439 replies to this topic

[Johnp2]

Hey Coaches,

Need some insight on slowing down the game, FOR ME. I am having difficulty getting players a play on offense and who goes where during the game. We have only had two practices and are limited to about 40 min. of practice before we play our games. It is a bit kaotic for me and the kids don't get a chance to rotate so each has a chance to contribute on offense (should I design a play for each kid?). I have only two QB's per game, 1 each half. But are different each game. This being said we are 2-0 but I feel like I am failing at getting each child a pass to catch or run to execute. This is important to me and THEM.

Thanks

How old are your players? I would recommend designing a few plays for each position. Assign each player to a primary position, and you won't have to worry about rotating them--they will always know where to go. Also, because your playbook has plays for each position, you just call those plays--which ensures you spread the ball around. As an example, the Center has the same number of running plays as the RB. As long as you go through your play sheet, the position itself is a moot point--and you have to express this to the players.

Regarding QB, I imagine it's pretty difficult to get all players embedded into that position. It sounds as if most of them will only play it once or twice during the season--is this correct? Not sure how much responsibility you give that position, but I've always had two QBs. For one, it's his primary position, and the other it's is secondary position. However, if you've promised the kids/players that each one will get a crack at QB, then I like the way you are doing it.

Some coaches on here track "touches" during the game (or have their assistant or a parent do it). This helps to ensure you get all kids the ball.

Hope this helps.

[GeorgeC]

Need some insight on slowing down the game, FOR ME.

Here is what we do, for what it's worth. I was really concerned about the 25 seconds to get the play off. My playbook is in Powerpoint. Each of the positions is color-coded. The day of the game, I come up with my roster and print it out. All of the kids get to see what position they are playing. When we start the first quarter, I show them again to make sure they know what position that they are playing and what color they are.

Per another suggestion in this thread, we always line up twins formation.

And using another suggestion from this thread, I have my playbook printed out and laminated. I print 4 to a page.

And more suggestions from this thread: In the huddle, the kids all line up in the same position that they are going to be in. They can look at the play, they know what color they are.

We've got 11 kids and we use three of them as QBs. I rotate them with the wide receiver position, generally a series at a time. With this color-coding scheme, I can pretty easily rotate kids and they know what to do.

We do keep track of touches on the sideline with one parent helping. If one kid hasn't had his share, we'll inject a play to call his number.

Attached Files

•  roster.jpg   22.47K   112 downloads

[plmqwk]

Thanks Guys,

The color code assignments is the way to go here. I have also reduced the number of plays we will be using for the rest of the season. Last week was exciting although we lost. We actually would have beat an undefeated team if the winning touchdown wasn't called back due to offsides by our wideout. (refs never saw it but the kids dad was yelling at him to get behind the LOS). We play 5 on 5 and only seven kids showed up so I had some confusion due to the re-aligning of my roster plan and two kids wanting a "break" in the middle of play. However having two plays per position allowed me to assure each kid got a shot at touching the ball on offense without having to concentrate on that too much.

With the loss this week and the struggle in a win last week allowed me the opportunity to speak to these kids about a persons character. They never got discouraged and just kept their heads up and the effort was awesome. A chance to see first hand that a best effort doesn't always provide the desired result but one can always walk away with their head up knowing they gave thier all. I told them effort is always easy when your winning, how you respond to difficulty shows your real character and theirs was very strong. Great lessons for 3rd - 5th graders.

[LemonThrower]

there are a variety of ways to call plays. depends on what is most important to you. i have a friend who does the color thing - he gives each kid on the field a different color wrist band so everyone remembers who is what color. other guys have a large laminated play card with every play diagram shrunk down.

i have a playbook but i find it hard to use in the huddle. instead i draw up the plays with a white board each time. instead of drawing an O for each offensive player, i draw their initials and an arrow of where the play goes for them. we generally run the same small number of plays each time, but with minor tweaks. i find it easier to draw up the play than to find the right page in the playbook. also, the kids seem to focus more as i draw the play.

i like the whiteboard because you have to be flexible. if the other team is doing one thing, then you have to do another.

also, i'll run a play and keep running it until the other team defends it. then i'll draw up a play that looks just like it but is very different. so i might run a pass play by lining all my receivers on the left side of the ball. then i'll run an end around out of the same formation. its hard to pull that off with a playbook or a color coded system unless you are changing players colors on the fly, and if you are doing that then you are losing most of the benefit of the color.

I generally have 2 squads and 2 QBs but rotate everyone else.

i don't focus on per game stats but i do try to even it out. if someone didn't get many touches in a game, in the next game they get the ball first and they get it alot.

i do keep stats and watch film, and i'm often surprised to see kids on film or on the states page contributing that i didn't quite notice in the game.

as for rotating players, in my experience i have always had a big spread between the best and worst player. I'm mindful of that, and have found ways to get a score for everyone or nearly everyone. but I try not to put a kid in a position where he can't succeed. so the slow runners don't get many handoffs but when its time for a short pass for a FD or TD or XP i design the play to go to them. or ill let the best runner run a handoff say to the right, then i'll run the same play with a fake to the best guy to the right and actually give it to a lesser player to the left.

[coach Maldo]

Hello folks, first off thanks for the insight. I've been reading these threads for a few weeks and finally decided to sign up.

I'm two games into coaching my first flag football season.

On to the specifics:
- I am coaching my sons 5-6 year old, 8 on 8 flag football team.
- as stated, this is my first time coaching any sport, ever.
- two weeks in, we are 0-2. First game we lost 14-0 Second game we lost 28-7.

Needless to say, it's been an awesome experience thus far. Although we lost by more the second game, I thought we played much better even though the score doesn't reflect that. I must point out we are supposed to track plays so a kid can't run/catch it before every kid has had the opportunity to do so once. I have been sticking my that routine, I do know the other coaches have loosely abided by this rule, with their star players taking a couple extra runs out of turn..whatever.

I feel my defense has improved tremendously, even though we gave up 4 td's last game. Despite that, I felt we made many more defensive stops than we did week 1.

I guess my reason for posting this is my offense needs work....

Our snap to the qb is much improved, and even the handoff isnt taking that long, but too often our backfield is blown up as soon as my kid gets the handoff without any room/time to run. Granted we had a nice drive last game in which we connected multiple runs together to score our first td of the season. But beyond that, our gains were few and far between.

Obviously I need to get them blocking better, maybe put them in a better position/alignment, but I am looking for any suggestions on this.

I must say, I do believe for this age group(5-6 yrs. old) 8 on 8 is just too many kids on the field. Most plays I have about 4 kids that will set up and stay in position while the other 4 are uninterested, goofing off, pulling their own flags off their jersey..

I have a 12 kid roster, so I usually have 2 to 4 kids on the sideline, rotating them in/out.

The other teams look much better prepared and more disciplined(not sure if they are sticking to the 2 day/1 hour max practice rule or not)
Quick note, I've mostly been running with just a single back in the backfield. I was going to try a wishbone formation to use the extra back as a blocker but we are getting confused rb's on who's running, who's blocking.


anyways, any suggestions would be welcome.

thank you in advance!!!