Dealing with Heat

It's the summer. I'm in Arizona. What's the first thing that comes to mind? ...at one point on the drive home today, my car said it was 114 degrees outside. That's pretty hot. Probably too hot to be a child practicing sports outdoors...

Our league does not have indoor practice times available (still not sure why not, but we don't), so the only option is to practice outside. How do you balance the need for work with the dangers of the summer heat? As a coach, there's several things you can consider.

First of all, remember who you're dealing with. If you're like me, you have 5 year olds, or 7 year olds. Not high schoolers, not collegians. It's ok if they do a little less running, and a little less "conditioning". Focus on strategy during practice, and basic skill drills instead. Don't go "all out" or run at full speed. Everyone will understand.

If it's 110+, it's time to consider canceling practice. Under that, take lots of breaks to rest -and make sure the kids drink plenty of water. If anyone feels faint, "funny", or light-headed, make them sit out. I always have parents stick around at practice, so they can watch - and constantly evaluate their child. Sometimes it's hard to make sure all 8 or 9 on a team are being closely watched - having the parents there helps.

The one thing to keep in mind is if there's ever any doubt - don't do it. I suppose that's a good "life rule" - but it definitely applies to practice, particularly in the heat.

Stay cool.

Double-Headers

This is the flip-side of bye weeks.

Sometimes league directors will schedule double headers in lieu of having bye weeks for leagues with an uneven amount of teams. This can be stressful and very tiring at any level, but it can be particularly so for the younger athletes.

There are several strategies available to you as coach. You can "coast", "load", or "spread". First, let's talk about coasting. The coasting strategy basically admits that your kids probably won't be able to handle two games, so you're doing whatever you can to get through it. In my opinion, this is the worst of the three options, but it is viable, and as such it's listed. With this strategy, you probably also have a glum attitude toward the double-header week... Regardless, do the best you can, and move forward to fight another day. I'll save the in-depth explanations in an effort to steer you toward either loading or spreading...

In loading, you basically gear up to play your absolute best during the first game, and then taking whatever's left in the second game (mini-coasting). Honestly, when you're 6 or 7, usually one game is a lot - so there's no shame in doing this. Typically, the second team you play will understand the situation, and you can work together if your kids run out of gas... The loading strategy typically yields good results due to peer pressure - a few of the kids will still have energy for game two, and the rest of the team can sometimes be convinced that they then also have energy. Either way, you get at least one solid game out of your team - and that's enough to build on going into the next round of games.

For the spread strategy, prepare your team to play two full games. You may adjust practice slightly to focus on more endurance-related skills. You might also play a deeper rotation - or be sure to get everyone solid minutes in rotation to keep them fresher... This varies by sport, and can be fairly easy or difficult to pull off depending on your particular team. I like this strategy for the older kids - 8, 9 - but the 5-7's probably work better off the loading strategy.

Since double headers will eventually be part of life - embrace them. Try loading or spreading to ensure your team has solid game experience to build on for next time.

Interesting Dribble Drill

One of the unique things to try with 7-8 year olds is to have them dribble 2 basketballs at once.  At this age, the kids are used to dribbling, and using both hands.  Now is the time to introduce dribbling with BOTH hands.  

Why?

It will be natural for the kids to favor their strong hand.  This drill not only works both hands, and the muscles that go along with it - but it also makes the kids concentrate.  Try it yourself - it's pretty difficult to keep both balls going under control.  If you've mastered the static dribble (in one place), try moving around...  

You will find that the kids enjoy this drill, because it's fun, and can be very funny to watch.  In a practice where each kid has their own ball, you can have half the team run while the other half dribbles, then switch.  If anyone gets good at the drill, you can have them try to bounce the balls at different heights, or bounce them independently (not in synch).

If this drill doesn't go well at first, try it again later on.  The kids should obviously be pretty comfortable with standard dribbling drills first.

Variety

Almost everyone has an opinion about what sports to play, when to play them, and for how long. Over the last few years, I've seen many kids, many skillsets, and heard many parents' views.

