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I usually have my team's do mostly DB,WR,RB & QB Drills. However we throw some other stuff in there.

Heres the ones we do most with explanations of them...

If anyone wants more advanced QB & DB drills let me know...These seem to be plenty but I do have some from a coach clinic I went to last summer.Some of them are pretty advanced though.

1 - This just a back pedal drill.We usually break the team in half when we do this.Then we can adjust how they do it and actually teach them to back pedal.This is something we normally only do in  the beginning of the season.
2 - This is something we do after teaching them how to back pedal.Some kids get it.Some don't.But this has increased interceptions because it teaches kids how to actually move after back pedaling.
3 - This again something that not all the kids get but we want them to be able to back pedal.We play nothing but zone defense so our safeties have to keep everything in front of them so this works well.
4 - This a drill on teaching kids to read the ball in the air.This has been amazing for us.
5 - More of a Free Safety Drill.So whether you play man or zone this is awesome for the FS.It should be a no win situation for the FS but it makes them react and read the QB,WR's & ball.
6 - A really cool drilll that kids like.We line it up with cones and they always get knocked over but it teaches them to move while back pedaling.
7 - More of a drill for our front zone guys in our 2-3/2-1-2.We dont worry about the sink hips part.Our main thing is teaching them how to shuffle.We just use cones or a bag for them.
8 - I'm sure alot of you coaches already do this.Definitely something we do more as the season is starting to see what kind of athletes the kids are but its great for conditioning.
9 - This is kind of confusing at first but the kids loved this.We didnt worry about the drop part just the sprinting,shuffle,backpedal ect...Again another drill that the kids like and is good for conditioning.
10 - Basic catch and throw drill.However this is were we teach kids how to catch with there hands and not there body and tucking the ball in.Its very very basic but amazing.Its lowered our drops.We do this at the start of almost every practice.Only takes 5-10 mins
11 - Every kid loved this drill.We have our QB throw to them.for teams who run man to man its good for coverage.its good for the WR getting open and the QB because hes throwing.We get in there as coaches and do this and the kids really like going up against us too lol.
12 - Warmup drill for the QB.I would also suggest having your QB stand with both feet towards the WR and him just swinging his hips and not moving his feet.
13 - Another warmup drill for the QB.Gets there arm going before practice/game.
14 - QB drill.I just have the defenders wave there arms back and for without moving there body.
15 - RB drill.We do this for kids who like to juke.We want kids to take 1 step and get up field and not run backwards or try to juke kids.We want them going up field.Good results from this
16 - Whooops same as # 10 lol
17 - Tip drill.I'm sure most of you coaches already do this.Sometimes we will have the WR tip it and have a defensive guy behind them to go catch it.Good practice for your QB throwing also.

Coaches feel free to post up any drills you have with pictures here also.

Here is my finalized playbook for the Spring 2010 season.  If you have any questions please let me know and I'll be glad to help you.

Suggestions always welcome.

Here is my playbook, enjoy! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Coach Juan

Coaches,

I've uploaded an example of our Spring 2011 Playbook.
This is the most recent revision but obviously still needs some work.

You'll notice each position has a color, shape, and number.
This allows the kids to catch on faster during practice.
It also confuses defenses by allowing 3 different calls (color, shape, number) for the same play.
In addition you can call an audible color should a receiver come open.
Lastly we sometimes will call 2 colors for a HB pass. (i.e. Balanced-Purple-Red-Go).

Bear in mind most of these plays and information has been gathered through this forum.
All I did was modify some of the plays for 10U and add the color, shape scheme. Thanks to all who helped provide the plays.
Let me know your thoughts.

JB

You'll probably recognize a lot of the plays in this book. This board has been very valuable. For your enjoyment.

One of my favorite plays, I call it an automatic play for short yardage, is the center drag.  One of the things that I love to do is proceed it with a fake end around, even in the no-run zone.  It's such a good misdirection play that it even works in the no-run zone.  It's kind of funny, the other teams coach will be yelling, they have to pass!  My receiver comes around and they all bite on the run anyway.  Sometimes the other coach will even yell, run! when he sees the end around forming (the same guy who just a second ago said they have to pass).  Make sure the receiver comes quickly either in motion or from the slot.  Then have the center get just on the goal line and the qb sprint down the los with him (5-7 yards minimum).  Alternatively the center can do a quick slant opposite the fake end around, just clear of the end zone but have him delay a little.

