Coaches Handbook Third Edition June, 2013 1 Welcome to the Fishers-Hamilton Southeastern Youth Football League (Fishers-HSE YFL). The Fishers-HSE YFL continues to grow and provide a great opportunity for the families living within the HSE School District. Once again, we anticipate over 1,200 youth participants in our flag and tackle leagues. The purpose of the Fishers-HSE Youth Football program is: . To develop and maintain a properly supervised football league for youth in grades: K – 6. To promote improved community relations by demonstrating an interest in our youth. To encourage physical and mental growth through keen competition. To emphasize good citizenship and scholastic achievement. To nurture good sportsmanship and a sense of fair play. On behalf of the Fishers-HSE YFL Board, we want to thank you for your commitment to teaching the great sport of football to the youth of our community. To ensure that all participants (players, coaches, and parents) have a rewarding and exciting experience, the Board has created this handbook to provide coaches with the proper instruction to build and execute a consistent approach to coaching youth football. By using this handbook as a guide, you will learn how to properly teach football’s fundamentals in every phase of the game and how to run the best drills for every segment of your practice – position, group, and team. This handbook includes the following information: . Thoughts and support from our H.S. football coaches . Coaching responsibilities and expectations . Organization and Planning Tips . Health and Wellness Information . Team Administration Tips Again, the Board thanks you for your time, participation, and commitment to our league. We would also like to thank all of our league and field sponsors as well as the many community members that volunteer. It is through the dedication of our many volunteers and supportive parents and sponsors that our league continues to thrive. We welcome your comments, suggestions, and input. Please direct all inquiries and comments to Board President, Eric Hohlt at [email protected]. Fishers-HSE Youth Football League Board 2 ___________________ F O O T B A L L ___________________ 2010 Indiana 5A State Champs Head Football Coach HCC Champs – 2009, 2010 Rick Wimmer Dear Fishers-HSE Youth Football Coaches: As a coach in the Fishers-HSE Youth Football organization, you have agreed to take on a responsibility that can certainly be a rewarding experience for you; but most importantly, the opportunity you have to make a positive impact on the young players you will coach is by far your most important charge. We have a fantastic youth sports program here in Fishers – the youth football program certainly being one of the most successful. But the league is only as good as the coaches who work directly with the players. How will you know if you are having the right kind of impact on your players who play for you this year? It will not be based on how many games your team wins. Look to see how many young players return to the game next year. If you are having a positive impact on players, they will want to keep playing. Winning certainly helps, but winning alone does not equal a positive experience. A truly great coach will be able to impact young players in a positive way even in those years when wins do not come easily. No matter what level you are coaching – youth, junior high, high school, college, or pros – teaching the fundamentals is where real coaching begins. This manual is designed to give you a blueprint for the teaching of fundamentals in a progressive manner that will ensure that your players are successful, help them have a positive experience, give them confidence, and provide the foundation for your team’s success. The purpose of most fundamental drills is not to evaluate what a player can do, but it is to create a situation in which he can perform a skill or technique with success, build his confidence, and carry over what he has learned into a game. There is a time and place for evaluation drills and conditioning drills. Understand the difference in each and coach accordingly. Avoid the tendency of many inexperienced coaches of spending most of the practice running plays. Focus on the fundamentals outlined in this manual and watch the success of your team improve as their technique, confidence, and enthusiasm for the game improves. Finally, I would remind you that you as the coach control whether or not you have good practices, show improvement, and create positive experiences. When things are not going as you would like (I promise you, there will be those occasions), remember that you can make a difference. Teach, don’t criticize. Praise effort, technique, and progress – not just the great play by the star athlete. Being a coach in the Fishers-HSE Youth Football program is certainly a tremendous responsibility but will also be a rewarding