Even at 7 and 8 years old, it is too early to be thinking about college scholarships and pro careers. Some will disagree (some will disagree vehemently), and that's ok. But if you're still forming your opinion, consider the benefits of enrolling your youngster in multiple sports over the first few years. Keep in mind - this isn't necessarily multiple sports at once... these kids have a hard enough time concentrating on one skillset at a time - they don't particularly benefit from having 2... or 3... to think about.

The most obvious benefit is that they gain some knowledge and experience in multiple sports. Maybe they're really good at baseball, but have a passion for football? I'm no child development expert - but it's logical to think that this could lead to a successful and rewarding pursuit of football as the child matures...

Variety also helps multiple skills develop over time. The most important thing is the general development of coordination between brain and body. Different sports and different movements give different muscles a chance to mature. The mind learns the various rules of the different sports, and finds it easier to learn new sports (and perform fairly well at them) later in life.

You're not a bad parent if you want your kid to stick to one sport. Or, if your son or daughter really really likes soccer or whatever - and doesn't want to play anything else - you don't have to force them, but they may not know what they're missing.

Don't be afraid to change things up. It can be a good thing.

Size Matters

Something that you may not really consider in coaching young kids is the size of the ball used in practice or the game.  Of course, this is a pretty big deal, and should be taken care of before the season so it's a non-issue.

For baseball, it's pretty standard - there's one size for baseballs.  But use the softer "tee balls" for tee ball and coach pitch leagues.  These still have an authentic baseball feel, but hurt way less when they hit legs, arms, and bodies.  The kids should use gloves that are proportional to their body and hand size.  For the 4 through 6-year-old set, a 9" or 9 1/2" glove is probably the best choice.  This will cover tee ball and perhaps the first coach pitched experience.  Ages 6-7 should probably move up to a 10" glove - and from there, the size should move up as the child continues to grow.  Batting helmets should also be sized appropriately - snug, but not too tight.  I would recommend spending the $20-$30 to buy your child their own helmet.  This saves a lot of trouble for kids with larger or smaller heads, and also alleviates the need to use the often-nasty helmets provided by the league.

In soccer, a Size 3 ball is pretty standard for PK through the first or second grade.  This will make a lot of sense the first time you walk on the field and compare the larger, competition balls with the smaller Size 3's.  The Size 5 ball will feel like a boulder compared to the 3.  Unlike baseball, where equipment can be expensive, a soccer ball is usually around $10-$15, and it's best for each kid to have their own.

For football, the under 8 set will be most comfortable with a "peewee" size ball.  This is pretty much the smallest legitimate-looking ball sold at most sporting good stores.  Keep in mind, though, that discount stores like Target and Wal-Mart also carry a decent selection of gear.  If you're child is playing tackle football under age 8 - first of all, be careful, and secondly consult the league and make sure your child has all of the proper equipment in the correct size.  Not much on that here - I'm a fan of flag football for the younger kids.  In either case, make sure you buy a properly-sized mouthguard.  These range in cost from $2-$30 (seriously).  I have always personally worn and used the $2 ones, but do your research and decide for yourself.  Keep in mind that you can usually trim the mouth guards to size, but it's difficult to add material back once you've made it too small...

If your child is playing basketball, be sure to check the rules for ball size, as different leagues will have different guidelines.  Through second grade, you'll probably use a "Youth" sized ball, which is smaller than a women's ball.  It is best to use the recommended size, as it will be easier for the kids to dribble and shoot - they'll also develop better technique that will stay with them as they grow (and move on to use larger balls.  

Understanding the equipment is another subtle key to success in youth sports.  Although there may be added cost, it's offset by performance on the field in practice and for games.

Good luck.

Defensive Strategy: Soccer

One of the key elements in coaching the 4-5 year olds in soccer is establishing which goal is which.  The concept of "our goal" and "their goal" is one of the most important things to discuss early in the season.  Call the goals what you'd like - so long as it is clear which one to kick the ball in, and which one to keep the ball out of...

After the kids understand which goal they're trying to kick the ball into, the next concept is to always try to kick the ball in that direction.  This can be confusing, because if they watch soccer matches in person or on TV - or maybe they see older kids playing - in those games players are kicking the ball every which way.  Clearly, these youngsters do not need to be so fancy as to be arbitrarily kicking the ball backwards at the opponent's goal.  To encourage directionality - I like to use a drill called Turnaround.  This drill literally involves dribbling the ball, and when I yell turnaround, the kids do a 180 and start going in the other direction.  This conditions them to repeat the same activity in the game (and this is a wonderful tool).

