5 On 5, 10-13 Years Old - Need Offensive Pointers And Plays

[caneincgfl 0]

This is my third year coaching. My first year I coached 7 on 7 (7-9 years old). My second year was 5 on 5 (7-9 years old). Now I'm moving up to 10-13 year olds. This is a big age range with some mature kids who can throw and catch. What might work against 7 year olds might not work here. What advice do you guys have about running offense for this age group and coaching them in general? Most will have played 2 or 3 years of flag before.

[Coach Rob 26]

I think just relying on basic plays at this age level is difficult unless you have several athletic players. Nuances come into play that will give your team an edge if executed properly. Sometimes all you need is a good fake that buys a few seconds.

Depends upon the skill level on your team, but you can work on implementing things like:

-QB looking hard one way and throwing back the other

-QB turning back to los and watching runner for a second after executing a fake handoff

-QB taking off rolling shoulder like he still has the ball after making a handoff

-QB learning to use the pump fake

-Button hook and go routes work well at this age with a good pump fake

-All players executing fake handoffs really well

-Possibly throwing in some audibles on offense

You'll find that playing in the 10-13 yr old div brings with it stronger, faster, and smarter kids. Your players will need to execute their routes quicker and crisper. If a rush is allowed, expect some blazing speed coming in on your QB. You'll also probably find teams using their faster kids to beat you long a lot.