Junior Football Camp came and went last week, and it was great to see so many young athletes using the summer months to train and improve.
The options for athletes to improve their performance during the offseason are fairly apparent and available, but the same can't necessarily be said for youth coaches.
With that in mind, here are a few practical suggestions for coaches who are looking to use the waning days of summer to make meaningful improvements before the season begins:
• Set performance goals that aren't just about winning: I've said this before, but think about the strengths of your team and the things you want your players to accomplish during the season. What skills can they improve or master? Can you help them learn new schemes or plays and reward their efforts as they improve?
Think about ways to motivate your team with shared performance goals. Attitude, mental toughness, and rules of the game are all areas where we can set goals and work to improve.
• Evaluate your practice plans: You always want to keep practices moving along and fun for your athletes.
As you evaluate your plans, ask yourself: Is there wasted time in your practice? Are you spending time on things that you do not use during the season? Are you working all areas of the game during practice? This includes situational drills, special teams, basic plays, etc. Thoughtful evaluation and fine-tuning will go a long way toward getting the most out of practices.
• Be a great communicator: If you are going to work with young athletes, you are best served communicating with them using the tools that they use.
Social media is here to stay, and it is a fast and accessible way to communicate with athletes and their families. You can use social media as a simple tool for team announcements, motivational messages, and feedback from games and practices. Take advantage of the versatility that comes with social media for team communication.
• Get to know your team: One of the keys to your team's ability to function during good and bad moments comes from the quality of the relationships you have built. Likewise, the relationships among your players are important.
You need to know how to motivate your players as individuals – what learning styles do they possess? How do they respond to compliments and criticism?
• Identify strengths and weaknesses: As a youth coach, you need to assess your players' abilities to build on their strengths and improve their weaknesses.
What did your team do well and where were there struggles? Are your performance expectations realistic given your team's abilities and practice time? Can you spend more time on what you do well and branch off of that concept?
You do not want to set your team up for frustrating practices and a tough season. Help your players build on their strengths, and keep a realistic focus on improving weaknesses.
The season is just around the corner, and as athletes wrap up their offseason work, hopefully their coaches will also find ways to bring renewed energy and excitement to the field.
We are all looking forward to another great football season.
The options for athletes to improve their performance during the offseason are fairly apparent and available, but the same can't necessarily be said for youth coaches.
With that in mind, here are a few practical suggestions for coaches who are looking to use the waning days of summer to make meaningful improvements before the season begins:
• Set performance goals that aren't just about winning: I've said this before, but think about the strengths of your team and the things you want your players to accomplish during the season. What skills can they improve or master? Can you help them learn new schemes or plays and reward their efforts as they improve?
Think about ways to motivate your team with shared performance goals. Attitude, mental toughness, and rules of the game are all areas where we can set goals and work to improve.
• Evaluate your practice plans: You always want to keep practices moving along and fun for your athletes.
As you evaluate your plans, ask yourself: Is there wasted time in your practice? Are you spending time on things that you do not use during the season? Are you working all areas of the game during practice? This includes situational drills, special teams, basic plays, etc. Thoughtful evaluation and fine-tuning will go a long way toward getting the most out of practices.
• Be a great communicator: If you are going to work with young athletes, you are best served communicating with them using the tools that they use.
Social media is here to stay, and it is a fast and accessible way to communicate with athletes and their families. You can use social media as a simple tool for team announcements, motivational messages, and feedback from games and practices. Take advantage of the versatility that comes with social media for team communication.
• Get to know your team: One of the keys to your team's ability to function during good and bad moments comes from the quality of the relationships you have built. Likewise, the relationships among your players are important.
You need to know how to motivate your players as individuals – what learning styles do they possess? How do they respond to compliments and criticism?
• Identify strengths and weaknesses: As a youth coach, you need to assess your players' abilities to build on their strengths and improve their weaknesses.
What did your team do well and where were there struggles? Are your performance expectations realistic given your team's abilities and practice time? Can you spend more time on what you do well and branch off of that concept?
You do not want to set your team up for frustrating practices and a tough season. Help your players build on their strengths, and keep a realistic focus on improving weaknesses.
The season is just around the corner, and as athletes wrap up their offseason work, hopefully their coaches will also find ways to bring renewed energy and excitement to the field.
We are all looking forward to another great football season.
