Here are some tips on how to deal with youth football parents:

Establish Clear Communication Channels: Set up clear lines of communication with parents from the start of the season. Share your contact information and preferred communication methods, such as email, phone, or team communication apps. Provide information about practice schedules, game days, and any updates promptly. Also provide all parents with team rules, so there is no confusion and the all can be help accountable if a rule is broken.

Be Approachable and Open-Minded: I know. I know. This one is sometimes difficult… Be open to hearing parents’ concerns, questions, and feedback. Approach interactions with a positive and approachable attitude, which will encourage parents to share their thoughts without hesitation. Always try and keep your cool. Implement the 24 hour rule (no communication regarding an issue or concern for 24 hours)! 24 hours after a practice or the Monday / Tuesday after a game (first practice of the new game week). It’s important that you give yourself time to calm down, especially if you lost a game.

Set Expectations: Clearly outline your expectations for parents regarding their involvement during games and practices. Emphasize the importance of positive support for players and respect for coaches, referees, and other parents. Again, provide all parents with team rules and expectations.

Focus on Player Development: Emphasize that the primary focus of youth football is the development and enjoyment of the players. Encourage parents to prioritize their child’s growth, skill-building, and overall experience rather than just the outcome of each game.

Emphasize Sportsmanship: Encourage parents to model good sportsmanship and respect for others. Remind them that their behavior and attitudes have a significant impact on the players and the overall team atmosphere. If they don’t have anything positive to say, then they shouldn’t say anything at all.

Avoid Comparisons & Favoritism : Every player develops at their own pace. Avoid comparing players or focusing solely on the most talented individuals. Instead, celebrate the progress and achievements of all players. Coaches need to spend time and work with all their players, regardless of skill level. Parents will notice that and respect that. A big mistake coaches make is that they play favorites or they don’t work with the players that need it the most. Even if the kid just doesn’t get it, or just doesn’t get aggressive, you have to keep working with him. Parents will respect that. Sometimes parent complaints are justified.

See Also: How to Deal with Overbearing Parents 

Encourage Involvement: Invite parents to get involved in a positive and constructive way. This could include volunteering to assist with team events, organizing fundraisers, or providing snacks for games. Believe it or not, this has helped me a lot the past couple seasons. Getting parents involved with that kind of stuff helps. We don’t get parents involved in the coaching aspect, but the extra curricular stuff, we want them involved.

Educate on Age-Appropriate Development: Help parents understand the age-appropriate development of youth players. Explain the benefits of long-term development and how different age groups have varying needs and priorities. encourage you parents to work with their child outside of football- in regard to athlete development and nutrition, not football fundamentals and techniques. However, you can instruction them how to do it and the parents can do the extra work with their players at home. A good example of that is shotgun snapping and long snapping at home before and even after practice.

Address Unreasonable Behavior: In cases of inappropriate or disruptive behavior from parents, address the issue calmly and professionally. Remind them of the importance of maintaining a positive and respectful environment for everyone involved.

Remember, youth football parents play an essential role in supporting their children’s development as athletes and individuals. By fostering a positive and collaborative relationship with parents, coaches can create a supportive and enjoyable experience for all involved in the youth football community. Having a good relationship with your parents will make life much easier for you. We hope you enjoyed this article on how to deal with football parents.

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Resilience is a key component of lifelong success, it is undeniable. Kids will experience negative early life stressors, this may come to fruition in a variety of ways, whether it is the death of a loved one, dealing with a hardship such as a divorce, the pressures of school and/or other unforeseen events.  

Youth football provides immeasurable & valuable life skills, such as resilience, that are being cultivated daily through experiences of hard work, hustle, learning to fall (and get up). Kid athletes are in a repetitive state of being built up and broken down. Call it character-brick-laying.  What is being created is the fortitude to be able to overcome life’s various obstacles. Resilience teaches that positive outcomes often result from the face of adversity.

The Frameworks Institute has developed a model on resilience. A child’s life is thought of as a weighted scale, one side represents positive outcomes of development, and the other side represents negative outcomes- how the scale tips is determined by the factors stacked on each side. That is to say, the greater the stack of positive developmental influences, such as supportive family / friend relationships, and opportunities to develop (athletic, academic or other) skills, the better it is for the child. Resilience is built over time. We are interested to promote resilience in kids so that despite their socio-economic conditions, they have a chance to thrive into adulthood. 

