A manual for the new youth football coach

More than just the X’s and O’s
A manual for the new youth football coach
By
Tim Pettay
Why I Coach
Growing up, I was one of those kids who went through childhood with a football in one hand and a
baseball bat in the other. From age 7 until my enlistment into the Marine Corps at age 19, I was
consumed with the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Like most young athletes, I fantasized about
hitting the game winning home run in game seven of the World Series or scoring the final touchdown in
the Super Bowl. Now I’m 40, with 3 boys of my own, and I coach football in the fall, boxing in the
winter and baseball in the spring. But this story is not about one of my own children; it’s about a kid
who taught me why I coach.
It was August, and 5 days of training camp was underway to help get the kids in shape before the regular
practices begin. As I pace back and forth between the lines of future football players, barking out
exercise commands, I make eye contact with a chubby first year player who was obviously struggling to
handle these exercises. With the look of terror in his eyes he says “ Coach, do I have to take the long
run today?” Tears swelling up in his eyes, “ I don’t think I can make it.” I had noticed that he was the
last one back every time we ran, and he walked a good part of the run because of the distance. So I bent
over, got eye to eye with him, and said, “What’s your name son?” “ Elias, Coach.” “OK Elias, will you
do something for me? Will you try, just try to make the run, and run the whole way?” Unsure of
himself, and disappointed, he said, “OK Coach.” And off they went. I watched the whole way. He
came in last, but he made it without stopping. I ran up to him, gave him a high five, and told him, “I
knew you could make it, I knew it! Good job Elias!” He smiled, and you could see the self-confidence
begin to show itself.
By the end of the week he was beaming with excitement about the season which was about to begin. All
the coaches got together to pick their teams; when I picked Elias Hansen from the hat I was so excited,
not because he was going to be a good player but because he has the heart of a champion. Elias earned a
position of starting Center and helped our team go undefeated. I love that kid, and he’s now, only one
year later, one of the best linemen in the league. These kinds of stories are why I coach.
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This is a Purple Mountain Publishing Book
Copyright © 2002 by Timothy L. Pettay
All rights reserved.
Published and Distributed in the United States by Purple Mountain Publishing
Port Orchard, WA
[email protected]
ISBN 0-9724034-0-X
Manufactured in the United States of America
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Acknowledgments
It is with great pleasure that I give special thanks to Ken Hansen for his support and contribution in
Chapter 6 of this book.
I also would like to thank Daryl Read and Chuck Burns for allowing the use of their plays in Chapter 7
of this book.
This book would not have been possible if not for the constant support of my wife Lavonne Pettay who
did all the graphic design in this book including the playbooks in Chapter 7. Lavonne also did the page
layout graphics and photos. Thanks also go to Larry Dusavage who helped transfer files and convert the
document for us.
Thanks to Kenny Cook, Sam Higgins, Ryan Kahler, Bryant Hovland and Cameron Pettay for posing for
the pictures.
To the South Kitsap Peewee Association Board and all of you who have supported this project, Thank
You.
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Foreword
Coaching youth football is a lot of work and takes a person who is willing to dedicate up to five (5)
nights a week for practice with games on Saturdays. It takes a person who loves kids and understands
the mental capacity of a child and just how much they can comprehend. It takes a person who wants to
teach and bond with the youth of the community.
Coaching youth football is demanding and you should be aware of what you’re in for before you make
the commitment.
If you believe you can give of yourself what is required to become a coach then this book will help you.
I think sometimes that people get into coaching football for the wrong reasons. Maybe they want to
relive their own playing days or try and turn their own child into something they wanted to be.
Sometimes we forget youth sports is not about molding kids into the next superstar in the NFL but a way
for kids to learn the skills of the sport and have FUN!
With youth football you can help the youth of your community build self-confidence and gain discipline,
learn sportsmanship and teamwork.
If you can commit to the schedule, teach and motivate the players to come together as a unit and help
each other work to achieve a common goal. If you can set a good example by being a good role model
than you are ready to take on the challenge of becoming a youth football coach.
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION: ...................................................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER 1 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 7
UNDERSTANDING THE ADMINISTRATIVE PART OF COACHING YOUTH FOOTBALL ........................................................ 7
CHAPTER 2 .............................................................................................................................................................................. 9
COACHES PLAYERS AND PARENTS CONDUCT .................................................................................................... 9
CHAPTER 3 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 11
BASIC OFFENSE AND DEFENSIVE TERMINOLOGY AND FORMATIONS ..................................................................... 11
Basic Offense:........................................................................................................................................................... 11
Some Running Play Terminology: ............................................................................................................................ 15
How to properly take a hand off:.............................................................................................................................. 16
Basic Passing: .......................................................................................................................................................... 17
Pass Receiving: ........................................................................................................................................................ 18
Basic Pass Routes:.................................................................................................................................................... 19
BASIC DEFENSE:.................................................................................................................................... 20
Very Important Note On Tackling: ........................................................................................................................... 22
PRACTICE FORMATS AND DRILLS ................................................................................................................ 25
CHAPTER 5 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 32
EQUIPMENT .......................................................................................................................................... 32
CHAPTER 6 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 35
FIRST AID ............................................................................................................................................ 35
CHAPTER 7 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 37
SAMPLE PLAYBOOKS INCLUDING SPECIAL TEAMS FORMATIONS ........................................................................... 37
Sample playbook #1.................................................................................................................................................. 38
Sample playbook #2.................................................................................................................................................. 52
Sample playbook #3.................................................................................................................................................. 58
Sample Special Teams Section.................................................................................................................................. 82
Extra Points and Field Goals:.................................................................................................................................. 88
CHAPTER 8 ............................................................................................................................................................................ 90
SAMPLE FORMS: .................................................................................................................................... 90
Sample Player Information Sheet:............................................................................................................................ 92
Sample Parent’s Pledge and Code of Conduct: ....................................................................................................... 93
Sample Stat Sheet ..................................................................................................................................................... 95
Notes:........................................................................................................................................................................ 96
Schedule: .................................................................................................................................................................. 97
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Introduction:
“All right gentleman listen up, You’ve busted your butts for weeks to get to this point, remember the
blood, remember the bruises and broken bones, remember the pain you endured. Today is why, it’s
game day baby! You’ve come together as a team, as brothers. But your job is not complete! The task in
front of you is huge, We, as coaches, have done all we can do. It’s time for you to bring all you’ve been
taught along with all your skills, lay it out on the line and go kick some butt. I believe in each and every
one of you. Believe in yourself and you’ll win regardless of the score.”
Ah, the pre-game speech, I remember it well; the words can change but the message is the same.
Although it really never won or lost any games, its value to the whole experience is immeasurable. It’s
all about emotion, dedication, desire and heart.
The pre-game speech is one of many aspects in coaching, the X’s and O’s of football are the easy part,
consider the following and how much more is involved with coaching youth football.
1) Teaching Good sportsmanship.
2) Bringing out the emotion, dedication, desire and heart.
3) Teaching the fundamentals of the game, the X’s and O’s.
4) Dealing with injured players, dealing with parents or guardians, The good ones and the not so good
ones.
5) Running an efficient practice schedule.
6) Selecting a team parent to oversee and schedule team activities like pictures, fund raising, and team
parties.
7) Keeping the kids’ equipment in good working condition and making sure they know how to wear it.
