Navigating the Highs and Lows of First-Time Youth Football - Coach Mikki

Navigating the thrilling yet daunting world of your child's first football season can feel like a complex playbook. , Coach Mikki is here to break it down play-by-play. From the physical demands and safety on the field to the importance of joy and camaraderie, we tackle the essential questions on the minds of parents ushering their little athletes into the sport. It's a heartfelt journey through the highs and lows, providing insights on how to discern if football is the right fit for your child, and the measures taken to ensure their experience is as rewarding as it is secure.

Beyond the gridiron, the episode journeys into the life lessons that high school football imparts, blending the rigors of academics with the discipline of athletics. We share personal anecdotes and success stories that illustrate the power of peer support systems like study halls and tutoring, and the indispensable roles parents and community members play in enriching the high school football experience. The ties formed in the stands and on the field last a lifetime, and this conversation is a testament to the character-building and transformative power of youth sports. So, lace up your cleats and join us for an episode that celebrates the spirit, dedication, and community that make Friday nights under the lights truly magical.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:14

Hey team, come on in and take a knee. So glad that you joined us on our field today. I'm Coach Mickey, and with you are a coach, a player or a parent. We are so glad that you joined us. Each week We've got a little something for each one of you in our playbook and I try to cover as many things as I can. A lot of you do send me some questions and some information in regards to football and I welcome them. So please keep them coming, because I'm sure if you have a question there's other people and other parents that would love to have the same question answered, and today I wanted to kind of cover kind of a blanket information for first time parents. We have got a lot of parents that come to me on a regular basis on any team I've ever been on that have got first time players and there is a lot of questions. So I thought I would kind of go over that today and see if I can maybe answer some of these and help you guys with some of your concerns and questions.

Speaker 1: 1:13

Of your kid wanted to play football for the first time. I remember when my son wanted to start he was six he had come to me and said mom, I want to play football. Well, at the time all his friends were playing flag and I thought, okay, it's like flag like your friends, is it great? I was like no tackle and, of course, me being such a big football fan, I was like yes. However, there is a lot to be involved, a lot that you need to know and understand when you do get involved into the football world, whether they are age six or moving on and so forth, especially through high school and if they are looking to move on, even through college. So these are just kind of just a couple of things. Keep in mind everybody's individual and everybody's gonna have some different experiences, so I'm gonna kind of keep it just general, but these are common things that we really need to be aware of when we do have our child come to us and say I wanna play football.

Speaker 1: 2:17

So a couple of things is football is, as you know, a very physical and demanding sport. It does require a lot of physical work, it's gonna take a lot of strength, it takes a lot of mental preparation and it is very time consuming and it's an amazing sport and I've seen the value of football through the years, not only on the field, but what it can transpire off the field, especially when you're working, excuse me with all kinds of different personalities and different friends Because your football team, you become a band of brothers. I mean, it's just the way it is. You are together trying to accomplish one common goal, which is to win, and whether it's 11 people out there on offense or 11 people out there on defense or special teams, everybody kind of has to come together and pull their weight to do their job. So it is a very big commitment for someone to decide hey, I'm gonna play football. It's not a choice that should be made lightly, and if it is something that you are excited about doing and you're willing to put into work, you can have an incredible season.

Speaker 1: 3:27

And football sometimes is not for everybody. I have had through the years, whether it be through Pop Warner or high school and even onto some higher level players. You may get out there and start doing football, and or your child may start and realize you know what? This just isn't my thing and that's okay. That is okay. Football is not for everybody. However, at least if you have the courage to make that choice and say it's not for me and you wanna move on to a different sport as a parent. That is something that sometimes I think we need to swallow and understand, and I've come across that in past with parents where they have wanted their kid to play football so badly and it's just not their thing. And honestly, you're not doing anybody a favor by forcing your kid to go out there and play because they know it, they don't wanna be there. The coaches know they don't wanna be there and it just shows and it becomes very difficult. And then there is some kids that get out there and maybe they're on the fence about playing, and then they get out there and they really delve in and they kind of embrace what's happening and they become these incredible players. So just kind of keep that in mind and again, it's supposed to be fun. This is something that you should enjoy doing as you're going and be excited to be out there playing.

