If there's a well defined youth/development program in place then the HS HC should be involved to ensure that each level of the program is running a similar offense/defense. South Kenton kids should come through the league running the spread with a 3/5 defense and it just doesn't happen. Watch their league games- playing 6/2 defense and two tights with a full back is not following the guidance of an SK coaching staff member.

 

Marksberry wants as many kids playing so everyone gets better so SK can get better prepared players. Most of the South Kenton teams lack speed to run the spread but they always have size to pound the ball wi5h the run game.

If there's a well defined youth/development program in place then the HS HC should be involved to ensure that each level of the program is running a similar offense/defense. South Kenton kids should come through the league running the spread with a 3/5 defense and it just doesn't happen. Watch their league games- playing 6/2 defense and two tights with a full back is not following the guidance of an SK coaching staff member.

 

Something is working South Kenton midget youth team won every game and won the super bowl.

I think the specific football nuts and bolts involvement should be more on the fundamentals and player development side and less on the schemes side. It is more important for me for youth players to be interested in football, play, have a positive experience, and learn the proper fundamentals than to run the specific scheme of the high school.

Many coaches drop the ball in this area, it is a big reason I think Kentucky Football is not as successful as other states. Youth football is a joke most places.

I don't think high school coaches should have anything to do with youth football leagues unless they are associated with the school (i.e. they are paying for equipment and so forth).

 

Why?

Why?

 

See Holy Cross death penalty thread.

My thoughts:

 

 

Inseason- Attend games as able and encourage assistants to do so as well. If there are any issues in regards to player safety or poor treatment of youth players, through the director of youth football, the HS head coach needs to address those concerns in season.

 

Out of season- help to establish guidelines for youth football to encourage participation and ensure safety is a priority in regards to teaching, fundamentals, planning practice, & equipment. Be accessible to youth football staff so that as much as possible the HS system is the one that the guys learn from the beginning. But, the priority is placed on good fundamentals, especially in regards to blocking and tackling.

 

If there are equipment or facility needs for the youth program, the HS head coach needs to help them meet those needs the best he can assist.

 

There needs to be a balance between what the overall community wants and what the current head coach wants.... comes from some very good conversations with Leatherneck.

 

The best case scenario, the guy running the feeder programs is on the same page and supportive of the HS head coach and vice versa. We were fortunate to have that at Mason and we have that at Mercer as well.

 

The feeder program is very important, but the HS head coach must spend most of his time out of season getting things in place. In season, it is very difficult to be heavily involved other than to attend games and being as accessible as possible to the youth staff for questions and needed support.

 

Inseason & offseason, if the HS head coach can get in the elementary school & middle school buildings during the day to see the kids, that is a plus. A summer youth camp is another way the HS program can help the youth program. The camp is an opportunity to generate interest & to help get all coaches from the feeder program thru HS on the same page in regards to the system, drills, & teaching fundamentals.

 

For the long range success of the HS program, the feeder program is a very big piece. Therefore, the HS head coach needs to be as involved as he possibly can to ensure the presence of a quality feeder program.

 

What are your thoughts?

 

Great OffSeason thread Coach.

 

As the original president and current board member of BCYF, (Boyle County Youth Football), I can safely say your are spot on with your vision of successful youth football programs.

 

I think we have a great youth program at Boyle and I will get a couple of calls a year from other groups who want to model what we do.

 

For starters, you need money. Before you ever touch a football or a helmet, get your organization setup as a non profit. You need a CPA, an attorney, and an insurance agent.

 

Get your High School and Middle School coaches involved. Both are board member with BCYF.

 

Establish a board. Good people who care about kids, who care about football, and who care about the school you represent.

 

BCYF is advertised as an introduction to the Boyle County Football program. Not only for our players, but for our parents as well. My preseason speech always includes a phrase stating successful programs are based on thirds, 1/3 players, 1/3 coaches, and 1/3 community support. If any 1 of the 3 are missing, your program will not be successful.

 

Our 3 main goals:

Work hard

Have fun

Learn the game of football

The end goal is to give 6th graders the necessary skill set to be prepared for middle school football.

 

BCYF is purely a developmental league, we care more about fundamentals and technique than wins or losses.

 

There is so much more I can offer but will leave it at that for now

If there's a well defined youth/development program in place then the HS HC should be involved to ensure that each level of the program is running a similar offense/defense. South Kenton kids should come through the league running the spread with a 3/5 defense and it just doesn't happen. Watch their league games- playing 6/2 defense and two tights with a full back is not following the guidance of an SK coaching staff member.

What's his guidance? If it's for kids to have fun and learn the game then your offensive and defensive scheme doesn't matter. If the HS runs gap schemes and the youth runs gap schemes then the formation wouldn't matter.

 

What gets me with this line of thinking is like with the 35. What does a 35 turn into when it sees double TEs? A 53. As far as running the spread goes. You better have at least 3 legit coaches. I mean legit. OL, WR and QB at the least. You also better have a backup QB unless little Johnny gets hurt or sick. If you can't throw it with both kids that other team to is loading up.

 

It's not as simple as running a watered down version of the HS. Make sure the kids have fun. Make sure they can block and tackle. Use some of the same terms maybe.

If there's a well defined youth/development program in place then the HS HC should be involved to ensure that each level of the program is running a similar offense/defense. South Kenton kids should come through the league running the spread with a 3/5 defense and it just doesn't happen. Watch their league games- playing 6/2 defense and two tights with a full back is not following the guidance of an SK coaching staff member.

 

SK rarely runs a 3-5 they are usually in 3-4 or 3-3 because so many teams run the spread and pass the ball. But I know several South Kenton teams run the 3-5 because most teams run the ball in the youth level.

We do not have much to do with the elementary school league. We host an Acworth League Night to recognize the little ones but we are very hands off sense over half of them are districted for other school. We are very hands on with our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade teams. They run the exact same offenses and defenses as us with the same calls. They play their games on our fields and use our locker rooms on game days. This works out great for us since the kids are already ingrained in our system by the time they get to us. I've found the high schools who are the most successful in Georgia do things this way. Some of them all the way down to pound ball.