8) Keeping files of the kids’ medical release forms and other paperwork.
9) Etc…etc…etc….
In other words, coaching youth football is a demanding position and should be considered only by those
who have a good understanding of all aspects of the game, not just emotion or the love of the game.
Remember: we are here for the kids! (First and foremost)
In coaching youth sports, any youth sport, the number one goal should NOT be to field the best team.
The number one goal should be to teach the kids sportsmanship and how to interact with others to
achieve a common goal (teamwork). Really we are teachers, and like it or not we are role models.
Be a good role model, be a good teacher and you can be a good coach.
How important is winning? Well pretty darn important considering the object of the game is to try and
put more points on the board than the other team before the game ends. DUH! But if that is your main
focus chances are your season will not be as meaningful or enjoyable for you or your team. Having a
championship team might make you look good but to an eight, ten, or twelve year old kid it’s
meaningless if he or she didn’t learn and have any fun and receive a overall good experience.
Relationships between coaches, players and parents are extremely important to the success of your
season, and by success I don’t mean wins and losses I mean how positive was the entire experience for
everyone involved.
As you read on you will find samples of various forms that might assist you. You will also see
examples of practice schedules and practice drills, you will learn a little about setting up basic offensive
and defensive formations as well as some sample playbooks.
It is my hope that you will get the basics you will need as a new youth football coach and that this might
help you get organized and be prepared for an awesome football season.
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Chapter 1
Understanding the Administrative part of Coaching Youth Football
Most youth football organizations are non-profit and generally set up similar to a business. They
use registration fees and various types of league fund raisers to pay for the operating cost involved,
which in football can be quite extensive because of the equipment involved for training and in most
cases it can cost up to $200.00 just to suit up each player.
Some leagues are more advanced than others in the organization of their program. Here is a
good example of how your league might be set up.
(EXAMPLE ONLY)
Board of Directors or Executive Board:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Eligibility
Auxiliary
(Oversees entire operation)
(Assist the President)
(Handles League Paper work)
(Handles League Finances)
(Enrollment and eligibility of players)
(Handles Fund Raising and Head Team Mom/Parent)
Non Executive Board Members or Auxiliary Staff:
Head of Coaching
Concession Stand Managers
Field Maintenance Manager
Equipment Manager
Cheer Program Manager
Sponsorship Manager
Picture Manager
(Head of Coaches)
(Head of Concessions)
(Head of Field Maintenance)
(Head of Equipment Room and Equipment)
(Head of Cheerleading Program)
(Head of Sponsorship Program)
(Head of Team and League Pictures)
The Board members should be elected with new elections each year. This is to weed out the
dead weight and also it is important to remember that these people are volunteers and usually won’t
want to stay on more than a few years or after their own son or daughter has moved on.
The league should have rules and regulations or by laws which the program can operate under
with some kind of guidelines. These guidelines should be reviewed from time to time to keep up dated
with the program.
Often the Executive Board will meet once a month year round. That might sound like a lot for a
youth sports organization but if football last three months that only gives the board nine meetings to
prepare for the upcoming season. During the season the Board may decide to meet more often. Each
meeting should be done in a professional manner with minutes being kept by the Secretary and typed up
for the next meeting to review, if the league has a web sight it can also be posted so everyone has access
to the leagues progress. Each member should give a brief report on his or her area of responsibility to
keep the Board up to date on the standing of each department.
Each position is very important and plays a vital role in the overall success of the program. If the
people in these positions don’t take them seriously someone else has to pick up the slack. This can
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cause burn out and over time will take its toll, it may even lead to the dismantling of the program, and
then it’s the kids of the community that get hurt. Why are we here? For the kids!
This is a basic example of how a league might be set up and operate, now lets move on to the
administrative responsibility of the team coach.
Have a good file system A-Z with a waterproof case to keep it in, football is an all weather sport
and this will help protect your files.
You will need to have with you at all practices and games the children’s medical release forms.
These should be provided to you from your league officials. If a child gets injured you will need this
information to pass on to the medical personal who treat the child, not having this information puts you,
your league and the child at risk. You should also have a good first aid kit with you. These are not an
option (HAVE THEM WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES).
You will also want a basic player information form on file for each player on your team, with
NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, AGE, WEIGHT, HEIGHT, EMERGENCY CONTACT
INFORMATION, and any other information that might apply to each individual player on your team.
For example, let's say you have a child that is allergic to bee stings, you will need to have the proper
medicine in your first aid kit and the knowledge and permission to administer it. This form is the place
to have this type of information (See page 92 for a sample).
It will help you generate a team roster and give you the ability to contact the child or the child’s parents
if necessary.
In Chapter 8, you will find sample forms that you are free to use. They are only samples, but may help
you keep track of your player’s information, or may help your league establish a code of conduct for
parents, and also a sample medical release form is included.
And last but not least you will need a place (like a notebook) to keep your playbook and other forms
your league may require. You may also choose to keep such things as game statistic sheets and
information on scouting your opponents in your file. Keep your files organized and up to date.
Now that you’re somewhat organized, let’s meet your players and players parents.
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Chapter 2
Coaches Players and Parents Conduct
Most of the time in football you will practice for a week or so with helmets but not in full gear
and most leagues require you to practice a week or so in full gear before you can start full contact drills.
This is a good idea because it gives the child a chance to become used to the equipment and gives his
body a chance to adjust to wearing it. This gives you a little time to take care of other things before you
get down to the business of yelling and screaming, ranting and raving and all the other cool stuff football
coaches are known for.
First, make sure you have a coaching staff that can work together. Have a pre season meeting
with your staff and delegate areas of responsibility for each coach; this should be based upon their
experience. Another very important role for one of your coaches besides their standard duties might be
sideline control during games and scrimmages. Remember that we are dealing with kids, and they tend
to have a short attention span. When goofing off starts, two things tend to happen: first, your team
appears to be out of control and undisciplined and second, if you need to substitute one of these players
in the game they will not be focused or know what is going on. You need someone to keep the sideline
players involved with what is going on out on the field. Another duty that a coach might have is
watching the game clock or keeping game statistics. As you can see it starts to become too much for
one person real quick, so work together as a staff and make sure everyone knows what their
responsibilities are.
The very first thing you want to do when you have your team together is meet as a team with the
players and the parents. This is where you set the stage for the rest of the season; here is a sample
format of how that first meeting might take place:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
(NOTE: Smile and show you are genuinely happy and excited to be here, be enthusiastic!)
First introduce yourself and thank everyone for coming.
Introduce your coaching staff and explain each coach’s role.
Give a little background on yourself, your family, your work, your schooling and whatever
football experience you may have, high school, college or even professional and any prior
coaching experience.
Allow each coach to give a little background on him or herself.
Now give a firm, but not harsh, talk on what you, as the head coach, expects concerning the
conduct of the players, coaches and the parents of this team. Explain that foul language will not
be tolerated, misconduct towards referees, or anyone else in the league will not be tolerated, and
explain what action would be taken if these rules are not met. (This should be agreed upon with
the other coaches in advance). It is my belief that a player should not be disciplined by being
forced to do extensive drills or running, bear crawls, etc. This will cause the child to associate
drills and running with being disciplined. A better option might be to suspend the player for a
given time depending on how serious the offense was. This takes away something they want and
gives them time to think about what they did. This is only a suggestion; every situation is
different.
