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How A Youth Coach Turned It All Around

May08
2013 Leave a Comment Written by Guest

Youth football coach Tren Mays discusses some of the challenges he has overcome with his team in this guest article.

(Hastings, Nebraska) I coach the Huskers youth football team in Hastings, NE, home of coaching legend Tom Osborne. Population of 24k. We have 6 teams in our league with around 250 kids playing on a yearly basis. Interest in our league is growing every year and our numbers have remained steady over the last 8 years. Our league is for 4th-6th grades and we added all 4th graders and eliminated 7th graders when the public schools added 7th grade football 7 years ago. We primarily draw youth from 3 areas schools (catholic, public and a rural district), but over the last decade we have grown into a regionally, drawing youth for smaller communities mainly east of us. We have a steady supply of youth athletes who make a two hour round trip to play in our league.

Our youth football league is based on weight and the players are divided into lightweights and heavyweights (squads alternate quarters during our 6 game schedule). We have a minimum weight requirement of 60 lbs and with no max limit. Being a big guy I fought for the no max weight when I got into the league over a decade ago. They used to cut it off at 135 lbs, it was not right to exclude the bigger kids. We divide the 5th and 6th graders in half to set the weight split. All 4th graders play play in the lightweight division with the bigger 4th graders being super lightweights and are restricted to playing in the line. We have a 135 lb limit to carry the ball and those bigger are also restricted to playing line. Each team has two squads on it with around 21+ players on it.

Basically I have two separate youth football teams that I am responsible for and does create its challenges with practices and games. Having a set practice plan is necessary when dealing with this many kids. Over the last 3 years as head coach I have crafted a different practice plan then what most use in our league. Most have separate practices for their lights and heavies on their team. Not a fan of that. Our coaches work with all of our kids, we don’t have light and heavy coaches like the other teams in our league do. We have two squads but we are one team. We divide most of our practices into 4 segments, two individual periods and team periods. We work on offensive and defensive positions at the same time during the individual position time. Our lightweights would be with the offensive position coaches while our heavyweights would work with the defensive position coaches, then would switch. Its a great way to manage our time with in our tight two hour practices. Before we would spend all the time in offensive positions and tackle at the beginning of practice. Now we work on both and do tackle drills throughout our practice time. The kids really bought into the plan last year and it really took off. We got this practice plan from the Hastings High football team. Also my younger brother’s youth team in the our league uses a uses this plan for a portion of his practices.

The Youth Football Online Rocket playbook was just what we needed. My team had struggled for a couple of years since I took over. We were searching for an offensive identity after my first year when the former coach (who spent 17 years coaching our league) helped me and called the plays. I looked at every aspect of my team before last season, we changed our attitudes, the way we practiced, and even they we tackled! My two squads were direct opposites, my heavys were built more on power and ran alot of HB and FB dive, OT plays. We valued every position with a 3 yard and a cloud of dust attitude. My light squad was in big play mode all the time, sprinkled in with a mix of power plays. Alot of jet sweeps. By the end of the year we ran alot of wildcat with zone reads. We had predetermined gives and takes with the zone read. It was pretty tough for mainly 4th graders to stop.

My offensive coordinator/Assist. Head Coach loves to run the HB OT play. I am FB trap/ dive guy and love to pound the rock with the power plays and play solid defense. He runs both offenses, while I run the defenses and coach the O-line.

Our league does have offensive/ defensive restrictions. On offense we cannot have more then 1 guy split to a side. Defensively we have to run a 6 man front (head up on the tackles and guards) The other five players have to line up 5 yards back before the snap. Most teams run a two TE set on offense and rarely split someone out.

I am excited for my 2013 season, we return alot of young players who are very athletic, quick and aggressive. Could be the best team we have had since we won the league title in 2007.

Have a great turnaround story? Share with us at youthfootballonline@gmail.com.

Posted in From the Gut, General Coaching Tips

The Power O Football Play

Feb06
2013 1 Comment Written by Guest

Read Coach Ross Maddalon’s article on the Power “O” football play. Coach Maddalon is the varsity offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Old Bridge High School in Central New Jersey.

