for a coach that pretty much encouraged making fun of the non-starters.  He never played in any games.  He was short and fat.  He shot up in high school to 6'7 and loved weight lifting. 

TL;DR - If you're a baller at a young age, it's great to get experience wearing pads, hitting, and building confidence.  If you're not a baller and more of a typical little kid, it's probably not going to help them love playing football. 

[CCTAU]

Its a personal call. I started mine at 8 and he was timid and had to learn how to use his pads to protect himself. But he really didn't start having fun until he started catching and throwing the ball. It's very tough to teach the young one's fundamentals while trying to balance winning. But to have a coach that brings no experience to the table is a disservice to the kids.

Make sure your organization has mandatory training classes for all coaches. Make sure they use NYSCA or some other liability/training program. And most of all, get involved yourself. Most smart youth coaches want dads involved who already know how to teach fundamentals or they are willing to learn a small part and teach it well.But beware teh dad who comes in and starts teaching the same dumb shit he was taught as age 8 and thinks it still applies.

Only the basic fundamental are the same. most everything else is evolving. Jumping jacks are not even recommended any longer. Stretching before practice is not needed as much as it is AFTER practice.

Get educated and get involved. If your kid can throw and catch, find a flag football league and stick to that until 7th grade. Those skills are not mastered by hitting and getting hit.   

[WiregrassTiger]

My 9 year old is playing. Decent athlete, not learning squat. 12 year old quit after sitting out most 1st half action for half the season. He was put on a team that is historically stacked. They do that where I live. This team has won the league for 6 straight years.

I didn't want either to play football. They are pretty good baseball players and I would prefer they focus on that. I love football but I don't love the fact that most youth league coaches just teaches them to head butt. And too many act like the guy you described. They are tying to live vicariously and make up for their own athletic shortcomings.

Def not saying they are all like that but it attracts those guys, imo.

I debated about not letting the older boy quit but it's one less practice and less interference for AU games. My advice is to wait till 7th grade if at all possible. But, if you are like me, it was hard to say no if they have the grades and they love the sport.

The higher likelihood of a severe injury in football is the #1 reason I wish my kids would wait.

[Kaos]

Can't speak specifically to football, but as a former high school coach it's my personal opinion that kids not participate in the parent-coached leagues at all.  Ever.

Girls softball for example. Before I started coaching, I went to clinics to learn new techniques. Spent time working with college hitting coaches to make sure the information I passed along was right.  Bought training videos with my own money to understand the girls game (because it's different from baseball) and get new drills I could teach them for fielding, hitting and throwing. 

Horn tooting time: I inherited a team that had won something like five games total over the past three seasons and had no expectations.  We won 16 games our first year and made the playoffs for the first time in school history my second.  I had five players make all state over three years on a program that had NEVER had an all state player before. Sent three girls on to play college ball. 

The biggest problem I had as a coach?  Idiot, moron Dixie Youth coaches.  The first few practices of the first season, I started every girl working basic drills. Simple things that they should know about fielding grounders, running bases, batting stance, catching and throwing. These assclowns stood at the fences coaching "their" girls and undermining everything I tried to do.  Thank god I had a strong AD who backed me when I banned them from practice.  They then took up residence on the hill behind the practice field shouting instruction.  Banned them from there.  Spent that entire season dealing with "Well, Coach Mark said I can't hold a bat the way you say, I've got to do it like this" and every time they were wrong.

Had a meeting with these bucktards after the season.  Me and the AD and some parents.  Asked them to let us coach the girls without their interference, that the results spoke for themselves.  For the first time in forever, we were winning. Instead, they got angry and claimed we were trying to steal their success, that these girls were coming to high school ball "ready made players" and all we were doing was screwing them up by contradicting their methods.  I asked them where those results were the year before, the year before, the year before. They said it was just "a more talented crop of girls."  Idiots.

Before the next season I held tryouts and said flat out I would not take any girl who intended to play Dixie Youth.  I provided them with references to play travel ball (which wasn't much better, but it wasn't local and the competition was better).