Your league may require that Parents sign a “Code of Conduct” form at registration. The main
thing is that everyone understands what the rules are right from the start. It is a good idea to let
everyone know that if they have a problem they can come to you directly in private and discuss it
before or after practice. Establish an open door policy and explain that the league has a chain of
command from the coach up to the President to get problems rectified. The last thing you want
is to have parents or coaches or, for that matter, players fighting between themselves, yelling at
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7)
8)
referees or doing anything that would not be in line with teaching the kids good sportsmanship.
If a kid sees a coach and a parent yelling at each other or fighting, what kind of example does
that set? Explain to the kids that even though football is a violent sport, they are not thugs or
gangsters and we will play hard but we will play fair. (This will impress the parents) also make
sure to reassure the players and parents that every step will be taken to ensure the safety of every
child. If your league does not offer a first aid course, you might want to take one anyway. (This
also will help the parents relax about the situation, especially those who are new to football).
End the meeting with a lively upbeat POSITIVE talk about how excited you are to be the coach
of these great kids and you and your staff can’t wait to get started working with them. This is
also a great time to ask for volunteer help. For example, a team parent (mom or dad), would be
someone to help plan the end of the year party and help with fund raising for trophies. Also they
help call the players if information needs to get out as soon as possible. Sometimes you can get a
volunteer just to make phone calls, this is an easy position to fill. The team parent is like a team
secretary. Let them know it’s a lot of work but can be a lot of fun also which can make it a
rewarding task to take on.
Close out the meeting by once again thanking everyone for coming and asking if anyone has any
questions.
You should have already had a meeting with your coaching staff discussing what each coach’s
role will be and how you will all interact on the practice and game field. You will find parents who
want to come out and help coach the kids. I have mixed feelings about this; each team has its own
chemistry and each coach has his or her own rules, but most leagues require a background investigation
before a person can coach. Having this parent who has not registered to coach out on the field with the
kids may put you in violation. Also, he or she may not be teaching the proper techniques, thus putting
the children at risk of injury. As a rule of thumb, I would advise against it! If a parent comes out on the
practice field simply explain to them that they must be registered with the league as a coach to be out
with the kids but he can submit his name with the board to be put on the list for a future coaching
position.
Take time to get to know each player and each parent or guardian, you can develop wonderful
new relationships as well as forming a bond between yourself and the youth of your community.
If you notice a parent who comes to games or even practice intoxicated, and tends to get belligerent you
must talk to that parent and explain that this is not acceptable and to not let it happen again. We’ve all
seen this before at youth sporting events. First, it is very embarrassing for a child to have a loud
drunken parent out in the public eye especially in front of his peer group and second, it sets a real bad
example to our youth.
Many times parents will drop the kids off at practice and go home and come back to pick up the
child after practice. From time to time they don’t return on time. You, as the coach, must wait with the
child until the parent arrives. You cannot leave a child alone at some field or park. If it becomes a
problem simply explain to the parents that you are a volunteer, that you have a job and a family and
when practice is over you to want to get home. If the parent cannot be there to pick the child up on time
see if they would call another player’s parent to make arrangements for a ride, most will comply.
Now that we’ve got a lot of the administrative process out of the way let’s get ready for some
FOOTBALL!
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Chapter 3
Basic Offense and Defensive Terminology and Formations
Basic Offense:
Proper Three Point Stance: Feet spread and pointed straight ahead, back straight, head up, and good
balance.
In the beginning, especially for the new kids, I begin to drill them throughout practice on
terminology. For example “What is offense”? “Offense is having control of the ball Coach”
“What is defense”? “Defense is trying to get control of the ball Coach”
It sounds pretty basic but you might be surprised how many kids really don’t know the difference
the first year they play.
Lets start with a basic offensive line up. This formation might be called a Split left/Slot left formation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Split end
Tackle Guard Center Guard Tackle Tight End
Quarter Back
Slot Back
Full Back
Tail Back
The dotted line represents the line of scrimmage. Notice there are seven men on the line and
four in the backfield, for a total of eleven, the four in the backfield can line up in different locations as
long as they remain in the backfield.
If we were to pass the ball out of this formation, who are the eligible receivers? The answer is the
split end, the tight end and any of the backs. You can not go out for a pass if you are a lineman unless
you are on the end of the line on your side of the field and you can not pass the line of scrimmage until
the ball does unless you are an eligible receiver.
The general idea on offense is that you have four downs to move the ball ten yards. If you
accomplish this you receive four more downs, and so on, as you try to move down the field toward your
end zone until you can no longer move the ball or you score. Normally on fourth down an offense will
punt the ball away, down the field to the other team, therefore turning over the ball possession. If your
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team scores a touchdown, they are rewarded six points and get to attempt a point after touchdown
(PAT). There are two ways to try to accomplish this: (1) you can kick an extra point, or (2) you can run
one play from three yards out, sometimes called a two point conversion. Normally the kicked extra
point is worth one point and the conversion is worth two, but in youth football some leagues elect to
reverse this because it is easier for the kids to run or pass the ball in than it is to kick the ball through the
goal post.
Lets look at another formation. This formation might be called Wishbone double tight end.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tight End
Tackle
Guard
Center
Guard
Tackle
Tight End
Quarterback
Full Back
Half Back
Tail Back
Notice in this formation we have two tight ends and no slot back, this style of formation would
normally be used in short yardage situations when you plan to run the ball up the middle of the
formation rather than to the outside.
For every coach who ever played the game there is an offensive strategy, so understand what we
show here is simply to give the new coach a basic idea of how he or she might want to set up his or her
offense.
Your offense will assemble before each play; this is called the huddle. The huddle is usually set
up about ten (10) yards behind the new line of scrimmage; the huddle is where the next play to be called
is relayed to the offense so everyone knows what to do. Sometimes the coach relays the play to the
quarter back through some sort of signal system. The quarterback, in turn, gives the play to the offense
in the huddle. Other times the coach may elect to rotate two players with the play. He sends in a player
with the new play and the player he replaces comes out and gets the next play to be called from the
coach.
It is important that no one talk in the huddle except the player calling the play, he should call the
play two times and the count it is on, for example:
“Split Right
Slot Left
(23) Dive Right
On One”
“Split Right
Slot Left
(23) Dive Right
On One
Ready, Break”
Let’s break this call down.
Split Right, Slot Left
tells us the formation
(23) Dive Right
tells us the play and the direction of the play
On One
tells us the count it is on
By repeating, it assures everyone heard and understands it.
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Ready, Break is what the whole offense says and then they break from the huddle and run up to the line
of scrimmage.
The Quarter back will come behind the center, place his hands together at the palms and spread
them wide apart between the center's legs. He should have his passing hand on top firmly up against the
center's crotch. He will wait until his teammates are lined up and ready to go before beginning to call
out the cadence. It is important that he is loud and demanding when calling the cadence.
Here is an example of how the quarterback should accept the snap from the center:
Example:
“READY
SET HUT HUT”
From the time the referee sets the ball on the new line of scrimmage after the last play and blows
his whistle, your offense only has about 25 seconds to have the play called, come to the line, and snap
the ball to avoid a delay of game penalty. This must be practiced and done quickly.
Some coaches may use an offensive program where they number the backs and number the holes the
back runs through. This is a good system because it is easy for a young player to catch on to, and it
makes calling plays easy.
