wrot52

This is my first year coaching and i am the assistant coach.   It is also our head coaches first year coaching, as a matter of fact its the city's first year with a youth football program.   We are 4 games into the season and are winless.   We are getting better though.   My question is for coaches and any parents on the board.   Our age group is 7 & 8 year olds.   Most haven't played before, but some have.    We have some pretty good players and could probably beat alot of teams if we played those players both ways.  We started not playing any both ways but have slowly moved toward letting a few.   My personal feelings on this are conflicted.  On the one hand I'd like to see us win a few games.   On the other hand i think it is very important at this age group to build a love for the game.  We are losing too many kids to soccer.   So what is your opinion, play everyone so everyone is happy (especially parents of smaller or less skilled players) or let the best,  play for the win.  Our league does have an extra quarter before the game which doesn't count so that the smaller players can get some game time.  Most want to play in the real game though.

I also coach 8 year olds.  I'm a first year coach and rotate all of my players.  I think it keeps it fun for them all.  My first goal is to teach them saftey, the rules, and then the fundamentals.  I want to see all these kids back next year.  That would mean the world to me.  We just got beat 18 to 0 but I asked the kids after the game if they have fun and all said yes.  Most said they wish we could have won the game but that it was okay to loss.  I even had some say to me that they were sorry for not winning.  I told them that they all showed me that they play with heart and never give up and that we will be fine.  Just try to keep it fun for the kids.

I'm not mandated to running I or split back. They would just like you to run those two formations.
I can't have three runningbacks in the back field. So that means no full house T or wish bone. 90% of the teams run I but I would like to give the kids a look at something different.

I'm looking for a playbook that I can use with 8 to 9 yrds. I was going to run the Notre Dame box, but the rules don't allow three back in the back field. I could really use some help. Thanks

WHAT ?!!!!! I HAVE HEARD OF SOME FREAKING DUMB RULES IN YOUTH FOOTBALL BUT THAT TAKES THE CAKE.

Thats not even football. so you can not run wishbone, full house T, wing T, Stack I, I Wing, double wing, single wing, power I, pro I, beast, tripple b, split back veer, OR pretty much any offense invented in the last 100 years.

I would find another leauge or get the rule changed.

I have no clue where you would find a playbook for 8-9 yr olds that does not have at least three backs in the backfield.

Remember a qb, slot, flanker, H back, are all backs if they are off the line of scrimmage.

I would remind your leauge officials of this. apparently most coaches in your leauge have no more knowlege of football other than watching the NFL even most NFL teams have three backs.

I have no clue why they would mandate such a rule? What is their reason for it? did some Dad coach get his little Johnny run over by a full house backfield one year or what?

I would want to know some justification for the rule.

It sickens me to see football ruined by made up rules by ignorant coaches and parents.

I have a better Idea have your leauge officials find you three different playbooks that do not have three backs so you can study and find which system would work best for you.

UNBELIEVABLE!

They say that they don't want three runningbacks in the backfield. All they want you to run is the split back pro set and the I. I like an offense that has alot of misdirection.

Tripple option is tough, at any level and with the limited practice time at the youth level it would be darn tough to run true tripple option.


I used to run an option attack with 10-11 yr olds but mostly outside veer lead option. We ran some plays where we would establish the fullback then ride the fullback pull it then run our speed option with a pitch or keep between the qb and pitch man.

it is very coaching intensive and you need some special kids to run it especially on your line and qb. But it is very effective at the youth level because it is difficult to defend if run right. But it is high risk high reward. You will have some turnovers.

I believe you really need to know option football in order to run it. I had great success with it and I love it but I will not run an option play for the first time in my coaching career this year. I just do not have the practice time nor the athletes year in and year out to justify running option.

Tripple option is tough, at any level and with the limited practice time at the youth level it would be darn tough to run true tripple option.


I used to run an option attack with 10-11 yr olds but mostly outside veer lead option. We ran some plays where we would establish the fullback then ride the fullback pull it then run our speed option with a pitch or keep between the qb and pitch man.

it is very coaching intensive and you need some special kids to run it especially on your line and qb. But it is very effective at the youth level because it is difficult to defend if run right. But it is high risk high reward. You will have some turnovers.

I believe you really need to know option football in order to run it. I had great success with it and I love it but I will not run an option play for the first time in my coaching career this year. I just do not have the practice time nor the athletes year in and year out to justify running option.

I think i'm goin to give it a shot.  If it doesn't work out it's not the end of the world.  I was also thinkin about the Notre Dame box offense.  You have any thoughts?