Just for the 'ell of it

[Archaea]

As my daughters are older than my sons, I have not been involved in youth football, primarily because she who must be obeyed forbade it.

Nonetheless, after numerous complaints about soccer, yellow cards for roughness, she finally yielded and he was allowed to play football for our local youth league. He is 12, only 104 pounds, unlike the 9 year old 170 pounder who by virtue of age is on the same team.

As luck would have it, he ended up on a polynesian team, which even sports its own website. Las Vegas Island Warriors. Not a great site, but a nice program. They field teams from youth, tiny guys, to stars, a little bigger, juniors, my guy, seniors, somewhat bigger, elite, beginning of high school and freshmen, high school.

Yesterday all but the tiny guys won.

Our junior team won 41 to 0.

What completely surprised me is how fun youth football can be. We have 50 plays, with running formations to traditional pass plays and trick plays. The kids do a good job firing off the ball. Many by this age have played Six Years.

The coaches do a great job emphasizing teamwork and teaching fundamentals.

My son quickly observed, "Practice is harder than the game."

Any how, there are some Polies who will make some noise at the high school level and perhaps one or two, beyond. Some of these kids have moves.

It is more fun than I would have imagined. Thanks for the indulgence. For anybody not in possession of boys, adopt some. Girls are great, but you can only enjoy girlie things so much. Mom is with girls in Disneyland competing in a singing competition. I get roped into that later next month. I can hardly wait.

[Colly Wolly]

I grew up overseas, so I never got to be involved in organized football, something I really regret. I have an eight-month old son, through whom I will be able to relive my youth. What is the earliest age it is safe to enroll your kids in youth football?

[Archaea]

it depends on physique of child, but here there are kids about 5 or 6 playing. If it's well-organized and coached, they seem to do well.

[TheSizzle36]

When I got to high school it was VERY obvious and showed in playing time who had been playing football for longer and who hadn't. 5 or 6 is usually the earliest that you can start them, but if they are going by age 10 they'll certainly have an advantage over kids who start in High School. Good coaching also helps a ton, teaching kids proper technique and fundamentals, as well as basic formations, plays, terminology, etc.

I can't wait for kids to start playing football. I've even considered volunteering with my old man to coach some youth football back home, if that's where we end up.

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by TheSizzle36

When I got to high school it was VERY obvious and showed in playing time who had been playing football for longer and who hadn't. 5 or 6 is usually the earliest that you can start them, but if they are going by age 10 they'll certainly have an advantage over kids who start in High School. Good coaching also helps a ton, teaching kids proper technique and fundamentals, as well as basic formations, plays, terminology, etc.

I can't wait for kids to start playing football. I've even considered volunteering with my old man to coach some youth football back home, if that's where we end up.

I think what you are saying is only true for offensive skill positions where I agree, eperience makes a difference.

I can tell you that in my highschool program, which was and still is one of the top few in Virginia, many MANY players (including me) never played before highschool and were at no real disadvantage IF they had physical ability and were wiling to put in the time. As I say, I never played a snap before and was suiting up for varsity by my sophomore year. Those who know me will attest to the fact that while I have good size and decent athletic ability, I have certainly never been a great athlete by any measure, though I worked myself into a very good highschool player.

I can also say that by my senior year I was worn down enough physically that I had decided not to play in college (I got some interest from Division II and the Ivy League). My body might not have been cut out for it, but I don't know that I think it is good to start the process of battering the body any sooner.

It is a personal choice and there may be good reasons to do it, I'm just saying that having an advantage at the next phase is not necessarily one.

[Surfah]

Where I grew up Pop Warner/Junior Football leagues were big. As there were no Junior High or Middle School athletics these other football programs are what fed the high schools.

Anyone from Santa Clarita or familiar with the football tradition there can attest that the Warriors and Cougars football programs definitely helped elevate those kids that participated in them once they got to high school.

But I'll echo what was said before that it's coaching that makes the difference. And mind you in these junior leagues they weren't just giving the ball to the fastest kid, but passing and running sophisticated plays which translated into the tremendous passing attacks found in the Foothill League in So Cal.

[tooblue]

Originally Posted by surfah33

Where I grew up Pop Warner/Junior Football leagues were big. As there were no Junior High or Middle School athletics these other football programs are what fed the high schools.

Anyone from Santa Clarita or familiar with the football tradition there can attest that the Warriors and Cougars football programs definitely helped elevate those kids that participated in them once they got to high school.

But I'll echo what was said before that it's coaching that makes the difference. And mind you in these junior leagues they weren't just giving the ball to the fastest kid, but passing and running sophisticated plays which translated into the tremendous passing attacks found in the Foothill League in So Cal.

All I will say is that I know the coaches who taught lance Rice, at 10 -11 years old, how to throw a ball ... they were great coaches that knew what they were doing ... but you can't teach a strong arm any more than you can teach height!

[TheSizzle36]

I disagree, but maintain that a huge part of it is coaching.

Now, some people may be able to come right in and understand things like leverage, keeping your feet going, positioning as far as tackling is concerned, etc. and you certainly can't teach heart and desire. So there are certainly some who can come in and play at a high level right away. But think about how much better you would have been had you been taught and playing for longer before, especially if you had a good coach.

Think of it this way... a missionary who hasn't spent much time preparing to be a missionary but at 19 decides to go can still be a great missionary... but most likely wouldn't he have been better served if he had studied the scriptures ahead of time and been more prepared spiritually?

Again, not saying that you can't be successful without the prior experience, but that with it, it's only going to make you better. The little league experience may have increased that interest from Ivy league or D2 schools to D1. And it might not have.

As far as the body 'wearing down' I agree to an extent, but I can honestly say that I never really got 'worn out' playing little league to the point that it effected my body in a negative way. But that was just me. I found it good, healthy exercize.

[Archaea]

Both arguments make sense.

For our family, my son was tiring of soccer and football has given him a new lease on life in sports. Perhaps he will eventually tire of it, but he may never play even at high school, so it has given him help.

And although certain super athletes may be able to come in and play, if he is able to play it will be due to the training given early, because his genetic contributors are nothing special athletically.