Another good play, is a flood or wash-type play.  This version is from Coach Rob: Line up 3 receivers to the right of the center.  On the snap those 3 receivers all run slants across the middle.  The center delays and runs underneath them the other direction.  Have your qb fake pump it at the crossing group and the center should be wide open.  I'm going to post my updated playbook and you can see a version of it there.  Also, check out the Orlando I-9 playbook I posted.  There is a delay slant that does something similar.

My philosophy is similar, I want all the kids to have fun and be able to try the different positions.  I spoke at length with my assistant coach and it turns out his ideas are not that different from mine.  We have 11 kids on the team and there are only 2 of them that have limited skills (both are a whole year younger too).  His idea was more geared towards them, having them specialize in something simpler that they can do well.  It will give them more satisfaction due to more success and let them concentrate on a small number of tasks (the other kids being older and more proficient can handle many more assignments).  We'll incorporate them in all the other aspects of practice of course, but we'll give them some easy plays designed just for them (we'll call it our secret plays or something, they'll love it).  We've also found that only 3-4 kids really want to play qb, so that problem solved itself.

One of the big problems we encountered during the game is that on every play, everyone is open and wants the ball.  My assistant calls the plays in the huddle on offense and he said it was really bothering him as he was bombarded by chatter while he's trying to call the play.  It was the same last season and I witnessed it in the huddle too.  At tonights practice I'm going to institute my "no asking for the ball plan."  Any player who asks for the ball, tells us he was open, why don't you pass it to me, etc., will be taken out of the game for a minimum of two plays.  I'm going to impliment it our scrimmage and hopefully it will eliminate the problem.  

It got so bad that one of our players was moping and crying on the sideline because he wanted the ball.  Of course he caught several passes during the game but he wanted more.  We have a lot of kids that can catch and run well, plus we move the ball quickly downfield so we have fewer possessions to spread around.  Some players only get one touch (I make sure everyone gets at least one), while if someone gets 3-4 that's a lot on our team.  It's a good problem to have so many capable players but some of my kids need to be broken of this whining habit.

I'm coaching my son's flag football team and I think I have a decent idea of what's going on.  But I was wondering if anyone can offer additional insight

The team is a 7-8 year old team.  The basic rules are 6-on-6, kid quarterback, qb cannot run, defense can rush after 10 second count.

I coached the same group of kids at the lower level and it was coach quarterback.  So this is a big step for them and us coaches allowing the kids to qb.  I do have one challenge.  Both of my assistants are insiting that I pick 1-2 quarterbacks and stick with them.  That goes against my idea of playing maybe 4-6 quarterbacks, probably not 6 in any given game but definitely 3-4 per game.  My idea is to have 2-3 that will do more of the passing but the others can take snaps and handoff.  I was told that one of the other teams is putting everyone into positions and having the kids tryout for spots.  Heck, I want everyone to play everything.  During the game I'll make sure that my key stoppers are in position when it counts but I was wanting to have everyone play everything.  Thoughts?

My offensive gameplan is pretty simple, keep the ball moving forward.  I have two basic runs and some basic quick passes.  From what I can see, any kind of long passes or drop back passing is unrealstic.  I have my qb either rolling out or hitting some very quick slants and curls.  

On defense we ran man-to-man all last season.  But with the kids as quarterback it makes much more sense to me to play zone.  I'm curious what other people have experienced.  My idea is to have 2 cbs in the flats, 2 safties splitting the field deep, one lineman on the center and a mlb.  I want my cbs and safeties to stay home and my lineman and mlb to follow the ball side to side.

Give me your thoughts please.  I'm most curious as to what kinds of defenses we should expect to see.

I don't think you're in the minority.  Good coaches know they must have structure and rules or chaos will ensue, especially at the younger ages.   I think your 'Lord of the Flies' reference is spot on.  

 

My point about "fun" has to do more with all the surrounding factors controlled by the coach. I don't think just having rules or structure will always solve the frustrations described by the OP.  I've run into teams that (and been guilty myself):

 

-have practices that drag on too long

-drills that drag on too long

-drills that aren't fun

-kids standing in lines too long

-being way too serious 

-having a boring team name or no team name

-no team chant or cheer

-not allowing anytime for the kids to just "play" in practice

-getting too wrapped up in the standings

-getting too wrapped up in the execution of plays

-not being creative, doing the same things every practice

-not seeking input from other experienced coaches 

-correcting more than encouraging

-not laughing

-not allowing them to be kids

 

I'm all for maintaining control in practice,having rules of conduct for team members, and instilling confidence in players.  However, if a coach is doing some of the items listed above and still expects the kids to "have fun" and not get grumpy or bored, it probably won't happen. 

