Post by NC_Glenn on Aug 19, 2003 20:11:28 GMT
Hi, coaches:
I'm the parent of a ninth-grade left offensive tackle who's kind of in the dark at the beginning of his first high school season.
Last year in middle school, the coaching of terminology and technique was, in a word "lacking." They pretty much just threw the best 11 kids on the field and let them play. ... And the kids who didn't play a lot (like mine until the starter in front of him quit) really didn't get coached at all.
Now he's being hit with the terminology-laden, rather complex (especially for high school) offense of a championship-caliber prep football team. He's never heard terms or been taught techniques like "inside base cutoff" and "outside zone base" and "rip-reach," and is having to make reads or determine who he's blocking based on defensive alignments and explained through more terminology (like "three technique," etc.) that he's never been taught.
I played decades ago in a more simple era, and for small schools that pretty much just lined up and hit ya in the mouth. Very little finesse. Some of this newfangled stuff I can figure out by reading his playbook and making educated guesses, but I'd like to do better.
I've encouraged my son to speak up at practice and ask for more explanation, but obviously in the middle of scrimmaging (with just six coaches and 80 kids) that's difficult. I've also told him to not be afraid of staying after practice for some instruction if a coach is willing. ... But he's kind of a quiet kid and probably a little ashamed to admit he doesn't completely understand what they're talking about.
Where can I find some good explanations (in books, online resources, videos), hopefully with descriptions and diagrams, of defensive alignments and offensive blocking techniques that will help my son understand? He's a very smart kid, and at 6-foot and 180 and not quite 15 years of age, with very good balance and agility from his "better" sport, wrestling, I think he has a lot of growth and improvement potential. I'd like to help him realize it.
Thanks for your time! I know this post was long.
I'm the parent of a ninth-grade left offensive tackle who's kind of in the dark at the beginning of his first high school season.
Last year in middle school, the coaching of terminology and technique was, in a word "lacking." They pretty much just threw the best 11 kids on the field and let them play. ... And the kids who didn't play a lot (like mine until the starter in front of him quit) really didn't get coached at all.
Now he's being hit with the terminology-laden, rather complex (especially for high school) offense of a championship-caliber prep football team. He's never heard terms or been taught techniques like "inside base cutoff" and "outside zone base" and "rip-reach," and is having to make reads or determine who he's blocking based on defensive alignments and explained through more terminology (like "three technique," etc.) that he's never been taught.
I played decades ago in a more simple era, and for small schools that pretty much just lined up and hit ya in the mouth. Very little finesse. Some of this newfangled stuff I can figure out by reading his playbook and making educated guesses, but I'd like to do better.
I've encouraged my son to speak up at practice and ask for more explanation, but obviously in the middle of scrimmaging (with just six coaches and 80 kids) that's difficult. I've also told him to not be afraid of staying after practice for some instruction if a coach is willing. ... But he's kind of a quiet kid and probably a little ashamed to admit he doesn't completely understand what they're talking about.
Where can I find some good explanations (in books, online resources, videos), hopefully with descriptions and diagrams, of defensive alignments and offensive blocking techniques that will help my son understand? He's a very smart kid, and at 6-foot and 180 and not quite 15 years of age, with very good balance and agility from his "better" sport, wrestling, I think he has a lot of growth and improvement potential. I'd like to help him realize it.
Thanks for your time! I know this post was long.