On the line the numbering system might be set up as follows. Between each player on the line a
number is dedicated. Usually odd numbers to the left side of the center and even numbers to the right
side of the center. Using the center as the point of origin, the hole between the center and the right
guard would be (2); the hole between the right guard and the right tackle would be (4). The hole
between the right tackle and the right end would be (6), and the area outside the right end would be the
(8) hole.
With the same process to the left of the Center using odd numbers.
Example:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(7) Tight End (5) Tackle (3) Guard (1) Center (2) Guard (4) Tackle (6) Tight End (8)
Quarter Back (1)
Full Back( 2)
Half Back (3)
Tail Back (4)
So looking at the example above, if we were to call a 23, this would mean the (2) back which is
the fullback, gets the ball from the quarter back and runs through the (3) hole, which is between the
Tackle and the Guard on the left side.
When calling the play, the first number called is the back who will get the ball and the next
number called is the hole the back will run through.
This also makes blocking schemes easy, using the same play-23-our lineman know which hole
the ball is going to be run through so they know to block the man in front of them away from that hole.
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Example:
The left Tackle will block his man to the left and the left Guard will block his man to the right
creating a bigger hole for the running back to run through, the rest of the line will use the same process
blocking away from the ball runner.
The two most common types of blocking are (A) Run Blocking and (B) Pass Blocking.
Run Blocking is when the offense is running the ball, the line will blast off at the snap of the ball and
drive the defense backwards and keep driving away from the ball and non stop until the whistle blows
calling the ball down. You are not allowed to grab the defense, this would be considered a holding
penalty. Some coaches teach an open hand pushing type of block, others teach a forearm method.
Regardless, it is important that they keep good balance and a low center of gravity and drive hard using
their legs. A common mistake is the player will hit his man and then stop. Teach the kids to continue to
block moving down field until the whistle blows to stop the play.
Pass Blocking is when the offense is going to pass the ball. In this situation, the offensive linemen will
not cross the line of scrimmage until the ball does or they will get an “illegal man downfield” penalty
called on them. They simply let the rushing defenders come to them, pushing them away as they
continue to try and come in. Most of the time the offensive line will form what is called a pocket where
the center holds his ground, the guards give up just a little ground and the tackles give up just a little
more ground. The same should be for the ends who are not going out for a pass. This procedure gives
the quarter back a pocket to step up into to pass the ball. I teach my kids they must try and keep the
rushing defenders away from the quarter back for four (4) seconds. This is not an easy task, but the
more time the quarterback has to set up and find an open receiver, the better chance he has to complete
the pass.
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Some Running Play Terminology:
1) Dive
Example: 23 Dive
A quick hand off up the middle
the (2) back quick dive through the (3) hole.
2) Lead
Example: 33 Lead
A quick hand off to the second back through the hole
The (2) back runs through the (3) hole to lead block for the (3) back who gets the
ball.
3) Sweep
A quick pitch or run around the end.
Example: 47 Sweep The quarter back turns and pitches the ball to the (4) back who runs around the
left side.
The backs cross in the backfield, the QB fakes the ball to the first back turns and
give it to the second back.
Example: 41 Cross buck
The QB turns to the right and fakes the hand off to the (2) back through
the (2) hole then turns and gives the ball to the (4) back through the (1) hole.
4) Cross Buck
These are just a few examples of the thousands of offensive styles of plays you can run; see the
sample playbooks in chapter 7. Also included are Special Teams and Passing Game Samples.
15
How to properly take a hand off:
The proper way to take a hand off is to form a box using your arms with the open side being the
side you receive the ball from. Let's say the play is to the left, the ball runner will form the box with his
left upper arm down and his forearm bent at the elbow across his lower
stomach. His right arm is bent across his chest with his elbow out so that
his right and left forearms are parallel with each other leaving a gap across
his stomach area for the QB to place the ball. The runner then will clamp
down on the ball when it hits his stomach. This offers ball protection as he
runs through the line and therefore less chance of fumbling the ball. Take
special note that the open end of the box is the side you receive the ball
from, if this gets reversed the upper arm will get in the way thus causing a
bad hand off or fumble. This takes practice for young ball runners to get used to so ask often. “How do
we take a hand off? The answer should be “with the box, the ball on the open side coach” They should
make the box when answering the question.
When running the ball it is very important to tuck the ball away to protect it so it doesn’t get knocked
loose and fumbled.
Right Way
16
Wrong Way
Basic Passing:
The quarterback must be able to retreat from under the center
quickly. Depending on the style of pass, the QB may take a short
drop back or a deep drop back. A short drop is for quick passes and
a deep drop is for longer passes. When dropping back he should
hold the ball with both hands and the fingers of his passing hand
placed with the laces of the football in a comfortable position to pass
the ball. When he is dropping back his eyes should be down field
looking for his open receivers, when his drop is complete he should
first make sure his receiver is open before he releases the ball then
plant and throw. The passing arm should be bent and should pass by
the QB’s ear.
17
Pass Receiving:
We already talked a little bit about pass blocking so let’s move on to pass receiving. First of all
your receivers should be able to catch a football, they are normally fast and can take a hit.
To begin teaching kids the proper way to catch a football, have them stand about 10-20 feet apart
and just play catch. They should place tips of their fore
fingers together and tips of their thumbs together with the
palms of their hand facing out, forming a triangle with their
fore fingers and thumbs. When the ball comes to them they
should try to place the point of the football in the hole of the
triangle they have made with their hands, then grip the ball
when it hits their hands. This teaches them to catch the ball
with their hands, not their arms. The most common mistake a
receiver makes is to try and use his arms, what will happen is
the football will hit the shoulder pad and bounce away. Ask
them often, how do we catch a football, their answer should be
to hold up the triangle and say “with yours hands coach”
Also it is very important to make sure they keep their eyes on the ball and look it all the way into their
hands.
When running pass routes, the receiver should always run fast and make quick and decisive cuts.
A good rule of thumb is to make all cuts at five (5) yards from the line of scrimmage. They should
practice with the team’s QB before every practice starts. It is also a good idea to have the team's center
practice snapping the ball to the QB. This helps give good timing for the QB and will help avoid bad
snaps in the games. The QB and the receivers should all know approximately when the QB is going to
release the ball. A good way to teach this is to teach everyone involved that the QB will pass the ball so
that it arrives to the receiver just after his cut as long as the receiver is open. It is also important to teach
the receivers to come back to the ball if the QB is in trouble or has not yet passed it by the time he
normally would have.
18
Basic Pass Routes:
Fly
Post
Flag
Square In
Square Out
(5) Yards
Line of Scrimmage
The above examples of pass routes are the basic routes, but it’s a good place to start. It is important to
note that the cuts are all made at five (5) yards. The square in pattern and the post pattern are always to
the inside of the field. The square out and the flag are always to the outside. The post represents the
goal past and the flag represents the flag in the corner of the end zones.
19
Basic Defense:
What is Defense? “Trying to get control of the ball Coach!” Remember the offense has four
downs to try and get ten (10) yards, so the idea on defense is to stop the offensive attack and regain
possession of the ball. Some coaches will say the best offense is a good defense.