The Power “O”

The Power “O”, or Power for short, is an off-tackle play that utilizes a “gap” blocking scheme. The play is used in some form at every level, from youth football to the NFL. Different than the traditional ISO play, the Power play attacks defenses that like to take away the “B” gap from the offense. Through the years, running strong ISO against a 4-3 team with a dominating 3-technique can prove to be difficult. Against an odd front, teams will slant or play their DEs/DTs in the B gaps to take away any type of isolation play. One of the best schemes around for any offense is the gap scheme utilized by the Power play.

Power Blocking Rules

PSTE, PST, PSG – Gap, Down, Backer (Combo blocks can be used if there is no blitz threat)

C – Protect Pulling Guard Hole

BSG – Pull and lead up for PSLB

BST, BSTE – Scoop Playside

The advantages of this scheme…

Blitz-proof – Since it’s a gap scheme, not a man-blocking scheme
Can be run strong or weak
Can be run out of multiple formations, offenses, philosophies

Seen below is an example of the true “Power-O” scheme out of the traditional I-Formation.

The Power play can also be run by Wing-T teams as their “Lead Sweep” play.

Gun and Gun Pistol teams have been running the Power play as a good compliment to their inside and outside zone plays.

More teams, especially at the collegiate and professional levels, are starting to utilize the 1-Back Power scheme against defenses that empty the box. Instead of your PSTE or PST blocking down, they can either Base block or Pass Block their defenders up the field.

The Pulling Guard

We use a “skip” pull method where the BSG will always keep his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage. The BSG will put his backside foot back an inch in his stance so he can explode off that foot first. After the step, he will “skip” with his inside foot, staying low, and staying square towards his destination. I want our guards to seal any leakage before he gets to the hole in order to prevent a bad play. If there is no leakage, he will be able to explode onto the PSLB since his shoulders will still be square to the line of scrimmage.

By incorporating this scheme into your philosophy, you have more answers and fewer questions to what the defense gives you.

Coach Ross recently wrote a great article about implementing an easy pass blocking scheme for youth football.

Follow Coach Ross on twitter: @ MadDawgFBall

Posted in Coaching Offense, General Coaching Tips, Guest Blogs, I Formation, Offensive Linemen, Wing T, Youth Football Free Plays - Tagged I formation, pistol offense, power o football play, single back, Wing T

Youth Football Pass Blocking Schemes- Coach Ross Maddalon

Dec16
2012 Leave a Comment Written by Guest

Read about pass blocking from coach Ross Maddalon. Coach Maddalon is the varsity offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Old Bridge high school in Central New Jersey.

Simple “Quick Game” Pass Protection – Scheme and Technique

I have always been a fan of getting the running backs involved in the passing game. Whether it be out of 3-back, 2-back, or 1-back set, the more outlets you have in the passing game – the better. At the same time, I have tried to simplify our quick game passing scheme to be easy to learn for our linemen. We run the ball more than we pass, so I know time allotted to practice pass protection technique is at a minimum. I have found this scheme and technique is both easy for our offensive linemen to understand as well as fundamentally sound.

The Scheme

When pass blocking we want to slide our offensive line to the side we are throwing the ball. I figure that the offensive tackle is the closest player to the playside emolos (end man on line of scrimmage), so I want him to get his hands down as fast as he can. We have our QB read coverages pre-snap to find out which side he will throw the ball to, so he can check the slide protection at the line if you desire to do so. If we are throwing to the right – the playside OL (RG, RT) will either “Jump-Cut” or “Jump-Punch” their playside gap threats. The backside OL (C, LG, LT) will slide protect to their playside gap threats. If we are throwing to the left, the playside and backside will switch responsibilities. The lone running back in the backfield will block the backside “C” gap.

Figure A -Throwing Right Figure B- Throwing Left

When pass blocking is important to teach your linemen to block a gap – not a man. This is important against blitzing and slanting fronts. The scheme is blitz-proof against C-Gap to C-Gap blitzes. If a defense sends 7 or 8 – someone is guaranteed to be open. Run your best quick game blitz beaters if you see that. I prefer double slants, slant-arrow, or bubble screens.

