Each week Coach Bass brings his 30 years of NFL coaching experience to USA Football. Email Coach Bass your question.
Laurie sent the following question:
Our local JV team has approximately 48 players. As parents, should we expect to see every team member play in a game at some point in the season? Our coach seems to play the same guys each and every game and rarely puts in anyone new.
I realize some athletes are more skilled than others, but many parents are becoming frustrated that their child has yet to see any playing time. My son is a skilled football player and plays both offense and defense in each and every game, however, I can't help but feel for those parents who never see their son get in the game. Is this the normal procedure for high school football?
Hi Laurie,
The role of any coach in high school, and especially a JV coach, should be to ensure that every player on his team learns the basic techniques needed to play football and has a positive experience playing the game.
An important part of that experience is getting to play in the game. It may take some advanced planning and a determined concentration during the game to see that every player who has worked during the week gets to see some action during the game. Substitutions can be worked out and planned for to ensure that this happens without seriously hurting the performance of the team.
Unfortunately, many times coaches get so wrapped up in getting the win that they fail to realize the feelings of all the players and the importance of finding a time for each player to get on the field during the game and have some playing time.
This may be the last time that some of these players play football and as a coach, I think it is every coach's responsibility to make sure that every player leaves the game with a positive feeling about themselves, the team and the sport.
Coaches at this level often fail to understand that players should be rewarded for effort as well as performance and that giving one's best is important in itself. This is an important life lesson that a young player can learn from a good football experience. Learning this lesson is speeded up by having an opportunity to play in the game.
Hopefully someone can talk to the coach and convince him that everyone needs to be part of the positive experience of playing in the game.
Coach Tom Bass
Coach Tom Bass, the technical writer and advisor for USA Football, is a 30-year NFL coach who has also authored several books, including "Play Football the NFL Way" - the first "how to" book ever authorized and published by the NFL. Coach Bass is happy to personally autograph his books to you. Book ordering information can be found at http://www.coachbass.com/.
