Pride

In church last Sunday we learned about pride, and how it is one of the sins. We also learned about humility, and what it mean to be humble. You my ask what does this have to do with football.

Everything.

Parents have a sense of entitlement when it come to their children, that has to do with pride.
We should teach our children to do their best and no matter the outcome putting your out best effort is what matters.
Football is a team sport and not just the players on the field decide the outcome but the players that pushed each other all weak decides the end result.
Everyone on the field is doing their best. The coaches, refs, and anyone else does not start or finish the game thinking how can I screw this team.

Love, discipline, fair play should replace pride.

Happy day

It was 21 years ago that my wife and I were married. We celebrated with pulled pork sandwiches while the kids were at a birthday party. We got to hold a conversation with out interruptions. Let the good times role.

Love you (.)(.)
Scott
you have :)

What the Blog

I'm not sure what I want this blog to be about. I read other peoples blog and they are full of wisdom, humor, personal insight, and deep thoughts.

I read my wife's blog and she taught me how to make marsh mellows.

I want this to be about football, not the nuts and bolts that make it work, but what you gain by learning, practicing, and playing the game.

I hope to be an enthusiastic coach, and the players catch that enthusiasm. The best time I had as a player I gave my all, left everything on the field and went undefeated. the best time I had as a coach I gave my all, tried to make practice fun while teaching the game and we were 0-9-1 and not one player misses a practice.

I've played football in one form or another for 15 years, I've coached football going on 20 years, and have been married going on 21 years, and I'm 44.

I love this game, I love seeing player excel at something that you taught them, and my favorite is when you see them later and they have fond memories of the sport.

Option

1. Quarterback, opens up to the dive back that will run over the guard opposite of the option.

2. Dive back will fake a dive (or receive the ball in the case of option dive) over the opposite guard that the option is called.

3.Option back will take a jab step away from the play then run parallel to the line of scrimmage.

4. Quarterback will challenge the defensive end (who is unblocked) and determine whether to keep the ball or option to the back.

5. Tight end will arch to block the farthest outside man.

6. A split man or man out of the backfield will block second man in second tear of players usually inside line backer.

7. The offensive will dive block head going to play side hip.

8. In the case of a dive all the key will be played out as if running the option.

Get the ball rolling

I've come up with six formations, and need to make the plays that I want to run work out of each formation.

Or motto this year will be K.I.S.S (keep it simple, stupid)

So our formations will be the vowels A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y.
We will progress from option, to power, to pass.
But most of all I want the kids to learn the game of football and to have fun.

5, 10, 15 years from now each kid will look back and say I had fun, and hopefully come away with something. The very least I want each player to leave with good memories.

Coaches clinic

The Raiders were invited to a coaches clinic at Halas Hall, and 11 of use attended. I was pumped to see the great facilities that my beloved Chicago Bears train in. Other than a finally manicured field, I was greatly disappointed. The facilities did not live up to the expectations I thought a NFL team should have. In fact some high schools and most colleges have better facilities.

I was not there to view the campus I was there to get coaching ideas. I got a few and the day was not a total disappointment. I did get to meet 149 other coaches with the same passion that I have for the game of football. I hope to put these ideas into a package for a successful football season.

I leave in a couple days for the happiest place on earth, and when I get back it will be time to put all the pieces together.

Rest

From the end of the season 2004 the Erickson's have not had a break from work, football, marathon training, or iron man training. So a well deserved vacation to the happiest place on earth will be a great distraction. When I return home back to the grind of every day life, the plan will come together.

Control Freak

As a coach you want to call your offence or defence the way you think it should be run. It is an ego thing. Not many coaches would say that their plays are not good, it has to be the players execution of the play that makes it fail. How do you get coaches involved in a game? One coach call offence the other defence leaving other coaches to look on and suggest plays that may work. That's why we need to game plan and work on the basics





If you control the line of scrimmage on ether side of the ball.......... you win! That takes blocking and tackling. Control your man, know your assignment, because the game is won during practice. That is how I need to get coaches involved...................IN PRACTICE.





RULE #3 You play like you practice

Coaching Tips

Attitude; it is contagious. After each season I reflect and try to grade myself. I have never given myself a positive grade. The 2007 season was my worst. I coach football so the kids I coach remember to have fun in the boundaries of the game. I also want each kid to feel that he is part of the team and not a practice player. I failed to get all the players into some games, and follow our teams minimum of four plays. Most of the players deserve more. They attend all practices and give maximum effort. I got caught up in wins and losses, and player suffered because of it. If my attitude was different the wins and losses would take care of themselves and all the kids would have fun and feel as if they belong. So :

RULE #1 Attitude (Mine = Yours)
RULE #2 Time + Effort = more playing time

Back to the drawing board

I can't get motivated to set up the offence, there are to many other things that come up, distract or just take up my time. Last year at this time I had everything in order. I need to start over from zero and work up. Number one, why do I coach? Some times I seem to loose sight of the reason I began coaching. I want this to be a game and to be fun. Personally I would like to win along the way, but having fun, especially at this level is the most important. I think both can be accomplished with the right offence, key on the basics, and the right attitude. The basics can be boring, blocking and tackeling, especially when doing them over and over. I guess this is where the right attitude comes in. Time to get started.

Finding the right Offence

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  I'm using this time to create formations for an offence that is simple enough for the kids to learn, but not so simple that another team can scout us and determine what we are running by formation. We need to be able to spread the feild along with using tight power formations. Most of all I need to find positions for kids that are not as skilled as others so that they can get quality playing time, a task that I did not accomplish last year. This will be my 20th season as a Raiders coach, and from time to time I need to be reminded as to why I dedicate my time to the progam.
  
  
  I will use this Blog to keep parents posted as to what we are doing from week to week. This week I am going over plays for Power I..........................................................................................
  

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