On defense we have a line similar to that of the offense. We also have a middle line of defense
behind the line of scrimmage and a third line of defense behind that. Just like offense for every coach
that played the game, there is a different defensive strategy, so what we offer here are just samples of
what a defense might look like.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------End
Tackle
Guard
Guard
Tackle
End
Corner back
Line Backer
Line Backer
Corner Backer
Safety
In the sample above we have a six (6) man line with four (4) middle defenders behind them and a safety
behind the middle line.
The Ends have what is considered outside containment, meaning their job is to cross the line and
not let the ball outside of them thus turning the play into the other defenders who should be pursuing the
ball and ready to make the tackle.
The Tackles and the Guards may be required to shoot the gap between the offensive lineman
and stop the ball from coming through the hole. They might also be required to push the lineman in
front of them back into the backfield thus clogging up the holes. Either way the tackles and guards are
the first line of defense to stop the progress of the offense. If the offense is passing, it is their job to try
and sack the QB or block the pass. The Defensive line should always be taught to keep their hands up
high and yell “Pass!” as soon as they see that the play is indeed a pass play.
The second line of defense in this example are the Corner Backs and Line Backers, their job
on running plays is to meet the ball runner at the line of scrimmage and hit them pushing them
backwards thus stopping the forward progress of the ball. They are normally very tough and good open
field tacklers. They also have to have good lateral movement and are able to guard offensive receivers
against the pass. The line backers in this example would have inside responsibility and the corners
would have outside, which can also be referred to as the flats, many times the offense will send a
running back out of the back field on pass route as well as the standard receivers.
The last line of defense in this sample is the Safety, or sometimes called free safety. His job is
simple-NO ONE GETS BEHIND HIM! He is mainly pass protection but he is the last line of defense
against the run also. He is usually very fast, has good hands for catching the ball, is a good open field
tackler and can read the plays well.
Lets look at another defensive line up.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------End
Tackle
Guard
Nose Guard
Guard
Tackle
End
or
Middle Linebacker
Outside Linebacker
Safety
20
Outside Linebacker
Safety
In this example, notice that the nose guard can also play back as a linebacker in the middle. Also
notice we have two safeties; this might be used in more of a long yardage or passing situation.
Once again remember these examples are only to give the new football coach some ideas of how
to set up a defense, we could go into much more detail but this gives you the general idea.
Some coaches prefer to put the defensive lineman in a four-point stance where others may like
the three-point stance. Whatever your preference, the linemen are in a down position, and unlike the
offense, they do not listen to the QB’s cadence to begin the play. Teach them to look at the ball and
block out the QB’s voice. They should only go on the movement of the ball by the center. This will get
them to jump off of the snap quicker and help avoid an offside penalty.
Your middle defenders should be on their toes feet straight ahead and spread slightly more than
shoulder width apart and knees bent, this give them good balance and allows for quick reaction to the
movement of the ball.
The same leg position applies to down lineman except they should have a straight back with their
head up and good balance.
The following are other defensive line-ups, in these examples the first number refers to the
number of players on the line and the second number refers linebackers and cornerbacks.
Run Defenses:
6-4
6-2
6-3
5-4
Pass Defense:
5-3
4-3
3-4
5-2
21
Very Important Note on Tackling:
Always teach your players to keep the head up when tackling. If they lower the head, impact
forces the spine to contract so you risk serious neck and back injury. Once again, each league has its
own requirements on equipment, but I highly recommend the player wear a neck pad, which ties to the
front and back of the shoulder pad. The purpose of this device is to prevent the head from pushing down
on the spine too much. I have heard both players and coaches say these interfere with the player’s
flexibility. My answer to that is YEAH? SO WHAT! If it helps protect the player (CHILD) from
serious injury, then make him wear the darn thing. He or she will get used to it. Remember that we are
talking about youth football, not professional, college or even high school. The safety of the player is
far more important than a missed tackle or a dropped pass.
Proper Tackling Technique:
When Open Field Tackling, square up to the runner, head up, face mask in the numbers (try to
stay lower than the ball carrier), wrap the arms and lift and drive the ball carrier back and to the ground.
When Angle tackling, always try and keep the head in front, and stay low. If you are too high
on the runner’s torso he will just drag the tackler down the field. (Legs are stronger than arms) this also
helps avoid grabbing the helmet area and getting a face mask penalty against you.
I try to teach my defense that we want eight (8) defenders on or around the tackle every play.
Over time this will help your defenders to be come more aggressive when trying to get to the ball, it will
also help your team gang tackle.
During scrimmages we will make the players freeze from time to time right after the tackle so we can
count defenders to see if at least eight made it to the ball.
22
A good defensive coach can teach more advanced defensive schemes. Blitzing, for example is
where the linebackers and sometimes even the safeties rush through the line into the backfield at the
snap of the ball, thus putting extra pressure on the QB. Other schemes might consist of Stunting the
lineman. For example, have your right defensive tackle and right guard cross each other into the gaps
between the offensive line. This could confuse the offensive line and cause them to miss a block,
allowing one of the defenders to run into the backfield untouched for quicker access to the ball carrier.
These types of stunts can be dangerous in the sense that you are guessing what the offense is going to do
or where they might be going with the ball. If you guess wrong, this could work against you allowing
for a bigger offensive gain. On the other hand, when it does work it usually results in a substantial loss
of yardage for the offense.
A good defensive player will instinctively play hard and be aggressive. This is hard to teach so
some coaches will offer incentives such as a point system for tackles and assisted tackles. The player
might receive a star on his helmet or some other kind of recognition for his efforts. This can motivate
the other players to try harder. It is a good idea if it is done fairly.
Another very important thing to teach your defense is to move fast off the movement of the ball.
In other words, when the Quarterback begins calling his cadence, the defensive line should have their
eyes on the ball. As soon as the center moves the ball to snap it they should go, and go hard and fast.
They should not listen to the quarterback’s voice for signals.
Some kids will love playing defense because they just love to hit; others will tend to shy away
from it because they might be scared. Teach the kids that they have good equipment to help protect
them and always stress the proper techniques to help prevent injuries. Remember, we are dealing with
children and they don’t play because they want to get hurt. If a player is too small or just too afraid
maybe you should talk to the parents or league officials as to weather that child is ready for this sport.
Most youth football organizations have age and weight requirements to help protect the players.
23
Proper Defensive Stance
Line backers: Feet spread, butt down, knees
bent, hands out, head up. Balanced with a good
center of gravity.
Proper Four Point Stance: Feet spread and pointed straight-ahead, back straight, head up, good
balance.
24
Chapter 4
Practice Formats and Drills:
Thank God, we can finally start practice, and you are the Head Coach (in your mind second only
to God!). Wait a minute, before you start dropping fire and brimstone down on these kids, are you
prepared? Do you have a plan? Does your coaching staff know what their role is? Have you thought
about what your exercising, stretching and warm up program will consist of? Do you have good
fundamental drills that will actually accomplish anything? Have you thought about what kind of time
frame you have to be ready for your first game? Are you starting to feel more like a peasant now, rather
than second only to God? Well that’s the reality if you’re going to turn this rag tag group of kids into a
lean mean football machine. So let’s get started!
It’s a good idea to have the players line up for pass routes if they arrive early before practice
starts, this avoids kids running around goofing off and being put at unnecessary risk of injury.