The Dixie coaches wanted me fired.  Again my AD backed me. And we won. We won a lot.  We started hitting, the fielding improved, we learned how to be tough.  Learned how to pitch, not just fling the ball up there, but actually pitch to spots, set up hitters, work counts.  Made the playoffs the next three seasons, but never could get out of the semis. Always ran into that one team with a bull of a pitcher that we just couldn't string together enough hits on. 

Dixie coaches raising hell. Stole all their good players. Pretending like it was our coaching that was helping, when those girls got there knowing how to play good ball.  Bull. I spent more time undoing their lousy coaching than anything.

After four years of that nonsense, my AD left, we got a new principal and I got another job.

The Dixie coaches got right back in the mix with the new guy. One started "helping" as an unpaid assistant.

Within two years they were back to winning a handful of games a year and getting blown out on a regular basis.  Went to the playoffs the year after I left and haven't been back since (14 years or more).  They can't hit, can't field, can't pitch. But that Dixie Youth program is still going strong. 

I know a lot of you parents put in  your free time to work with these kids.  And I admire that.  But you're not a coach. FWIW, a lot of high school coaches aren't either.  I let my oldest daughter play in that Dixie program and later play for a parent who took over the high school team when they let the history teacher go in the middle of the year.  I regret it.  She learned nothing and was treated badly.

[dallaswareagle]

My 9 year old is playing. Decent athlete, not learning squat. 12 year old quit after sitting out most 1st half action for half the season. He was put on a team that is historically stacked. They do that where I live. This team has won the league for 6 straight years.

I didn't want either to play football. They are pretty good baseball players and I would prefer they focus on that. I love football but I don't love the fact that most youth league coaches just teaches them to head butt. And too many act like the guy you described. They are tying to live vicariously and make up for their own athletic shortcomings.

Def not saying they are all like that but it attracts those guys, imo.

I debated about not letting the older boy quit but it's one less practice and less interference for AU games. My advice is to wait till 7th grade if at all possible. But, if you are like me, it was hard to say no if they have the grades and they love the sport.

The higher likelihood of a severe injury in football is the #1 reason I wish my kids would wait.

Jake??????

[Tiger Wench]

The higher likelihood of a severe injury in football is the #1 reason I wish my kids would wait.

Wasn't going to post this because it makes me sad, but you bring up a point worth mentioning.

Friend from high school has a son, T, who is a big stud senior LB in high school in VA.  His backup was a 15 y/o soph - T was his mentor and they were very close.

Two weeks ago, T suffered a severe concussion and so protege got into the game.  Protege started the next week because T was still showing symptoms.  Protege also got a concussion.  Both got expert medical care, evaluations, follow ups, etc.

Last week, 15 y/o dropped at practice.  Air lifted from the field, but was DOA.  Brain bleed. 

Because I am more than a casual female fan, I know probably more than most moms that football is a horribly dangerous sport.  It is part of the game.  But that does not make it any easier to think about that mom who got a phone call in the middle of the day that her son was brain dead at 15.  Yes, it could have been a car wreck or some other accident, but it wasn't.  It was football.

My son is tall and lanky and scrawny (40 pounds, will be 7 in February).  He is not yet interested in football at all, and I am fine with that.  I used to dream about being in the stands wearing my son's jersey while he ran out of the tunnel at Auburn, but now I look forward to many years of sitting in the stands with him or watching games side by side on the couch.  Lots of moms stand proudly on the field on Senior day with their sons.  Other moms lose their sons.  I am willing to give up the first to never have to experience the second.

This is purely my opinion.  I don't judge anyone who let's their kids play.  And if mine wants to, I will let him.  But I hope he doesn't want to.   

[WiregrassTiger]

  But I hope he doesn't want to.

I know this feeling. Your example is extreme. Does it happen often? No, but I think that it's more likely in football than most sports.

I saw a guy get paralyzed one time in a HS game. When I say I saw it, I was specifically watching the kid on a kick off. College prospect. In a chair for the rest of his life. Eventually died, years later, as a result.