An enriched, structured environment will increase the odds of success for your child — youth football certainly stacks and tips the child development scale to the positive side.

Youth football coaches are in the business of enforcing resiliency, therefore participation in youth football is vital. Get involved in your community and promote the game and its many benefits. 

The post Why Kids Need Football: Resilience appeared first on Youth Football Online.

Responsibilities of a Youth Football Coach

Safety

The first and utmost responsibility for all youth football coaches is to teach safe & proper techniques for playing football. It is imperative to teach safe blocking, tackling and game awareness techniques.  If coaches do not implement the proper techniques, injuries can occur. Coaches need an understanding about everything from hydration/nutrition to fundamental techniques for playing football successfully & safely. Prioritize your coaching staff on teaching proper techniques and coordinating practices safely (from water breaks to hitting drills).  The last thing that you’d want to happen is have a kid get hurt because of lack of proper technical coaching.

Respect and Leading by Example

Football coaches should always demonstrate respect for their team members, opponents, referees, spectators, parents and opposing coaches.  Coaches should remember that they are role models for many of their players.  The best way to be a role model is to lead by example. Youth football coaches should be professional in operating practices, games, and dealing with parents.  That includes being knowledgeable, informed, organized, courteous and look the part of a coach (dress appropriately). A coach is responsible for creating a safe & professional youth football environment. If you commit to coaching, you need to give 100% effort every single practice and game. You can’t tell the kids that you expect maximum effort when you do not give maximum effort yourself.

Related Content: How Playing Youth Football Builds Character 

Team Environment and Life Lessons

Football coaches should be focused on creating a team atmosphere, among all coaches & players.  Develop a sense of belonging, camaraderie, and commitment among the players.  Encourage group activities, such as team dinners, professional sporting events, and volunteering for community projects.  Teach your players about responsibility, coming to practice and games on time and ready to work hard (just like they will need to do as they evolve into adulthood). Youth football is not just about winning or losing a game. Youth football is about teaching; discipline, teamwork, hard work, & commitment to something greater than one’s self.  Youth football coaches should give nothing but 100% to each player on the team, do not overlook any child!  Coaching youth football is comprised of volunteer parents, so coaches should expect nothing but 100% effort from their kids as well. Coaches should never tolerate lack of effort, unexcused lateness/absents from team activities, or negative behavior towards teammates & coaches.

Related Content: Benefits of Playing Football | Greatest Sport on the Planet 

Conclusion

I say it again, because I cannot express how important it is that the main priority should be the safety of the kids. Youth football coaches / players should always exhibit good sportsmanship. Do not allow offensive language, cheating or fighting among teammates or to opponents.  Make sure your players understand the difference between aggressive and hostile play.  Aggressive play is playing physically within the rules with the intent to win and do ones best.  Hostile play is excessive roughness with the intent to injure. Trying to injure another player should never be tolerated.  There is no pride in winning a game by breaking the rules or causing purposeful harm to other players.

Coaches should always preach the importance of teamwork, discipline, hard work, and commitment; which is all traits needed to grow as an individual and things that are needed to be successful in life.  If you operate practices with professionalism, safety, and a team first atmosphere, then your season will be something the players and coaches will always remember.

The youth mind is moldable; coaches should lead by positive example. The responsibilities stated above are guidelines that my staff and I coach by.

The post Responsibilities of a Youth Football Coach | Coaching Youth Football appeared first on Youth Football Online.

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What we gobble up and swallow each day determines most how active and how healthy we are. Remember that your children will follow your eating habits now and in the future. If you are not eating the right way, it is likely you are passing this behavior to your kids whether you are aware of it or not.

While nutrition should be extensively taught in medical school, it is not, in fact, most doctors are not taught about the impact of healthy eating. Doctors aren’t paid to teach you how to better take care of yourself. That’s why you need to do the research yourself (or hire a qualified nutritionist).

Appreciate the value of good nutrition.

Form a set of principals and create a diet that consists of nutritional gain, this will produce immeasurable athletic and overall health performance. The essential point here is to load up on nutrients- on foods high on nutrition. The answer? Fruits and vegetables.

Parents and coaches need to step up and skip the snack bar at the field-house. Candy, cookies and soda are not nutritionally sound choices for your athletes. Gaining an edge on the field first starts at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

There are two food choices that your youth football athlete should be eating.

