Gameplanning at midnight

[Senator]

How do you know you have priorities correct?

Answer: When you had 30 military officers listening to a 2 day - 18 hour presentation this week that consisted of 512 intensive slides and interactive discussion and you were not worried or nervous at all.

But at midnight you are up gameplanning because you will coach a group of 9-10 year olds in a spring "select" football league in the first game of the season in 10 hours, and you are nervous as hell. Maybe because the parents paid 3500 dollars a kid to play and they expect wins. I just want to develop them, but Southlake football parents are a different breed.

[Poli]

:)

[RGunner]

Do you live in Southlake? I work there, and could only imagine what coaching some of those kids would be like..

[Marc Vaughan]

But at midnight you are up gameplanning because you will coach a group of 9-10 year olds in a spring "select" football league in the first game of the season in 10 hours, and you are nervous as hell. Maybe because the parents paid 3500 dollars a kid to play and they expect wins. I just want to develop them, but Southlake football parents are a different breed.

Are parents really that competitive where you're based? - maybe its just an English thing, but I've always viewed losing as 'character building'* .... admittedly thats possibly because my high school teams sucked and I kind of try to find a positive in everything ;)

*On a serious note the kids I found floundered most at University were those who had flown through life with little adversity up until that stage (ie. cushy lifestyle, easily hit their grades etc.) and so when they finally came up against a challenge a lot of them simply didn't know what to do - it might be 'wrong' but I WANT my kids to have some challenges early on in life, heck even some that they can't over-come .... it'll teach them to concentrate on what they are good at and also how to persevere ...

[JeeberD]

How did you manage to wind up coaching Southlake kids? I thought you were out in the Fort Worth area or Weatherford or something?

[JonInMiddleGA]

admittedly thats possibly because my high school teams sucked and I kind of try to find a positive in everything ;)

Now that brings up something I don't think I've ever really thought much about before -- what are the typical HS sports in the UK?

I'm guessing (U.S.) football isn't one of them ;)

edit to add: more to the point of your question, it isn't just the parents IMO. Case in point, there's a long-time local politician in the town I recently moved from that has made his career around being a local HS football star (and to be honest his career wasn't all that impressive, I've looked at his stats).
But he's still known by his old high school nickname well into his 40's, and uses it to campaign under. One of the reasons that Al Bundy's feelings about his high school football glory in Married With Children was so funny is because it was so accurate.

Then again, I can still name every starter from the 1973-74 girls basketball state championship team in my hometown (the only state title the county has ever won), and can tell you where at least 3 of them are working today. Keep in mind, I was only 6 years old in '73. I wouldn't vote any of them into office because of it, but apparently I will always remember them for what they accomplished. That sort of notoriety ain't easy to get.

[Senator]

I am at Eagle Mountain Lake - which is about 30 minutes west of Southlake. I was asked by the commish to be one of the select coaches because he knew I had many years experience in football.

What is different about this league from most, is that you don't "have" to play a kid a certain amount of plays. It is an all-star league from different cities. Most leagues, I think development and character building are the main goal. This one is a little different, they want those things, AND wins. My goal is to develop them and that they have as much fun as possible. You are only 10 years old once.

Despite the parents of these kids living in a world most of us will never know, the kids themselves are great. It has been a blast coaching them. I would say they are a 3-7 team, but I will do my best.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Best of luck Senator, go get 'em.

[JeeberD]

So are they making you use a spread offense so that they know the system inside and out by the time they're Dragons? ;)

[Senator]

So are they making you use a spread offense so that they know the system inside and out by the time they're Dragons? ;)

What is funny about that is, yes. But, every team we face uses the same offense. Seems like everyone uses that these days.

I go about 50% single wing, 50% spread, depending on the situation.

[Dutch]

$3,500 per kid to play football? Doesn't that limit the talent pool?

[cartman]

$3,500 per kid to play football? Doesn't that limit the talent pool?

Not in Southlake.

[Dutch]

Ah, understood.

Anyway, I knew Texas took their football seriously, but they keep trumping my opinion of what serious is. :)

[JeeberD]

Not in Southlake.

As the saying goes, quoted for truth.

[IMetTrentGreen]

southlake is different, even in texas. i think they've won what, like 4 state titles in a row? their one loss in the last five years was in the title game, too.

[henry296]

And the cost isn't a huge obstacle since Southlake is a very affluent suburb of Dallas.

[Marc Vaughan]

Now that brings up something I don't think I've ever really thought much about before -- what are the typical HS sports in the UK?
I'm guessing (U.S.) football isn't one of them ;)
(for boys)
Generally during the winter its Rugby and Soccer (how much of each depends on the school - mine was mainly soccer), during the summer its cricket, tennis and athletics ... field hockey is sometimes sprinkled into the mix.