When the kids understand which goal is which, and can turn the ball around you're ready for the last step... guarding the goal.  Most leagues under 5 or 6 don't use goalies, so it's up to your team to plug the middle in front of the opponent's goal when the ball gets close.  I try to teach that the closest player to the ball attacks, and the others play between the ball and the goal in a straight line.  The astute among you might say, that's great, but you're leaving the passing lanes open.  This is true - and if a 5-year-old can make the pass to an open teammate on the wing for a goal, so be it.  The "plug the middle" strategy is very effective until the advent of goalies in the 6-7 year old leagues.

Good defense will lead to good offense - like it does in a lot of other situations.  The kids will respond well to the other team not scoring - especially if they are able to get a few goals...  Use defense as your key strategy to a successful season.

fundaMENTALs?

Happy Memorial Day.

I really enjoy some of the traditions my family has started, but one of my favorites is to head down to the Arizona State Capitol and look at all of the memorials and monuments.  It really puts things like sports in perspective.  Thanks to all of those who served.

Last week I had the chance to talk to a "consultant" - but not the kind named "Bob" who come to your office and look for efficiencies.  Pamela Brooks IS - as it turns out - a management consultant, but she's also interested in helping coaches understand the mental aspects of themselves, and of sports.  

One of the things that came out of the conversation with Pam - an experienced coach herself - was how much of sport is mental.  This point is self-evident, and we see examples all the time... only we may not realize it.  When my man Braylon Edwards drops a sure TD pass, surely that is not from an inability of his eyes to see the ball and for his hands to close around it.  When Eric Byrnes drops a sure out in the outfield - that is not because his glove has a hole in it, nor because he is incapable of squeezing the ball in his glove...

Why do pep talks (see related post) work?  ...or not?  Why does getting frustrated just make the next play that much worse (usually)?  I say this next statement only in relative terms - Humans are an intelligent species.  Our ability to think provides us tremendous advantage - sometimes, this includes an advantage over our opponents in athletic competition where we are not the best athlete.  This can also be a disadvantage - especially if you are frustrated, depressed, or mentally inferior to your opponent.  

What does this have to do with youth sports?  ...plenty.  It is the very reason feedback should be positive and constructive in the key formative years (up to around age 8).  It is then that young people are ready to compete and think more deeply about the game.  At this point, they begin to strategize, and find advantage.  

It is also occasion to discuss one of my collegiate roommate's favorite phrases - Mental Toughness.  This is everything from focusing on the game and nothing else to keeping your cool when a call goes against you.  The earlier kids can learn to concentrate on the game they are in, the better their chances of success.  Of course this can go to extremes, but we'll focus on the positive for now.

Pam probably provided content for 2-3 more posts...  but for now, consider not just the physical part of youth team sports - but also the mental.  How kids think about sports directly impacts their performance on the field and in the game.

Anatomy of a Practice: Basketball

I've used a few different formats for basketball practice, and it certainly varies with age.  For the very young (kindergarten) set, I typically focus on fundamentals for the first half to 2/3 of practice, and then talk a little about offense and defense.  The offense and defense portion literally is stuff like "here's our basket" and "stand between the person you're guarding and the basket" on defense.  There is very little strategy involved.

Practices for the kids as they get older are much the same, although the offensive and defensive portions get more sophisticated.  I always teach defense first - the kids work harder when they have offense to look forward to at the end of practice.  That, and if the other team can't score, they can't win...

So, what does a typical practice look like?

After stretching, the first 10-15 minutes is always ball fundamentals.  Speed dribble drills, crossover dribble drills, Butch Lee, etc.  For the older kids, you can begin to introduce behind-the-back and between-the-legs switches.  To do this before 8 or so though is kinda silly...

Next is either defensive work (agility drills or rebounding drills), and/or passing drills.  Passing drills always involve a partner, and sometimes involve a third person for defense.  Of course, Monkey in the Middle is also a possibility - even for the older kids.  