Fresh spinach helps to reduce the stress and muscle damage associated with sports exertion. For athletes, recovery is what’s key, credit spinach for accelerating recovery time due to its anti-inflammatory effects. You can throw fresh spinach leaves in anything you cook, or use fresh spinach in a juice/smoothie.

Berries consumption, specifically blueberries, are on the rise in the United States and for good reason. Antioxidant-rich berries help heal post-workout muscular tissue and assist with recovery after exercise. When I think of berries, I imagine the old Atari 2600 game Asteroids- the attacking asteroids are free radicals, and the bullets that we fire are antioxidant-rich berries.

Neon ‘sports drinks’?

Sports drink manufacturers are masters at advertising and influencing parents and athletes. They publish biased and sometimes confusing studies in medical journals to bewilder and sway us to purchase their drinks.

The following excerpt from Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 377-390: 

‘During exercises consuming beverages containing electrolytes and carbohydrates can provide benefits over water alone under certain circumstances’. Authors Michael Sawka, Louise Burke, et al., are collectively funded by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

It is important to do your own research and examine ingredients. And above all else, drink water.

The post The Truth About Nutrition in Youth Football appeared first on Youth Football Online.

How to Deal with Overbearing Football Parents

The first, and most crucial step, is to be proactive in meeting the parents. The goal of the coach is to meet all of the parents before the season starts and begin to form a relationship with them. By forming a relationship early in the season, before things are going wrong, the coach is building a level of trust with the parents so that if things are going poorly they aren’t meeting them for the first time in a negative setting.

Another huge step towards creating a positive relationship between parents and coaches is to clearly outline the behaviors of a great parent. Too many times we don’t give any sort of guidance to the parents and then get angry when they don’t act like we want them to. To get around this it’s important you, as the coach, outline what great parent support looks like in your program and what bad parent support looks like. This isn’t to say that parents will always follow these expectations, but if they know they exist they at least have a chance to support the program.

Related Content: Domineering Football Parents

While these are great proactive ideas, it’s important to remember that in any season there will be stressful and trying times. In these situations it’s important to create a model for how parents can voice their concerns. As a coach, one of my guiding principles is that we are teaching boys to become men. As a part of this process, if they are upset about playing time the athlete needs to be the one having the conversation, not the parent. This is something that should be covered in the initial meeting, but when it is framed as a development tool for teaching young men to advocate for themselves and have those hard conversations, parents are much more likely to get on board with the plan.

There is no silver bullet for dealing with parents. Just like players, and coaches, parents can become emotional and make poor judgments. As a Coach it’s important to form the relationship where both you and the parents know that you have the same goal in mind and will work together to help develop their child through football.

The post How to Deal with Overbearing Football Parents  appeared first on Youth Football Online.

Here are top 5 tips for youth football parents:

1. Parents should realize one important thing- football is just a game. It is meant to be fun and instructional for the kid athletes. Youth football games are also for families to convene and cheer for their team as a bonding experience. Avoid being a distraction, that is not what your athlete needs. Be chill and just enjoy the game, and don’t be that parent.
2. Criticizing a referee sends the wrong message to your child. If your kid’s team loses a game, they should take accountability for losing rather than shifting the blame elsewhere. Keep in mind, a football referee is paid (or volunteers) to officiate a game, he does not care who wins or loses.
3. If you want your kid to play, make sure he attends each practice. Vacations are expected, especially as August nears, and that is expected- just make sure your child is a regular at practice.
4. Get your kids prepared at home, work with them during the off-season. With a small investment in a agility ladder, cones and a speed chute , big gains in speed and agility can be attained.
5. Feed your athletes a nutritious diet (fuel) that’s going to boost them to perform well in a game. Eliminate the sugary drinks and stick with water for hydration. Set the right tone with your kids by preparing and eating nutritious foods.

Your behavior as a parent when your youth football athlete is playing the sport is important. . Enjoy the experience, and your kid will keep his focus where it belongs- on the field.

The post Top 5 Youth Football Sideline Parent Tips appeared first on Youth Football Online.

What about growth stunt, is it a myth or not? According to the Mayo Clinic, light weights and controlled movements are best for children as not to adversely affect growth.

I prefer to combine flexibility training with lightweight training, as this will not only increase strength, but also be a force to prevent injuries. Yoga stretches is a way to get an edge, as yoga will help to increase flexibility and prevent injury.

For younger athletes, calisthenics are the perfect introduction to strength training.