 

Like I said, I'm probably in the minority.  I don't view "fun" and "structure" as two things in tension that need to be balanced.  Football is a game, and games are fun.  But even a funhouse has concrete under it.

 

As a coach or volunteer coach, my first responsibility is to the collective experience of the team.  And for better or worse, Playground Etiquette 101 is part of any group activity, even at age 5.  

 

If a 6 year old isn't having fun because his i9 coach thinks he's grooming the '85 Bears, that's the coach's fault.  

 

If a 6 year old isn't having fun because acting out and being disruptive aren't tolerated, that's not the coach's fault.  That's not even the kid's fault.  That's Dad's fault.  

 

If a 6 year old is acting out and being disruptive, and (volunteer) coach never visits with Dad about it and/or doesn't ask Dad for air cover during the other 167 hours in the week, that's coach's fault.  

 

As someone once said:  There's no such thing as bad dog; there are only bad owners.   

 

6 year old kids are gonna mess up constantly.  But having structure isn't the same as maintaining discipline.  At the end of the season, I may or may not have a "disciplined" team.  But it isn't about discipline.  It's about confidence.  It's about having a shared experience.  It's about having goals that 6 year old kids can visualize, and, more importantly, are within their power to achieve (since not everyone that age can catch and score touchdowns).         

 

Each season my parting words to parents are always the same:  

 

-- Thanks for sharing your Saturdays with me and my sons.  

-- I hope your child enjoyed the ###### out of the season.  

-  I hope your child learned something from me and the other coaches about competition, teamwork, and the game of football.  (In that order.)  

Great points, very practical.   I'm in agreement with the "fun" part not being equal to horsing around.  Definite need for a few rules that must be followed like you stated in the beginning (e.g. mouthpiece out when speaking, etc.).   I couldn't agree more on getting a few decent QBs and centers, or else you end up with tons of bad exchanges and wasted ball touch opportunities.  We usually tried to get everyone in at QB sometime during the season though.  Especially in practices.

 

Some of the challenges can be:

 

-the league and what they emphasize (e.g., everyone must play all positions)

-parents who drop off kids and really aren't interested in the sport, they just use it as a babysitter of sorts

-kids whose parents forced them to play

-kids with issues. everything from a single parent home to problems at home

 

A few years back I filled in for a 5-7 y/o team b/c they didn't have a coach. I had a kid that was just strange.  He'd step on my foot really hard when in the huddle, lie on the ground, not want to participate in drills, etc.  My immediate reaction was to sit him out. Dad would show up with his younger brother, drop him off and leave.  He'd refuse to run with the ball and made it hard in general.   Come to find out, mom was in the hospital with terminal cancer.  This kid had no clue how to deal with it, so he acted out.  That didn't give him a pass to do whatever he wanted, but it changed the way I dealt with him.

 

I think there needs to be a balance between having fun and maintaining some type of structure/discipline.  I'm going to err on the side of fun though, as I've watched lots of kids come up through the rec levels, only to quit playing because it wasn't fun anymore.  

 

One key ingredient that I forgot to mention in my initial post was ENCOURAGEMENT.  You can't give too much of that out.  I don't think you need to be fake and constantly shout out accolades, but honest encouragement can go a long way with these kids.  It will keep them coming back for more.

 

Good points Alpha.

I started coaching pee wee football in 2008.  I have some very specific thoughts about tactical team management for 5-7 year olds, although probably not shared by everyone for that age group.

 

1.  Coaching young boys is no different than training dogs.  You need structure, you need consistency, you need patience.  I stress fun, but my kids learn very early on that having fun as a team is different than horsing around and being silly.  They raise their hands and line up and conform every day in the school cafeteria.  No reason they can't do same on the field.  I don't let little things slip:

 

- players must take their mouthpieces out before speaking to me or asking a question

- players must listen and make eye contact when I'm speaking (or a teammate is speaking)

- players may not talk over another player or coach

- I don't accept head-nodding or "yeah" as acceptable responses to a question

- etc

 

You don't have to holler.  If you're consistent, you hardly even have to raise your voice.  Just don't be afraid to call out a player who isn't conforming.  If your'e speaking to the team and Johnny is looking down and digging in the dirt -- stop talking and look at him.  The silence is deafening.  He'll notice, turn red, and you'll continue on without ever saying a word about it.

 

If you're consistent, moments like that are opportunities, not frustrations.       

 

2.  Keeping young minds engaged is the hardest part about coaching 5-7 year olds.  Some boys will tend to watch birds or play in the dirt whenever it's not their turn to carry the ball.  Call them out if they do, but be fair to them by stacking the deck in their favor.  Make sure everyone has a "job" if they're on the field.  No responsibilities = lots of standing around = things quickly turn into "Lord of the Flies."  