Now that the kids are getting a little tired, it's time for defense - defensive techniques and strategy.  Always teach man-to-man before zone defense.  More about defensive strategy details in a future post...  Unlike football, I think zone defense in basketball is a more difficult concept to master.  

Finally, it's time for offensive strategy and techniques.  I prefer to implement a "base" offense first, and then introduce set plays later - along with perhaps another base offense if you see a lot of different defenses (older kids).  You'll need at least 1 inbounds play to start the year, so keep that in mind (for older kids).  Offensive strategy - like defensive strategy, involves a lot of walking through first, then live action afterwards.  Obviously as the season goes along, there's less walking and more doing...

Practices shouldn't probably go more than 1/2 hour for the 5-6 set, and 45 minutes to an hour for the 7-8 year olds.  Good luck organizing your practice!

Everyone gets a trophy...

While sports for the under 8 crowd should be fun and competitive, in the end there should really be only winners, and not losers.  I've mentioned the bain of poor sportsmanship in earlier posts, but beyond that in this age group, it is about encouraging and rewarding effort.

If effort leads to excellent play, all the better - but when kids are learning, and trying, and having success...  this is what it's all about.  In some leagues, there are pizza parties at the end of the season.  Sometimes there's ribbons, or medals.  Personally, I think it's cool for the young kids to get trophies of some sort.  This is a tangible reminder to them of success, good times, and - hopefully - something they'd like to try again.

I know actual trophies can be expensive, but there are bargains to be had for as little as $4-$5 per child - even less for medals and ribbons.  Parents are usually willing to pitch in.  Of course, this should be a team decision - with all kids being rewarded equally.  I have always loved to see the glow on the kids' faces when they come up to get their trophy - always smiling, always proud of what they'd accomplished - even if that was only a bit more than last season.

If you're in the Phoenix area, I recommend considering Ahwatukee Trophies and Awards, LLC - www.ahwatukeetrophies.com .   They're located near 50th Street and Warner Rd.  They carry everything you can imagine in a variety of price ranges.  I've been using them for awards for several years now - always on-time, never even a mis-spelled name.  

Snacks

One of the most important parts of game day for the 4-7 year old set comes after the game is finished... snacks!  I fondly remember snacks after games I played as a kid - soda (full cans, with sugar), cookies, candy.  What were those parents thinking?!

Today, of course, much more is known about nutrition, and there are simply more choices available.  Fruit (oranges, bananas, etc) is an excellent choice.  Another good choice is cereal or granola bars.  All of these are easy to eat, and not horribly messy.  Crackers and cookies - especially in the small, individual packs are also not bad.  Although I haven't seen a lot of these in a while, bad choices would include cupcakes, donuts, and candy bars.  All are messy, and not particularly healthy.

For drinks, there are several great options.  Water is always safe, but most kids drink a lot of water during the game.  Apparently there's also flavored water in little boxes especially for kids too - that's a cool idea.  Obviously, Gatorade, Powerade, Vitamin Water, and all the various other sports drinks are just fine, and many have the small bottles.  Other juice boxes and pouches like Capri Sun also work very well.  As it turns out, soda isn't a great choice...  who knew?

Snack time is an opportunity to reinforce excellent habits.  Athletes must take care of their bodies, and whether or not Little Jimmy goes on to play more sports in the future, eating good and healthy snacks - especially after exercise - sends a good message.

Encourage parents to self-organize for snacks, or keep a snack schedule.  The schedule works well, because families can plan ahead, watching for sales.  I'll typically confirm the schedule a few times throughout the year so everyone knows their date.  I'm not great at reminding people, and I suppose I've been lucky more often than not.  

Another thing to keep in mind is that sometimes the players have younger siblings who enjoy taking part in the snacks as well...  it's great to try to accommodate this, but it should be a "team rule" so there's not a lot of confusion each week.  

And, of course, the coach should have a snack after a rough game :)

Practice Facilities

Hopefully you are lucky, and you're associated with a program that has adequate practice facilities for you and your team to use at a reasonable hour, and at a cheap price (or free). If so, go ahead and spend some time looking over some of the outstanding prior blog posts :)

Assuming you're among the majority of coaches leading the younger kids, you do not have a practice facility provided, and must seek one out. This can be more difficult than it seems, what with our litigious society, and many people looking only to their own liability exposure.

