Community coaches key in developing stars
Hamilton Spectator Wed Jul 20 2011 Page: SP5 Section: Sports Byline: Jason Jimenez
X's and O's. These are the two basic components of any football equation. Before a player steps onto the gridiron, he must have a solid understanding of what these two letters mean. Before a player has a firm grasp of the alphabet variables, he must have an inclination to play the game. For many players, this transition occurs at a very young age. Yet, before a player has a desire to make the transition from spectator to player, he must have support and guidance from his parents. I wasn't one of those kids who played organized football as a child. It was not until late in high school when I got my start on the field, and even then, I only played one year of varsity football. Since I never played the sport as a child, I never really gave much thought to the impact that youth football had in developing young players until I came to Canada. Over the course of my CFL career, I've had the opportunity to be a guest coach at a number of community football camps and events. The kids who attend these camps are receptive to coaching and are eager to learn. The coaches feed off of the kids' enthusiasm the same way the kids react to having professional players as coaches. It's the sense of camaraderie and belonging that children get when they are able to play team sports such as football that attracts them to compete at a higher level later on. This is the level of football, in my opinion, that is critical to the development of our future players. Parents and coaches have such an important role in motivating their children and players to learn the game. Children who show a strong interest and inclination on the field need to be encouraged to continue to grow in the sport. Conversely, children who are forced to do something they don't want to do will most likely rebel. Perhaps it's a parent wanting to live vicariously through their kids, or a parent wanting their child to put their video games away for a couple of hours a week. Either way, if a child's heart is not into the sport, it will show in every step and action. It's a no-win situation for player, parent and coach. Children should always play for the right reasons. Unfortunately, even at a basic level of community football, parental politics often gets in the way of the players' best interests. In the new interest of being "fair" and "equal," most young teams participate in a "10-play rule" where each child is required to play a certain amount, regardless of desire to be there, effort level, or, most importantly, skill level. As a parent, I understand the desire to see your child involved. I understand there may be an urge to complain and play politics if your child is not the star of the team. However, as a professional athlete, I can tell you this new attitude we are teaching our children is hindering rather than helping. Children need to learn from the start there are things everyone is good at and areas where time and effort will dictate an outcome. I would have loved to play defensive end or wide receiver in high school, but I wasn't fast enough and I couldn't catch. Some things haven't changed. I didn't quit on football - I found a way to get on the field. If we allow everyone to play every game, we are not fostering life skills, including competition, effort and, most of all, reality. We need to teach our kids to strive to be their best at everything they do and find ways to reach their goals on their own accord. After all, not everyone gets the job they apply for; not everyone gets the corner office promotion. So what can be done at the community football level to assist in developing strong children and future players? Coaching is key. At any level, a player will respect a coach who is knowledgeable and one who will teach them how to play. Understandably, community football coaches may not have years of coaching experience, but they don't need this experience when it comes to teaching kids how to work well with others and follow directions. These are skills that all players on every team should learn. Community football is a great way for young boys to learn the game and excel at what makes team sports second to none. Those who are responsible for community football players have a huge task in front of them. They are not only instilling life lessons through gridiron analogy, they are fostering and developing our future stars. Hamilton Tiger-Cats' Jason Jimenez is writing a series of columns about life as a football player. His column appears Wednesdays until Aug. 31. © 2011 Torstar Corporation