experience when you see your players develop a love for the game, have a desire to continue, and show progress in the fundamentals. I consider our youth coaches as extensions of our own coaching staff at Fishers HS. If I or anyone on our staff can help you in any way, do not hesitate to ask. Sincerely, Rick Wimmer Head Football Coach Fishers High School Fishers High School, 13000 Promise Road, Fishers, IN 46038 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 317-915-4290 x 27143 3 Hamilton Southeastern Football 13910 E. 126th Street Fisher, IN 46037 (317) 594-4190 School (317) 594-0096 Fax [email protected] Youth Coaches First, I would like to thank you for taking the time to give back to the greatest team sport in our country! We as a community must work together to teach our youth the “right” way to play football. I believe in what HSE/Fishers Youth Football program is doing to develop future Royals and Tigers. I encourage you to do the little things right as you teach the game. To me the following are a “must” as you coach your team: make football fun, teach kids to block and tackle, and teach them how to play as a team. I really like the fundamental time the board has put in place to help guide your practice plan. Spend the time teaching fundamentals and stick to a simple offense that you can get better running throughout the season. If you ever want to watch us practice or have any question for my staff we are here to support you. Good luck and have fun! Yours in Football Scott May Head Coach 4 COACHING RESPONSIBILITIES & EXPECTATIONS Coaching Perspective: . Football Character development through Football Fun and Fundamentals . Balancing the SPIRIT and WILL of a child . Focus on the process (preparation) and not the outcome (score). See philosophy on winning. Coaching Objectives: . Provide the best football experience for each player regardless of skill level . Leave them better than where they began the season . Develop a desire in each player to return to football the next year (Don’t be their last football Coach) Coaching Philosophy: RESPONSIBILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, DISCIPLINE . Responsibility – TEACH each player what they are responsible for in SIMPLE 3-step progressions . Example for QB: 1. Make sure the line is set 2. Secure the ball from the center to the ball carrier or receiver 3. Carry out fake to the whistle . D-Line (Pre-snap): 1. Know your GAP responsibility (A,B, or C) 2. Great stance (Drill this every practice) 3. Explode on movement (NG watch ball movement, Tackles watch blockers) . D-Line (On Movement) “PPP”: 1. Penetrate 2. Pursue 3. Party at the ball (get to the ball) . Accountability – TEACH WHAT IS EXPECTED of each player, NO EXCUSES (own your assignments) . Discipline – Correcting mistakes through teachable moments with a focus on the NEXT TIME. Breakdowns are opportunities to learn. High 5 for mistakes in practice! Keep a teachable environment. Refrain from running kids for physical mistakes. Don’t default to being punitive or shaming. Go back to RESONSIBILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, and DISCIPLINE of TECHNIQUE. Philosophy on winning: . Focus on the process and not the outcome . Win every play, win every rep, win every moment, win on and off the field . If you did your very best, then you were successful . Winning is a product of doing the right things . Win games in practice Coaching style: . Know your style and coach within yourself . STRATEGIC . MOTIVATIONAL . FUNDAMENTAL . HYBRID How to motivate: . DIRECTLY: Replace, give instruction, put them back in . INDIRECTLY: Through competition as often as possible. Losers pay or winners gain 5 . IMPORTANT NOTES: . Know the players spirit – Positive vs. Negative tolerance . Be CLEAR, CONSISTENT and CONSICE with your instruction . CONNECT AND GET BUY IN . USE THEIR NAME . TELL THEM YOU BELIEVE IN THEM . BE HONEST WITH THEM . LOOK THEM IN THE EYE . AFFIRM – Build their confidence through honest affirmation Goals and Objectives: . Facilitate a great football experience to ensure that we are not their last football coach . Clearly communicate coaching responsibilities and performance expectations . Confirm that everyone understands what is expected . Make training and continual learning a top priority . Regularly provide specific performance feedback . Make sure people know how they’re doing . Consistently recognize and reward positive performance . Hold people accountable for negative behavior and performance Communication: . Coaching sets the pace to get the best out of others while giving the best of yourself. -- David Cottrell . Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple – that's creativity. -- Charles Mingus . Teach them patiently: Tell them, tell them what you told them, ask them what you told them, and then tell them again, don’t default to coaching effort, get buy in! .