I've seen some other pretty bad injuries and as much as I love watching football, I wish my kids wouldn't play. I guess that's hypocritical but that's the way I feel.

[AU_Tiger_2000]

Wasn't going to post this because it makes me sad, but you bring up a point worth mentioning.

Friend from high school has a son, T, who is a big stud senior LB in high school in VA.  His backup was a 15 y/o soph - T was his mentor and they were very close.

Two weeks ago, T suffered a severe concussion and so protege got into the game.  Protege started the next week because T was still showing symptoms.  Protege also got a concussion.  Both got expert medical care, evaluations, follow ups, etc.

Last week, 15 y/o dropped at practice.  Air lifted from the field, but was DOA.  Brain bleed. 

Because I am more than a casual female fan, I know probably more than most moms that football is a horribly dangerous sport.  It is part of the game.  But that does not make it any easier to think about that mom who got a phone call in the middle of the day that her son was brain dead at 15.  Yes, it could have been a car wreck or some other accident, but it wasn't.  It was football.

My son is tall and lanky and scrawny (40 pounds, will be 7 in February).  He is not yet interested in football at all, and I am fine with that.  I used to dream about being in the stands wearing my son's jersey while he ran out of the tunnel at Auburn, but now I look forward to many years of sitting in the stands with him or watching games side by side on the couch.  Lots of moms stand proudly on the field on Senior day with their sons.  Other moms lose their sons.  I am willing to give up the first to never have to experience the second.

This is purely my opinion.  I don't judge anyone who let's their kids play.  And if mine wants to, I will let him.  But I hope he doesn't want to.

For most of my high school career I had a guy who was not a good coach as a head coach.  But I have to give him credit for one thing, the first thing we did on the first day of practice every spring and every summer was all take a knee and read the warning label on the back of the helmet.  He then told us all that our head was not a weapon and the opponents head was not a target.  And he stuck with it throughout the season.  I only remember two players missing major time with concussions throughout high school, one got kicked in the head (accident), one got blind sided ear holed.  That was 17+ years ago and I still remember it because both times was scary as hell. 

The only thing I ever saw scarier on a football field was a cornerback on our team getting Holland'ed by a fullback and then stepped on by the halfback.  He stepped on his nuts.  He stepped on his nuts with football cleats.  He had to go to the hospital.  For a week.  With tubes inserted to relieve the swelling and pressure.  I almost quit football.

[Token]

My oldest kid played football from 7 until now, he played for middle school this year. Luckily for me, the head coach in our age group was a football guy who had been coaching for a while, and just picked up peewee because his kid wanted to play. Couldn't have asked for better experience all the way through peewee.

My little one wanted to play last year as 7 year old. I took more of a coaching role, but yet again, had two guys who had also played football and understood the importance of playing safe. Great season, great group of kids and 0 injuries. But I noticed a few teams last year that had idiots for coaches, and their kids had no clue how to tackle. There is only so much force a 7 year old can generate, so I wasn't too concerned.  This year, my little one would have to move up to 8-9 year old age group. He is 55 pounds and would be playing against kids who weigh 110 pounds and are allowed to run the ball. I made the decision the sit him out because I'm not willing to risk an injury by him getting hit by a kid twice his size. If he grows next year, I might consider it again. But I wouldn't let him play for anyone who valued winning more than safety.

As for sitting them out until middle school, a lot of coaches I've talked to would prefer having to teach the game to a 7th grader as opposed to breaking bad habits from bad coaching.  Didn't hurt my 7th grader, who started last 3 games with 8th grade.  But I see other kids who are having to change how they play football because they played for years without ever learning.

And one more thing, daddy ball is NEVER a good situation and I would stay away from it. I watched a peewee game Saturday night where the offensive coach would pull his kid to the side after every series and coach him while neglecting other 10 players on offense.  I didn't have a kid out there, so whatever, but every parent that I was sitting around noticed it and commented on it.  That's the kind of coach I'd keep my kid away from. Because he is only there to help his kid, and will likely neglect other kids in practice.

