Youth Football Coach: Choosing a Defence

As a youth football coach for many seasons you develop a certain way of doing things and adjusting your systems in order to make them simple but effective as well as to adapt to your player personnel and take advantage of their strengths to put them in the best possible position to be effective football players. Through many seasons of trial and error you develop a sense of what will and what won't work in your football program based on your own experiences coaching in youth football.
As all old football coaches know, your systems and philosophies can be both praised and criticized by parents, players, and fans. It's part of the game. Over time, you develop a sense of pride in your football systems and football philosophies and you have a certain way of teaching that to your youth football team. Like all, coaches I have my playbooks and way of doing things that I have developed over many seasons of coaching. Recently, I was asked by the local minor program if I would provide them with a copy of my defensive playbook and terminology so that they could see exactly what I am coaching and possibly implement my systems as part of their own program. I must admit, I am somewhat nervous in providing this to them as I feel that they might not get it, or understand it, or perhaps because of both try to implement a football system not suited to their player personnel and put them in a position where they are going to fail. I think that prior to giving them this information I make this point to them. I will provide them with two different defenses, the 3-4 defense, which I believe is more suited to an athletic group of football players as well as the 6-2 defense which I believe is more suited to a bigger, slower, and stronger type of football group that has a few athletes and is tough and determined. The character of your players can be another factor to consider in determining your youth football defense. As a football coach it's important that you evaluate your football group properly.

Cheers!