Top 8 reasons your kid athletes need to strength train via calisthenics (push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups):

• Set the building blocks for a lifetime of physical fitness.
• Thwart the risks of childhood obesity by teaching the importance of nutrition with strength training.
• Football is a demanding sport, it requires a kid athlete be in optimal shape.
• Will keep your athlete occupied during the off-season, busy getting better rather than playing video games or surfing the web.
• Will ensure your athlete remains disciplined.
• Greater quality of life.
• The athlete will look and feel better.
• Builds confidence.

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As the season nears start, it is ideal to create a strength report card to assess the development of strength and speed of your kids. Set attainable strength goals for your kids and encourage them to meet or exceed them. As the season concludes, this will give you an idea of how your kids have gained strength. The off-season is the ultimate time to keep the momentum flowing from the youth football season, it’s also the right time to develop a physical edge by strength training.

Create a safe and structured football environment for strength training, and you’ll team will reap the benefits of strength training.

Visit our Youth Football Training category page for more articles on strength and conditioning training!

The post When Your Kids Should Begin Strength Training appeared first on Youth Football Online.

Why Youth Football SHOULDN’T be Banned-Coach Marcus Borden

How do you feel about the measure A3760 which would prohibit children under age 12 from participating in tackle football? 

First, I would like to say that politicians should limit their involvement in trying to pass legislation that affects parents making their own decisions regarding their child’s sport preference.

There has been increased awareness about CTE and concussions suffered by NFL athletes.  However, this does not mean that youth league, high school level or even college football players will suffer these effects as only a small percentage of players ever get to the highest level of competition.

The move by Youth Leagues, Pop Warner, USA Football, High School Associations as well as Colleges and Universities to improve the safety of the game has been on going.  Certification of coaches, “The Heads-Up Program”, rule modifications and the limiting of full-contact practices during the week have all made dramatic safety improvements.

Let the parents decide. Let the professionals that have actually played this game, coached it and know how to continually improve it be that source of information for the community.

What are some life lessons/skills kids learn when they play youth football?

The lessons learned on the playing field are many.  Working as a team with one common goal is an important quality that will serve one well in later life.  Overcoming adversity and facing challenges prepares one for life’s disappointments.  Discipline, respect for others and sportsmanship whether you win or lose are just a few of the core values learned on the playing field.

Join the Fight:  Save Youth Football in NJ

Why do you feel youth football is under attack? There are bans proposed in several states, those states include: CA, NJ, NY, and IL (killed for now).

Football is one of the most popular sports in America.  It is a physical game that is on television from August to February.  The College and NFL games are some of the most watched sporting events world-wide.  Some of the violent collisions or tackles by these professional athletes and advanced level college players have come under scrutiny by league officials and medical personnel.  Rule changes have been enacted at the highest level of the sport.

Youth football, however, cannot be compared to College football or the NFL.  The youth athlete is not physically developed enough to generate the same kind of force like those athletes that play at the highest level of this game. 

If kids can’t play football until high school, what are some of the implications?

Those kids that have never played youth football are at a distinct disadvantage when entering the high school ranks.  Teaching players to tackle correctly is the biggest challenge.  With restrictions already in place at the high school level, the amount of live contact during the week is limited.  This means that the 1^st year football player will not have many opportunities to learn the proper tackling technique in a “live” situation. This increases the chances of rookie player being injured.  It also forces the coach to keep this player out of competitions for safety and liability reasons.

How important are youth football programs to high school football programs?

The youth football programs are the life blood of successful high school programs. Those high schools that have excelled and won championships have had a core of youth players that usually made up a class of 20-25 seniors. These kids grew up looking forward to wearing their local community’s high school colors.

 How has football evolved over the years in regard to safety, equipment, and league rules?

Equipment has continually improved over the years.  Helmets offer custom fit to give each player the safest possible protection available. Air-filled jaw pads, ear pads and head pockets combined with the hard shell give today’s athlete some of the safest football gear.  All of this means nothing though without the changes that have been made to improve the coaching.  The mandated training on concussion protocol, proper tackling techniques, CPR and AED training, rules interpretation and league certification have helped make the game safer.  Coaches now required to attend clinics to learn more about proper practice management, ever-changing rule interpretations and the importance of acclimatization of athletes during the heat of late summer.

Click the image below to sign the petition to save youth football in New Jersey 

The post Why Youth Football SHOULDN’T be Banned-Coach Marcus Borden appeared first on Youth Football Online.

