Post by clipper coach on Dec 22, 2003 11:36:22 GMT
I am the offensive/defensive line coach on our varsity football team. We had a strong tradition in the past, but it went away in the late 90's. However, we have been to the playoffs the past 2 years, and we are getting the tradition back. We are a small school (we have about 50 kids on the team 9-12), and we struggle finding linemen. To give you an idea, we have only 8 returning linemen, and only 5 of those are viable for varsity action. We have a strong group of freshman lineman (they are all at or over 6 feet tall and 200 pounds), but they are nowhere near ready for Varsity. So, as you can see, there is no real viable competition for starting positions. I am a young coach, and I wanted to put my stamp on the offensive and defensive line. I want them to be as tough as possible. We run an option offense (triple, midline, veer, lead, load, speed, etc...). I want them to dominate the other team. I know that in order for them to do this, they need to be in great shape because most of our kids play both ways. In order to insitll some type of pride, benefits, and goals for being an offensive and defensive lineman, I decided to start a club entitled "Clipper Lineman Brigade". If they become members they recieve a camouflage T-shirt with the requirements on the back and the name of the club on the front. They also get PERSONAL SATISFACTION AND PRIDE, which does not seem to go far with these kids. I got some of the requirements from Coach Campbell, and applied them to this club. Here they are:
1.) Bench press- 80% of body weight for 10 reps.
2.) Shuttle Run- 5.1 seconds or less.
3.) 10- 110 yard sprints- 12 minutes or less.
4.) Wall Sit w/ a 35 lb. plate- 3 minutes
5.) 1.5 Mile Run- 11 minutes or less
I personally do not think these requirements are that tough. Obviously, the hardest one to accomplish is the 1.5 mile run. I started the club this past season, and I have 1 member of the Brigade, and he was a freshman who is a "light" lineman. There was some poor leadership from the older kids (seniors) on this. THEY DID NOT WANT TO RUN THAT 1.5 MILE! Everything else they could live with, and most could accomplish, but they did not want to run. According to Coach Campbell's chart in his Offensive Line Play manual, a 13-19 yr. old kid in Fair shape should have a time of 10:49- 12:10. All I am asking them to do is be in fair shape. I relayed this to them, and it went in one ear and out the other. We are going to be getting started for this new year pretty soon and I was wondering if anybody out there had any ideas about how I could help motivate the kids to train to meet these requirements and WANT to become a member of the Brigade. Also, if anybody has done or is doing anything similar to what I am doing, what techniques do you use to get the kids motivated? I feel I really have a golden opportunity with the young Freshman group in terms of getting them to want this. You can reply to me by posting a reply to this message, or by emailing me at: painterbob@hotmail.com. Thank you.
1.) Bench press- 80% of body weight for 10 reps.
2.) Shuttle Run- 5.1 seconds or less.
3.) 10- 110 yard sprints- 12 minutes or less.
4.) Wall Sit w/ a 35 lb. plate- 3 minutes
5.) 1.5 Mile Run- 11 minutes or less
I personally do not think these requirements are that tough. Obviously, the hardest one to accomplish is the 1.5 mile run. I started the club this past season, and I have 1 member of the Brigade, and he was a freshman who is a "light" lineman. There was some poor leadership from the older kids (seniors) on this. THEY DID NOT WANT TO RUN THAT 1.5 MILE! Everything else they could live with, and most could accomplish, but they did not want to run. According to Coach Campbell's chart in his Offensive Line Play manual, a 13-19 yr. old kid in Fair shape should have a time of 10:49- 12:10. All I am asking them to do is be in fair shape. I relayed this to them, and it went in one ear and out the other. We are going to be getting started for this new year pretty soon and I was wondering if anybody out there had any ideas about how I could help motivate the kids to train to meet these requirements and WANT to become a member of the Brigade. Also, if anybody has done or is doing anything similar to what I am doing, what techniques do you use to get the kids motivated? I feel I really have a golden opportunity with the young Freshman group in terms of getting them to want this. You can reply to me by posting a reply to this message, or by emailing me at: painterbob@hotmail.com. Thank you.