Free articles on Youth Football Coaching
This page will have all the free information you need to help coach your youth football team. Please feel free to contact me if you would like me to add something we have not covered.
There is alot to learn by watching the game. Click the link below to get my insight on the various games on TV.
Watching Football on TV as it relates to coaching youth football
Off Field and Off Season Administration
Coaching Staff and Parents
Review past year
Secure returning players
Recruit the New Studs
Long Term Coaches not Dads
Non Coaching Parent help
Team Mom duties
Keep Increasing your Football IQ
Attend Local Club Meetings
Attend Youth Football clinics and camps
Coaching Youth Football Making it fun
Get ready for tryouts by making sure you have enough help
In Season Non-Coaching Distractions
Have a pizza party early before 1st game
Prepare for the year end party early
Selecting the Team Mom
Snack Schedule for your Youth Football Team
Homecoming or Rally Night for Youth Football
Fundraising
Game Stats for Coaching Youth Football
Cheerleaders and Youth Football
Politics of the Youth Football league
Practice schedules times and days
Calling Youth Football practices for Weather using Email and Website
Bad Youth Football Practice Days
When to get Hard on the Youth Football Players
Dealing with Good and Problem Parents
Scout the Parents of your Youth Football Team
Keeping the Good Parents Close, but not too close
Bad Parents on your Youth Football Team
Zero Tolerance Policy
Avoiding the “Mob Mentality” if the Ship Starts Sinking
Use Your Youth Football League Rules to Your Advantage
Why the Parent’s Code of Conduct is B.S. in Youth Football
Set the Ground Rules at the Youth Football Parent Meeting
Use the Players as Leverage
Set Youth Football Playing Time Criteria Up Front
Do not take it Personal Coach
Organizing Tryouts/Evaluations
Preparation for the First Week
Breaking the Large Group into Smaller Groups during the Youth Football Tryouts
3 Days No Contact - What to do During your Youth Football Tryouts
1st Contact Day for New and Flag Players during the Youth Football Tryouts
Youth Football Tryouts and Evaluations Cut Down Day
Keep Tryouts Moving and Organized
The Power Ranking Tryout Grading System
Keeping Track of the Players during the Youth Football Tryouts
Keep Attendance during the Youth Football Try-outs
Evaluations versus Coaching
Proper Stance for Blocking and Proper Tackling Form
Complete Equipment check of your Youth Football Team
Addressing the Parents at the Tryouts
General Parent Announcement at the Beginning of the Tryouts
Evaluating Personal
Evaluating players speed in 10 yard races
Ability Test for testing coordination
Toughness is the Iron Man drill
Pad Blocking to test drive blocking ability
Teaching proper tackling form on the pads
Angle tackling drill
Football IQ - West Point & Oklahoma Drill
Developing Listening skills
Agility Drills for Youth Football Using the Hand Pads
Fumble Drill for Youth Football
The First Three Days of Tryouts
Youth Football Equipment Check
Cutting the Players during the Youth Football Tryouts
Regular Season
Organizing Practices
How many days a week should I practice?
How long should youth football practice be?
Warm ups and Exercise before Youth Football Practice
Daily Routine for the Youth Football Practice
Conditioning the Youth Football Team
Mental Discipline and Youth Football Stretching
Pre game warm ups before the Youth Football Game
How much of my youth football practice time should I spend on Fundamentals?
How much of my youth football practice time should I spend on Offense?
How much of my youth football practice time should I spend on Defense?
How much of my youth football practice time should I spend on Special Teams?
Should I practice a 2 minute drill during my youth football practice?
Stations Breakdown - Line and Backs
Agility Drills for Youth Football Practice
Team Drills West Point
Special Work for Offense and Defense Stations
Teamwork for Offense, Defense & Special Teams
Special Teams Practice for Youth Football
Youth Football End of Practice Conditioning
Youth Football Team vs. Individual Punishments
Offense
Pick your Youth Football Offense Based on your Talent
The Proper Three Point Stance
How much should I practice my plays?
How many youth football plays should I have?
Speed is King in Youth Football
No Speed then use a Numbers Advantage Youth Football Offense
Double Team Blocking in Youth Football
Passing Offense for Youth Football versus Throwing the Ball
How much to run versus pass in your youth football offense
Best Plays to Run on Third Down
Numbers Advantage Formation in Youth Football
Reps, reps and more reps
How to call plays in a Youth Football Game
Snap count in Youth Football
Calling Youth Football Plays - Don’t over think it
Defense
5-10 Year Olds Run 6-10 Man Fronts
Contain the Speed - Youth Football Defense
Stay at Home for Counters Youth Football Defense
Plug Hole on 1st Blocker – Youth Football Defense
Blitzing vs. No Blitzing - Youth Football Defense
Slants at All Levels – Youth Football Defense
Linebackers – Youth Football Defense
Odd vs. Even Defensive Fronts - Youth Football
Tacklers Reality of Youth Football Defense
How many different Youth Football Defenses do I Need?
Safety - Speed and Smarts for the Youth Football Defense
Goal Line Youth Football Defense
Always remember the nose guard in short yardage situations
The Bears 46 for your Youth Football Defense
The 10-1 Zone Blitz Youth Football Defense
Keeping the Line Backers Free – Youth Football Defense
Coaching the defensive line in youth football
Pass Defense Man or Zone - Coaching Youth Football Defense
Defending against Speed - Coaching Youth Football Defense
Special teams
Making Youth Special Teams “un-special”
Extra Points Rules – Youth Football Special Teams
Punt Rules – Youth Football Special Teams
Kick-Off – Youth Football Special Teams
Is there a rush or a free kick?
Extra Points Go for 2 – Youth Football Special Teams
Punting for Field Position – Youth Football Special Teams
Avoid the Turnover – Youth football special teams
Where Should I Punt the Ball – Youth Football Special Teams
Punt Team Formations for the Free Kick
FIRE and POISON Punt Returns Youth Football Special Teams
Hang Time when Punting – Youth Football Special Teams
Do not turn the ball over
Is Special Teams the weak players playing time?
Let the dads help before practice starts
Reps, reps and more reps
Is there a place for trick plays in Special Teams?
Universal Blocking Schemes
General youth blocking tips
All kids can learn to block
Gap On Man Scheme
Double teams
Cross blocks
Pocket blocking
Wall blocking
Wedge blocking
Zone blocking
Railroad blocking
Trap blocking
Pulling linemen
Crab blocking
Counter Gap Blocking
Line Calls
Blocking drills
Scouting and Gameplans
Scouting your Opponent
Why should I scout?
Basic information to get
What do we need to stop?
What can I expose against them?
Do the defensive ends contain or pinch
Do the Linebackers Blitz or Stay home?
Get all special plays and formations
Get the speed back jersey number
Get the big plays and big play players
Get the jersey number of the studs
Scout so there are no surprises
What defensive front will we be blocking against
Do not tape if it is illegal.
Show kids the special plays
Don’t overload the kids so they think and do not react
Get the trends and tendencies
I use a scouting template)
Plan ahead and look at the years schedule for the whole season to plan your scouting ahead of time.
Developing your Weekly Gameplan
Use your scouting report
Show your team their Special Teams
Run a scout team offense versus your defense
Show the Line the different defensive fronts
Point out all the opposing studs numbers
Should I script some of my plays?
Game day Decisions
How early should I have the team arrive?
How early should I arrive on Game day?
The coin toss... What should I do?
Which goal should I defend?
Quicksand
Track the opponent who is leading their team in tackles
Watching Football on TV as it relates to coaching youth football
Today's headlines as it relates to Youth football