Coaching Football For Dummies Cheat Sheet

When you’re ready to tackle the role of a volunteer youth football coach, you can benefit from some inside knowledge of what it takes to be a coach that kids love playing for and learning from, and how to make the season one they will remember with a smile. This cheat sheet hits on some all-important elements of coaching youth football.

Things to know about coaching youth football ahead of time

Heading into the season fully prepared can put you in prime position to lead your team to a season they will savor forever and help you overcome all sorts of challenges that often arise during practices and games. Here are some key questions to consider when stepping up to coach a youth football team:

• Why am I volunteering to coach? What do I want my players to take away from their experience with me?
• How am I going to ensure equal playing time for everyone, regardless of skill level? How am I going to make sure they experience a variety of positions on offense and defense?
• How am I going to create a team-first culture? How do I get players to support and cheer for each other?
• How am I going to plan and execute practices all season long that are productive and that kids look forward to being a part of rather than dreading?
• How do I make sure that I am having a positive impact on every player?
• How can I help parents keep the season in perspective and be models of great behavior? How do I handle behavior issues during games with parents of my players?
• If I am coaching my own child, what do I need to know to make this work?
• How do I make corrections without hurting kids’ confidence and self-esteem? How do I help players move on from mistakes on game days rather than dwell on them?
• Since football is a high-contact sport on every play how do I help keep all my players as safe as possible?

What you need to know to get started as a youth football coach

As a youth football coach, you can help kids learn skills and develop a life-long love for the sport. To maximize this amazing opportunity, you need to dial into some all-important areas to help ensure you get the season headed in the right direction and keep it on course. Here are a few guidelines to follow to get set up for success before you step on the field.

• Would you want to be coached by you? Kids want to play for coaches who teach, inspire, and truly care about them — no matter their skill level and how much they can contribute to the team.
• Do you know how to teach all the skills of the sport safely? Football is a complex sport, and each position requires a variety of key fundamentals. Plus, knowing how to tackle properly, for example, is vital for minimizing the risk of injury to ball carriers as well as defenders.
• Can I be a great role model? Your players are always watching you, and they don’t miss much! So if you lose your cool during games and yell at referees, criticize players for making mistakes, and display negative body language when your team commits a turnover or gives up a touchdown, your players will likely adopt these same types of negative behaviors.

Dos and don’ts for coaching youth football

Leading your youth football team to a safe and fun-filled season requires a lot of preparation, focus, energy and non-stop enthusiasm. Here are some of the basics to focus on to help make it happen:

• Do create a coaching philosophy to navigate your season and be sure to stick to it no matter what happens. Make sure this philosophy is focused on the kids so that it helps them develop football and life skills, have fun, be safe, and learn to compete as a team.
• Don’t judge your impact by the team’s won-loss record. The true barometer of your coaching is not whether the team claims a shiny first-place trophy or piles up a bunch of wins but whether the kids have a fun experience and want to play football again next season.
• Do plan your practices in advance. Use action-packed drills that keep kids excited, engaged, and challenged at every practice.
• Don’t have kids wait in long lines during drills. Learning, focus, and fun fizzle when kids aren’t moving. Scrap drills that flop and always have a stash of back-ups ready to roll so valuable practice time isn’t squandered.
• Do focus on teaching fundamentals. Provide lots of encouragement and positive feedback so kids aren’t derailed by frustration and failure while trying to learn and develop skills.
• Don’t harp on mistakes. The most learning takes place when players are nudged out of their comfort zone and must work through challenges and struggles, so applaud effort and resolve.
• Do have a preseason parents meeting before stepping on the field. This all-important meeting is a tone setter for the season and the time to share your coaching philosophy, outline how playing time will be allotted, explain how you expect the parents to behave, and answer any questions parents have.
• Don’t exclude parents. They can fill valuable roles — assistant coach and safety coordinator among them — so work with them and keep the communication lines open all season long.
• Do teach players both football and life skills. Teamwork, good sportsmanship, respect, and best efforts are valuable attributes for success on the football field and leading productive lives.
• Don’t overlook the importance of your role: The impact you can have on a child’s life is enormous. Every practice and game day moment matters; every interaction you have is significant; and players will remember you for the rest of their lives — so make sure it’s for all the right reasons!