To start practice, have the team take an easy, slow jog around the field to get the blood pumping
a little, then line the players up in even lines facing the front and at even spread intervals (some coaches
prefer a circle). Choose a couple of players to be the captains for the day and have them step up front
and lead the warm up exercises for that day’s practice. It is during these warm up exercises that you
begin to form a group out of a bunch of individuals. Start by insisting that they all count out loud and
stay together as a group, this will be hard at first but don’t let up on them. Every time they become
complacent, sloppy or not loud enough, make them start over again until they get it right. It will come
slowly, but it will come, and you will see them begin to come together.
Don’t make the program too advanced, use simple stuff like jumping jacks, push ups, leg lifts
and various leg stretching activities. (If you are unsure about these, talk to an experienced coach or
athletic trainer. It is important that these stretches be done properly. If not, they can do more damage
than good). It is also important to develop a program and stay consistent with it; this will make it easier
for the players to stay focused and together. Try to keep this down to a reasonable time so you won’t
take up too much practice time yet allow for a good warm up.
Example warms up program:
10 three count Jumping Jacks
Note: When doing stretching exercises, do not bounce, it should not hurt. Start out easy and stretch
more each day.
25
10 count Right Leg over Left Leg Stretches Standing and bending foreword and reaching down to
touch the toes.
10 count Left Leg over Right Leg Stretches -Same as above.
10 three count Cherry Pickers-Spread legs and reach down to touch ground with both hands.
26
Butterfly Stretch or Groin Stretch-Sitting position, bend knees with the bottoms of feet together and
pull back toward crotch applying downward pressure to the knees.
Hurdlers Stretch-Sitting place one leg straight out with toe up and bend the other leg out to the side,
lean foreword and touch the toe and then lean backward to stretch the Thigh. Switch legs and repeat.
Note: It is important when stretching to not bounce and to not stretch to the point of pain. Start slow
and over time the muscle will stretch out more and more. Stretching is very important before every
practice and game and more or longer stretches when it is cold out side.
27
10 to 20 Push-ups-Back straight and head up.
10 to 20 Leg Lifts-Lying on back with leg together, point toes out and lift legs six inches off ground,
this drill is to work the stomach muscles.
28
Neck Drills-There are many schools of thought on this drill. Some will have players roll around on the
top of the helmet to work the neck, (See figure on left) others will have players team up in pairs of two
having one on his hands and knees and the other stand and place his leg against the down players
helmet. The down player will then use his helmet to apply pressure to the right and then to the left of
the standing player’s leg for about 10 seconds each way. Repeat a few times, then the players switch
places. (See figure on right) Other coaches will simply have the players stand and rotate the head
around in circles to loosen the neck.
10 Rocket Jumps-Have players squat all the way down and together on the sound of the whistle, jump
as high as they can with both hands up in the air and yell pass then quickly get back in the squatting
position and repeat each time the whistle sounds.
Wind Sprints or Long Run
The next part of your practice might be the Agility Drill phase, this is when you do drills that sharpen the
player’s ability to move and react, and here are some examples:
Rail Road Drill-This is where you have the team line up in a straight line, arm's width apart and lay
down on their stomachs with their helmets all on the same side. Have the first player jump up, and with
his legs pumping as high as he can, begin running over the top of his teammates. As soon as he steps
over the second player in line, that player jumps up and goes, and so and so on. This will teach them to
move quickly over the tops of the players who are down on the ground without tripping as easily.
Tire Drill-Simply line up tires on the ground and have the players run through them stepping high as to
not trip.
29
Monkey Rolls-Line the players up in three lines; have the one in the middle jump out onto his stomach
and roll in front of the one on the right side. Then the one on the right side dives over the one on the
ground, rolls in front of the one on his left who in turns dives over the second player towards the middle.
As each player hits the ground and rolls, they quickly jump to their feet and try to keep the process
going. It helps if you teach them to keep their helmets always facing the same direction. This one takes
a little practice, but it is fun for the kids and it teaches them to get up and off the ground as quickly as
possible.
Dummy Drill-Take some tackling dummies and stand them up or lay them down and have the players
run around them forward, backwards and sideways without crossing their feet, keeping their butts down
their knees bent and a good low center of gravity. This teaches them balance on their feet.
These are just a few examples; if you use your imagination you can make these drills fun and
productive.
After your agility drills you might want to start the drill phase of your practice. This is the time
you use to teach the players the proper techniques for Blocking, Tackling, Passing, Pass Receiving,
Pass Defense, and the proper way to get in a three and four point stance. This is a good time to
break up into backs and receivers and lineman.
Remember to give plenty of water breaks to the players to avoid dehydration.
The next phase of your practice might be the playbook phases where you begin to work on the
plays you have developed from your playbook, it is a good idea to run these plays dry without contact at
first so that everyone can get the timing down.
30
Another phase might be to scrimmage (live contact), letting your offense run through the plays
against your defense or maybe even another team if the situation permits. Remember full contact is
usually not allowed right away, the players need some time to get used to the gear.
Something you might want to do is spend some time on setting up your special teams. (Kickoff)
(Kick Receive) (Punt) and (Punt Return). Note the samples in Chapter (7). You should spend at
least a few hours a week on special teams. Some coaches dedicate the entire Friday practice to special
teams and pre game preparation.
Finally, you might want to end the practice with some sort of wind sprints and various running
type drills. Have the players go from your QB’s cadence out of the three-point stance. Use various
counts; sometimes go on one then maybe three then maybe two then one again. Move them back five
(5) yards every time someone jumps offside to teach them to listen to the count the play is on.
Always end practice on a positive upbeat note.
Other Special Notes:
When picking uniform numbers for the players note that specific numbers are used for various offensive
positions:
Quarterbacks use numbers from 0 to 19
Running Backs usually use smaller two digit numbers from 20 to 39 and fullbacks sometime use
numbers in the 40’s
Receivers usually have numbers from 20 to 29 and from 80 to 89
Linemen usually have numbers 50 through 99
This can vary in youth football depending on the availability of jerseys in various sizes, normally they
are not too strict about this understanding the financial burden some leagues are under to provide
uniforms for the kids.
Making sure your players have good equipment that fits properly and is not damaged or missing
parts is important to the safety of the child. Take the time to help the player (and the parent) understand
how to wear the equipment and maintain it. Also teach the players to be responsible for his or her own
equipment and not the parent or guardians. This helps teach the child responsibility and takes a little
pressure off the parent.
Football is demanding enough on the parents! Consider that practices can be up to five (5)
nights a week with games on Saturday. This sport is in the fall when the weather is not so good, which
means extra laundry, not to mention school is just getting started again. The price it costs to sign the
child up to play and the transportation involved with getting the child to and from practices and games,
it’s a big commitment on the part of the parent or guardian. Try to help make it as pleasant as possible.
31
Chapter 5
Equipment
Having the proper equipment that fits correctly is important for a few reasons. First the safety of
the player. Second the comfort of the player and his or her ability to move and have the proper
flexibility and yet still be protected.
It is also a good idea to have extra snaps, helmet pads, chin straps, mouthpieces, shoulder pad
straps etc. on hand at games.
Lets start with the components of the uniform.
Helmet and chinstrap:
The Helmet should fit properly.
When fitting the helmet the chinstrap should be on, snapped and
snug, centered on the chin. The helmet should be snug so that
when moved from left to right and up and down the players
forehead skin moves with the helmet. The eyebrows should be
one inch below the front edge of the helmet and the jaw pads
should be flush with the jaw. The jaw pads can be replaced for a
better fit by simply unsnapping them and replacing
them. Your helmets may require an air pump
Helmet
system to inflate the upper lining for a snug fit.