 

3.  Get an assistant coach. It will help with #1 and #2.  Have someone help you run practices and manage the sidelines during a game (substitutions, decorum, etc.).

 

4.  Further to #2 and #3, separate the team and run smaller practices (e.g., 2+ concurrent drills).  Maximize involvement and minimize standing around.  Most young kids also have a hard time learning things in the abstract.  So the more you can do to create muscle memory, the better. 

5. Minimize unnecessary variables and focus on doing a handful of small things well. This may mean rotating certain positions less frequently early on, especially at QB and center. However, good ball exchanges will go a long way to reducing their learning curves.  It will also help you maximize ball distribution to 10+ kids.  I also do things like call "Ready" and "GO!" instead of letting my 5 y/o QB do it.  Basically, I try to take the reins on anything that commands their attention if it will help with consistency. 

6. Make a big deal about defense. Chasing things and catching them is in the DNA of little boys. However, your defensive instruction will be harder for them to visualize than offense, which only really requires that your players be able to trace a treasure map with their feet.  About half your boys will chase, but not engage, the ball carrier when they get close to him.  I usually have no problem getting every kid in the endzone during the season, but it's sometimes a struggle to get every kid at least one flag-pull at that age. But if you can get them fired up about it, suddenly you have something they can focus on and enjoy when it's NOT their turn to carry the ball.  And that's a real victory at this age.  It can also be a real alpha builder.  I can't tell you how many times confidence on defense turned a total paste-eater on our team into a difference maker.   

7. On offense, keep things simple and make sure each kid has something to focus on. I've found it's hard for kids their age to visualize plays, and it's twice as hard for them to visualize plays if they're required to know them at multiple positions. It can be done, but we only practice 1 hour each week and I don't waste time trying. Consequently, I don't coach my kids to know plays. I coach them to be coachable on the field and in the huddle. The kids do this by memorizing 2 running routes and 5 points on the field relative to the LOS ("A, B, C, little A, little C"). That's it. That's the offense. I line the kids up and whisper each boy's route assignment into his ear. "Johnny -- run to A." "Billy -- run to C, then B." "Sammy - run dive 1 and take the handoff." The result is, when the ball is snapped, a visually complex play HAPPENS, although no one kid actually knows the "play." This allows us to orchestrate complex plays on the fly and confuse the holy ###### out of 5-7 year olds playing defense. It also gives me the freedom to rotate positions freely since "run to A" is easy to do from anywhere on the field.  Feel free to disagree with this. 

Good on you for taking on the head coach position.  Not an easy one, that's for sure.  With some planning and a few more tools in your tool belt, this won't seem as frustrating.  I've included a link towards the bottom that will point you to a thread on this site discussing exactly what you're talking about.   Definitely worth a look.

 

Off the top of my head here are a few things:

 

#1) Your title says it all, they're 5-7 yr olds.  If you keep that in mind and expect them to ask questions, fall on the ground, get bored, say goofy things, etc., it won't be as frustrating.

 

#2) Plan out your practice on paper. Have a list of spare drills to pull from in case the current drill isn't working.  Keep your practice moving with short, fun, fundamental drills.  Spending 10 minutes on the proper way to take a hand off will end in chaos.  

 

#3) They want to have FUN.  Standing in lines, doing boring drills and being cold isn't fun.  If they're talking at the dinner table about how much FUN they had at flag practice today, you're rocking.

 

#4) Get help.  Find an assistant and ask for help during practice from parents and older siblings.  

 

#5) Use rewards.  "If you guys give me 3 more good flag pulls in this drill, we'll do that one drill you guys think is so cool."

 

#6) Don't be too hard on yourself.  It's flag football, these are 5-7 yr olds, and you're a volunteer.  

 

#6) Just because you're making the drills fun, coming up with a goofy team name, having a crazy team cheer, doesn't mean you can't expect them to follow instructions.  You can have your set of simple rules, I'd keep it short and sweet.  Maybe 3 total.

 

Check out the link to those other discussions.  Feel free to ask questions as you go along.  

 

http://www.y-coach.c...pic=2013&p=8806

I just wanted to take a minute and thank everyone for their input into this great resource for youth coaches. I have used a mix of plays provided here with a good balance between rushing and passing. I have learned a ton of information here by just reading through the forums.

Last fall my team was dead last in the division, winning only one game all season. This season with only 3 returning kids, and 4 new players, our Wildcats took the division!!!

