What's the right age to start football??

[Cam]

Just curious on other folks opinions. My 11 year old played last season as a 5th grader. Experience was not a very good one and now he doesn't want to play, or at least he wants to wait until middle school when real coaches get a hold of him. (I hope he decides to play in the future cause he's gonna be a good one - smart, tall, athletic, runs like a rabbit. But I'd be just as happy if he stuck to baseball & basketball) He did not enjoy playing mainly due to bad coaching and the seriousness of it. Even my senior LB thought the practices were ridiculously hard for this age group. When you see ten year olds pukin' after being run excessively, that tells you something. It's pretty hard to make a ten year old throw up. A kid that age is full of energy and will do anything asked of him. So, what is the right age in your opinion?

[Ernest T Bass]

Originally posted by Cam
Just curious on other folks opinions. My 11 year old played last season as a 5th grader. Experience was not a very good one and now he doesn't want to play, or at least he wants to wait until middle school when real coaches get a hold of him. (I hope he decides to play in the future cause he's gonna be a good one - smart, tall, athletic, runs like a rabbit. But I'd be just as happy if he stuck to baseball & basketball) He did not enjoy playing mainly due to bad coaching and the seriousness of it. Even my senior LB thought the practices were ridiculously hard for this age group. When you see ten year olds pukin' after being run excessively, that tells you something. It's pretty hard to make a ten year old throw up. A kid that age is full of energy and will do anything asked of him. So, what is the right age in your opinion?

If I ever have a son, he won't play a down of organized contact football until he's in 7th grade.

[Old Tiger]

can you kid walk?

[Ranger Mom]

My 4 boys started when they were in 3rd grade...contact football.

None of them lasted past their freshman year. I remember when the youngest decided he didn't want to play anymore after his freshman year....he was 14. He told me, "mom, I have been playing football for 7 years...that's half my life!" :p

[trojandad]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
If I ever have a son, he won't play a down of organized contact football until he's in 7th grade.

whats your thought process on that? just curious, not necessarily against that thought.....

[Old Tiger]

Originally posted by trojandad
whats your thought process on that? just curious, not necessarily against that thought..... so that he doesn't get tired of football would be my guess.

[SHSBulldog00]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
If I ever have a son, he won't play a down of organized contact football until he's in 7th grade.

If they play before JH they could get burnt out by HS, and as a HS coach some of the youth coaches do not teach the proper technique.

On Saturday's all you see is the RB carrying the ball every play. Most don't teach the other kids.

[icu812]

Sounds like poor coaching. Conditioning 5th graders is a complete waste of time. To many dads coaching that only remember what they did during two a days. Its always a good idea to watch some practices the year prior to signing up your child up. I will say my sons both played youth football and received great coaching. Much better than at the JH level. Mostly because most of the youth coaches either had varsity level coaching experience at some point and/or they actually gave a crap about being the best coach they could be. If my boys hadn't learned blocking and tackling in youth ball they still wouldn't know how and I'm not joking.

If you have a good youth football program that is run the right way you should take advantage of it. Sounds like your not so lucky.

[GrTigers6]

Mine were lucky enough to get good coaches in pee wee so didnt get burnt out or uninterested. The only time my youngest wanted to quit wasduring off season when he had to do track practice wether he was in track or not. But by 7on7 time he was back into it again. I wouldnt let himquit until he gave me a legitimate reason to. He never did, Now he is a senior wanting to play in college and possibly coach it some day.

[Ernest T Bass]

Question has been answered for me LOL.
#1, dont want my kid to get burned out. Another part of that is the emphasis put on the youth football in some places. Under Armour jerseys, run through helmets, smoke machines, etc...then they get in 7th grade and get hand me down stuff. Lots of them get disillusioned.
#2, I know everyone has an example of good youth coaches, but for the most part, the ones Ive seen are idiots. Know very little about football and even less about coaching. These guys are all about winning and not about teaching kids. Ends up taking 7th and 8th grade to break the kids of their habits. I only want professional coaches coaching my kid(s).
Maybe that makes me a bit of an athletic snob, but so be it. I dont want my kids playing daddy ball with a part time coach. I want them being coached by guys who have made it their livelyhood. Some of them are idiots too, but you can hold them to a higher standard.