The Technique

Playside Pass Blocking Technique – We teach our playside OL to either “Jump-Cut” or “Jump-Punch” their playside gap threats. I teach the “Jump-Cut” technique if we are under center. Our “Jump-Punch” technique is taught if we are operating from the shotgun.

“Jump-Cut”

1^st step

The OL will kick back with his outside foot on a 45 degree angle to show pass immediately. He will pop his shoulder pads up to influence the pass rush. This will get the DL to pass rush aggressively – Exactly what we want.

2^nd step

The lineman will cut the DL using the “crab” technique. I want the OL to get his inside shoulder on the outside knee of the DL and “crab” walk into him. If the lineman does a good enough job with his first step, the DL should be pretty easy to cut. This will give the QB a clear lane to throw the ball without having any hands in his face to bat the ball down.

“Jump-Punch”

1^st step

Same first step as above with the “Jump-Cut” technique

2^nd step

The OL will literally jump with both feet into the defender to his playside gap. While he jumps, he will deliver a major punch with both of his hands to the lower abdomen of the DL. He will be bringing all of his force and power into his “Jump-Punch.” As long as he hits the DL low, the DL will be forced to bring his hands down to defend himself. This will clear the QBs vision for throwing the ball.

Backside Technique

Slide Pro

1^st Step

The OL will slide with their playside foot to the their playside gap staying low the entire time. It is important that the OL keeps their shoulders square to the LOS.

2^nd Step

The OL will slide his backside foot to the playside gap. The OL will now have taken over the vacated gap left by the playside OL or adjacent backside OL. Keeping his shoulders square, he will deliver a low punch to any DL or blitzing LB in their gap. It is important to emphasize to the OL that they must keep moving his feet after contact.

This has been the most effective quick game pass blocking protection that I have been using. If we have two backs in the backfield, we can now get one of them involved in the passing game.

Pass blocking protections do not have to be too complicated. Always remember – Easy to teach, simple to learn. It’s the best way to go in youth football!

-Coach Ross Maddalon

Follow Coach Ross on twitter: @ MadDawgFBall

Posted in Coaching Offense, Double Wing, General Coaching Tips, Guest Blogs, I Formation, Offensive Linemen, Quarterbacks, Receivers, Running Backs, Spread Offense, Wing T, Wish Bone - Tagged pass blocking, pass blocking in youth football, pass blocking scheme

Youth Football Kicking- Guest Article by Expert Coach Chris Husby

Aug14
2012 Leave a Comment Written by Guest

Expert Coach Chris Husby from Special Teams Football Academy, breaks kicking down for us. Like the article below for more articles like this!

Youth Football is a very fun and exciting time in many young athletes and parents lives.

For many of them, it’s their first introduction to playing competitive football. Many kids have dreams of playing in the NFL, and also on down to playing under the Friday Night Lights with their local high school. At the youth level of football much time is focused on just teaching kids the terms and plays on offense and defense. Often times special teams, kicking and punting is overlooked, or just given to the kid that can naturally kick the ball the farthest. In most youth leagues a kicking a PAT/extra point can be worth 2 points because it is rare that you have a youth kicker that can make a 20 yard extra point.

Personally, as a private kicking instructor, I really enjoy working with youth athletes and teaching them the proper techniques for kicking, punting, holding and snapping. With Youth, you have to play to their strengths. Many times they can’t quite physically do everything needed to kick, punt, and snap that you see at the High School and College level, but you need to keep things simple and work with them on the basics. Below is a basic step by step approach to Kicking, Punting, Snapping and even Holding.

