Football Coaching Styles

Last week, I sent out a request for my newsletter subscribers to send in their best football coaching styles. Check out this one below; very helpful for all youth football coaches.

From Patrique,
I am a youth league football coach and just like most coaches at all level we have pre-game on Fridays (Just helmets and game jerseys). I like to shut practice down about half-hour to forty-five minutes early. Before practice I call ahead to have some pizzas delivered to the field. I usually shows up on time for our final stretch.

We all break out of football practice, head over to my truck, sit down and eat. The kids can come out of football mode which a lot of coaches don’t get to see. I have learned so much about my players. Their lives at home, school, and even relationships. I tell you what, you get a much better idea of how or why a child functions just by listening to some of the things they tell you about themselves. It has brought me closer to them and I know it has brought them closer to each other.

Sometimes I get so involved with the game, that I fail to realize that football is the only stability in a child’s life. One child for instance, I had know idea that his parents were recently separated and involved in a serious custody battle over him and just to get to practice everyday he takes 3 different buses in full gear with his homework and backpack. That is just one example. So many children are displaced or having some sort of issue or problem in life. We were all kids and you were either one of them or you knew someone like that. It made me realize that sometimes football isn’t always about football.

I know this isn’t really a football coaching drill, but maybe some friendly advice. Me getting to know my kids outside of football has made me a better football coach.

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