What do you need in a place to practice? This depends on the sport, of course. For football, just about any open space will do, provided there's some room to run. Parks, schoolyards, open lots likely all do fine - watch out for rocks and large divots and holes. Pretty much the same is true for soccer, although if the grass is to tall it may impact soccer more than football. For tee ball and coach-pitch baseball, a diamond is a luxury - but again, most any space will do (unless you have big sluggers). When you get into Little League, and into the 6-7 year-old range, it's getting to the point where a diamond with an appropriate backstop is the only option.

Basketball can be a little tricky - especially for the very young kids (up through 7). At these ages, it is typical to use a 6-foot or 8-foot hoop. Some schoolyards, and even some parks have these lower hoops in place, but many do not because of vandalism or mis-use. There are special attachments that can be made to standard hoops, but these typically require a ladder and some tools. When hoops aren't readily available, I have run practice without shooting. Surprisingly, many kids who play basketball understand very clearly that the goal is to shoot the ball in the basket... Let this work to your advantage, and focus on dribbling, passing, and defense instead. If you go the basket-less approach - be sure to get some shooting in before the game if you can.

All practice facilities should be in good repair, and yes, you should ask permission first. At a park, you're likely hassle-free unless something else is scheduled... schools are typically accommodating (especially outdoors), but can be a bit trickier at times.

Once you've found a good place - stick with it. You might even see what you can do to keep the fields or courts in order, or volunteer to help when funds are needed for repairs or rebuilding. Above all - treat practice as an important part of the sporting experience. It surely is.

Baseball

Baseball is different.

This isn't a bad thing, but it's important to remember as you begin your career as the manager of a tee-ball, coach-pitched, or even Little League team. Unlike some of the other sports, there aren't that many "individual" drills you can do at practice. Of course, you can run through fielding drills, throwing drills, and batting practice - but all involve at least 2, if not more players. If you do set up "individual" drills - it's likely that a coach needs to be involved, so plan to have something for the other kids to do as they rotate in and out of the individual drill.

Luckily, at the younger ages, you'll be consumed with the very basic skills... soft toss is a staple at these practices. You'll be surprised at how just throwing the ball back and forth between kids can be quite interesting... Getting in front of a ground ball - and knocking it down - might be considered an achievement. But all of this stuff is pretty boring compared to hitting - that's where the action is at!! Don't get caught up with hitting mechanics just yet - it's really just about watching the ball and timing the bat to hit the ball...

At this age, the first thing I do in the first practice is talk about safety. Bats are in the fence all the time, unless someone takes one and is heading to the plate to hit. No practice swings, no warming up with the bat - unless you're at home plate. No throwing a ball, unless in a drill, playing a position, or otherwise told. Helmets should be worn when batting and running the bases, and everyone in the field - baserunners, fielders, and coaches - needs to watch the ball at all times.

Repetition is the key for baseball. You do the same stuff, and then you do more. Over time, your body will be trained how far the throw is from the hole at short to first base, and how quickly you need to swing to hit a high fastball. Practices in the later ages revolve more around strategy and refining technique (turning double plays, sliding, bunting - that kind of stuff).

Work in some of the rules when you can - this might be easier if you keep the same team together for a few seasons. Don't try to explain the infield fly rule to a first-grader - and if you do, don't get frustrated when they take off running on-contact...

Kids love baseball. Give it a try.

Role Models

I'm sure you can think back to your childhood and remember role models you had - whether it was Robin Yount, Joe Montana, or Betty Crocker... All of those, along with many others past and present, set a positive example for others to follow. It is these people who shape and inspire others to achieve, sometimes well above what their "talent" may have been.

But what about the ones who aren't such a positive example? Pete Rose, Barry Bonds, OJ Simpson... Manny Ramierez. I can think of about a dozen others right off the top of my head, too. How do you explain to a 7-year-old that their favorite player can't play for 50 games because he was cheating?

While it will always be important for kids - and all of us, probably - to admire others who are famous, and - apparently - good at what they do, it's important to set good examples right where we are. Sure, Manny is on TV a lot, and he hits like few others. And that hair is pretty cool. But he doesn't live in your house, or drive the kids to school, or take them out to Baskin Robbins. He can't take the time to show Little Bobby how to hit a curve ball, really.