A Coach’s Thoughts on the Youth Football Ban

Soccer taught me the delicate balance and touch required to control a ball with my feet. Tennis taught me how to manipulate angles and trajectory to attack an opponent. Wrestling taught me how to deal with the pressure of being alone in the ring with an opponent and the mental discipline required to get down to weight. Basketball taught me how to take care of my body so that I could play multiple games in a weekend and how to use and defend space. Rugby taught me how to deal with authority in a positive manner and how to leave negative feelings on a field. Cross Country taught me to focus on focusing on internal improvement instead of comparing myself to others. Football has a special place in my heart because it was the place where I met some of the biggest role models of my life and taught me more about teamwork than any other sport

I say this because of all of these sports, youth football, is the one under attack. Well meaning politicians and parents see football as a violent sport that leads to concussions. It’s important to take note that youth football is not the NFL. At the youth level concussions are incredibly rare, and as is pointed out in just about any academic paper on the subject, are much more likely to occur in a sport like cheerleading than in football, especially at the youth level.

To me the reality of youth sports is that all sports are great. I have a two year old son. I hear the constant question, will he play football, I think my response tends to catch people off guard. I always answer the same way, “I don’t know.” I don’t know because I don’t know if he will want to.

I know for myself I wanted to play football from the second I saw the pads and the physical contact. I was too physical for soccer and basketball (my most noteworthy accomplishment in the sport was getting a foul during the tip off, before the game started). I needed a sport like football, and through my time coaching I have seen I wasn’t alone.

I don’t want to deny my son, or any other kids, the opportunity to become involved in a sport, regardless of what that sport is. There is a certain demeanor of kid that is drawn to physical sports. If football is taken away it’s pretty safe to say that the other physical sports like wrestling and rugby will be next. When we are dealing with a nationwide obesity epidemic it’s hard for me to believe that taking away sports is ever the right answer.

Do we need to get better? Yes, of course. The strides that have been made by USA Football and other organisations have made the game safer than ever. But, just like we would tell our athletes to always work to get better, we need to continue to push to make the game safer.

In the end, sports are good. Kids having a passion that also serve to keep them physically fit and healthy not only leads to a decrease in obesity but also an increase classroom grades.

(See Also) Save Youth Football in New Jersey 

The post A Coach’s Thoughts on the Youth Football Ban appeared first on Youth Football Online.

‘Why is my kid not getting any playing time?’  ‘We are not winning because…’. ‘My kid should be playing quarterback..’. 

Do these parent chirpings sound familiar?

The first step is to ensure each parent signs a code of conduct agreement. In the agreement you will clearly state that parents’ emotions will be in check throughout the entire season. Also important to clearly state, the parents main duty is to be a positive role model, and be a respectful spectator. In the agreement you will also clearly state your intentions, to be fair and do the best job you can to teach football to children. The football parent’s agreement should be revisited several times per season, scan and email the parents as a reminder.

Read-  ‘How to have a winning youth football season guaranteed!’

Now that you have set the ground rules for your football season in writing, it is important to know how to speak with, in many cases, emotionally-charged parents. Start with tonality, speaking in a monotone, relaxed voice usually helps to defuse an awkward conversation and shows that you are in control of the discussion.

When speaking with football parents, do this-

1. Start positive, on a personal level. Point out the athlete’s accomplishments at football practice. Mention that the athlete has great potential to succeed on the field.
2. Lead up to making a personal observation. When delivering a criticism, first ask permission. “I noticed your son was having some difficulty at practice, do you mind if I share it with you?”. 
3. Share details of where the athlete is struggling.
4. Offer a solution, whether it is extra drills to do at home, or shifting of the athlete’s attitude, here is where you give your best advice to the parent.
5. Follow up.“Let’s check back in 2 weeks to review progress..”.

To minimize uncomfortable conversations, it is crucial to set the ground rules early, and know how to speak to parents. What were some of your funnier parent complaints? Tell us in the comments below.

A post shared by Youth_Football (@youth_football) on Jan 18, 2017 at 11:10am PST

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5 Key Steps for Player Motivation

Step 1: Begin your player communication with positive words. As a football coach, you always want to set the tone, and this is especially true when you want to motivate your young team.

‘I see and appreciate the effort you are putting in.’

‘I believe you have the speed to be a great player..’

‘I appreciate your attitude on the football field..’