Speaker 1: 4:55

You're gonna get hit, your kid's gonna get hit. This is as simple as that. It's football. I don't think I need to say more than that. You have to understand. As long as you are okay with them taking a hit and them giving a hit, you're, we're good. We are good. I have seen it in the past where we're doing great and we're first couple weeks we're doing good until we put on the pads, and once those helmets and pads go on it's a total game changer. Somebody who's a superstar in flag and a superstar running around without a helmet on as soon as they take a hit it just rocks their whole world. So you wanna kind of prepare for that, especially if it's the first time from practice that your kid comes home and says we did tackling drills today and they got a couple of bumps and bruises and that's the other thing. That's gonna happen. It's inevitable, it's gonna happen.

Speaker 1: 5:46

As a coach, I will tell you we do try to make every effort possible to keep the head safe in the game. We watch our kids. You know we do our tackling drills not to go out there and just totally slam into each other. But we do have different stances and different safety measures and different ways that we teach tackling and to receive a tackle so we can keep your kid and our players as safe as we possibly can in the game of football. And I would have to say that football has evolved a lot more. I mean even in my coaching experience, and I've been doing it for 15 years. I would say even in the past five years, football has become a lot safer. There is a lot more programs put into place that are mandatory for us to have to take as a coach to keep your kids safe and for us to learn and be able to offer that.

Speaker 1: 6:43

So we are keeping your kids safe on the field and, honestly, if I see something that is not okay or if I think you know I have a player that's hurt, I'd live by a code. When in doubt I'll pull them out and that's gonna go on. I'm gonna slightly braze over concussion. That is something that I know everybody is always worried about, and rightfully so the risk of concussions. They can happen, just like any other sport. I mean, there's concussions that happen in soccer, you know basketball, depending on, you know what happens there's. You can really suffer a concussion really in any sport. Football just seems to be targeted because we are, you know we are tackling and making one-on-one contact. But again, I'm gonna go back to it again as a coach, as long as we are teaching them how to, you know give a tackle and receive a tackle heads up, eyes up.

Speaker 1: 7:40

You know you're not using your helmet, you're not using your head. We try to keep the safety in the game. However, I do do another whole podcast on concussion protocol and what to look for and what to do, and you can go on to first downs, to touchdowns and look through the website and I'll cover that. But I would also. But if you're writing wearing the correct protective gear, you know it comes down to make sure you're wearing a good helmet, make sure it fits properly, have the chin strap so it's in place. You know your chin strap is just as important as the helmet because some of them will help protect your chin, and same thing with the mouth guards. If you have got special needs based on braces or work that's being done or certain fits, ask your dentist and they will make sure that they get you the proper fitting mouthpiece to put in and you can go online and a couple of different mouthpieces all for different protection. But between your helmet, your chin strap and your mouthpiece, I really feel as though how helmets have evolved over the years. This will help.

Speaker 1: 8:48

Now I'm not gonna lie to you. A helmet is just to protect your surrounding head. A concussion is really the bouncing of your brain, so you could receive a concussion fallen off and you're watching your head bounce off the ground. It's not so much a football related injury Concussion has got a lot more to do with that. But taking the precautions, there you go. I'm just gonna braise over that just briefly, and I'm sure you guys will have more questions. Please feel free to go on my website and I'll go ahead and cover that for you, and I'll also do another podcast that will break it down into steps and what to do in the event of a concussion. It's a commitment. It's a huge commitment. Football is going to take up a lot of time.

Speaker 1: 9:35

If you are pop Warner, you will be probably practicing. You know, in the beginning I think it starts up with four days and, if I remember correctly, then we go to three. Your games are going to be on Saturdays. Depending on what division your child's in, your game could be anywhere from first thing in the morning until late at night, and also you could be traveling. You're most likely you will be traveling. I've gone to games that have been almost an hour and a half away and a lot of times you are driving your own child on the pop Warner level.

Speaker 1: 10:10

High school is a different story because we go during the day, during school it's usually on the bus and everybody's kind of together, which is great, and then it gives you an opportunity to go to that game. You know when you get out of work and most likely if they are freshmen the games will be on a Thursday, probably in the afternoon. If they are JV it could range anywhere from Thursdays to Saturdays. And then obviously Varsity is your Friday night lights and as they get into high school and they're in varsity they're driving themselves anyway and you kind of get the luxury of showing up to the game and buying tickets. But if you are involved with a child that is prior to high school, most likely you can. You're going to be driving and you know you can work it out with other parents. You know to carpool and be together. But keep in mind you got it is a big commitment Scheduling around homework. Your kids are going to have to do homework and be part of the football team.