As coaches and as parents - heck, as adults - it's our obligation to set good examples for our kids. In life. In sport.

It never fails that during a season we play the team of sore losers - what kind of coach allows this type of behavior if they're down a few runs, or can't seem to score a goal? The message SHOULD be to go out, try a little harder, and chip away at the lead. If you ultimately fail - congratulate the victors, and work harder in pratice for next time. What is the conversation is between the kids and the coaches and parents after a bad game compounded with bad sportsmanship... and what kind of adults do those kids become? When things don't go their way (didn't get the job, failed to qualify for the loan, etc) - do they sit and pout? Do they call the loan officer names?

Kids will imitate what they see and hear. If they get a truly positive message, and develop to drive to achieve, there's no stopping them. When they hit a bump in the road, they won't sulk, they'll seek out another way...

I'm not saying coaches are perfect - nor do they need to be. I don't know anyone who is. That's human. But to strive to do the right things, and to admit and explain when you have failed is really what a role model is. In that light, maybe Manny deserves another chance...

FUNdamentals!

One of the things I've noticed is that some coaches try really hard to be fancy. Fancy is not a bad thing, but it's not as effective when you haven't covered what's essential.

My first experience with this was a few years ago when my son was playing soccer. He was probably 5... The kids on the other team had the most amazing choreography on kickoff plays - making all kinds of bizarre moves, but not really accomplishing anything. As it turns out, they had plenty of time to do what they did on kickoffs, because they couldn't score or defend at all! Frankly, the kids really seemed to enjoy the little kickoff dance (as I named it in my head) - which is great, but was that really the best thing for the kids?

Since my first experience with coaching 15 years ago, I've seen the value in stressing the basics of the game. If you can't hit the ball, catch the ball, and make accurate throws, you will struggle with baseball - regardless of your knowledge of the infield fly rule. If you can't dribble a basketball, forget about a full court zone-trap press.

Coaching younger kids gives you a tremendous opportunity to make a huge difference. Not only is teaching fundamentals fairly easy, there is huge benefit. The kids will get frustrated running plays if they aren't able to perform the skills that are assumed in creating the strategy. The basics are different per sport, but here's my suggested foci (focuses? focus? ...I mentioned I really wasn't a writer - you were warned).

Basketball: Dribbling (with head up, with one hand, while moving), Passing (bounce, chest pass), "Triple Threat Position" - more on that in another post, Shooting (w/ proper form), Defensive position (man-to-man).

Soccer: Dribbling (both feet), Ball control (stopping, starting, changing speed), Defensive position (including goalie play, if applicable)

Baseball: Contact hitting, ground-ball fielding, basic throwing and catching. For baseball, I'd throw in a quick discussion about baserunning, if applicable.

Football: This one depends a lot on how you're playing the kids - fixed position vs. playing all positions. I focus on throwing with proper form, catching (with hands), and defensive positioning. For flag football - focus on flag pulling, which you'll find to be vitally important. For tackle, obviously tackling technique would be important.

Don't out-fox yourself with the youngsters. Focus on the basic skills first. If they've mastered that, you're ahead of the game and have free reign to do whatever else you'd like.

Drill of the Day: 3 on 2, 2 on 1

I am still wrapping up the current football/soccer seasons, however I couldn't help but think ahead to one of my favorite drills (for basketball).

3 on 2, 2 on 1 is a fast break drill which teaches decision making, and stresses quickness.

Setup: You'll need a full-court with hoops on both ends. Line up at least 3 kids on one end across the baseline - they start out with the ball. Two kids will start out on the far end of the court playing defense. Line extra players up behind the 3 along the baseline - they will make up the next group.

Drill: The three players head down the court on a fast break. The defenders attempt to stop the break. After a basket is scored or the defenders get the rebound (or the coach calls time), the defenders take the ball down the court the other way for a 2-on-1 break. The defender is the middle player from the original 3. The two remaining players from the 3 stay on the far end of the court to play defense as the drill continues.