PAT/Field Goals

Typical distance form snapper is 7-8 yards deep
Let your Kicker place the holding block, not your holder.
Kicker should line up body facing target (Uprights)
Plant foot should be approx 1 shoe length from kicking block
Kicker should take 2-3 steps in backward approach.
Make sure kicker is squared up and facing uprights.
Take 2 steps 90 degrees to the left (for right footed kickers) or 90 degrees to the right (for left footed kickers).
Once kicker is ready he should nod or give a signal to the holder, who then gives a signal to the snapper.
Once snapper snaps back and holder firmly has hold of ball, kicker should make his approach to the holding block. *Note- you can speed up the process for the kicker to start as your snapping unit is comfortable and fluid.
Kicker should make his approach toward the “plant foot” area. This forces the kicker to swing up through the ball utilizing kicker’s quad in the swing.
Kicker’s leg, ankle and foot should be straight and locked.
Foot contact on the ball should be the “instep” of foot making contact on the bone that connects to the big toe, but closer to the ankle.
After contact, the kickers leg should swing up through the ball and toward the uprights.
If physically possible, kicker’s plant foot should skip forward after kicking ball. Alleviates stress on ankle and knee. *Sometimes young athletes aren’t able to do this.

Kickoffs

Kicker should line up body facing target (Uprights)
Plant foot should be approx 1 shoe length from kicking block
Kicker should step back 5-9 yards backward approach depending on comfortability.
Take 4-7 steps 90 degrees to the left (for right footed kickers) or 90 degrees to the right (for left footed kickers).

Ideally the angle/approach the kicker takes on a Kickoff should be similar to that of a FG approach. This allows for having the same kicking swing for both kicks.

Punting

Feet Parallel and shoulder width apart
Catch the ball with hands out away from body
Mold ball with laces up, with arm extended over kicking leg
Take 2 or 3 steps to get punt off
Flat Drop
Drop the ball between 11-12 o’clock for right footed punters or 12-1 o’clock for left football punters
Lock out (point toe) foot.
Ball contact on laces of shoe/cleat
Swing leg up through ball.

Holding

Holding for Right Footed kicker
Right knee down, left knee up
Align kicking block 2-4” from left foot
Keep left hand/fingers on block as a guide.
Use right hand to give single to holder.
Voice prompt as well for team
Bring both hands up to catch ball
Use left knee as back stop and guide to bring ball down onto block
Hold the ball with left hand (thumb, index and 2nd finger) or whatever is easier; just don’t put too much pressure on the ball.
Use right hand to rotate the ball to get laces out.
For left footed kickers, reverse the following steps.

Coach Husby owns and runs Special Teams Football Academy. He is a Professional Kicking, Punting and Snapping instructor and a former NFL Free Agent Punter of 6 years. He trains athletes of all levels (youth, High School, College and Free Agent Specialists), and holds one on one lessons, small group lessons and clinics, Special Teams camps, and National Camp Series evaluations and camps for kickers, punters & snappers. For more information check out www.SpecialTeamsFootballAcademy.com!

Posted in General Coaching Tips, Guest Blogs, Special Teams - Tagged coach husby, kickoffs, punting, special teams football academy, youth football special teams

An Uncle’s Perspective on Youth Football

Jun27
2012 Leave a Comment Written by Guest

A Guest Blog By James Campion

Over the years I have had several nephews of mine involved in youth football. I viewed their involvement almost as mandatory coming from parents that were very active in their children’s lives. But as of late I have noticed the positive effect it has had on them more than ever before. This youth sport has also changed and improved the community of friends around them. I could have never imagined how an involvement in a simple sport such as football could blossom into a world of responsible maturity that I see in this young men and women.

I personally regarded youth sports as a way of keeping kids busy and out of trouble. Like so many parents I was grateful to go to the games and root my family into the end zone. The numerous organizations of youth football brings adults and children together in a common goal of empowerment and success. The strive to better one’s self on and off the field is what it is like to be human. To improve your physical and mental strength while growing into adulthood is essential not only to build better athletes but better business leaders and decision makers.

We live in a brave new world that is moving so fast. Technology and innovation is what will take our future to new heights. I see such an evolution in not only the players but the coaches and support staff around them. More importantly, I am witness to the changes that youth football is having on these brilliant young minds that only want to strive to better themselves and the future of our country. Onward and upward my young friends. May your hard tackles on the field make life’s challenges all that more satisfying.

Check out the Youth Football Movement that is going to change the country!

