Synopses & Reviews
"[This] series is required reading for those of us who . . . one day find ourselves facing the expectant gazes of a dozen youngsters who insist on calling us Coach."--
FamilyFun magazine
"You have the opportunity to teach the value of competition, that winning and losing are both part of the positive experience, and that having fun is the name of the game."--Paul Pasqualoni
Coach. You just volunteered to coach your child's football team, and you can't tell a draw play from a screen pass or a tight end from the end zone. Don't despair--Coaching Youth Football is here to help.
From your first team meeting, Coaching Youth Football shows you how to teach the fundamentals of football, including passing, catching, blocking, and kicking. You'll find drills for playing offense and defense that work for any age group or experience level. You'll even learn to develop your own coaching style--and before you know it, you'll be coaching players who are learning, motivated, and most of all, having fun.
- Survive your first practice and game
- Promote good habits, concentration, and teamwork
- Find answers to common problems in the QandA sections
- Create a positive attitude, build team spirit, and get along with parents
- Make practices fun, safe, and rewarding
- Be the coach you never had
"An invaluable guide for both novice and veteran coaches."--Fred Lower, Bangor (Maine) Youth Football Organization
Synopsis
A PAPERBACK ORIGINALFeatures the expertise of one of the nation's top-ranking college football coaches
Author Paul Pasqualoni, head coach at Syracuse University, is renowned for the hands-on style he developed over years of coaching football at all levels. Like all Baffled Parent's Guides, Coaching Youth Football takes an upbeat, inspirational approach to coaching, with an emphasis on creating a positive, supportive environment. Pasqualoni offers the fundamentals of motivating, controlling, and encouraging a disparate group of children of varying skills and dispositions. Readers learn the secrets of coaching football, including how to determine a child's position, how to teach blocking and tackling safely, and how to calm a player'sand parent'sfear of being hurt.
- Takes a drills-based approach to teaching basic skills
- Q&A sections provide solutions to problems most new coaches face
About the Author
Paul Pasqualoni is a three-time recipient of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award. As head football coach at Syracuse University for over ten years, he has led his teams to six victories in eight bowl game appearances. He is a member of the board of trustees of the American Football Coaches Association.
Jim McLaughlin has coached at the high school and collegiate level for over thirty years. As a high school football coach for the last thirteen years, he has coached his teams to the state finals eight times, winning three state championships.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part One Coaching 101: The Coach's Start-Up Kit
1. Creating an Atmosphere of Good Habits
Coaching Football
Starting the Season
Coaching Habits
The Coach
A Perfect Fit
Questions and Answers
2. Before Hitting the Field: Football in a Nutshell
The Basics: The Struggle for Land
The Object of the Game
Downs
Line of Scrimmage
Kicking
The Scoring System
The Opposing Teams
Beginning a Game
Length of the Game
Basic Penalties
Playing Safely
Sample Series of Downs: You Make the Call
3. Setting Up the Season
Getting Help (aka Volunteers)
Unite as Coaches
The Big Picture
Plan Ahead: Preseason Camp
Preseason Meeting
Fitting Equipment
Questions and Answers
4. Essential Skills: Defensive Football
The Mission
Tendencies
Defending the Offense
Defending against the Thrown Ball
Teaching Defensive Skills and Drills
The Steps to Good Defense
Many Choices
Defensive Huddle
Questions and Answers
5. Essential Skills: Offensive Football
The Mission
Attacking the Defense with the Running Game
Attacking the Defense with the Passing Game
Formations of Attack
Teaching Offensive Skills and Drills
Blocking
Moving the Ball on the Ground
Questions and Answers
6. Essential Skills: The Kicking Game
The Defensive Kicking Game
The Offensive Kicking Game
7. The Practice
Be Consistent
Follow a Routine
Have a Plan
Give Your Assistants Responsibility
A Sample Practice Format
Sample Practice
Practice Overview
8. Tips for Game Day
Depth Charts
Pregame Routine
Pregame Talk
Bench Organization
Game Planning and Play Selection
Substituting
Halftime
Postgame Comments
Developing Your Systems
Game Day Plays
9. Dealing with Parents
No Room for Misunderstandings
Declining Additional Help
Gender Issues
Questions and Answers
Part Two Drills: The Foundation for Growth, Happiness, and a Coach's Peace of Mind
10. Defensive Drills
Stance, Alignment, and Initial Drills
Tackling Drills
Interception Drills
11. Offensive Drills
Stance and Takeoff Drills
Pulling and Trapping Drills
Running Drills
Receiving Drills
Handoff Drills
Mixed Group Drills
Passing Drills
12. Kicking Drills
Appendix
Referee Signals
Glossary
Resources
Associations and Organizations
Web Sites
Football Stores and PublicationsIndex
About the Authors