In thinking about this post, it could work for soccer, too - maybe kids 7 or 8 and up. For the basketball version of the drill, I'd recommend it for 7 and 8 year olds, but it might be a little rough for younger kids. An alternative for the younger kids may be to remove the defenders.

Encourage your offensive players to make quick decisions and take the best shot available to them. On defense, you can stress how you'd like players to react to fast breaks. The most common reaction would be to have one defender commit to stopping the ball, and have the other pick a passing lane and/or choose an offensive player to guard. On a missed shot - stress to both sides the importance of getting the rebound.

Good luck with this one. It's fun to see it in action when it keeps rolling...

What to do when...

As a coach, you will eventually have a blowout game. Hopefully, it is your team piling it on, and not being piled upon. This can be a difficult situation either way. If your team is having a great day, it may be difficult to encourage them to keep playing hard - even if you're not keeping score, they "know" how the game is going. If you're getting stomped, it may be quite a chore to keep the kids engaged in trying and playing when they "know" the score.

There's a few things I stress at every opportunity throughout the season. Number one is to play hard - try your best - all the time. The second is forget about the last play because, good or bad, it's in the past and the next play is at hand. I also emphasize defense over offense at every turn. If you limit the other team's ability to score, it makes your job on offense that much easier.

You can see where these can be in conflict with a blowout score... it's not easy to forget that you've scored 8 (or was it 9?) goals, and the other team hasn't scored any. It's also not easy to keep working hard when the other team is beating you in every aspect of the game. And who needs defense on either side of a blowout?

If you're getting beat handily, try a few things. First - don't be calling timeout and stopping the clock. Get the game over as quickly as possible. Next, try to focus on the positives - try to get a few quality possessions, or get a few plays in to move the ball effectively. If the kids are younger, you might arrange a little "success" with the other coach. All of these are avoidable - is it obvious that you should try to NOT be blown out?

If your team has the good fortune of being on the right side of a lop-sided score, it is your obligation to show sportsmanship. These are 5, 6, 7 year olds - not in high school, not pro athletes. When you're up 3 or 4 touchdowns, think twice about calling reverses and other gadget plays. If you're up 5 or 6 goals - tell the players to focus on passing to teammates. This will both kill time and keep you from scoring a lot more (even if scoring is inevitable).

I hate telling kids not to play hard, because that goes against what we've talked about all season. But, in some of these cases, it may be effective to distract the kids by suggesting you'd like to see other aspects of the game.

However the game turns out, be sure to send a positive message to kids at the end. There's nothing wrong with doing a great job. That's exactly what you've worked for... And if the other team got you that day, it gives you (obvious) talking points for the next practice. Few things have motivated me more as a coach than getting it handed to you. I am always prepared the next time...

Anatomy of a Practice: Flag Football

The 6-8 year olds are 6 games and 7 practices into the 8-game season, and we've established a pretty regular routine. Here's a brief overview of how we spend 45 minutes once a week.

Stretching and Running - Each practice starts up with a brief warm up period, followed by some sprints. Keep in mind, these are little kids, not high schoolers. I'll usually have them do 2 sets of sprints, and then we'll get started with the rest of practice.

Next up is route running practice. I have installed a basic route tree, with 9 patterns. We spent much more time on this for the first few weeks as the kids were learning the routes. Now, we go over them as a review, and to try to run them more precisely. I'll talk more about the routes and plays later on.

Now that we're probably 15 minutes into practice, it's time for a break. I like to stop every 10-15 minutes so that the kids aren't distracted by needing a quick rest of being thirsty. There's plenty of other distractions for them.

For the next 10-15 minutes, it's usually a drill or two. In earlier practices, we did basic throwing and catching. At this age, it's important to stress the mechanics of throwing, and watching the ball all the way in on a catch. I also try to stress catching with hands (if they can), versus catching against the body. This will help them later on, but may lead to a lot of dropped passes in the present. In practices later in the season, I've also run center-quarterback snapping drills, as well as some flag-pulling drills. As you can imagine, pulling flags is vitally important...

After another quick break, the last 15-20 minutes is on offensive and/or defensive strategy. We've installed a zone defense scheme (more on that later), because the kids struggled with 1-on-1 responsibilities. We've also had some difficulty running plays correctly, so it was important to me to get 2-3 plays down. I'm not sure we did, but it was worth a shot.

