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Time Management
By Coach P | September 14, 2007
Time management in practice is something we all struggle with no matter what level of football we coach. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done. At the youth level, this is particularly difficult. In the few years I coached at the youth level we practiced Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays for two hours a night. This gave us a paltry six hours of practice a week. When you factor in warm-up and stretch time (and kids running in late), in reality, we were left with about five hours or so a week. How did we get everything done? Well, in all honesty, we probably didn’t a lot of the time. So what do you do if you can’t get everything done every week? Here’s some tips I got from a more experienced youth coach when I got started that I have carried with me into my high school career.
1. Three words…prioritize, prioritize, prioritize! Whether from filming and watching games
or just from things you saw during the game, figure out what you need to work on the most.
Make a list, in order of importance, of all the things you think you need to work on. Figure out
how long you think you will need to get each one done (and always overestimate the time you
think it will take…things always take longer on the practice field than they do in your head) and
work your way down the list. Don’t cut short the amount of time you spend on things that need a
lot of work just to get to something that doesn’t.
2. Be organized. Never go into a practice “winging” it. Not only will you waste time but you will
forget things. Before the week starts have a schedule of what needs to be worked on each night
and how much time you are going to spend on each thing. Remember to be flexible though.
Don’t go into the week with the idea that your weekly schedule is set in stone and you aren’t
going to change it. At the end of each practice, gather the coaching staff together and decide if
you need to change the next practice schedule. Was there something that didn’t go as well as
you’d hope and you feel it’s important and needs more time? Put it in the next practice schedule.
Also remember to be prepared to scrap something if it’s not working. If you’re trying a new play
and the kids just aren’t getting it, don’t waste a bunch of time. Even if it’s a good idea, scrap it.
3. Keep things simple. Don’t try to do too much. You don’t need a lot of offense or defense to be
successful at the youth level. Don’t try to do more than you have time to master. Remember, a
few mastered plays will win you more games than a bunch of plays you are just “ok” at.
I hope some of this has helped. Remember, the key thing at the youth level is to keep it simple and keep it fun. The key thing to time management at any level is to not try to do too much. Never do more than you have time to master. If you aren’t sure whether you have too much offense or defense…you probably do. Good luck on your season!
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