[LionFan72]

I say let them play when they want to play. It has to be a decision that the kid will live with, and there are not that many "coaches" at the early levels that are interested in the well being of your child.

[maestro]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
If I ever have a son, he won't play a down of organized contact football until he's in 7th grade.

agree. Dad in the back yard...or big brothers in the front yard ....shame on those youth coaches for not making it a positive experience.

[GrTigers6]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
Question has been answered for me LOL.
#1, dont want my kid to get burned out. Another part of that is the emphasis put on the youth football in some places. Under Armour jerseys, run through helmets, smoke machines, etc...then they get in 7th grade and get hand me down stuff. Lots of them get disillusioned.
#2, I know everyone has an example of good youth coaches, but for the most part, the ones Ive seen are idiots. Know very little about football and even less about coaching. These guys are all about winning and not about teaching kids. Ends up taking 7th and 8th grade to break the kids of their habits. I only want professional coaches coaching my kid(s).
Maybe that makes me a bit of an athletic snob, but so be it. I dont want my kids playing daddy ball with a part time coach. I want them being coached by guys who have made it their livelyhood. Some of them are idiots too, but you can hold them to a higher standard. I understand what your saying I was the same way thats why I volunteered to help coach, That way I knew how things were done and or not done. The coach really cared for these kids and cared about winning but never did he put winning in front of having fun and learning the game. It was a pleasure to coach with him and the kids on those teams that I know of are all still playing,that still live here anyway. Of course in my experiences I saw several coaches that I didnt believe should even be on a football field let alone be a coach.
So in conclusion I would say if your not happy with the coaches or the program let him try again in JH. Or if he isnt interested in playing now.

[Ernest T Bass]

Also, in the larger areas and multischool district, the youth leagues are used as a farm league for the high schools. You'll see the youth coaches wearing the colors and shirts from one of the local schools and the HS coaches will come around to start recruiting the kids at an early age. Ive seen this many times. It starts lots of recruiting wars and leads to some bad blood.
I know there are some good ones out there, but in travels and experiences with football around this state, they're the exception and not the rule. Id rather my kid play soccer and baseball to get used to competition and athletic activity and then hit football when he can get around some professionals.

[Matthew328]

Most youth coaches are bona fide morons...the good ones are the exception...if I'm in an area where there are few exceptins I may let him start in 5th or 6th grade....but I'd lean to 7th grade

[icu812]

I see no difference in other youth sports when compared to youth fb. Kids can have equally bad experiences in any sport if the coaching stinks. You can also ask what's the right age to start any sport? The answer is the same. It depends on the coaching. All things being equal athletically the kids who receive good coaching prior to Jr.High have a huge advantage no matter the sport. Having said that though I would agree it would be better not to play than to subject your child to knucklehead coaches and I've seen plently of them in youth sports.

[Matthew328]

icu I agree, most youth sports coaches are idiots regardles of sport...football is just a different animal altogether..burn out is quicker, its a more violent rough game and attrition is greater..you can get away with idiot coaches in baseball/basketball because its much easier to have good experience outside of the youth sports environment.

How often do we see kids put on full pads and play football in the steet etc? Thats why you want to make sure that first experience in football is with someone who has clue

[OLE'BULL]

7th grade

[Rabid Cougar]

Coached both of my boys from 6 years up to to 12 years. The whole point of playing football is to have fun.

To get to the point of the thread.... How young should they start? What does the kid want to do? If he wants to play.. let him play. I also don't condone parents pushing them to play. You can spot that a mile away.

Peewee Football coaches are just like soccer, basketball, and baseball coaches. You have good ones and bad ones. Same for Jr High and High school coaches by the way.

As for the "dangerous" part... More kids who play soccer are seen in the emergency room that any organized kids sport... and it is a non-contact sport. Little kid playing football are like weeble-wobbles.. they have so much padding on and don't weight enough they basically bounce off of each other.

Why does no one ever have "when is it to young to play soccer?" thread?

And my oldest plays college football....been playing for 12 years and still cannot get enough.

