What is the factor that allows teams to contend for their district title every year? Someone from a top program give us your opinion of what has been the key factors to keep it going every year.
Top Programs
- Thread starter zonkeyjerky
- Start date
I am not sure I agree on your youth programs statement. I think since you have seen tackle football started at young ages, the participation numbers at the high school level go down. Personally I would like to see youth tackle football did away with, flag football for the youth I think is the way to go. You are still able to teach fundamentals, and in the end kids have more fun, which in turn leads to more kids sticking with it.
PNation I agree with you! I used to coach youth football and third and fourth graders were flag and fifth sixth were tackle. The year after I was done they went to first and second flag, third thru sixth tackle. Absolutely silly we had a 36 pound kid that could barely stay upright with shoulder pads and helmet on!
PNation, I also agree with you. Tackle football for young kids is a really, really bad idea. Small kids get killed and stop playing. AMA and American Association of Pediatics both encourage kids to be older. Final reason is the coaching is bad. Way, way too many nut jobs coaching youth football. It is like youth baseball only the cost of bad coaching is injuries and poor understanding of game.
"Youth program" as in simply having a youth program connected and under the umbrella of the overall program. At Union we start with flag to focus on the basics first, and I'm a fan of that approach. Agree that pads too early will burn kids out.
Team chemistry, depth, and high school/youth coaches working together to build overall program. Community support is a must.
I think you need all of these to have a winning program every year.
In the order of important factors to be contender every year.
1. Great Coaching Staff
2. Strength Program
3. Talent
4. Support from Community/Administration etc...
Order of importance to be good 1 year
1. Talent
2. Coaching Staff
3. Strength Program
4. Support
In the order of important factors to be contender every year.
1. Great Coaching Staff
2. Strength Program
3. Talent
4. Support from Community/Administration etc...
Order of importance to be good 1 year
1. Talent
2. Coaching Staff
3. Strength Program
4. Support
All good comments and I won't reiterate any of them.
I really don't know if "recruiting" goes on in private schools but quality programs get kids wanting to go to school there. One or 2 high quality players coming in can make a HUGE difference in the smaller classes. I know it did in our school the previous 2 years. One kid switched schools as a Freshman and one kid moved in as a Junior. Both made impacts on the quality of our team one especially as he was an outstanding quarterback something the team lacked. These kids were not recruited in any way shape or form.
I think if you look private or catholic schools have historically done pretty well.
I also believe private school parents have a tendency to be more involved making sure youth programs and fund raising is occurring. It is in my community.
Often times enrollment size plays somewhat a role. Schools on the upper end of their class size seem to have more success (by no means exclusively) however this simply could tie into the other factors. Not only in quality of players but depth. Nice not to have kids playing both sides of the ball and special teams. If it didn't matter we wouldn't have 5 classes and 8 man. 2A is a good example of that this year with many of the top schools in the top 1/3 of enrollment size when districts was set.
Many times its luck of the draw. Line play is huge and many times its simple luck which grades end up with more big kids. Add in some quality skill positions and you have a chance to be a good team. Lots of teams had quality skill positions with poor line play and didn't amount to much or vice versa. Line play is huge.
I really don't know if "recruiting" goes on in private schools but quality programs get kids wanting to go to school there. One or 2 high quality players coming in can make a HUGE difference in the smaller classes. I know it did in our school the previous 2 years. One kid switched schools as a Freshman and one kid moved in as a Junior. Both made impacts on the quality of our team one especially as he was an outstanding quarterback something the team lacked. These kids were not recruited in any way shape or form.
I think if you look private or catholic schools have historically done pretty well.
I also believe private school parents have a tendency to be more involved making sure youth programs and fund raising is occurring. It is in my community.
Often times enrollment size plays somewhat a role. Schools on the upper end of their class size seem to have more success (by no means exclusively) however this simply could tie into the other factors. Not only in quality of players but depth. Nice not to have kids playing both sides of the ball and special teams. If it didn't matter we wouldn't have 5 classes and 8 man. 2A is a good example of that this year with many of the top schools in the top 1/3 of enrollment size when districts was set.
Many times its luck of the draw. Line play is huge and many times its simple luck which grades end up with more big kids. Add in some quality skill positions and you have a chance to be a good team. Lots of teams had quality skill positions with poor line play and didn't amount to much or vice versa. Line play is huge.
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Exactly. Nailed it.
We have seen some towns scale back the youth tackle programs in recent years. Really, there is no reason for tackle football before 7th grade.
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