Coach Art prepping the team pre-game.
In order for a player to learn, the input must be in a "comprehensible" format. In football, jargon can get in the way. Don’t assume that through sheer exposure and repetition that the players will "soak up" the right football-related skills or abilities.
I once had a great opportunity to coach a girl’s flag football team, ages 14-17. I was initially challenged by their lack of basic football knowledge. As we split up the team into sides for practice, I said, "OK, you ladies will play Offense today, and you’ll play Defense." One of them raised her hand and asked, "What’s Defense?" I knew we had a ways to go.
Later that practice, we started route-running drills. Most of the girls were having a tough time of it, not because they were incapable of learning the routes, but because they didn’t understand why it was important.
Then it struck me, a way I could translate this knowledge into more familiar terms for my girls. "How many of you have taken dance classes?" I asked them. Nearly all raised their hands. "Good," I said, "think of this as choreography. It’s just like steps. It's movement, body control." I explained to them that the routes were vital to the success of our passing plays because they allowed proper timing between QB and WR’s, made sure the WR’s ended up in the right spot on the field at the right time, and created more space from the defender for the catch.
I told them: "Now you see why it matters. And I know you can learn the steps, because you’ve each had about 5-10 years of dance lessons, right? So let’s get to work." And, sure enough, many of the girls took to it very quickly and became very capable route-runners.
When coaching youth especially, avoid making your team a "sink or swim" learning environment. Make every effort to demystify football for your young players. Introduce them to jargon the same way you would teach words in a foreign language. Most of all, find the links that make the "football stuff" relevant to the player's life.
What works well for your team? Share your thoughts in the comments box or via Twitter @MyCoachArt, or on Facebook on the "Winning Flag Football" page.
I once had a great opportunity to coach a girl’s flag football team, ages 14-17. I was initially challenged by their lack of basic football knowledge. As we split up the team into sides for practice, I said, "OK, you ladies will play Offense today, and you’ll play Defense." One of them raised her hand and asked, "What’s Defense?" I knew we had a ways to go.
Later that practice, we started route-running drills. Most of the girls were having a tough time of it, not because they were incapable of learning the routes, but because they didn’t understand why it was important.
Then it struck me, a way I could translate this knowledge into more familiar terms for my girls. "How many of you have taken dance classes?" I asked them. Nearly all raised their hands. "Good," I said, "think of this as choreography. It’s just like steps. It's movement, body control." I explained to them that the routes were vital to the success of our passing plays because they allowed proper timing between QB and WR’s, made sure the WR’s ended up in the right spot on the field at the right time, and created more space from the defender for the catch.
I told them: "Now you see why it matters. And I know you can learn the steps, because you’ve each had about 5-10 years of dance lessons, right? So let’s get to work." And, sure enough, many of the girls took to it very quickly and became very capable route-runners.
When coaching youth especially, avoid making your team a "sink or swim" learning environment. Make every effort to demystify football for your young players. Introduce them to jargon the same way you would teach words in a foreign language. Most of all, find the links that make the "football stuff" relevant to the player's life.
What works well for your team? Share your thoughts in the comments box or via Twitter @MyCoachArt, or on Facebook on the "Winning Flag Football" page.
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