Speaker 1: 11:13

Academics is so important and crucial. We just constantly are drilling it into our kids. You know they are student athletes and that they have to keep a certain GPA to be able to play football. If their grades fall below a certain GPA they cannot play, but also it gives them an opportunity to be well rounded. I mean, that's just the way life is. Our schedules have got to incorporate going to work and then family and then anything else you're doing, and, and if they're organized and they're doing, you know the right things, you know it can be done. I've had kids over the years that are 4.0 and higher GPA, some are honor students and they're and they're doing football, and a lot of times these kids which is really amazing, and what I've done with my teams and you can maybe make the suggestion or even offer it through your teams, or what you have in your area is the kids that are excelling in certain classes. You know, as a brotherhood and as a team, help your brothers that aren't, that are not, that are struggling, that are having some challenges with, with different classes.

Speaker 1: 12:30

Not giving an example, I was at a high school and I would Be there for the study hall. That was just like right before we went out on the field and or I'd come by, swing by during lunchtime and we had a football room with a lot of the football players would go and eat lunch and sometimes we'd go over film or, you know, do some chalk talk or whatever. But a lot of times it was just for the guys to hang out, kind of just build that camaraderie. But I I offered, I said if you are struggling with a class, you know, let me know. And I had a couple of come up to me. One was struggling with math, another one was struggling with Spanish and I just asked. I said okay, who's who's who's acing Spanish? Who's that Spanish down? And I had one of my guys raised his hand. I said you know, would you be willing to stay here for 15 minutes and help us go over this, because Spanish is not my strong point. I speak Italian. I don't speak Spanish. We're just kind of saying, but not the way it's taught in school.

Speaker 1: 13:30

So it was great because it really brought them together and to see that you know they are there to help each other. So homework, it is so important and, if need be, let the coaches know that you are struggling. If you're a player listening to this, if you're a parent, let the coach know ahead of time, before we get a call from the school or the Athletic director saying I'm sorry, but you know you're so and so can't play on Friday night because this GPA dropped. It's not only not fair to us but it's also not fair to the team and Also we want to help. We don't want it to get to that point where we have a student that is struggling that we didn't know and it comes down to where they are pulled from the football program. A lot of times they'll do probation, but let's just not let it get there to begin with.

Speaker 1: 14:26

Lot of times you are going to Deal with fundraising. There's gonna be a lot of fundraising. That happens pretty much on any level and While on the Pop Warner level it's mostly all volunteer and you, as I called you guys, my team parents, which I think are so important of team parents, are more important to me. Then I can possibly tell you because nothing happens without you guys, especially at the Pop Warner level, you are driving them places, you are bringing them to practice. You know a lot of times you're helping and picking them up. But I know you work and and then you're giving up your Saturdays and you're you're making food. So I we really, really do appreciate that time and effort. But also, when you get to the high school level, there's going to be different times where you may have to run the concession stand or they're going to ask you to Bring in some different things to stock the concession stand, because all that money pays, you know, goes right back into buying equipment.

Speaker 1: 15:31

Sometimes we were, we were raising money so we could Buy new uniforms for the kids. You know, while you have boosters, a lot of football programs Do you have financial means, which is amazing, and I'm happy for those programs. But I've also been part of many, many programs where we don't and we are struggling to reuse the same uniforms we had last year and make them look different, or we have to buy new stuff or maybe new pads, you know, maybe get the helmets refurbished. So it is so vital and important that you please contribute and you know we're out there coaching your kids, trying to make them better people, and what makes our lives and jobs a lot easier is for the parents that are able to come up and run the scoreboard or announce the games. Maybe do some of the fun, the fundraising activities, coordinate stuff between the coaches and the parents and the kids, and if you have got two children that are in the sport one, that one's a cheerleader ones. It was a football player, we know that you're. You're spread really thin. You know we we appreciate that you're being there and for what you're doing. But any little bit that you can contribute, even if it means just buying a case of chips or Gatorade or something that you can just offer to the snack bar, goes a long, long way. So we appreciate you guys when you you step up, because it is a it is helpful for us for the fundraising. If you get again, we'll go back to that.

