Freshman Records

[Cclman]

Well said!
The Freshman level is for orientation and teaching.
It is the most critical level of a successful program.

• Helping boys develop a sense of confidence and how to mentally suck it up and get ready for the next snap within 30 seconds --- IMHO, the biggest life lesson of the game
• Instilling the fundamentals of good technique and developing an understanding of the program's philosophy and schemes
• Undoing the damage done from idiot pee wee coaches
• Helping kids determine if this game is for them --- it is worst/most dangerous place to be for a kid who does not want to be out there

There is such a physical difference among boys in the age window.

• Some are men and shave
• Some are a year or two away from their first whisker
• Some are as big and as good as they will ever get
• Some will be late bloomers
• Some are big and have yet to grow into their bodies

Though you always play to win, at this level please let them learn without the pressure to win.

Well I can certainly understand if you are speaking about the pee wee coaches in your neck of the woods down there. Up here though we have the OLPH's, St. Juliana's and other Catholic schools feeding players into LA. We also have the Park Ridge Falcons and Oriole Park Falcons feeding into Maine South and Notre Dame. These are polished players going into 8A schools that are consistently excellent t all levels. Kudos to all pee wee coaches!

 

[penlight]

I am happy for the kids in your neck of the woods or anywhere who receive quality pee wee coaching.
I should have qualified my statement a bit more and narrowed it to the kids who have developed bad habits taught to them by idiot pee wee coaches.

 

[mchsalumni]

Well said!
The Freshman level is for orientation and teaching.
It is the most critical level of a successful program.

• Helping boys develop a sense of confidence and how to mentally suck it up and get ready for the next snap within 30 seconds --- IMHO, the biggest life lesson of the game
• Instilling the fundamentals of good technique and developing an understanding of the program's philosophy and schemes
• Undoing the damage done from idiot pee wee coaches
• Helping kids determine if this game is for them --- it is worst/most dangerous place to be for a kid who does not want to be out there

There is such a physical difference among boys in the age window.

• Some are men and shave
• Some are a year or two away from their first whisker
• Some are as big and as good as they will ever get
• Some will be late bloomers
• Some are big and have yet to grow into their bodies

Though you always play to win, at this level please let them learn without the pressure to win.

Spot on. Especially the part about peewee coaches.

 

[mchsalumni]

I feel the same Dude.... As an idiot youth coach myself, I prefer to grow and develop kids knowledge and understanding of the game. I'd prefer to stick by kids, teaching them vs. cutting them and replacing them. My baseball eye and connection to "big time D1" contacts may not be there, but I hope when kids get old, slow and grey (like me)-turn to making posts on message boards, they remember those Dad coaches like I do from my youth. Those guys never prevented me from playing varsity football or college football. Either way, I'll have no regrets. I would have regrets if I had sat by idle and not been more involved. So whether you coach, ref, or support the people working with your kids-you're all equally important to the equation.

While it’s great that @TheDude11 and you volunteer your time and could very well be part of the solution, 4 out of 5 youth football coaches do not know what they are doing and 3 out of those 4 are coaching to secure playing time for their future NFL Star, their son.

It is a catch 22 because someone has to do it but definitely a mess.

 

[JCHillmen]

Naz seems to have a different approach than most schools regarding Freshmen. They bring kids up much sooner than most. And it works for them.

In my time following JCA, I can recall only two Freshmen who played on varsity (Chris Jeske and Ty Isaac), and both were D-1 athletes. Jeske played and dominated soph football during the regular season. He was brought up to the playoffs in 2001 and played LB on a state championship team that needed help defensively. He was obviously very good, but if that 2001 varsity defense had not had a dire need for help, he would never have played as a Frosh on varsity. Ironically, Ty Isaac had one good game as a Frosh on varsity. It was against Naz. IMO, he never should have been up. He should have played at the Soph level. Some believe varsity-level coaching helps kids develop, and there is some truth to that. IMO, there is no substitute for actual game experience.

I think Isaac was “ready” to be up. But they had a senior in his spot who was a bit better that year so he just rotated in at all 3 back positions. Still wound up with 500 yards. If one of those backs wasn’t there and he played every snap, which he would have, he would have had well over 1000 yard as a frosh, maybe even 1500. But with those guys there, I agree if prefer to see 20 carries per game on the soph team to 4 carries on varsity.

 

[kpjasion]

Palatine "A" 7-2, 5-0 in MSL West.

Good thing is they had enough kids for "A","B" and the occasional "C" game this year.

 

[TheDude11]

While it’s great that @TheDude11 and you volunteer your time and could very well be part of the solution, 4 out of 5 youth football coaches do not know what they are doing and 3 out of those 4 are coaching to secure playing time for their future NFL Star, their son.

It is a catch 22 because someone has to do it but definitely a mess.

I don’t coach youth football, so I really don’t have a dog in the fight. But I think people are being a bit hard on volunteer dads that are sacrificing their off hours to help out in the community. If football is that important to people that they’ll criticize guys who are donating their time, perhaps a readjustment in priorities is in order.

 

[mchsalumni]

I don’t coach youth football, so I really don’t have a dog in the fight. But I think people are being a bit hard on volunteer dads that are sacrificing their off hours to help out in the community. If football is that important to people that they’ll criticize guys who are donating their time, perhaps a readjustment in priorities is in order.

Perhaps. But you can’t blame me for seeing a duck and calling it a duck.