71% Of Youth Football Parents Are Worried About You

Then they immediately express their doubt about how competent today’s youth football coaches are. They are referring to the youth football coaches who they trust their children with every youth football practice and game.

Here’s the thing. These youth football parents are correct on both points. They should be aware and concerned about who is coaching their son or daughter. FirstDown PlayBook has been critical here before about youth football coaches who prioritize winning a game at the expense of teaching youth football fundamentals.

92% of parents say: “I’ve seen firsthand how youth sports can shape a child’s future.”
71% of parents say: “There is a shortage of high-caliber coaches today.”

So what’s the fix? How do we help youth football parents trust us more about how their children will be taught the game of football? There is usually never one cure all but FirstDown PlayBook thinks these three things can go a long way to help.

1. Involve Your Youth Football Parents

An interesting thing happens when they put the word “Coach” in front of your name. It implies leadership, direction, expectations as well as a lot of other things. Put “Coach” in front of the wrong name and it can immediately invoke ego and arrogance. It quickly becomes “My Team” instead of the youth football players’ team.

It has always been our contention here at FirstDown PlayBook, that if you want to alleviate the parents’ fears, you should involve them. Not all will want to be a part but if you have parents who are willing to offer their time then embrace it. Let them see what you are teaching.

2. Get The Proper Certification From Coaches Who Know How To Teach The Game Safely

Of course, everyone should go through the appropriate certification procedures. As we progress into how to set up and organize a youth football practice in the next few weeks, you will see how important it is to have help. Extra help will allow your team to be constantly learning and working instead of standing around.

Where can you and your parents get certified? Organizations like USA Football do a good job with this. They break blocking and tackling down into teachable parts instead of teaching it as part of a football play first. Your local high school coaches should also be willing to assist you with this, if they are good football coaches.

3. Teach Aged Based Mainstream Football Schemes That Require Football Fundamentals

Football and even youth football is a contact sport. When you play a contact sport there is always the risk of injuries. However, the risk is significantly less if basic common schemes are taught. Why? Because there are decades of proven techniques that help make these schemes safer and even succesful.

Football has been broken down into its most minute details by experienced coaches. As a youth football parent, if you see some strange “innovative” offense or defense at the youth football level…run and run very fast, taking your Pop Warner aged football player with you.

My last note here is to point out that if taught properly, the fundamentals and techniques that your youth football player will learn will help protect them for years to come. If your child decides to play high school football, they will have experience and a head start at running sound football plays that require safe fundamentals.

FirstDown PlayBook offers you 12 other Pop Warner formations. You should consider one or two of these for your Pop Warner offense. Tap on any one of the tiles below to visit the article describing that formation. After reading the article then go join FirstDown PlayBook and get busy coaching your Pop Warner team with the best football playbook available!