[Tiger Wench]

I know this feeling. Your example is extreme. Does it happen often? No, but I think that it's more likely in football than most sports.

I saw a guy get paralyzed one time in a HS game. When I say I saw it, I was specifically watching the kid on a kick off. College prospect. In a chair for the rest of his life. Eventually died, years later, as a result.

I've seen some other pretty bad injuries and as much as I love watching football, I wish my kids wouldn't play. I guess that's hypocritical but that's the way I feel.

I do feel like a terrible hypocrite.  I yell for Auburn guys to hit some other mom's son every weekend.  I know my story was an extreme and probably a million to one odds of it happening.  But my son is my only son, and given a choice, if asked, I would rather he not play.   

[noxin]

I have a 3rd grader playing -- I am one of the coaches.  We have a couple of coaches on staff (7 total on the team) who get really intense, but most of the time they simply have the kids' best interests in mind.  The parents have typically been the ones who take it too seriously.  We also have parents who know their kids aren't good enough to play, but they do it to keep the kids active and could care less if they ever see the field during a game.

Two of our coaches played in the SEC -- one started and one was a walk-on (both in late 1980's).

[AU_Tiger_2000]

I do feel like a terrible hypocrite.  I yell for Auburn guys to hit some other mom's son every weekend.  I know my story was an extreme and probably a million to one odds of it happening.  But my son is my only son, and given a choice, if asked, I would rather he not play.   

I really don't care if my kid plays or not, my wife will be devastated.  She loves high school football more than any other kind.  Her brother was an O-linemen at Pelham high school when Tyler Watts was the QB there.  He got recruited by Miss when Tubs was there and got offered by Troy and Southern Miss and some other schools on that level of competition.  So she was there with her family at all the games and loves it.  I saw it from the field as a player.  My mom asked me what it was like having the fans cheer when we played, I told her that I didn't even notice, didn't hear it, didn't affect me, didn't care.  Honestly I hate going to watch high school and JV and pee wee games.  Too many parents and coaches and girlfriends taking it far too seriously.  When I was in jr. high we had our games on Monday nights, on Friday nights my parents would go to the high school games and I would hang out at my house with some buddies.

And to me it's not the violence or the injuries.  Football attracts assholes like flies to honey.  The Incognito story does not surprise me at all.  Neither does players getting arrested at whatever school.  Nor bounties being put out on players.  I love football and I loathe the people that are oftentimes involved.

[Godfather]

I'm teaching my 3 year old the game of golf....just saying.

[WiregrassTiger]

I'm teaching my 3 year old the game of golf....just saying.

I recommend a shock collar for when they swing and miss. Or, miss a short putt.

[Townhallsavoy]

I'm teaching my 3 year old the game of golf....just saying.

I plan on teaching mine how to kick a football through two posts.

Free college education and possible million dollar contracts for swing his foot. 

[GH2001]

I'm teaching my 3 year old the game of golf....just saying.

I'm with this guy.

One in golf. One is running. What Kaos said too, screw the daddy ball team sport bullshit.

[Tiger Wench]

I plan on teaching mine how to kick a football through two posts.

Free college education and possible million dollar contracts for swing his foot.

Daughter is into competitive swimming. AU scholly, Wheaties box and gold medals, here we come.  Too bad I'll be dead from inhaling chlorine fumes before then.

[GH2001]

Daughter is into competitive swimming. AU scholly, Wheaties box and gold medals, here we come.  Too bad I'll be dead from inhaling chlorine fumes before then.

Good choice. Serious.

[Townhallsavoy]

Good choice. Serious.

Agreed.

Really, any sport that doesn't end at the age of 18 (unless you're a gifted athlete) is what I'll want to teach my children.  My wife ran cross country and hurdles in high school, and she was able to use that training to continue running through college and beyond. 

I played football and that's it.  I understand how to bulk up in the weight room, but I definitely feel like I missed building a foundation for running, swimming, or biking.