[coach]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar
Coached both of my boys from 6 years up to to 12 years. The whole point of playing football is to have fun.

To get to the point of the thread.... How young should they start? What does the kid want to do? If he wants to play.. let him play. I also don't condone parents pushing them to play. You can spot that a mile away.

Peewee Football coaches are just like soccer, basketball, and baseball coaches. You have good ones and bad ones. Same for Jr High and High school coaches by the way.

As for the "dangerous" part... More kids who play soccer are seen in the emergency room that any organized kids sport... and it is a non-contact sport. Little kid playing football are like weeble-wobbles.. they have so much padding on and don't weight enough they basically bounce off of each other.

Why does no one ever have "when is it to young to play soccer?" thread?

And my oldest plays college football....been playing for 12 years and still cannot get enough.

whats a weeble wobble?

[Cam]

We had one coach who apparently played at the college level which in his mind made him an expert coach. He was pretty hard on the boys. Even insulted them on the field when they didn't do something right. Some comments directed at the kids were: "Are you scared? I think you're scared to hit somebody!" and "Maybe you should just go play flag football or with a Barbie doll"....In my opinion, a ten year old needs nothing but positive reinforcement so his confidence may grow. My kid handled whatever comments that came his way with ease since he was used to being around the high school coaches and knowing what is said to the varsity boys. (He was always there helping out the coaches during summer workouts and varsity practices. Kinda became the coaches runner/helper. Coaches even gave him his own locker in the varsity locker room.) Burnet has two youth leagues. Apparently, I got into the wrong one. It's a traveling team that plays other towns. The other league is sponsored by Kiwanis and they had enough kids to form two teams. They played each other every week and you could tell they were having a blast. I could tell the difference in the level of fun those kids were having compared to our kids. Our kids couldn't hardly compete because in some cases they were playing much larger teams from bigger towns. Anyway, the unfortunate thing is it only takes one bad experience for some kids and they may never want to play again. My boy is still thinking he's gonna give it another shot in middle school and take it from there.

[Roughneck93]

I agree, 7th grade. I'm not too worried about the burned out part. It would be having someone trying to coach the game who is not qualified.

[Rabid Cougar]

Originally posted by Matthew328
How often do we see kids put on full pads and play football in the steet etc? Thats why you want to make sure that first experience in football is with someone who has clue

Used see it all the time. No coaches, not refs. Just pick sides and get with it. The bigger the mud hole in the vacant lot the better.
You don't see kids playing football in pads in vacant lots any more. Because parents who are driven to get little johnny a football, baseball or softball scholarship have taken away all the fun with organized and select team sports. To have things organized, to control the environment that they play in and who they play with.

I ask all of you who say not before 7th grade....would you let you sons play tackle football in your front yard? Are you afraid of them developing bad tackling techniques or not holding the football properly? Can you watch them play without "coaching"?

[Cam]

Originally posted by Old Tiger
can you kid walk?

I don't understand your question...

[Rabid Cougar]

Originally posted by Roughneck93
I agree, 7th grade. I'm not too worried about the burned out part. It would be having someone trying to coach the game who is not qualified.

Whats the qualifications for being a 7th grade football coach?

[Rabid Cougar]

Originally posted by coach
whats a weeble wobble?

Okay I showed my age.

Googled:
Weebles is a trademark for several lines of children's roly-poly toys originating in Hasbro's Playskool division on July 23, 1971. Shaped like eggs with a weight at the fat, or bottom end, they wobble when pushed, but never fall completely over, hence the
name and the slogan "weebles wobble, but they don't fall down."

I had them when I was a kid.

[Cam]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar
Okay I showed my age.

Googled:
Weebles is a trademark for several lines of children's roly-poly toys originating in Hasbro's Playskool division on July 23, 1971. Shaped like eggs with a weight at the fat, or bottom end, they wobble when pushed, but never fall completely over, hence the
name and the slogan "weebles wobble, but they don't fall down."

I had them when I was a kid.

my weebles wobble and they don't fall down either......but they may be saggin' a little.....

[ogg]

All five of my boys started at age 10, they loved the game and did great.