Posted in From the Gut, Guest Blogs - Tagged benefits of youth football, youth football

Off-Season Training for Youth Football by Henley Sports Performance

Jun20
2012 Leave a Comment Written by Guest

Drew Henley from Henley Sports Performance joins us to offer training tips for your youth football athlete. Implement these valuable pointers! If you have any further questions, Drew’s contact information is below.

Many coaches and parents are looking to help their kids prepare for the next youth football season, and searching for the proper way of doing so. Should their child be lifting weights? Focus on football? Or is it best to do something else? Here are a few dos and don’ts for helping your child get ready for the upcoming season.

1. Do focus on speed and agility – Multi-directional speed, change of direction, acceleration and deceleration are all skills that can be developed at an early age. It is well known that learning ability is highest at a young age and motor control is just like any other mental ability – it must be learned. By focusing on these fundamental movements, athletes will have an excellent base to build on as they age. This kinesthetic awareness (mind-body connection, or control over one’s movements) is what we notice when we see an athlete make smooth, fluid movements. An athlete who hasn’t “grown into his body” is an example of an athlete who didn’t establish his kinesthetic awareness at a young age. Additional benefits include stronger tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues, which are the main injury areas for football players.

2. Don’t worry about lifting weights – During this stage of development, adding resistance training can actually be detrimental to your child’s long-term growth. Pre-pubescent training should be geared towards learning to move their body, improving coordination, and developing agility. The natural increases in hormones during their growth will increase their muscle mass and size, these other traits require early training to be fully developed.

3. Do get them outside – Get them playing, running around, and acting like kids before the inventions of television and video games. Remember monkey bars? Or climbing on top of them? I call those pull-ups. Tag? Agility drill. Going down the slide? Gotta run those stairs first. Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in this country as kids spend less and less time outdoors. By encouraging a variety of outdoor activities, your child will be less likely to become bored and resort to sitting in front of a TV.

4. Don’t force it – Early specialization is a bit of a double-edged sword. While many of the greatest athletes began their careers at an early age, however they are the exception. Many young athletes will quickly burn out and lose their joy for the sport if it encompasses their entire life. Think of a plant – too much water as a seed and the soil will be washed away. Allow it to grow naturally and it will blossom later in life. High school is the earliest I would suggest focusing on a single sport.

5. Do encourage diversity – Many athletic traits are improved by cross training with different sports. For example, soccer is an excellent way for a young athlete to improve coordination, agility, and foot speed. All of these traits carryover to the football field and can improve performance. At this level, athletes should be encouraged to participate in other sports. Not only will it prevent burn out, as mentioned above, but also will improve their athleticism in ways that football doesn’t.

I hope these tips help you in training your child for the upcoming season. If you would like to know specific drills or exercises for your athletes, please feel free to contact me by email, call or text and I will do my best to help.

Drew Henley, CSCS, USAW, CES

480-241-4112

www.HenleySP.com

Email: Drew@HenleySP.com

Twitter.com/DrewBHenley

Posted in General Coaching Tips, Guest Blogs, Youth Football Training - Tagged drew henley, off season football training, youth football, youth football training

Youth Football Tackles Childhood Obesity By PreventObesity.net

Mar06
2012 Leave a Comment Written by Guest

A guest blog from our friends at PreventObesity.net, read about their efforts to reverse the growing childhood obesity trend:

Roughly one-third of children and teens in the United States are now overweight and obese. Childhood obesity is an epidemic, and if it is not soon reversed, this generation will be the first to not outlive their parents.

overweight kid

That’s why youth football programs are more vital than ever. Along with teaching kids the values of discipline and hard work, youth football tackles obesity by stressing good nutrition and keeping young people active. The health and wellness skills youth players learn can last long after their football playing days end.

If you are involved in youth football, you are also part of the movement to reduce childhood obesity — and the team at PreventObesity.net is dedicated to helping you succeed.

At PreventObesity.net, we’re building an advocacy network of nearly 70,000 people dedicated to providing a healthier future for our nation’s children. But we also offer exclusive tools and services to people doing the important work on the ground to combat obesity — including as folks who coach or support youth football programs.

Click to register as a PreventObesity.net Leader and get free access to all our tools and support.

