scouting

GCTIGERS57
Senior Member

Posts: 506

scouting Apr 7, 2005 11:47:17 GMT

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Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 7, 2005 11:47:17 GMT

coaches,

here is the situation. i have my middle school coaches scout our next opponent on the night that we play. the scouting reports are pretty bad and the only thing i really get from this is the game program. even at my last school, we had a coach who actually did a decent job, but I cant say we ever used anything. that scouting report sat there in the office and our head coach created a new one after watching films.

now, ultimately, it is my responsibility to get these guys geared up so that they know what to look for and can give me a better report. but it has been a struggle and will continue to be as i am finding it difficult to find better coaches. so i am just trying to push them to improve.

i only have a staff of 5 and i am considering on having those MS coaches stay with me on friday night and they can help manage my sidelines and support our varsity program. So that would mean i dont have a scouting report.

my preparation would come from 2 films instead of 2 films and a bad scouting report.

I would love to hear if coaches have been in similar situations and how they handled this?

BROPHY
Senior Member

Posts: 249

scouting Apr 7, 2005 12:13:59 GMT

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Post by BROPHY on Apr 7, 2005 12:13:59 GMT

coach,
we send out a scout every week to video the game and get the program. I'd suggest (if you're going to have someone else do the analysis for you) to use a program like PowerScout Deluxe at hollysoftware.com .........IT'S FREE! and gives you the breakdown you need for their offense.

GCTIGERS57
Senior Member

Posts: 506

scouting Apr 7, 2005 12:22:57 GMT

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Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 7, 2005 12:22:57 GMT

We use software for breaking down the films at the office. i do not send the scouts with anything other than a notebook and my scouting checklist.

do you actually send a filming crew to the other games. there is an understood rule in our league that we trade the previous 2 weeks films and you must physically scout the recent game for more info. i have never seen film crews at games other than the actual teams playing in our league.

BROPHY
Senior Member

Posts: 249

scouting Apr 7, 2005 12:51:38 GMT

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Post by BROPHY on Apr 7, 2005 12:51:38 GMT

yup....we have to send people out because either the "tape is unavailable" to trade or the other coaches are just not cooperative....therefore, we have a large library of tapes of other schools from previous games / years.

I am close to some of the coaches at rival schools so we can get additional copies of different team's games but the majority are uncooperative....

Sounds like you are really dependent on your 'scouts' ability to analyze...but doesn't sound like you can trust them.

Our scouts are typically just parents of our players that volunteer (to film). or coaches

GCTIGERS57
Senior Member

Posts: 506

scouting Apr 7, 2005 13:53:53 GMT

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Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 7, 2005 13:53:53 GMT

i am at a small school that has never been successful. it is my first year last year and i realized the MS coaches are not very knowledgeable. one week, a coach brought me back three blank sheets with one scribbled play on it. i could not believe what i was seeing.

for our non-league games, i usually can get quite a lot of films on our opponent. but i just am tired of sending these guys when they bring me no results. i cannot afford to send a varsity coach because i only have me plus 4 and that is for Frosh thru varsity.

TIGER ONE
Senior Member

Posts: 6,423

scouting Apr 7, 2005 14:20:57 GMT

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Post by TIGER ONE on Apr 7, 2005 14:20:57 GMT

cOACHES, GET A COMMUNITY PERSON WHO IS REALLY GOOD WITH THE CAMERA. TELL HIM WHAT TO LOOK FOR. IF YOU CAN FIND A RETIRED COACH OR SOMEONE WHO IS FOOTBALL WISE, ALL THE BETTER. BUT, IF NOT JUST MAKE SURE THEY CAN FILM THE GAME FROM UP HIGH, FILM ONLY PLAYS, KNOW HOW TO SET THE RANGE FINDER CORRECTLY AND MAKE SURE THE LENSE ANGLE IS WIDE ENOUGH TO COVER THE ENTIRE FORMATIONS, BOTH O AND D. THEN, JUST BREAK THE TAPE DOWN. HAVE THEM ZOOM IN ON KEY PLAYERS SO YOUR GUYS CAN SEE THIER NUMBERS CLEARLY IN THE STAFF MEETING. THEN, JUST GO TO WORK. IT REALLY IS NOT ALL THAT DIFFICULT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. ANYBODY WHO BRINGS A HFC BACK ONE SCRIBBLED PLAY AND THREE BLANKS IS NOT A COACH, THEY ARE JOKES .