[icu812]

Originally posted by Cam
We had one coach who apparently played at the college level which in his mind made him an expert coach. He was pretty hard on the boys. Even insulted them on the field when they didn't do something right. Some comments directed at the kids were: "Are you scared? I think you're scared to hit somebody!" and "Maybe you should just go play flag football or with a Barbie doll"....In my opinion, a ten year old needs nothing but positive reinforcement so his confidence may grow. My kid handled whatever comments that came his way with ease since he was used to being around the high school coaches and knowing what is said to the varsity boys. (He was always there helping out the coaches during summer workouts and varsity practices. Kinda became the coaches runner/helper. Coaches even gave him his own locker in the varsity locker room.) Burnet has two youth leagues. Apparently, I got into the wrong one. It's a traveling team that plays other towns. The other league is sponsored by Kiwanis and they had enough kids to form two teams. They played each other every week and you could tell they were having a blast. I could tell the difference in the level of fun those kids were having compared to our kids. Our kids couldn't hardly compete because in some cases they were playing much larger teams from bigger towns. Anyway, the unfortunate thing is it only takes one bad experience for some kids and they may never want to play again. My boy is still thinking he's gonna give it another shot in middle school and take it from there.

Looks like you may have answered your own question. It's not about age its about the quality of the people involved. That travel team coach is doing it for the wrong reasons. A league with several teams run by quality people doing it for the kids tend to get rid of problem coaches.

[BaseballUmp]

http://www.ted.me/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/foosball1.jpg

[orange machine]

In Celina as soon as your born your measurements are taken and they decide by your weight if your a linemen or athlete. By 5 years old your hitting the sled in full pads. So by age 8 your ready for game time. Oh and for the record Celina does have some good youth coaches I honestly believe that has attributed to alot of Celina's success over the years. When the kids go into the 7th grade they have the basic offense and defense down to an art.

[MGAR]

My oldest played for the first time this past season. He loved games but hated practices..

The first coach was a clown that didn't have a clue and had a playbook the size of Websters.

He got mad at parents and quit. Few of us others took over. We ran the same D all the time, even in goal line, and had 4 plays on offense. The kids seem to enjoy it more after that.

As far as conditioning went... The only time we made the kids run is if they got in a fight with it other. So basically the kids only ran once because after that they didn't want none anymore.

At that young of an age its all about kids having fun.

This season we plan on doing it again but before season starts we are going to get with the schools coaches so they can teach us a few things on proper form, correct ways to do whatever.

[BILLYFRED0000]

I think OM has it right. My son has played since he was six years old in the celina system. 10 now. And this year he was invited to play select ball in the spring. The coaches there loved him and invited him back for the fall. He said no. The only reason he was there was to make him a better Bobcat. So for all of you not till seventh graders out there I say let the kid play if he wants. What makes you think that because he has not played he will want to. If he loves the game he will play. And if he loves the game he won't stop.

AS far as coaching, the celina coaching has been fun. Select was too intense imho but my son loved the things he learned and playing at a higher competition level. He had never played against bigger better teams than select. So even tho the coaching was a little over the top, his reward was to see that he could play at that level.

[garciap77]

Originally posted by orange machine
In Celina as soon as your born your measurements are taken and they decide by your weight if your a linemen or athlete. By 5 years old your hitting the sled in full pads. So by age 8 your ready for game time. Oh and for the record Celina does have some good youth coaches I honestly believe that has attributed to alot of Celina's success over the years. When the kids go into the 7th grade they have the basic offense and defense down to an art.

:eek:

[icu812]

Originally posted by orange machine
In Celina as soon as your born your measurements are taken and they decide by your weight if your a linemen or athlete. By 5 years old your hitting the sled in full pads. So by age 8 your ready for game time.

and from what I've heard the professional coaches support youth football in Celina. Including helping youth coaches instead of complaining about them. In turn they receive better players in the 7th grade and probably some donated $ into the school program.

[BILLYFRED0000]

Originally posted by icu812
and from what I've heard the professional coaches support youth football in Celina. Including helping youth coaches instead of complaining about them. In turn they receive better players in the 7th grade and probably some donated $ into the school program.

