I think those who are interested in coaching youth football are admirable. Not only do you get to teach kids football fundamentals; but you teach them well-documented life lessons and become an example and mentor. A youth football coach’s responsibility is to instill quality values such as confidence, discipline, sportsmanship, and teamwork. Applying these values to the game of football will help you to produce winners on and off the field. Here are a couple simple tips to focus on as you approach your first time coaching youth football.

Youth Football Coaching Strategies

• Rules – Set the ground rules for the players and their parents at the start of the season. Be clear on the rules for practices, attendance, player participation, fundraising, effort, and sportsmanship. That way everyone knows what to expect and there are no surprises during the season.

• Time Management – You have the football field for a limited amount of time. Don’t waste it performing extensive conditioning drills. Use the time wisely and teach “real” football during these sessions. You want kids to have fun and learn the game. That’s what they signed up for…they can run conditioning and agility drills any time.
• Drills – Yes, you need to run conditioning drills but limit them in your practice. You should be teaching your kids life skills such as developing the discipline to work out and perform interval training on their own. Develop the child’s love of the game first, but keep them accountable.

  Moreover, there are many elaborate football drill libraries on the Internet such as those at Weplay. While a coach should select a variety of age-appropriate drills for coaching his team, focusing on these basics and making them fun for the team will often lead to greater success.

• Morale – End your practices on a high note. Too many coaches run sprints or laps at the end of the practice and the players dislike them. Instead, run special team drills such as kickoff returns or punt coverage for your end-of-practice conditioning drills. You’ll get them in top shape while making it fun and teaching valuable football skills at the same time.
• Playbook – In youth football, its better to run a few plays really well than run many plays poorly. Pick four or five plays as the core of your offensive strategy and practice the execution until the players can run them in their sleep. Only then, should you start introducing new plays.

With a focus on some simple basics, youth football coaches can successfully start down their path. By teaching youth football and the life lessons of discipline, self-motivation, sportsmanship and fair play, a coach’s experience can be both enjoyable and meaningful. The integrity that you insist they use on the field will follow them off the field.

Watch the video related to youth mentoring

A short film from Everett Dance Theatre’s mentor program. … everett dance theatre theater film poetry mentor mentors youth Providence RI Rhode Island carriage house

Help answer the question about youth mentoring

survey would target urban youth (multi – cultural). any suggestions?
thanks Parker

About Author

By Trevor Sumner who works for Weplay.com, a youth football community dedicated to providing parents coaches and athletes the tools and information to celebrate the love of the game. Weplay.com has one of the most comprehensive, free football drill libraries in its active football community.

Copyright (c) 2008 Justin Sachs

At the end of the last century, there was a popular song that exclaimed our children are our future. It was a powerful song with a powerful message. Once we’ve finished our adult life and get ready to settle into our retirement years, they will be the ones to take over. We need to teach them the best that we can, including how to be a good leader. We seem to have forgotten that message evidenced by increasingly disturbing news reports about the young in our country and even by some of the behavior seen when in public places. We need to refocus and remember how to create a successful youth so that they can enjoy the success of their adulthood and pass their knowledge on to the next generation.

In order to create a successful youth in our society, it is a good idea to build a strong character. Mentorship programs are outstanding ways to involve young people in learning about education, business and community. A mentor acts as a leader to show the younger generation how to be a leader instead of a follower. It only takes one person with a genuine interest and commitment in a young person in order to change the course of his or her life for the better.

Mentors are the ultimate teacher. Through encouragement and ideas, they can teach our youth to overcome fear and tackle even difficult tasks. They may even be able to help a young person overcome fear to discover an unexpected passion. If they try at something and fail, overcoming the fear of failing again is essential to becoming successful. Mentors have the power to encourage and shape even the most resistant young person because ultimately, everyone wants to succeed.

If a young person is able to participate in a business entrepreneurship program, it can teach them outstanding lessons about team work, the value of money and pride in earning money. Children are born with a curious nature and business is a common interest of many kids. Lemonade stands, mowing services and even shoveling snow in the winter are all ways young people explore and experiment with business. The same curiosity is there as they grow older, but the right opportunity and mentor can turn the curiosity for any young person into a bright and promising future.

When the youth of our society falls or fails, there isn’t always someone there to help them learn from their mistakes or encourage them to continue trying. Everyone needs someone in their corner, guiding and teaching them while helping to build character. Having a mentor provides our youth with this much needed cheerleader of sorts for both the good times and the rough times. Successful mentoring often teaches our youth a healthy feeling of gratitude as well.

Finally, taking a young person under your wing and never giving up can make them understand the concept of setting goals and sticking to them. Having goals can lead to a healthy drive for reaching those goals. Reaching those goals provides an unmatched sense of accomplishment. The entire process can help complete the mold of a young person who is well-rounded with a strong character.

Watch the video related to youth mentoring

Watch BAFTA Members inspire and educate aspiring young film makers as part of the Academy’s Youth Mentoring programme in association with Media Trust. Find out more on the BAFTA website: tinyurl.com

Help answer the question about youth mentoring

About Author

Justin Sachs, author of Your Mailbox Is Full a book which gives teenagers the life-skills and leadership development principles they need to be successful in school and throughout their lives. His products, coaching and speaking services are available on his website at http://www.JustinSachsOnline.com