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Anybody here ever coach Pop Warner football? (1 Viewer)

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T.J.

T.J.

Nitro Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
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408
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48
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Leander, Tx (near Austin)
Just curious if anybody here has ever coached Pop Warner football before? This is my first year coaching my son's team in tackle (I've coached his past 2 years in flag) and I am AMAZED at how much conditioning 5, 6, and 7 year olds must go thru before they can get into pads!!! We are practicing Mon- Fri for 2 hours a day, for 2weeks before they can have contact drills! Its pretty funny watching them when they put the helmets on for the first time:p! I am blessed to have 3 dads who volunteered to help assistant coach and to have so many great athletes on the team!
If you have coached before or have had kids involved, please share your thoughts and experiences!!!
 
Registered member said:
Just curious if anybody here has ever coached Pop Warner football before? This is my first year coaching my son's team in tackle (I've coached his past 2 years in flag) and I am AMAZED at how much conditioning 5, 6, and 7 year olds must go thru before they can get into pads!!! We are practicing Mon- Fri for 2 hours a day, for 2weeks before they can have contact drills! Its pretty funny watching them when they put the helmets on for the first time:p! I am blessed to have 3 dads who volunteered to help assistant coach and to have so many great athletes on the team!
If you have coached before or have had kids involved, please share your thoughts and experiences!!!
Click to expand...
I've helped coached here in Iowa Tim.

Yea..I was even concerned about how serious some parents were. Pretty early for hard core conditioning. If the workouts are light..but work up a sweat..hey..I'm in with 'em! I was a big push behind being the age group. We don't want helmet first tackles..blocks below the knees, etc.

This is the fundamental stage..blocking..waist high tackles..arms up pass blocking.

The whole point is it has to remain fun. It's no fun when 5-7 yr olds are tired. Lots of fluids..laughing and edumacation..hehe.

Your a good man, Tim..that's great volunteering right there.
 
14 years here with three different sons.
Make sure you delegate responsibilities and, as David says, teach the fundamentals. Most high school programs don't teach basic skills, they just take the best athletes and place them strategically. Every young man must learn skills to be a valued team member while he is on the field.
Psychology is also very important. When you teach them to believe their skills/preparation/attitude is superior to their opponent, they are far more apt to win and believe even more in themselves. Winning isn't everything but losing sucks so prepare winners then win. Then in life, they won't stand for mediocrity, they'll excel.

I coached defense only and taught the philosophy that if we never let them across the 50 yard line, we can never lose a game. I further taught each youth to perform a very specific responsibility. Their mistakes were my fault not theirs and I accepted full responsibility for such. These youngsters don't need to be yelled at, (never cursed at!) but soak up praise like a sponge.

The rewards are building enough of a bond to fill in empty spaces in their lives. I knew who was struggling in school because I communicated with their parents (or more often than not, their parent or guardian.) I felt it my responsibility to earn enough trust to be able to encourage them in other areas of their lives as needed. It's not about football, it's about building character and football (or sports, in general) is one awesome way to teach real life principals.
Other rewards include watching your players grow up and succeed in life. In my own sons' cases, they didn't have to pay for college. The relationship you build with these youngsters will last a lifetime good or bad so give it a great deal of effort, study, love, appreciation and praise. You'll be just fine!
This will be one of the best jobs you ever had!
 
Here in Albuquerque we have YAFL(Young Americans Football league) for 8 to 14 years olds. My Brother and I had seriously thought of trying to coach cause they had such a shortage of coaches, kids were being turned away. After talking to about a dozen former coaches we decided agains't it! The Parents are the Biggest problem bar none! Every Parent thinks their kid is the stud, and should be Quarterback, or Running back. I met one guy who didn't even last a full season after continuous run-ins with this kids Mom over playing time.. No Thanks!!!!!:confused:
 
Last edited:
Come on Joe,
If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen but I see you as one who could handle the "issues" that come along with the job. Every job has them and the rewards far supersede the bumps you encounter. These kids are our future.
 
