Good riddance to a bad practice. Guys hanging on to Two-a-days these days are the same guys who 75 years ago would have held on the the practice of helmets with no face masks.

 

Now, I can understand a morning non-contact form of a practice followed by an evening padded practice kind of format. But two practices in a day of gear, no. That's just, and always has been, dumb.

 

...and I say that humbly as someone who practiced in the old format as well as someone who coached and scheduled kids to practice in the old format.

Back in the 80s we would go 8-11a and then 2-4:30p in August. Coaches kept us pretty well watered down and we all survived!

 

As much as we worked our hinds off and struggled with some brutal heat that time of year the team building and prep reaped a lot of success. I actually miss those days... :lol2:

 

Iron sharpened iron and a lot of solid friendships were forged on that hot practice field!!!

IMO, those long two a day practices are quantity over quality. No way a 16 year old kid stays focused that long. At some point it becomes just going through the motions.

There aren't supposed to be consecutive, fully padded practices in 2-a-days, are there?

 

I would say do 1 morning practice with a focus on indy period and maybe special teams install, then an evening focus on team stuff.

This was only a matter of time. True 2-a-days aren't needed, but being able to have a walk-thru or more individual work is the way to use the 2nd practice if needed.

Call me a bad guy, but these were our most productive preseasons and we were ready for the heat on Friday night. We did these on Wednesday, Thursday, one practice on Friday, then came back to these the following Monday & Tuesday.

 

9 am - 10 :30 am defense (full pads)

10:30 20 ounce Gatorade

11- Noon special teams (helmets or helmets & shoulder pads- shorts)

Noon : lunch

1:30 20 ounce Gatorade

2:15- 3:45 offense ( adjusted gear as necessary, but full gear if allowable)

4:00 20 ounce Gatorade

 

Water was always available through practice, anytime they wanted it. Fewer heat issues than we have had the last 10 years.

 

It was a big challenge for our kids to stay focused in the afternoon and be productive. That challenge helped get our kids ready. Friday nights seemed much easier.

 

I do agree you need a smart, experienced staff to do this and you have to have kids that have been conditioning for an extended period of time leading up to these practices. But, I am telling you it worked extremely well and I would argue was safer for our kids.

 

One night we scrimmaged a much larger school that was going to extremes to stay out of the heat. They took 5 kids to the hospital. Our kids felt great.

 

 

**During that time, Pepsi was donating a boatload of cases of bottled Gatorade to us for each preseason. Without a doubt, their help made this set up possible. Kids will drink alot more Gatorade than they will water and having the bottles made it very convenient to get it to our kids efficiently and fast.

Call me a bad guy, but these were our most productive preseasons and we were ready for the heat on Friday night. We did these on Wednesday, Thursday, one practice on Friday, then came back to these the following Monday & Tuesday.

I totally agree, Chief. I think two-a-days give teams and players a chance to work through the heat a little bit to be better acclimated for the games. But, like you said, it can be done with some common sense. The shame of it is that the poor decisions and actions of a few who abuse two-a-days have virtually ruined the chances of teams who handled it appropriately to out-work their competition.

IMO, those long two a day practices are quantity over quality. No way a 16 year old kid stays focused that long. At some point it becomes just going through the motions.

 

Isn't part of the conditioning component to be able to perform when you are tired. If you practice when you are tired, eventually it becomes second nature and you tend to make less mistakes when you are fatigued in the game. That being said, I haven't played or had any kids play football in 25 years so it has been awhile. But I thought this was the reason the military does all the things they do, to make it easier come battle time.

Isn't part of the conditioning component to be able to perform when you are tired. If you practice when you are tired, eventually it becomes second nature and you tend to make less mistakes when you are fatigued in the game. That being said, I haven't played or had any kids play football in 25 years so it has been awhile. But I thought this was the reason the military does all the things they do, to make it easier come battle time.

 

The military abides by the heat index... They aren't idiots, either. BTW, they also are a lot better at pushing water. Unless you have kids under your nose all the time, you cannot regulate water intake.