Running through all of this can easily consume an hour. If the kids seem distracted, move on to the next activity - or - if they are acting up, you can always have them run more.

Football is a strategy-based sport. There's a lot of teamwork involved... be sure to use practice time wisely to give yourself and the team the best shot at success during the games.

Which sport should my kid play?

Everyone has a theory about which sports their kids should play and why. I do too. I'm not an expert in child development, but I was a kid and I am a parent - and I can tell you what worked for me...

First off, I'm a believer in encouraging your kid to get involved in something at a young age. It doesn't matter if it's ballet or basketball or basket-weaving. Activities allow them to be engaged, interact with others, and gain confidence as they have success. Once the activity is chosen, it's important to stick with it through the commitment - usually, that means the season. Quitting early, or not giving full effort sends the message that sticking with something isn't important.

For really young kids, maybe up to at least 3 years, I think it's best to play informally. Maybe put them in swimming lessons, but play ball in the backyard, kick the soccer ball around and help them develop basic motor skills. But at some point, they're ready for soccer.

Soccer is great for 4 year olds and up. There's really 2 things to think about - kick and run. Yes, the games are usually a pack of kids surrounding a ball in close proximity... but it's cute. During the practices and games, the team bonds, and learns the basics of sportsmanship along with the actual game. It can be rough going, but it sets the stage for enjoying soccer further, or playing other sports.

It was difficult for me to explain "offense" and "defense" to 4 year olds. I gave up on that, and instead talked about kicking the ball toward "our goal" and away from "their goal". That's probably another topic.

My son was able to play basketball as a kindergartner. Of course, you have 6' hoops, and there's not much dribbling or passing, but there's only slightly more to think about than soccer (run, shoot, and then anything else they can remember). With basketball, offense and defense is a little bit clearer, because you're doing different things.

When I was a kid, I played tee ball in first grade, and so we tried baseball (coach pitched) with Alex at 6. This added the next step in complexity - when batting, you just swung the bat and ran when you hit it... easy. But what do you do in the field? Usually the rules are set up so that baserunners stop either at first base, or at the base they're on after the ball is touched by the defense - so for fielders, you can tell them to "throw it to first" all the time, and that's pretty safe. But, baseball has lots of complex rules about force outs, tag outs, etc. It takes a little bit of practice and playing the game for the more advanced concepts to begin sinking in...

At 7, Alex begged to play football. I was ok with that. Flag football. He's now at the age where he understands games and rules, and can easily adapt. We rotate sports, although he has his favorites (which doesn't include soccer). The most difficult part about the football team is that there are 6-8 year olds, covering kindergarten through THIRD GRADE. If you've made it this far in the post, you probably understand how that's a bit of a challenge...

Most importantly - encourage your kid to do something. Every child is different, and - maybe there's a football prodigy out there who's 4... But if you're scratching your head, pick a soccer league, and see what happens.

Drill of the Day: "Butch Lee Dribble"

Despite it being my favorite sport to coach, thus far I have paid very little attention to basketball. That's unfortunate, but it all changes now.

Today's drill is great for ages 7-8 on up, and it's called the Butch Lee Dribble. I can fondly remember back to my youth, when Pulaski High School head coach Fred Kesley introduced me to this drill at a summer basketball camp. I thought it was really dumb, and I didn't even know who Butch Lee was... but it turns out, this drill has grown on me a lot.

The player will start out with the ball in a low, strong dribble with their right hand. Then they take two short, quick steps forward. After a brief pause, the player maintains the dribble and takes two quick steps back. The ball is then crossed over to the left hand, and the action is repeated there. The player should move in a slight "V" pattern during the drill as they move back and forth, then cross over to the other side.

I like this drill for younger players because it lets them control the dribble going both forward and backward with each hand. It also gets them taking quick steps with the ball and switching hands in rhythm. Stress looking up and defending the dribble with the off-hand. For older kids, this is a good quickness and agility drill, especially combined with other speed dribbling drills.

In case you were left wondering, Butch Lee was an All-American point guard for Marquette in the late 1970's, and was an integral part of their 1977 NCAA Championship team. Born in Puerto Rico, he was an excellent ball handler and had a brief NBA career.