Coaching Youth Football

Just ordered my second copy of this book. John T. Reed covers the basics of coaching youth football from A to Z, in an easy to read format.I read the first copy and passed it on to my son's coach last year. Reed doesn't pull any punches when he points out the mistakes that many youth football coaches make. Any "How To" book is good when you find 3 or 4 gold nuggets you can use. This book is great. It's an absolute gold mine of information for the youth football coach! It goes beyond X's and O's. Should a youth football program serve as a feeder program for the high school team? Are high school offenses and defenses appropriate for youth teams? How many of the kids on the youth team will actually play football at a higher level? These questions and many more are answered.The book itself isn't made of the highest quality materials, but the solid content more than makes up for this shortcoming. Buy one for your coach. Buy one for yourself!

I was looking for a book for my husband, and found Reed's website. I was impressed with the articles I found there. I bought two of his books for my husband. Thing is, I can't put them down! I've read them both cover-to-cover. I like Reed's style of writing. I like his attitude toward youth sports. He is practical and realistic. It isn't all about winning, but about bringing out the best in the kids. (That may, in fact, result in a winning team!) I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Even for a mom who isn't much interested in sports! This book will make you interested in youth football if you weren't before. And make you wish every youth coach were a John Reed.

I can't say enough good things about this book, that haven't already been mentioned. Having coached for two years already, I wish I would have read this book before starting. I probably made 30 of the mistakes that John points out that rookie coaches make. I know that after reading this book, I'll be better prepared for the coming season

If you plan to ever coach youth football, then it is part of your responsibilities as a coach to get this book. PERIOD!Football is the most complex sport played in America. No other sport requires eleven players to act in perfect unison against eleven other players. No other sport has THREE sections to it (offense, defense, and special teams).If you want to do it right, get this book.Here's a FEW things that coach Reed will teach you:1) An effective youth offense that works. 2) An effective youth defense that works. 3) Why the pass is practically useless. 4) How to stop the sweep, the most feared play in youth football. 5) How to scout. (This, bar none, is THE most important thing you can do to make your team successful.) 6) How to organize practices. 7) How to teach kids. 8) How to teach SAFE fundamentals. 9) How to teach proper tackling... and GET IT! 10) How to coordinate your special teams. 11) How to cope with weaker and less talented players. 12) How to teach your players to WIN. Believe me, nothing is more satisfying than seeing the smiles on a player's face after a football game. This book will help you put them there.I've read over eighty books on coaching football, but Coach Reed's material is not just READ, it's STUDIED. I have all of his books, and they are worth every penny.If you coach football, YOU NEED TO GET THIS BOOK.Oh, and if you're one of my opponents. I'd rather you didn't.

I highly recommend that all youth football coaches read this book. There are too many volunteer coaches that are depending on their memories of past playing days, combined with what they see on TV, who are using drills, methods, and plays which are inappropriate for the young football player.Written from the perspective of coaching YOUTH football, which in no way should be confused with or compared to the NFL, this book gives clear instruction on how to run a successful youth football program. It shows how to identify the proper players for the right positions and how to teach them the basics they need to succeed. The book covers all aspects of the game, from special teams, defense, and offense, to the use of weaker players, motivation, and game plans.Not only is the book itself a goldmine of information, there is a wealth of bibliographical information on other books, tapes, magazines, and organizations. The reference material alone is worth more than the price of the book.No youth football coach should be without this book in their library.