Not only that but a lot of the coaches in pee wee either played in the celina system at the varsity level or know the coaches and the system and what they want the kids to learn. Most of all that football is fun. We just had Celina football camp for the 3rd thru 9th graders and there were 10 quarterbacks. 30 running backs 60 receivers and ten lineman. Joked with Coach Elliott that this was the typical boyhood camp. He said they just let them go where they want to go. That says a lot right there.

[orange machine]

Originally posted by icu812
and from what I've heard the professional coaches support youth football in Celina. Including helping youth coaches instead of complaining about them. In turn they receive better players in the 7th grade and probably some donated $ into the school program.
Don't know about the money but I know the School coaches and youth coaches work well together. I think more than anything the celina youth coaches teach the young guys how to be a team and like I said they teach the basic o and d that the big boys run.

[Ernest T Bass]

Celina is BY FAR the exception. I agree, if I lived in Celina, my kid would start as soon as he could. Im sure there is a very small handfull of places in Texas that are the same way. But these are BY FAR the exception and not the rule.

[Matthew328]

Originally posted by Rabid Cougar
Used see it all the time. No coaches, not refs. Just pick sides and get with it. The bigger the mud hole in the vacant lot the better.
You don't see kids playing football in pads in vacant lots any more. Because parents who are driven to get little johnny a football, baseball or softball scholarship have taken away all the fun with organized and select team sports. To have things organized, to control the environment that they play in and who they play with.

I ask all of you who say not before 7th grade....would you let you sons play tackle football in your front yard? Are you afraid of them developing bad tackling techniques or not holding the football properly? Can you watch them play without "coaching"?

Bottom line is you don't see it now. Its just not something that's done. Tackle football is a spur of the moment thing in the front yard that is done by kids who are bored and want something to do. It's not a commitment.

When you make a commitment to something bigger you want to be sure the right guidance is in place to ensure there's not a negative experience. I'd put that faith in a qualified coach who does it for a living that some slappy off the street who likely has no clue....

[Cam]

Originally posted by orange machine
Don't know about the money but I know the School coaches and youth coaches work well together. I think more than anything the celina youth coaches teach the young guys how to be a team and like I said they teach the basic o and d that the big boys run.

School coaches and youth coaches don't work together here. for example, youth coaches asked Head Coach if they could use the high school practice field....HC said NO!

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
Question has been answered for me LOL.
#1, dont want my kid to get burned out. Another part of that is the emphasis put on the youth football in some places. Under Armour jerseys, run through helmets, smoke machines, etc...then they get in 7th grade and get hand me down stuff. Lots of them get disillusioned.
#2, I know everyone has an example of good youth coaches, but for the most part, the ones Ive seen are idiots. Know very little about football and even less about coaching. These guys are all about winning and not about teaching kids. Ends up taking 7th and 8th grade to break the kids of their habits. I only want professional coaches coaching my kid(s).
Maybe that makes me a bit of an athletic snob, but so be it. I dont want my kids playing daddy ball with a part time coach. I want them being coached by guys who have made it their livelyhood. Some of them are idiots too, but you can hold them to a higher standard.

Not that you care, but I totally agree :D

[orange machine]

I think the reason Celina takes losing so hard is because the players, parents and fans are so used to winning from the youth leagues through middle school up to jv then when we lose at the varsity level it stings more.

[grahampaw]

my youngest started last year at age 5,he had a great coach that made it fun for the kids, in fact he is a downlow member.He cant wait to play again this year.The worst coaches are the ones that coach for themselfs and not for the enjoyment of the kids.The kids dont have to learn everything in peewee, thats what the paid coaches are for.Although being a paid coach doesnt allways mean you are an expert.My point is as long as my kids are having fun they can play at any age .

[orange machine]

Originally posted by Cam
School coaches and youth coaches don't work together here. for example, youth coaches asked Head Coach if they could use the high school practice field....HC said NO!
That's ridiculous i think coach Ford and company know and realize it starts at an early age. It's also much easier on them when the kids know what to do and are already tought discipline. Nothing like seeing a bunch of little Bobcats running around in there jersey on Friday nights on the feild before the game slapping and high fiving the varsity boys as they run onto the feild from the locker room. Every little player dreams of the day they get to run out from underneath Bobcat Stadium with the smoke and fans going crazy for them.

