The Pussification Of America Continues

[Saniflush]

In our youth league, there is and there isn't a weight rule. There is no weight rule that keeps a kid from playing in his age group. However, there is a rule on how much any ball carrier can weigh. In other words, you can't give "big 'un" the ball so he can just run over all those boys half his weight. They have to play on the line, just like they probably would be used on a high school team.

pussies

[JR4AU]

In our youth league, there is and there isn't a weight rule. There is no weight rule that keeps a kid from playing in his age group. However, there is a rule on how much any ball carrier can weigh. In other words, you can't give "big 'un" the ball so he can just run over all those boys half his weight. They have to play on the line, just like they probably would be used on a high school team.

Yep, there are all kinds of leagues with silly rules.  We have NO rules on wt.  You meet the age criteria, you play, and play where you can play.  I've got kids on my 11/12 yo team ranging from 70lbs, up to 200lbs.  The 9/10 year old league below us has a kid that is 5-8, @ 200lbs, and they run him at fullback at times.  There's an easy way to deal with these kids running the ball, and it involves hitting them, and taking their legs out from under them.  Using the "big kid" at running back is a rookie coach move...it don't work for very long. 

[GarMan]

The beta-male discussion lives... 

[Ranger12]

pussies

Yeah, yeah. I thought this at first also, but when you think about it, it actually makes more sense. The big heavy boys are going to eventually play on the OL or DL when they get in high school, not playing RB or QB. So, why not let them play that position now so they are familiar with it and can get better at it by the time they are in high school? Then that also lets they boys that probably will actually be playing the skill positions like RB and QB more experience at their eventual position in high school.

Supposedly, a certain new high school coach in our area, I won't say who it was because they can get in trouble for "meddling" in the youth programs (though they all do it), asked the youth league that feeds his school, who were known for playing the big boys in the skills position, to stop playing the big boys at those positions because if they maintain their same growth rate, they will be on the line when the coach of the JV team gets them.

[CCTAU]

pussies

Whatever. Your trying to teach the game of football. Not trying to teach ten boys to stand around and watch the big kid beat up on the other team. This is why there are so many shitty high school players. Youth coaches are all about wining and not teaching. Using the free for all method does not promote solid fundamental coaching techniques. At about age >12 (jr high) it should become open limit. Before that, it's about fundamentals, not winning. 

[JR4AU]

Whatever. Your trying to teach the game of football. Not trying to teach ten boys to stand around and watch the big kid beat up on the other team. This is why there are so many shitty high school players. Youth coaches are all about wining and not teaching. Using the free for all method does not promote solid fundamental coaching techniques. At about age >12 (jr high) it should become open limit. Before that, it's about fundamentals, not winning.

I moved, and had to find a new place to coach this year...was coaching Middle School last 2 years.  This year youth ball.  With all the youth coaches I see, they all treat it like it's their own personal live XBox.  It's all about running plays, not one bit about teaching football.  Then there's the other extreme, of which we have one coaching our 9-10 year olds.  He's all about "old school" football practice...meaning wear the kids out...but he doesn't teach them anything...he yells a lot, and has 10 year olds hitting a full sized sled on the HS field that they can hardly move...but he doesn't TEACH them anything.   Fact is, most of the youth coaches in our leagues, don't know what to teach I guess...they do know how to run plays though...all practice...run plays.  Make up plays on the fly...tell kids to "run a 9 route" when they haven't a fucking clue what any route is because they haven't been taught it. 

[Saniflush]

I moved, and had to find a new place to coach this year...was coaching Middle School last 2 years.  This year youth ball.  With all the youth coaches I see, they all treat it like it's their own personal live XBox.  It's all about running plays, not one bit about teaching football.  Then there's the other extreme, of which we have one coaching our 9-10 year olds.  He's all about "old school" football practice...meaning wear the kids out...but he doesn't teach them anything...he yells a lot, and has 10 year olds hitting a full sized sled on the HS field that they can hardly move...but he doesn't TEACH them anything.   Fact is, most of the youth coaches in our leagues, don't know what to teach I guess...they do know how to run plays though...all practice...run plays.  Make up plays on the fly...tell kids to "run a 9 route" when they haven't a fucking clue what any route is because they haven't been taught it.

Sounds like Auburn under Franklin.

[Ranger12]

I moved, and had to find a new place to coach this year...was coaching Middle School last 2 years.  This year youth ball.  With all the youth coaches I see, they all treat it like it's their own personal live XBox.  It's all about running plays, not one bit about teaching football.  Then there's the other extreme, of which we have one coaching our 9-10 year olds.  He's all about "old school" football practice...meaning wear the kids out...but he doesn't teach them anything...he yells a lot, and has 10 year olds hitting a full sized sled on the HS field that they can hardly move...but he doesn't TEACH them anything.   Fact is, most of the youth coaches in our leagues, don't know what to teach I guess...they do know how to run plays though...all practice...run plays.  Make up plays on the fly...tell kids to "run a 9 route" when they haven't a phuking clue what any route is because they haven't been taught it.

A couple of years ago, our youth program tried to go with a no huddle spread offense, with the offensive players actually wearing the plays on their wrists. They did this because our high school team was going to that type of offense. My son was 9 years old when they started that crap and if you want to see some funny stuff, watch a bunch of 9/10 year old trying to run a no huddle offense while looking at their wrists for the play. Let's just say a few of us were in the coach's ear about the silliness of it all and how about just go back to coaching the basics of football and let the kids worry about more complicated offenses when they get older and are capable of learning them.

[JR4AU]

A couple of years ago, our youth program tried to go with a no huddle spread offense, with the offensive players actually wearing the plays on their wrists. They did this because our high school team was going to that type of offense. My son was 9 years old when they started that crap and if you want to see some funny stuff, watch a bunch of 9/10 year old trying to run a no huddle offense while looking at their wrists for the play. Let's just say a few of us were in the coach's ear about the silliness of it all and how about just go back to coaching the basics of football and let the kids worry about more complicated offenses when they get older and are capable of learning them.

You may not like the spread, no huddle, and that's cool if you don't, but I have no problem with that AS LONG as they're teaching the kids to block and tackle first and foremost.  Helping the HS program by doing that is a good thing in the long run, even though it may not look pretty early on.  Still at the youth levels, THE most important things to teach are blocking and tackling.  In reality, kids that age can only really digest about one play more than their age...ie 9/10 year old team needs a MAX 11 plays.  Most youth coaches can probably not even, in reality, teach more than 5 or 6.