Advice thread for rookie football coach

[Zguy28]

So I'm gonna be coaching for the first time this fall in Pop-Warner (age 5-7). My seven year old is playing for the first time also.

(We just finished flag football season and he had 8 rushing touchdowns in 6 games and one passing TD. )

I need advice on drills and stuff, especially for defense which is where my main focus is. I have another coach helping me who is very talented on offense.

I remember a few drills from my youth, but still...

Suggestions? Links?

[skinfan2k]

How did you get into coaching? I was looking to do some thing of that manner

[SUSkinsFan]

build a brick wall and make em tackle it...

[Corcaigh]

Simplicity. And teaching them to focus.

Getting kids that age to have the right stance, line up in the correct place and watch the ball is 90% (at least).

If you have many beginners and the refs are in anyway enforcing the rules, most plays will be blown dead in the first few games of the season due to either a false start or offside from the defense.

Teaching them how to hit and tackle.

Pursue the ball until the play is over.

[CenterSnap]

Stress the fundamentals a lot, but in a nice way. You need to get them to learn the correct way of playing at that age so it becomes natural down the road. Teach a good D-line stance, linebacker stance...etc.

Also, make practice a lot of fun, so the kids look foreward to coming, not dread it

[Major Harris]

at that age, it's all fundamentals, concepts of team work and strategy, discipline, practice habits, etc.

if you can teach 5 year olds where to line up, proper stance, proper position technique, proper tackling technique and a few basic plays, you should consider it a success.

oh, and make sure to make it fun.