This a) affirms the player’s effort and/or ability is recognized, b) motivates the player to continue to work for the betterment of the team.

If the player is not up to speed, it is your job to get him on track. You may say- ‘I appreciate the effort you’re putting in, and here’s how you can work so we can get better..’.

Remember, a positive attitude rubs off on your players and will spread to your coaching staff, parents and everyone else involved. Football is supposed to be fun, it’s your job to set the tone.

Step 2:

Set an objective or goal that is inspiring, and let your team know your coaching staff will be there to support them. Winning your league championship is your eventual team goal, inform your team that you are committed to help them get there.

‘I believe in this team, and we (coaching staff and family) want to support you to win a championship’.

Step 3: 

Ask your players to confirm that they are onboard with the inspiring objective. Think of this as asking your team to verbally agree to work hard for you. You want a resounding agreement out of your squad.

‘Are you prepared to put the work in to win your league championship?’.

‘Are you committed?’.

Step 4: 

Acknowledge the Step 3 agreement. This is your signature on the verbal contract that you have set with your youth football players.

‘I’m happy that you’re on board with our goal, now let’s work’.

Step 5: 

Ask for suggestions and feedback from your players, coaches and parents. It may sound counterintuitive, but as a coach, you want to continue to improve. Are you doing a solid job motivating your players? Your football team can answer that.

Set individual actionable plans for your players. These do not have to be elaborate, just to focus on areas where they can improve. One of your slower players can benefit from a certain speed drill, have them perform more reps. Success carves a path to confidence- Inspire your little guys, and they most certainly will work for you. 

‘All kids need is a little help, a little hope and somebody who believes in them’ – Magic Johnson

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The muscle recovery phase is where youth football athletes refresh, build muscle and get better. Creating a recovery plan, and documenting off-day recovery habits (integrate into training log) is recommended, as this will aid to improve athlete performance.

YFO Athlete Recovery Tips

1. Nutrition. You have a set goal to replenish the nutrients and calories lost during vigorous workouts. Making smart choices will easily get you these necessary nutrients. Avoid fast foods as they will slow muscle recovery and have no nutritional benefit whatsoever.
   • Protein from plant sources, spinach, chard and other leafy greens, various seeds & nuts (if not allergic), lentils & beans and chia seeds. As an example, legumes have 18 grams of protein per cooked cup and are perfect for athlete recovery.
   • Fruits are nutrient packed, antioxidant powerhouses well constructed to aid in your muscle recovery.  Fruits take less energy for us to digest, a conservation of this energy will instead go to muscle recovery. Fruits are also a great source of carbohydrates while providing athletes a burst of vitamins and minerals.
2. Rest. This is time to heal and recuperate before the next training session. Sleep is mightily important, that is creating a quiet space to get rest especially at night. Get the playstation out of the bedroom, as the bedroom is strictly for sleeping. Michigan State University published an article on the importance of rest and recovery, in this article they state- ‘Athletes who are sleep deprived are at risk of losing aerobic endurance and may experience subtle changes in hormone levels..’.
3. Hydration. Drinking heaping glasses of water helps in the healing and recovery process.
4. Stretching. This will help to reduce the soreness that results from tedious workouts. Stretching helps to increase flexibility as well thwarting off the stiffness that comes from strenuous exercise.

One key point is to avoid overtraining. When you train at a point where your body craves recovery, injuries will surface.

The post Sleep On This- Quick Recovery Tips appeared first on Youth Football Online.

A rule of thumb: Get to know what your kids eat, if you can’t pronounce it, they shouldn’t be eating it. 

Today, with the various food chemicals, preservatives, steroids, hormones and pesticides in our food supply, train your kids to be selective. Just as you want to protect your child with the latest in football equipment- nourish your kids with the healthiest nutritional choices.

Supermarket food shopping is a key period for every family, as it is the food selection time that sets the tone for eating habits. Sounds obvious right? For me it is simple, I limit my junk food purchasing to just one or at maximum two choices for the entire week. The basis of my snacking will be on fresh fruits like organic apples, bananas, blackberries and other natural choices. Learn to limit empty calorie intake, remember junk foods = junk and will not help to improve your child’s performance on the football field.

As human beings, we are calorie junkies having an unstoppable desire to satisfy our taste buds. This is how we are programmed. Teach your kids to train their taste buds just as they train for sports, or intently study for the classroom.  Instill habits in your kids to appreciate and develop a consistent, and selective attitude for choosing the best foods on the planet.