We lost 2 of our first 3 games, then won the rest of our games to become the division champs. There were 4 teams in the division, and 3 out of the four were pretty evenly matched, so we had some really good competition. I had 2 assistant coaches that worked hard with the kids on DEFENSE. It is true what they say about defense... it is what will make the difference in the end.

We really turned a corner after that second loss. Our defense stepped up in a huge way, and the kids started to calm down on offense, and started really executing the plays well, every down. Every kid made huge contributions on both sides of the ball. I highly recommend having someone on your team keep track of individual stats during the games, and as the coach review them often to make sure kids are getting ball touches on offense. I believe this was another reason we did so well. We never had to depend on our "go to" players to get a win or make a big play, EVERY KID made a big play at some point during the season. This approach also kept the opponent's defense off balance because I could confidently go to any one of my kids on offense and know they had a good chance to make a play.

I used 2 kids at QB, with one kid later in the season who showed some enthusiasm and wanted to try it out. I asked almost every week who wanted to play QB, and only those 3 ever showed interest. I don't want any kid to feel like they have to play a position they don't want to play.

As a coach calling plays on the field I learned to watch what the defense was doing and keep them off balance. Some of our most successful plays we simple pitches to a running back, or a short play action pass. The best way to make things happen on offense in flag football is using really good misdirection plays and teaching your QB's and backs to make really good fakes and looks. I always told my QB on a pass play to make a fake pitch or hand-off, and never look at your primary receiver until that receiver made their cut, or beat the coverage. That tactic alone made for some really big plays with the receiver wide open down field. I had a rule that the receiver had 2 seconds to get open and look for the ball, the QB had 3 seconds to deliver the ball.

We worked on our pass rush a lot too. My kids had a tendency to over-run the QB or the RB on a blitz and then get beat. We told them to "Chop" your feet when you got close to the passer/runner not letting them get past, slowing them down, make them make the mistake, that created all kinds of problems for the other teams.

Our final playoff game was amazing. It was back and forth most of the game. We ended up tied at 24 at the end of regulation. In overtime each team has 4 plays to score from midfield. We won the coin toss and elected to try to score first, and we did it in 4 plays!!! We did not convert the extra point (neither team converted an extra point the whole game!) The other team (The Fury) took the field and got the ball down inside the 1 yard line in 3 plays. On the forth play they tried a short pass and our excellent pass coverage knocked the ball down! My Wildcats won the game with DEFENSE!

I am so very proud of those kids, and I am officially addicted to coaching flag football. My son is 12 years-old now, so we will play at least 2 more seasons with i9, then maybe he will decide to pursue full contact ball in high school.

Good luck coaches!

Coach Andy Yarnell
Lakewood, CO

Probably too late to this party, but I'd abandon the 5 across.   With regards to your player, remember this is 3rd/4th grade flag football.  Giving those developing players a chance to grow and learn is part of this whole coaching gig.  Sticking him in a position where he can't get into too much trouble also won't give him the opportunities to get better.

My problem is motivation.  Not sure how to get them to give me some more effort.  I don't want to yell and I don't want to spend my practice having them run laps.  I'm open to any suggestions since we have 4 games left in the season.  

You must have a blocking rule for them to follow. Knowing who to block and blocking the correct man is more important than how well they block. Removing doubt about assignments allows them to be more aggressive.

Do you film? If not ask your parents to film the game for you.

Do you teach hands or shoulder blocking? I went to shoulder blocking this year as opposed to hands (I have the same ages). The reason why isn't that I think a shoulder block is superior to a hands block (whole other debate). What I found with hands blocking was for a lot of the kids at this age it turned into a "chicken fight". Shoulder blocking demands that they put a "body on a body".

Keys

• Quick 1st 2 Steps, man who gets his 2nd Step down first has the advantage.
• I'd tell you to have them stay low but the truth is a lot of them play high at this age, when they do the stronger ones always win.
• Stress to keep the feet moving, wide base. DRIVE, DRIVE, DRIVE.
• During drills excessivley praise the effort/technique you are looking for when you see it.
• You can also teach a CRAB/SHOESHINE block.

What you can do with 4 weeks left. Yelling doesn't do anything at this age (or most ages for that matter).

Rep them everyday. Teach them to HIT...not block. Blocking isn't fun, hitting is.

Bag Work with emphsis on 1st 2 steps.
Board Drills 1 on 1 - push your man out of the circle.
Oklahoma type drills.

Has anyone ever thought of or devised a way to use an iPad or netbook for their playbook?  The idea is to avoid keeping paper copies of the playbook and possibly even having an animated playbook to show younger players exactly what to do on a given play.