Neck Pad
Sometimes the player will develop a small rashShoulder Pads
like mark on his forehead; it may take a while for
(Side view)
the pads to conform to the players head shape. A
slight amount of petroleum jelly on the player’s
forehead will help. Watch this closely, if the player complains
of a headache the helmet is probably too tight. Also the ears
should match up with the ear holes. The facemask should be no
less than three-finger width from the player’s nose and it also
should be tight. If a helmet or facemask is cracked or damaged do
not use it.
The Neck Guard:
The neck pad or guard is simply a pad that goes around the back of the players
neck and threads into and ties to the front and back of the shoulder pad. It is important to neatly tie off
and tuck away any excess tie strings. In most leagues this piece of equipment is optional but speaking
now as a father, it is not optional for my own kids, they must wear it. It is not comfortable at first but
they get used to it and it helps protect the neck and spine.
Shoulder Pads:
The shoulder pads should be on and snapped up and/or tied when fitting. It
should not be loose around the neck and the inside portion should be over or slightly over the shoulder
blade with the upper two pads extending over the shoulder. The player should be able to raise his or her
arms up over their head and still have protection over the chest and shoulder blades.
Jock and Cup:
32
This is optional in most leagues.
Thigh Pads:
The thigh pads slip into pockets sewn into the pants and cover the thigh area of
the leg. It is important that they are properly inserted and fit snug.
Girdle:
• Worn under pants
• Holds 2 Hip pads
• Holds one tailbone
pad (see below)
Pants hold:
• Belt
• Thigh Pads
• Knee Pads
Girdle, Hip and Tail Bone pads: The girdle is a garment much like a woman’s girdle except it has
slots sewn into the inside of it where the hip and tail pads are inserted. Some players will take the tail
pad out, do not let your players do this, if they fall on a unprotected tail bone they could bruise or break
it and it is a very painful injury. The same is true for the hip pads.
Knee Pads:
The kneepads also fit into pockets in the pants and they also should be snug.
These pads are difficult for new players and parents to insert, give a short class on how to do this. Make
sure to show them that the wide part of the knee pad is always on the bottom.
Helmet
Facemask
Chinstrap
Mouthpiece
33
Complete Pad set
Without jersey
Shoulder Pads
(Rear view)
Tailbone Pad
(In girdle)
Cleats
(No Steel Tips)
Cleats:
Yep! They need them. Some leagues have a cleat exchange program whereas the kids
bring in their used cleat if in good condition. We buy these for our kids and they grow out of them
sometimes before they get worn out. This program helps offset some of the money parents have to
invest in having their kids play sports.
Rib Pads:
The rib pads are most often optional, used a lot by, but
not limited to quarterbacks and receivers.
Rib Pad
(Optional)
34
Chapter 6
First Aid
When coaching youth football, from time to time you will have situations come up that will
make you question if this is really for you. One of those times is when a player (child) gets injured.
This is something no one wants to see. Most of the time the injury is not serious but you may encounter
an injury that is or could be. You better know what to do and how to react.
In the fall of 2000 I had my team at practice and we were doing open field tackling drills from about (5)
yards apart.
Little did I know that in a few minutes the practice field would become a surreal scene. It was a
flurry of activity, with coaches and parents scrambling for cell phones to call 911, running to find keys
to the gates that would have to be opened for the emergency medical vehicles that would soon surround
myself and one of my players.
The player was a very talented athlete and a good listener but on this day and at this moment he
forgot one thing when tackling (do not lower your head) which is exactly what he did. When the two
players made impact he buckled to the ground screaming “My neck…help, my neck…I can’t move it!”
or something like that. I saw the hit and I immediately assumed the worst and knew I needed to do a
few things right now. One - Stabilize his head and not let him move; Two - get emergency medical help
ASAP, and Three - calm him down and check his feet and fingers for feeling. One coach held his head
still another coached removed the other players from the scene and I calmly talked to the player,
explaining to him that the medics were on the way and that he would be OK. He had feeling in both his
feet and fingers and did not appear to be injured any place else other than his neck.
I had a parent get a hold of the player’s mother and explain the situation and try and keep her
calm. Soon the medics arrived and took over medical treatment. It was decided that he would be
transported to a hospital about 25 miles away and I would meet his mother and father (who were at
work) at the hospital.
One of the other coaches took over with the other players ending practice for the day and waiting
for parents to arrive, I took off for the hospital.
As I walked off the field to my car my wife, seeing that I was clearly upset came to me and escorted me
to my car. Now that I had a few minutes to reflect on what had just happened, the only thing in the
world that mattered was the health and well being of this child. As a grown man reduced to tears, I
questioned if coaching youth football was for me.
At the hospital, after the x-rays and a MRI the doctors informed us that the boy would be fine.
He had received what is sometimes called a “stinger” and would need to take a few weeks off, but was
fine to come back and play.
I myself have two sons that play. I have seen broken bones, concussions and the whole array of bumps,
bruises and cuts; and the one thing I can say is, "Realize football is a violent sport and you must always
be prepared to take quick and decisive action in the event of a injury".
We as coaches are not expected to be medical professionals but it is a good idea to keep updated
with CPR courses and, if you can, take a sports-injury class.
35
The President of the league I coach for is an EMT for a large metropolitan fire department and
has comprised a list of the very basic things you should have in your first aid kits.
Water-tight first aid box
1” Tape
3” Tape
4x4 Gauze
8x10 Gauze
Ice packs - and a lot of them
Splints /Cardboard, wooden tongue depressors
Band aids (various sizes)
Triangle bandages (shoulder, collarbone injuries)
Sterile water
Syringes (eye flushing)
Anti-bacterial ointment
First aid manual
Some others item to have on hand or nearby might include a pillow/blanket and a backboard to
move a player from the playing field.
I highly suggest you never move a player who might have a back spine or neck injury, Stabilize
and seek professional medical attention ASAP.
If a player receives an injury, no matter how mild, he should be removed from play and
evaluated. Once you feel confident the player is OK and would not be put at risk of further injury you
may put him back into play.
If a player complains of a headache, remove his helmet and check his eyes to see if they are
dilated, the player may have a concussion and should not be put back into play, and should seek
professional medical attention.
Have your players bring plenty of water to every practice and game. Make sure you give the
players plenty of water breaks and have them drink slowly. It is not a good idea to let the players share
water bottles. A water bottle should be part of the standard equipment each player brings to practice and
games. Some coaches provide water for the players.
At the age of youth football the child’s bones are still developing so weight lifting is not
recommended for kids 13 years and younger.
36
Chapter 7
Sample Playbooks including Special Teams formations
We have added three sample playbooks and a sample special teams category for you to review
for ideas or even copy to use. Playbook number one is very basic and works well for the younger, less
advanced players. Playbook number two is a little more advanced using the number system and
playbook three is the most difficult and is recommended for the older players. Those of you that have
been coaching for a while may or may not agree with these styles and that is why we only offer them as
samples. I can tell you, however, that these playbooks have seen many playoff and championship games
not to mention a few undefeated seasons, so they do work in youth football.