PreventObesity.net is a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), so all of our services are offered at no-cost to our Leaders, including:

Access to our Map of the Movement, where you can find other people who care about reversing obesity in your community — and more than 70,000 nationwide
Access to our must-read newsletter The Inside Track, which features exclusive news from the childhood obesity movement and profiles of PreventObesity.net Leaders
Ability to add widgets to your website or blog
Blogger outreach and webinar hosting

But above all, Prevent Obesity is here to help you succeed in your efforts to get young people active and healthy through youth football. We can help you connect with other Leaders and provide one-on-one assistance when you need it.

You can register at http://www.preventobesity.net/register/leader. The short application takes just a few minutes to fill out.

Again, registering is free! If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our customer relations manager Zach Brooks at 202-659-7710 ext. 15 or zach@preventobesity.net.

Posted in From the Gut, News, Nutrition - Tagged childhood obesity, obesity, preventobesity.net, youth football

Parents’ Review Of The Junior Rank Academic All American Game

Jan05
2012 4 Comments Written by Guest

All-Star parents, Sandra and Arthur Araiza, reviewed their experience at the Junior Rank Academic All American game exclusively for us. Youth Football Online All-Star Isreal “Izzy” Araiza was the only 11 year old in the game so he was undersized, however he was able to hold his own and have success blocking for his QB. As you’ll learn from the review below, the Junior Rank game wasn’t just about an all-star football game. The winner or loser of the game didn’t matter. Emphasis at the event was centered around the importance of character building and academic excellence.

It was such an exciting atmosphere and a great honor to have been a part of youth football history as parents of a participating student athlete in the Junior Rank Academic All American Game, 13 and Under. The magnitude of this event was extraordinarily high. It was such a rewarding and yet humbling experience for these young men aspiring to do great things on and off of the field. The Junior Rank Academic All American game was a well organized event, and celebration of some of the top youth football players from across the country. Right off the bat, Mr. Berry made it clear how the boys should carry themselves and represent themselves for this magnificent event. High ranking officers in the United States Marine Corps. talked to these young men with words of wisdom, courage, and inspiration. It was so moving to see how motivating this was for these young men.

This was such a rewarding experience for our son to see how far all of his hard work in the classroom combined with talent on the football field can take him. This experience was a great opportunity to see where our son Isreal measured up with the best of the best. This event made it possible for us to see where he is at now and where he needs to develop to continue to play at a high level. This alone is PRICELESS. We could see the changes in Isreal’s play within days of working with these coaches. He is definitely returning home a more refined player.

The Game & Other Activities:

The Jerseys and helmets were one of a kind. The boys got to ride in travel buses wrapped with US Marines and Semper Fidelis Logos to and from practice, as well as special events such as the The Fiesta Bowl Parade and Arizona Cardinals Game. All of the Junior Rank & Semper Fidelis All American Players got to be a part of the Fiesta Bowl Parade. Each 14 and 13 & Under player was buddied up with a Semper Fidelis High School All American Player as a big brother. This game itself took youth football to another level. The coaching staff all around was made up of both former NFL, and College players as well as coaches. This was definitely football on a higher level. The talent of both the East and the West teams was nothing short of superb. The linemen were not only big, but strong and athletic. The Linebackers were fast, tall, and lights out hitters. Offensively, the talent in the skilled positions category was ridiculous. I had never seen a 13 year old run perfect routes and use double moves. The speed of the running backs was impressive. The defensive backs were very skilled.

The entire time the Junior Rank Staff and Speakers put a heavy emphasis on Character, and Academics, stressing that without these two characteristics, talent alone is not enough to receive a college scholarship offer. The game itself was exciting as the young men warmed up like pros getting a sneak preview of what the future holds for some of these players. It was simply put, ” A World Class Experience”. The game was a big deal, Junior Rank is a big deal. I would love for my son to be so fortunate as to be selected next year. This was a phenomenal experience, and a memory that will last a lifetime.

Posted in Guest Blogs, On The Road, Youth Football Benefits - Tagged academic all american game, Isreal Araiza, junior rank, youth football