Why Coach?

I often reflect on why I continue to coach. Its a pretty thankless job, and can come with a lot of headaches. Every time your team takes the field you're under scrutiny. Not to mention the hours away from your own family. This week's Sports Illustrated's Point After "Confessions of a Coachaholic" reminded me why I continue to coach. Its the diagramming of plays and the challenge of getting it to work on field like it works on the paper. It's the jotting down of line ups to get the most out of each individual's strengths while trying to hide, or at least minimize, weaknesses. But mostly it's about building the connections with players and the memories built throughout a season and a player's career. One of my favorite memories is of a freshman catcher almost in tears because of the frustration of being unable to make a good throw to second to throw out base stealers, and two years later watching this same player throw out a base stealer for the final out of a state tournament game.


I'm always looking for ideas. Please comment and add what you do that works well.

End of the Season

 The season did not go as expected. We did accomplish some of our goals. Kids stayed out for the sport. We saw improvement from individuals. I always forget how exhausting the season is until the day after the season has been wrapped up, everything has been packed away and I get to go home after school. I'm amazed at how relaxing that always feels.
It really won't be long now and I'll be looking ahead to baseball season. I'll be watching the World Series with some interest. I can't help but watch for fundamental mistakes that aren't even accepted in a high school game. Anybody see the Angel's SS and 3B look at each other as the pop up fell to the ground.


I'm always looking for ideas. Please comment and add what you do that works well.

Getting Up to Speed

Right now we're facing a problem getting players to go at game speed. We've taught the techniques and blocking assignments to take care of the problem of sitting back because they're not sure where to go. We're still slow off the ball and our initial contact is soft, much less sustaining that contact. We did have a good object lesson in practice today when a smaller but aggressive player moved a bigger, athletic, but less aggressive player out of the hole. Playing at game speed is not coming natural to this group. We've scrimmaged with a late whistle to get everybody to stay with the play. We ran wedge after wedge today versus 15 defenders (yes 15) just to promote hard nosed running and sustained blocking at the point of attack. The offense at least started to move the ball.
Another problem is getting backs to cut up field on the power plays at the 8/9 hole. We've had the runner run into the back of the B kicking out on the OLB, or try to run around the outside of the kick out block. Today in practice we ran full speed 11 on 11 plays with me standing at the point to cut upfield. Its kind of interesting to watch the play from right in the middle of it.
Any ideas would be great.

Should You Ever Punt

This week's Sports Illustrated has an interesting article about a high school coach who does not punt. Especially in middle school football, I can very rarely see any benefit to punting. I've seen too many instances where the snap goes bad, the punt doesn't go very far, or its returned to basically the position the ball started. In every case it would've been better to run your best play and take your chances.
I also agree with an onside kick on every kick off. In most cases you're kicking the ball to guys not used to handling it, you don't give up much field position, you have an excellent chance of  recovering the ball, and you're keeping the ball away from the kids your opponent wants carrying the ball. There isn't much, if any, downside to the tactic. I know our varsity team wants the ball squib kicked between the hash mark and the sideline.

Double Wing Power Plays and Transferring Drills to 11 on 11

After the wedges, 38, and 29 Sweeps, I put in the power plays. 88/99 Power and Over 88 Power/Under 99 Power.
Along with putting in the plays I'm trying to get drills we work on in break down sessions in practice to transfer over to 11 on 11. One way I try to accomplish this is, for example, breaking down the creation of a good edge with the pulling guards and lead block by the B back. Immediately after the breakdown session I go into 11 on 11 with an emphasis on the offense. I then try to focus on the skill we just worked on. I'm always amazed, but really shouldn't be, when the first couple of plays the guards and B back go where they are supposed to but make contact with absolutely no one. I always wonder why they think I'm having them pull or lead the play. They honestly don't know where to look when its 11 on 11. So I break the skill down and then immediately apply it to 11 on 11 and correct, showing them where the people they are supposed to block are coming from.
Any ideas on how to get skills worked on in drills to transfer to 11 on 11 would be appreciated.

Link to the Power Plays