I give each player on my team a copy of the playbook to be used that year. It is their
responsibility to take them home to study and not leave them lying around. When the player receives
his playbook it makes him feel like he is part of something special and important. It also helps you
because the players have a way to learn some of what you are teaching them when they are at home.
Having a playbook is not a requirement to coach but it sure gives the players and parents some
comfort knowing the coach cares enough to provide them with additional tools to learn from.
When the player brings home his playbook, the parents will look it over and if it is done well
they will gain confidence that you have a clue about the game. It may even help the parent understand
some of what you are trying to teach on the practice field. Again, it is important to make sure the
players understand that they are responsible for this book, as far as they are concerned it is classified
material and only for the members of your team.
Not included in these sample playbooks is the cover page. What I like to do on the cover page is
put a graphic of the team’s mascot and team name as well as the year. Example: A picture of a Cougar
with the title “2002 Cougars”. I also like to list each coach and the team parent along with their phone
numbers.
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Sample playbook #1
In sample playbook #1 we start by showing a few sample formations. We then move on to the basic
plays. Using these formation styles you can run just about any play and make it look it different simply
by changing the formations.
This playbook is very basic with simple to learn plays; it works well for younger players.
The dark line and arrow shows the movement of the ball.
It consists of six running plays and three passing plays and the basic defensive formation. It can be
added to as the season goes on.
At the top of the page is the formation and at the bottom of the page is the play name. Remember that
you can change the formation and still run the play, or you can run the play to the other side of the
formation, it just depends on how you call the play. Example if the play is (Split Right/Slot Left Dive
Right) you can run basically the same play by calling a (Split Left/Slot Left Dive Left).
You can also put your slot back in motion to confuse the defense.
On the passing plays you will note the backs split to set up a pocket and block for the QB.
The defense page only shows one formation for defense in this playbook, I do this intentionally because
this playbook is designed for the younger players and putting too much on them may confuse them.
It is my belief that if you keep it simple the players can perform more effectively because they
understand what their responsibility is on the play and they are not confused by more information than
they can comprehend.
At the end of this chapter you will find a sample special teams program you can add to your playbook.
Coach Tim Pettay designed this playbook and Lavonne Pettay did the graphic design.
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Sample playbook #2
In this playbook you will notice that a defensive formation was included on each play to help the players
understand what their blocking assignment might look like for that play.
The number system was used to show the ball carriers and the holes. The same system we talked about
in chapter three where we number the backs and the hole between the lineman, odd numbers on the left
side and even numbers on the right side of the line.
The dotted line represents the movement of the ball.
A brief description of what happens once the ball has been snapped is on each page to help better
understand the diagram.
Using this playbook you can run the same play out of various formations thus confusing the defense.
Coach Daryl Read designed this playbook and Lavonne Pettay did the graphic design.
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Sample playbook #3
In playbook #3 a more advanced program is used.
Here we not only number the backs and holes but we also number the receivers.
We also use a legend showing various symbols that are used in the plays to help explain how the play
should be executed.
As in the previous playbooks, we start by showing the formation in which the plays can be run. On the
play sheets the play name is noted with a brief description.
In this playbook the path of the ball is in bold to easily follow.
When the letter R is in the beginning of the play call, this tells the players it is going to be a running play
and run blocking applies.
When the letter P is in the beginning of the play call, this informs the players it is a pass play and that
pass blocking applies.
Coach Chuck Burns designed this playbook and Lavonne Pettay did the graphic design.
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Note: The thicker lines indicate the path of the ball
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Sample Special Teams Section
I designed this special team program to make it easy for the players to understand and easy for coaches
to manage on game day.
You will notice in the punt, extra point and field goal formations the fullback changes position with the
kicker.
This makes it simple so we don’t have a lot of players changing positions to get the kicker in place. The
reason I use the fullback is that he is usually a good blocker. Let’s say your best punter is your offensive
tight end, you simply switch the fullback to the tight end position and the tight end goes back to punt. If
the kicker is off the field then the fullback goes out and the kicker comes in.
On the kickoff and kickoff return team, you can simply fill in the names of the player you want in each
position and have a copy with you at the game so you will know which player belongs where on the
field.
You will also note arrows pointing downfield on the kickoff team sheet, this reminds the players to
travel straight down the field keeping in their lanes and then breaking to the ball carrier to make the
tackle. This will help your kickoff team cover more of the field and help to avoid a long run back by the
returning team. I keep the kicker back as a last resort line of defense, kind of a free safety.
The punt return team is my on the field defense with a few adjustments to be able to return the punt.
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Extra Points and Field Goals:
When kicking field goals and extra points, the Center will snap the ball to the
holder. This takes a lot of practice; you want a quick low snap with a tight
spin on the ball. The holder places the ball on the tee and spins the laces of the
ball away from the kicker. The kicker than kicks the ball through the goal.
Practice this as often as you can, it is a detailed process that must be executed
with precise accuracy and timing.
Kick Off:
When kicking off the kicker must wait until the referee blows his whistle to begin play. No
player on the kick off team can be forward of the ball before it is kicked. The players should run straight
down the field so that the entire field has coverage; the ends should turn the ball runner into the middle
not allowing him to get outside the coverage. I feel it’s a good idea to leave the kicker back after he
kicks the ball as a last line of defense. The kicker should look at a spot on the ball and focus on kicking
that spot and following through to get the most power out of his kick.
Once the ball travels ten (10) yards, it is a live ball and either team can gain possession of the ball.
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Punting:
The center snaps the ball to the punter; this snap is 12 to 15 yards back (Long Snap). The snap should
be quick, low and have a tight spin on the ball. The punter must first catch the ball and hold it out take a
step or two forward and kick the ball as far and high as he can.
The punting team can not pass the line of scrimmage until the punter has kicked the ball. This is why a
long high kick is important (Hang Time) to give the punting team time to get down field and make the
tackle.
If the player receiving the punt waves his hand over his head in a side to side motion while waiting for
the ball to drop down to him, he can not be hit and is given a 3 to 5 yard buffer, depending on your
league’s rules. This is a safety issue, make sure your players understand it. However, if the punt
receiver touches the ball before it is whistled dead, it becomes a live ball and either team can gain
possession by getting control of the ball.
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Chapter 8
Sample Forms:
The following pages contain sample forms that you and your league can use as a guideline or copy
directly from this book. These are only samples and ideas, feel free to adjust them to suit your league’s
requirements.
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Sample Player Information Sheet:
PLAYER INFORMATION SHEET
Player’s Name:
Player’s Address:
Player’s Phone:
Alt Phone:
Primary E-Mail:
Emergency Contact:
Phone:
Parent Info:
Father Phone: Hm:
Wk:
Cel:
Mother Phone: Hm:
Wk:
Cel:
Guardian Phone: Hm:
Wk:
Cel:
Player’s Age:
Player’s Height:
Player’s Weight:
Experience:
Medical Release:
Notes:
Pledge:
NOTES:
Player Name
#
Yd Rush
Assist
Tackles
Tackles
Pass
Recept
P/K
Return
Opponent:
Game Date:
TD
P.A.T.
Sample Stat Sheet
Notes:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Month
Sun
Mon
o
o
o
o
o
o
Tue
o
o
o
o
o
o
Wed
o
o
o
o
o
o
Thu
o
o
o
o
o
o
Fri
o
o
o
o
o
o
Year
Sat
Schedule: