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Five Ways To Ensure A Solid Foundation For Your Junior High Program© More from this issueBy Bill Shepard, Assistant Coach, If a head coach at the high school level wants to achieve success then he needs to invest time in his junior high program. We believe that there are five essential ingredients that help lay a solid foundation for a football program at the junior high level. It may take time to get all of the ingredients in place but the effects on the high school are immense. This doesn’t mean that winning isn’t important, but taking the raw talent and adding solid fundamentals can make players more productive and winning will take care of itself. Drills and game experience will help players to develop the skills necessary to enjoy the game and maintain proper technique. Understanding and performing proper blocking, tackling, and running skills can help any player play the game harder and better than when they started. Winning at all costs should never be part of the philosophy at any level yet it exists within society and sports at all levels. It can prove to be a detriment at the junior high level and a program may see its best players chose other sports if this philosophy is allowed. Far more is gained by emphasizing cooperation, teamwork and involvement by players. All of these groups have a part to play in the development of any program but especially on the junior high level. For some of these young people, this is their first experience with the sport, the coaches, techniques and even the terminology. Communication with these groups and involvement with them as partners will go far in any success you may have. You are also in the position to help parents get adjusted to the demands on them and their sons as it relates to practices, games, fundraisers and training. Having eligibility standards, practice schedules, team rules and team expectations in writing for parents, boosters, administrators and teachers will further help your cause. This may be the toughest objective to develop and reach but it can be very beneficial. High school coaches inviting junior high coaches to help them with summer camp and weightlifting programs, attending clinics with them and participating with other high school coaches at meetings are all ways that can help the junior high staff. The goal is to help the junior high players to be more prepared and reduce the transition for them into high school football. The more concerned the high school coaches are with the junior high staff and the more the junior high coaches are involved with the high school program the greater the possibility for success in the subsequent years for the players. When they recruit players, colleges don’t always look at talent as their number one concern but measure the level of scholarship and character student/athletes have as they finish high school. Some of these habits of good behavior and scholarship begin in the junior high years. Sending a letter or email to junior high teachers asking them to let you know of the progress of the players can help greatly. No coach wants to deal with behavior or grade problems after they get out of hand but knowing issues that can be corrected is important. Sometimes extra running or limiting playing time can help in the correction of a young person’s mindset.
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