Key foods you should be purchasing (replace junk foods with these for a clean diet):

1. Berries are packed with nutrients, and should be incorporated into every athlete’s nutrition routine.
2. Bananas will boost you. A nutritional 100 calorie snack that satisfies you much more than a candy bar.
3. Avocados are vitamin rich! These fruits have approximately 20 different vitamins inside, with the good fats.

Parents and coaches, this starts with you, your kids will follow your lead. Optimize your food choices and be the role model to guide their development.

The post How to Eat Clean! Parents, Coaches Listen Up. appeared first on Youth Football Online.

The Ideal Incoming Freshman | Getting Players Ready for High School Football

Youth and Middle School teams are truly at the front line of saving the sport. These teams are where the majority of kids have their first experience playing football. If this is a good experience they will fall in love with the game and continue to play during their high school career.

On the other side of the coin, if a player has an awful first experience with football they are likely not to play the sport again. It’s true that football is not a sport for everyone and there are some kids who will not like the sport. That is an accepted fact and is part of the game, but too many time kids are run off from football because they are put head to head in hitting drills with players who are well past them in terms of development. Many times the kids that are the superstars in 5^th through 7^th grade are the kids who have hit puberty early and have essentially maxed out their athletic ability. When these kids go against a kid who has not hit puberty and destroy him in a hitting drill the less developed kid will become discouraged. If this happens enough many times the player will quit and never come back to the sport regardless of how much of an athlete he becomes as he hits puberty.

While retaining athletes is the primary goal for the youth and middle school leagues, a well-run feeder program can cut down on the amount of base level work that incoming freshmen need to be taught. The effect is that the team can get into higher level skill work earlier in the summer which puts them at a huge advantage over other teams.

There are a few skills that almost always have to be re-coached at the Freshmen level. While the need to coach these will never go away, if the skills are learned earlier in their career it will be a quick 10 minute re-teaching as opposed to a half hour skill session. These skills are the major skills of stance, blocking, ball security and tackling.

I have the personal philosophy that every player should be able to get in a 3 point stance. There is a very simple teaching progression that every player should be able to master. After players have learned how to get in a 3 point stance they can learn the specific stance for their position. By having the 3 point stance as a base, every player has learned how to bend at the knees, put weight forward and stagger their feet. Most of these skills are involved in any position stance.

Another huge skill that players must learn is how to block. They don’t need to have the same level of technique as an offensive linemen, but if they know how to come out of a 3 point stance and block they will be able to easily translate that into stalk blocking, an iso block, J block or whatever block their position may require. Again the most important part is giving the players a broad base from which they can develop position specific skills.

Any offensive coach will tell you that ball security is the number one job of the ball carrier. It’s important that every player knows how to carry a ball. Whether it is a fumble or an interception, every player on the field has the potential to carry the ball. They must know the correct way to do so. This is a quick teaching progression and there is nothing defensive linemen like more than to practice carrying a ball.

(See Also) Running Back Ball Security

The last skill that needs to be taught to players at lower levels is tackling. Tackling without a doubt is the most important skill in football. While it’s easy to make an argument that blocking is just as important, tackling is something that every player on the defense must be great at while players on offense don’t all need to be great blockers (although they should be!). While tackling is the most important skill it is also the most dangerous skill to practice.

Much of the danger of tackling can be removed by focusing on the technique of tackling instead of the “toughness” of the tackle. I am not a believer in the idea that players hitting each other makes them tougher. Many players who are not physical are that way because they lack confidence. Just like the best way to teach a person to swim isn’t by throwing them in the water, the way to develop confidence in tackling is not by lining them up and running them at another player. Instead the coach should work with the players to develop specific skills that will lead to a successful tackle. As players work on and improve these skills their confidence will grow. This confidence, combined with their improved skills, will increase their ability to tackle without scaring them away from the sport.

(See Also) Tackling Technique 

In the end Youth and Middle School coaches play an important role in the sport of football. Beyond just developing players for the high school they are the first experience kids have with football. If they have a bad first experience there is a chance they will shy away from the sport for the rest of their lives. While allowing players to fall in love with the sport is important it is equally important that these players are taught basic skills that will allow them to improve as players. As they see themselves becoming better players in drills and then in games they will fall in love with the process of improving through hard work and then seeing the result on game day.

(See Also) Great Youth Football Coaches 

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