Girls tend to lose the rugby and the cricket from their sports but gain rounders and netball.

(oh and on very rare occassions when the English downpour is so bad that the teacher decides to stay inside we play basketball and volleyball ... about twice every blue moon in other words ;) )

Then again, I can still name every starter from the 1973-74 girls basketball state championship team in my hometown (the only state title the county has ever won), and can tell you where at least 3 of them are working today. Keep in mind, I was only 6 years old in '73. I wouldn't vote any of them into office because of it, but apparently I will always remember them for what they accomplished. That sort of notoriety ain't easy to get.

I think its cool that towns take such pride in a teams achievements, English towns tends not to put such pride in amateur sports - if you're in the team (or associated with it) then obviously you're pleased to have won something but thats about it.

About the only exception to this is if a small semi-pro/amateur soccer team manages to reach the 3rd round (or beyond) of the FA Cup - in that situation they'll be playing against the 'big boys' and the entire country (apart from the supporters of the team they're up against obviously ;) ) tends to adopt a soft spot for them.

There's something kind of cool about a team full of plumbers and school teachers mixing it up against multi-millionaire sportsmen .... especially when the plumbers win (which has happened from time to time :D).

[AlexB]

Then again, I can still name every starter from the 1973-74 girls basketball state championship team in my hometown (the only state title the county has ever won), and can tell you where at least 3 of them are working today. Keep in mind, I was only 6 years old in '73. I wouldn't vote any of them into office because of it, but apparently I will always remember them for what they accomplished. That sort of notoriety ain't easy to get.

Do you have to report regularly to your local police station? :D

[Senator]

20-6 win. I will have no "For Sale" signs in my yard tonight!!

[Crapshoot]

$3,500 per kid to play football? Doesn't that limit the talent pool?

""? If not, are that many parents really convinced that their kids are football stars? I recall another thread where JIMGA had pointed out to me that in at least in his area of Georgia, HS football was often the pinnacle of achievement in life for people - is that the same kind of thing here?

[JonInMiddleGA]

20-6 win. I will have no "For Sale" signs in my yard tonight!!

And no unordered (by you) moving vans sitting by the curb in front of your house ;)

[JeeberD]

Congrats, Sen! :)

[IMetTrentGreen]

I recall another thread where JIMGA had pointed out to me that in at least in his area of Georgia, HS football was often the pinnacle of achievement in life for people - is that the same kind of thing here?

no. southlake just spends more on facilities, coaches, and steroids. They win because they can.

[kcchief19]

If Chase Daniel has a younger brother on your team and you do anything to wreck his career and/or prevent him from falling big brother to Missouri, I will keel you! :)

Congrats on the win -- better keep it up!

[RGunner]

You're lucky you get to work with the young kids from Southlake...I work there, and deal with alot of the adults, and i have to say 85% are stuck up rich snobs...and one day i made the mistake of wearing my old high school's t-shirt to work...that was bad...

[Senator]

I will admit, the parents are like a cult that I can't really identify with. The Lexus, BMW, and other SUV's dot the practice field. The moms are all hot, but look the same. You can tell they share the same plastic surgeon. The dads are very football ignorant. Most never played the game, but have been very successful in life.

The kids are great. They are so fun, and full of energy and most have not been tainted by snobbery. They are good sports to other teams, they cheer each other on, ect. This has been a very fulfilling experience, but if I do it again, I am will not coach select spring ball. I think I would enjoy fall development leagues better. I try and teach a little life philosophy to them every practice. But it is hard when I know they go home to their choice of xbox, ps3, psp, gamecube to play on.

I do not have Chase Daniels brother on my team, but I have a young kid at QB named Bryce who is "very" similar to him in style. He is going to be a star in about 7 years in Southlake, but right now he is fragile as glass. He cries when he is sacked, and if he throws a pick, he just implodes with self doubt. His mental psyche is something I spend the most time on, because he arm is incredible for his age.

After this season, I will probably just coach over on near my house in a youth fall league. Unless my brother in law buys this select league. He is talking to the owner about it. There is alot of money to be made in youth football these days, I guess.

[Senator]

We are playing the literal Giants Saturday. They have a 170 pound 9 year old named Tank. So, I decided I might use my imagination and use this offense against them.

http://img399.imageshack.us/img399/8838/formation8an.jpg

[Senator]

http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/jtk1519/Video/?action=view&current=001.flv

[cuervo72]

Yikes, #74 got knocked on his ass by a db. Need better form/balance, man!

[JeeberD]

Cooper...Abilene Cooper?

My wife is a Cougar...