COACH EASTON

J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE

ex-kicker
Junior Member

Posts: 1

scouting Apr 7, 2005 14:22:12 GMT

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Post by ex-kicker on Apr 7, 2005 14:22:12 GMT

Coach I am in the same boat, small school, limited budget etc. Our JH coaches do our scouting for us, They do the best they can but the main thing I want is good, quality film. We have a film exchange agreement in our league but I am not very fond of it. Unreliable, can't ever get ahold of the coaches to meet, sometimes I get a tape or two on Monday when we play the team on Friday. This inconsistency really screws up your preparation for the week. At least with my JH coaches I have something to fall back on and more time to break film down. Yes it is concievable that I have 2 games of the same game with the same team but it is better then none at all. At least I have the tapes on Saturday morning and start breaking them down rather then waiting until Sunday or Monday. The paper reports they give me are O.K. But I watch the film anyway to make sure I catch everything.

Mark J. Morelli

TIGER ONE Senior Member Posts: 6,423	scouting Apr 7, 2005 14:24:15 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by TIGER ONE on Apr 7, 2005 14:24:15 GMT ADDED THOUGHT: THE EYE IN THE SKY DON'T LIE! ACTUAL IN PERSON SCOUTING, IF THE GUY IS AN AMATURE, IS FAR INFERIOR TO A CAMERA ANY DAY! COACH EASTON
	J.C. EASTON<BR>HEAD COACH<BR>GA TIGERS FOOTBALL<BR>PROFESSIONAL MINOR LEAGUE

BROPHY Senior Member Posts: 249	scouting Apr 7, 2005 15:34:33 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by BROPHY on Apr 7, 2005 15:34:33 GMT we've gone to using student at times....get them a game pass / get them some press box hot dogs, and you're good to go.... Whatever it takes....I hear ya about a 'losing' program - it's hard to get the resources when you haven't been winning.

Lou Cella Senior Member Posts: 1,486	scouting Apr 7, 2005 15:47:31 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by Lou Cella on Apr 7, 2005 15:47:31 GMT Great point Coach Easton!!!!
	Lou Cella Head Varsity Football Coach Greater Nanticoke Area High School (PA)

GCTIGERS57
Senior Member

Posts: 506

scouting Apr 8, 2005 7:55:26 GMT

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Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 8, 2005 7:55:26 GMT

First of all, we do not not have 2 cameras. And I highly doubt that our AD is going to let students go and tape other films on their own.

I coach in Cincinnati and there are about 80 schools here in about a 600 square mile area. so when you are apart of a perenial loser (and this is my first year), it is difficult to get qualified personel to help you out. Scouts and film guys are not knocking at my door to help out.

In our league, I take 2 previous tapes to every game. The scouts come down to our sideline and get our tapes. That is how we have been doing it forever, as i coached previously for another team in the same league.

Being at a small school, it is VERY difficult to get good people. Small schools dont have the ability to Create jobs for new coaches. as an example, i am hiring a new OL coach (well, at least i have an ad in the paper and on websites), but i have no teaching job to offer. so, i am basically praying for a para-professional to assist me for now. i have a def coordinator that is at another school who i cannot get hired on here.

BROPHY
Senior Member

Posts: 249

scouting Apr 8, 2005 8:20:16 GMT

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Post by BROPHY on Apr 8, 2005 8:20:16 GMT

coach,

my heart goes out to you...I understand that is a real tough situation you're in there. I guess you can only do, what you can only do, eh? Just concentrate on the feeder programs and teach great fundamentals (and how to deal with situations) to your Varsity kids.

* only other thing I could think of, is if your AD could spring for a cheap Palm pilot and have the scout use the Pro Scout for Palm Pilot....(maybe a $200 investment for the program).

Do you guys do fundraisers in the summer / spring?

Anything I can do to help out -lemme know

mjbrophy@netexpress.net

GCTIGERS57
Senior Member

Posts: 506

scouting Apr 8, 2005 8:31:40 GMT

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Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 8, 2005 8:31:40 GMT

APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. WE DO FUNDRAISE AND HAVE MONEY FOR THE BASICS. WE ARE NOT IN TERRIBLE SHAPE. JUST THAT I HAVE COACHES THAT I THOUGHT UNDERSTOOD FOOTBALL, AND HONESTLY, THEY CANNOT DRAW UP FB TRAP ON THE WHITE BOARD. THEY DONT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN I-PRO AND WING-T. SO I AM HAVING TO TEACH THESE GUYS FOOTBALL 101. HEARTS ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT FOOTBALL KNOWLEDGE IS LACKING BIG TIME.