Speaker 1: 17:08

Two kids on a team. We encourage multiple sports. I love kids that play other sports besides football because it only enhances you as an athlete. My son not only did football, but then he ran track. Um, I, track is huge. I love kids that do track because it definitely helps with that twitch reflex and it also helps them, you know, get faster and stronger Weight room. You know, make sure that your kids are going to the weight room and that they're eating properly.

Speaker 1: 17:40

Again, if you have a child that's playing baseball and football, it gets a little tricky. I've had that in the past. We actually had a quarterback that was not only a superstar quarterback, he was also a superstar on the baseball team and he'd be finishing baseball practice and then walk over to football. Well, by then he's already a half an hour to 40 minutes late. We're trying to run a football team in adversity while we got a kid coming over. So pick and choose, and while we want well-rounded kids, sometimes it becomes very difficult and there really will come a time where your kid has got to choose.

Speaker 1: 18:18

Do I want to do this or that, especially when you get to the high school level? Because if you have got colleges looking at you, you want to be able to laser focus and make that your 100% of what you would like to do, and it's okay. I've even had, I've had incredible football players go on to baseball because they got offered scholarships and I've told them flat out to them right on the field as much as I needed them and I loved having them on my team. You know I could look them in the eye and say you know it's your life, buddy, and you've got to do what you've got to do. And if you're being offered a scholarship to play baseball and it's gonna be something that's gonna help you financially, get you an incredible education, you gotta take it. You gotta do it. So I would say, when they're younger, don't worry about it, but as you start getting closer into your varsity, really think about it and kind of decide. And that's gonna lead me to my last and one of my points I would like to kind of stress.

Speaker 1: 19:28

It is not easy as a parent, it's definitely not easy as a coach, seeing a really good athlete all of a sudden decide that they either one don't wanna do it anymore. They wanna move on to a different sport. It is something maybe they've outgrown and honestly, it could be something as simple as maybe their body just can't do with it anymore. Again, football is a very physical sport and it's very demanding. And if you have got a child, that is like you know what. I just think I need to make money with my head and not my body.

Speaker 1: 20:06

Support that, support that it's being a parent. And again, I'm putting on my parents hat now of a player that had offers and for him to had physically said you know what? I really think I wanna focus on other things academically and do other stuff and hang up my cleats and I'm like you know what? At first I didn't respond because I had to process it myself, but at the end of the day it's. I think it was a very wise choice and I supported it as a parent. So all else we can do is parents to support our children, be there for them, be there 110%. And the other thing, too, is if you do have a child and I've seen it go the opposite way I have seen kids from age six say I'm going to the NFL, and I've seen it happen If you've got a child that is just bent on going and going, this is it.

Speaker 1: 21:09

There is no other option. Just one season at a time. One season at a time. You know. Support it, keep it going, keep the grades up academically and have fun. You know it's meant to be fun.

Speaker 1: 21:25

Football is meant to be the years that you remember with your buddies.

Speaker 1: 21:30

You know the games and I'll be honest with you as a coach and I've learned over the years, unless it's an absolutely extraordinary game as a championship game or Super Bowl, the other games those kids won't remember it.

Speaker 1: 21:46

But what they will remember is how much fun they have, the connection that they've made and a lot of these kids keep their connections all the way through I mean even after they go separate ways, and they still remain friends and the time that they had and what they learned and the lessons and the value and who they became as people, that that is going to be the most important thing, the most important things that you can get out of the game of football.

Speaker 1: 22:15

You know character is something that you learn on and off the field, and I am so proud when I see so many of them excel, no matter what direction they go, whether it's in the football or whether it's not as a as a coach, and seeing what can evolve through the game of football and being in the right mind frame and knowing what what you want and what you don't is going to bring so much value to your life throughout the years, not as a parent, but also as a player and for us as coaches. So thank you for giving me an opportunity to kind of express my opinion on what I think, and if you've got some other suggestions or comments you'd like to bring and leave for me, please do. I love hearing from you so I can share it with our players, coaches and also our team parents, and we will look forward to seeing you Again. You were just competing with yourself at practice. Make every day count. Start strong, stay strong and finish strong. Thank you, you're on first downs to touchdowns. See you next week.