John Wick asked:

My son plays peewee.He needs to ratchet up his intensity and become a harder hitter in practice to get more playtime. How do I help him?

Steve’s answer:

I had the same issue with my son. It was interesting, he tore up many of the 1:1 drills but come scrimmage and game time would constantly hesitate. I found their were two real root causes 1) Confidence - not in the equipment but in himself to not make ... Continue reading »

Bob Palmer asked:

I would like to run the Single Wing Offense for (7-8 yr olds) I realize I will need a very skilled Center to snap the ball Shotgun.

Steve’s answer:

it actually a pretty easy snap, low and fast - plenty of room for a QB to contain the damage for a bad snap. I would recommend giving it a try - you should find it pretty easy to learn and doesn't require superstar athletes to be moderately successful.

Taylor Pugh asked:

i have a pretty good stance and i try to get low but i cant fire off the ball quick enough how can i fire off faster

Steve’s answer:

do some research on the internet for how sprinters leave the blocks. A good stance is the start, then its arm swing, not taking false or half-steps, etc.

i also had my boys try a coil-up technique - where once they are in their stance they start tensi... Continue reading »

Tiffani Miller asked:

my son is being taught to tackle chest to chest. I have heard many conflicting stories on this method. What is your opinion. He is 14 years

Steve’s answer:

I went to a coaching clinic that taught this technique, by a couple of former NFL coaches and players. It is being utilized a lot. The point that seems to be missed in this whole discussion is the proper way it should be taught. You don't lead with the... Continue reading »

Mario Galvan asked:

my QB is afraid 2 cut 2 the inside he is fast

Steve’s answer:

teach him to get his shoulders down and knees up. The hardest part about running inside (especially for sprinters) is the tendency to run straight-up. This will get him hurt when he starts running through traffic. Once he feels strong and protected in ... Continue reading »

Greg Vincent asked:

my team hasnt had the best year(2 - 7) how can we beat the big teams that we have trouble with each year

Steve’s answer:

there are some good programs that run a simple single-wing offense that helps to mitigate some of the size and experience issues that youth coaches run into. In So Cal - 6 out of the 8 champion teams ran some sort of Single/Double-wing. There are a cou... Continue reading »

Tammy Leavitt asked:

Second game, first year playing football, first team ever, my 10 year old son is kicked off the team for poor sportsmanship.

Steve’s answer:

maybe try and find a rugby league in town. it is a very similar sport and I have found them to be much more interested in working with kids and will give him a chance to still work through the adrenaline rush that comes with playing a contact sport

Kenny Vink asked:

I have a 7th grader 85lb playing on 8th grade team cant seem to be able to tackel 15lb bigger boys eny suggestions

Steve’s answer:

I would be very careful about trying to teach ankle tackling. While it looks very cool on Sunday (NFL) it is also the best way to miss a tackle. At this age stick with the high-probability tackle - hit center mass. Head up, shoulders down, aim for the ... Continue reading »

John Martinez asked:

how do kids lose wate fast for football

Steve’s answer:

So it depends when the player doesn't make weight (at least in PW) if it is during certification - yes he can be pushed up to the next division, if it is durung the season he will sit the game. The hard part about bumping the kid up, is often (not alwa... Continue reading »

Daniel Massingale asked:

What would be the best defensive setup for a smaller less athletic defense vs the run and mid-pass?

Steve’s answer:

Remember he says the team is smaller and less athletic - the hard thing about the 4-4 is it requires 4 good kids to cover some space and open field tackle. If I have 4 good kids that can play LB absolutely - if not I have to out number them, create a p... Continue reading »