Superchief
Senior Member

Posts: 270

scouting Apr 8, 2005 17:13:20 GMT

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Post by Superchief on Apr 8, 2005 17:13:20 GMT

I have been coaching for 30+ years. Everywhere I have coached, the frosh coaches did the scouting and were responsible for putting together the scouting report for the remainder of the staff. As I became one of the "old guys," it was my job to teach the young or new guys exactly how we wanted them to scout.
Now that we can video when we scout, we have to teach the film guys how to do it. We learned the hard way that you can't assume that these folks will know what you want.
Our frosh coaches scout when we play on Friday night. By Sat. morning we have the tape and have begun breaking it down. This has been a really big help to us.

bigcat
Member

Posts: 63

scouting Apr 8, 2005 17:42:18 GMT

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Post by bigcat on Apr 8, 2005 17:42:18 GMT

Being a young coach, I was wondering if you would want to share your knowledge of scouting with me? I feel this is one area that I need improvement in. We exchange films each week with our opponent of the last three games and as a staff, we breakdown the information and I put it in the computer (digital scout), but I feel I miss so much by having the computer job. I bring home copies of the films to watch, but I want to know what I need to be looking at to better prepare my guys and myself for Friday nights.

My email is will9216@adelphia.net, if you would like to teach a young pup some tricks of the trade. Thanks for your time.

TaftEagles
Member

Posts: 46

scouting Apr 8, 2005 18:41:39 GMT

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Post by TaftEagles on Apr 8, 2005 18:41:39 GMT

Coach, just thought that I would let you know that I have some MS Word sheets that might help your youth/MS/Frosh coaches get what you want from live scouting. The sheets are adaptable to anything you want and includes a sheet for the scouts to fill in the starters numbers at each position on off/def. Let me know if you want copies. I also have some sheets that may help with film breakdown.
Also, on a side note, I am impressed that so many of you are allowed/expected to tape opposing teams games. That is something that is very uncommon in the city of Chicago but less uncommon in some of the surrounding suburbs. Many of you are very lucky to have that ability imo.

Matt Walsh
Taft HS Eagles
Chicago
mjwalsh@cps.k12.il.us

thefish
Member

Posts: 36

scouting Apr 9, 2005 7:43:48 GMT

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Post by thefish on Apr 9, 2005 7:43:48 GMT

we send a freshman coach with our middle school coaches when we scout. the freshman coach is in charge of the crew and making sure the information is correct. the scouts chart every offensive play during the game and get the usual information as well, starters, defensive fronts, special teams, etc. then it is up to the freshman coach to get the information into the computer with the correct terminology. if he doesn't know what to call something during the game, just make sure he calls it the same thing every time. once he's putting it in the computer he can ask the other coaches what our terminology would call it so that it is in the computer and the report correctly.

some schools in our district only scout from film as well. i think the main problem is the involvement between the ms coaches and the hs coaches. if you don't try to involve the ms staff then they will not be interested in helping out the hs program. we do invite our ms coaches to the sideline for friday nights, especially against the team they scouted. make them feel welcome and wanted and they will want to be a part of your program and want to get the information right.

If my answers frighten you, then you should cease asking scary questions.

MaxPreps

Concordia University Irvine

The Efforts of One

JCFB eBook

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Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 7, 2005 11:47:17 GMT

Post by BROPHY on Apr 7, 2005 12:13:59 GMT

Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 7, 2005 12:22:57 GMT

Post by BROPHY on Apr 7, 2005 12:51:38 GMT

Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 7, 2005 13:53:53 GMT

Post by TIGER ONE on Apr 7, 2005 14:20:57 GMT

Post by ex-kicker on Apr 7, 2005 14:22:12 GMT

Post by TIGER ONE on Apr 7, 2005 14:24:15 GMT

Post by BROPHY on Apr 7, 2005 15:34:33 GMT

Post by Lou Cella on Apr 7, 2005 15:47:31 GMT

Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 8, 2005 7:55:26 GMT

Post by BROPHY on Apr 8, 2005 8:20:16 GMT

Post by GCTIGERS57 on Apr 8, 2005 8:31:40 GMT

Post by Superchief on Apr 8, 2005 17:13:20 GMT

Post by bigcat on Apr 8, 2005 17:42:18 GMT

Post by TaftEagles on Apr 8, 2005 18:41:39 GMT

Post by thefish on Apr 9, 2005 7:43:48 GMT

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