So far we have had 2 parents be "problem" parents, but 1 of them didnt even begin with us and ended up moving up because he was over the max weight limit. (Of course it was my fault because of course I'm the one who makes the rules:rolleyes:)
The other told me after the 3rd day that he wanted to help because he thought the kids should be learning different things, but I told him we are doing conditioning now and adding snaps, working on hand offs, and a bunch of foot work drills on a daily basis! Of course he gives me the " I played college ball":rolleyes: (but he wouldnt commit to volunteering) and I would like to help. You cant please all the parents and have to learn to "tune em out". I told him if he wanted to help, then work with his kid at home..1 on 1 so he could stay focused and not be distracted by other kids and that way he would know the drills and so the child would feel important when he could help the other kids having trouble! Of course he turned and walked away with saying another word, but if you let 1 parent come out then all will want to give there opinions, so you cant let it begin.
We are lucky though because after our Friday practice all the parents gave myself and the other coaches praise for how much fun we were making it for the kids! Every Firday if we have a productive week, we call it "Fun Friday" and we do fun drills such as working on catching with water balloons (Its amazing how much this drill works and how the kids are having so much fun they forget it's a drill)
I would recommend coaching to anyone who is thinking of doing so!!!Seeing the kids reaction when the do good is SO worth it!!
 
Good stuff, Tim.

We have rules where the parents aren't allowed to interfere..in any way. Unruly parents are escorted from the premises. 2nd offense the child goes with them..which works well..hehe.

Keep it fun..sounds like things are going great.

I like that water balloon drill..awesome.
 
I was a coach for three years. Between that, my softball and the boys baseball. I never saw my other family members.

Some additional issues concerning the players. We really kept the kids watered down during heat of pratice and games. Also, made sure that the players equipment was in good condition and the helmet and pads were fit correctly. Allot of injuries were directly related to the helmet and shoulder pads.

Allot of teams really pushed the kids mentally and phyisically beyound their capabilities. I really liked working with the kids, NOT SO WITH SOME OF THE PARENTS.
 
5,6 & 7 yr olds should be nothing but exposed to basic fundamentals and some light conditioning. Good grief they are young children.

Unfortunately..to be pushed beyond what is fun..at this point..could ruin their whole outlook in the future.

Sounds like Tim is having a great time..I admire that..because that gets passed onto the kids.
 
Registered member said:
Come on Joe,
If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen but I see you as one who could handle the "issues" that come along with the job. Every job has them and the rewards far supersede the bumps you encounter. These kids are our future.
Click to expand...

Bobby we do the Printing for the YAFL and I've heard about it from the President of the league! Since my first post I called a guy who does coach and ALL Parents must sign a sportsmanship pledge! Not to go on the field, abuse officials, etc... They now have a Zero tolerance policy, any parents who get out of line are banned from the games.
 
Our parents are required to sign a "zero tolerance behavior" form before we start our conditioning and we also remind them before we begin games that they are just children, not pro teams you heckle from the stands. No parents are allowed on the sidelines unless they are volunteering as part of the "chain gang" and down marker.
So far, I am having as much fun as the kids are, and watching the progression from mon- fri is a great feeling!!! Knowing they are having fun and seeing them thrilled because they are moving quicker thru drills is great. At the beginning of last week when they would finish a drill they would just catch there breathe queitly...now the ones who are finished are cheering on the kids who are still doing the drills! They are really learning teamwork so quickly!!!
 
We don't have Pop Warner league here but do have Midget/Mite Football. No weight restrictions, goes by age 8-13. The past few years they started taking 5 year olds. Hubby didn't want ones that young but was overruled.
We have a big hill that the kids run every day and find that by the middle of the season, conditioning is not an issue at all, heading into the 3rd/4th qtr of a game.
We also have the parents that think their son is the next Tom Brady and we have to remind them that he will be our nose guard, etc...All in all it's great to see the kids play, have fun, and remember us as they get older and play in high school.
 
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