[ccmom]

Originally posted by Ernest T Bass
Question has been answered for me LOL.
#1, dont want my kid to get burned out. Another part of that is the emphasis put on the youth football in some places. Under Armour jerseys, run through helmets, smoke machines, etc...then they get in 7th grade and get hand me down stuff. Lots of them get disillusioned.
#2, I know everyone has an example of good youth coaches, but for the most part, the ones Ive seen are idiots. Know very little about football and even less about coaching. These guys are all about winning and not about teaching kids. Ends up taking 7th and 8th grade to break the kids of their habits. I only want professional coaches coaching my kid(s).
Maybe that makes me a bit of an athletic snob, but so be it. I dont want my kids playing daddy ball with a part time coach. I want them being coached by guys who have made it their livelyhood. Some of them are idiots too, but you can hold them to a higher standard.

This....

I have two boys and neither will play until 7th grade.

[icu812]

Originally posted by Cam
School coaches and youth coaches don't work together here. for example, youth coaches asked Head Coach if they could use the high school practice field....HC said NO!

A well run youth progam should have some real $ left over from entry gate sales, concession, sign ups, etc.. In Van they donate it to the high school football program. In turn the Van kids play on turf in the new stadium. In fact the local league hosts games there from 8am till dark at least twice a year. All the towns in the league host games at their HS stadium at least once. The league has grown to the point that there will be games all day at two HS stadiums on Saturdays this year. Most teams have some pretty good coaches (there have been exceptions though).

[Old LB]

Originally posted by ccmom
This....

I have two boys and neither will play until 7th grade.

I watched about 10 minutes of a pratice at Nelson Park one day. I think it was the Cowboys youth team, the coach was an IDIOT, grabbed a kid by the facemask and basically shoved him off the field. I'm sure there are some good and some bad but I would hope this is not the standard.

[mwynn05]

Originally posted by Cam
School coaches and youth coaches don't work together here. for example, youth coaches asked Head Coach if they could use the high school practice field....HC said NO! There is a WHOLE lot more to this than you are thinking about such as liability. It can be done but the school would probably have to charge you a usage fee to take out an insurance policy etc to cover their costs. It could be a sticky situation... and it might not be the HS coaches call... ETB could prolly clarify for me.. he's been doing this coaching thing a lot longer than me and is probably a lot better at it.

[BILLYFRED0000]

Yes if that is a rec league team that is redirkuless.

[MGAR]

Here our teams get to practice on gamefield, practice fields and indoor field. Whichever they want. School comes first but after they are off the LL kids get on/in it.

Only time last year it didn't work out was a nearby school practiced at our indoor because bad weather.

[Pendragon13]

It all depends on the kid physically and mentally. My parents held me out until 8th grade for size reasons...and I'm glad they did. I saw a few kids get burned out by bad Pop Warner coaches and never made it to the school level..

[trojandad]

when i was 7 our family friend, the head coach at the high school, brought the smallest helmet and set of shoulder pads for me to wear, they were hugely too big, but he told my grandfather (who was raising me) "get him to wear these night and day, i want them to be a second skin for him so when he gets old enough for me, he wont spend the first year just getting used to them"...

it was his opinion that the toughest thing for football players to adjust to is acting and reacting without even thinking of the gear worn, he believed that kids lose about a year of true football skill gathering for being so preoccupied with the helmet bouncing, the vision restrictions, and the arm hindrances from the shoulder pads, ESPECIALLY for qb's.......

and he, too, said he didnt wanna see me on a football field until 7th grade....and he didnt....

[icu812]

Originally posted by mwynn05
There is a WHOLE lot more to this than you are thinking about such as liability. It can be done but the school would probably have to charge you a usage fee to take out an insurance policy etc to cover their costs. It could be a sticky situation... and it might not be the HS coaches call... ETB could prolly clarify for me.. he's been doing this coaching thing a lot longer than me and is probably a lot better at it.

Youth teams have their own insurance or at least they should.

[BILLYFRED0000]

Originally posted by icu812
Youth teams have their own insurance or at least they should.

You are correct sir. sometimes the league itself pools a policy.