Please explain

[Vteagle]

Vilonia fan.....question, please make me understand!  When I was growing up, all I wanted to do was to play football!  My team stunk, probably didnt have the best coach!  Do any other programs have kids who quit because "they don't like the coach?"

I loved the game so much, no coach was going to ruin it for me!!

Please explain?!

[PWDad]

This seems to be a common thought process for these younger kids now. I think it has a couple of factors: 1) kids are so much more all about "me" now 2) I honestly don't believe the average kid is willing to put out the effort anymore.
At least this is my perception from Vilonia kids. I also think it hurts because there has been a lose of tradition here, multiple years of mediocre seasons, multiple head coaches, etc

[beach bum]

Vilonia fan.....question, please make me understand!  When I was growing up, all I wanted to do was to play football!  My team stunk, probably didnt have the best coach!  Do any other programs have kids who quit because "they don't like the coach?"

I loved the game so much, no coach was going to ruin it for me!!

Please explain?!

It goes hand in hand.... No coach has the right to make a kid hate the game either. I have seen that as well. Most of the time it is what you are referring to. However, there are some coaches that do cross the line. Kids know immediately if a person is genuine or not AND if that coach is only there for their own career. You can have it both ways. Obviously, a coach should be trying to better themselves at any chance, but again treat the kids like they matter to you and they will go as far as you ask them 90% of the time. Again, this goes both ways. You can't put all the blame on the kids or all the blame on the coaches. It is a job for a coach to try his best to build kids up and believe in themselves that they can accomplish more than they ever have before. I have seen some coaches that literally 90% of what comes out of their mouth translates into "you suck" or "you are a screw up". There are two times when it is needed for a coach to get vocally frustrated. That is if the effort isn't there or a kid is not conducting themselves in an honorable manner(such as late hits/personal foul penalties).

[Vteagle]

I certainly understand the "it goes both ways" I just can't imagine letting a coach get under my skin so much as to quit.....I had way too much fun playing the GAME!

[Jimbo Morphis]

This seems to be a common thought process for these younger kids now. I think it has a couple of factors: 1) kids are so much more all about "me" now 2) I honestly don't believe the average kid is willing to put out the effort anymore.
At least this is my perception from Vilonia kids. I also think it hurts because there has been a lose of tradition here, multiple years of mediocre seasons, multiple head coaches, etc

A wise old coach once said" kids haven't changed, parents have."

[Devil Dog 17]

I too loved the game, but things are much different now than when we played.  First and foremost, High school football is a year round sport these days.  When I played, we started two a days 2 weeks before school started.  We got an opportunity to sleep in, get up and go swimming, fishing, then haul some hay for 7 cents a bail.  Now the only time these kids get off is a 2 week mandatory dead period.  I'm not faulting the coaches, because if they want to be successful, they have to keep up with the other schools who are working hard every day.  My point VTeagle is these kids could be blaming the coach when actually they don't want to put up the effort it takes to be successful.

In I believe 08 thru 10, Morrilton won 4 games in those 3 years.  In 2011, with new leadership the Dogs started improving.  In 2013, we won a state championship.  The entire culture in this community has changed.  I contribute a lot of that to coaching. I completely agree with beach bum, kids can read right through coaches who are not genuine. 

What I'm trying to say is Vtown may not be that far off.  Get the right guy in there, and watch the culture change. Maybe you guys are now on the right track.

[purpleswag]

A wise old coach once said" kids haven't changed, parents have."

Haha! This may the best post I have ever read!!!!!

[the voice]

Most of the time players are looking for a reason to quit because they don't want to do the work, to be committed, and rather than admit they look for short cuts in practice or skip reps they start with the coach doesn't like me.  The coach doesn't like the actions or the mentality, it could rub off on others. Quitting over a coach most of the time is a cop out rather than admitting they don't want to do the work.

[Marblehog]

I know lots of players I played with back in the day would not have played if they had to go to 3 hour practices all summer long.  Most had jobs and most wanted to have fun in the summer

[the voice]

I know lots of players I played with back in the day would not have played if they had to go to 3 hour practices all summer long.  Most had jobs and most wanted to have fun in the summer

Exactly, but at least you can admit it , you're not blaming the coach

[GuvHog]

It goes hand in hand.... No coach has the right to make a kid hate the game either. I have seen that as well. Most of the time it is what you are referring to. However, there are some coaches that do cross the line. Kids know immediately if a person is genuine or not AND if that coach is only there for their own career. You can have it both ways. Obviously, a coach should be trying to better themselves at any chance, but again treat the kids like they matter to you and they will go as far as you ask them 90% of the time. Again, this goes both ways. You can't put all the blame on the kids or all the blame on the coaches. It is a job for a coach to try his best to build kids up and believe in themselves that they can accomplish more than they ever have before. I have seen some coaches that literally 90% of what comes out of their mouth translates into "you suck" or "you are a screw up". There are two times when it is needed for a coach to get vocally frustrated. That is if the effort isn't there or a kid is not conducting themselves in an honorable manner(such as late hits/personal foul penalties).

You are correct. Sometimes a coach is the problem. A few years ago before coach Shelton arrived, we had a coach that went so far trying not to look racially biased that he went too far the other direction. During his last season at WC it got so bad that a number of players (many of the starters) walked out of practice in disgust and did not return that season. the team literally had less than 50 players on it. He resigned, Coach Shelton was hired and there were 90+ boys out for the first practice that next season.

[HorseFeathers]

I too loved the game, but things are much different now than when we played.  First and foremost, High school football is a year round sport these days.  When I played, we started two a days 2 weeks before school started.  We got an opportunity to sleep in, get up and go swimming, fishing, then haul some hay for 7 cents a bail.  Now the only time these kids get off is a 2 week mandatory dead period.  I'm not faulting the coaches, because if they want to be successful, they have to keep up with the other schools who are working hard every day.  My point VTeagle is these kids could be blaming the coach when actually they don't want to put up the effort it takes to be successful.

In I believe 08 thru 10, Morrilton won 4 games in those 3 years.  In 2011, with new leadership the Dogs started improving.  In 2013, we won a state championship.  The entire culture in this community has changed.  I contribute a lot of that to coaching. I completely agree with beach bum, kids can read right through coaches who are not genuine. 

What I'm trying to say is Vtown may not be that far off.  Get the right guy in there, and watch the culture change. Maybe you guys are now on the right track.

dang  those darn kids for wanting to slack off in the summer and enjoy being a kid and getting to go fish, and sleep in

[Chief_Osceola™]

I too loved the game, but things are much different now than when we played.  First and foremost, High school football is a year round sport these days. 

I'm afraid that's a problem with all major sports now.  Basketball and baseball have both turned into year-round sports, and it's almost forcing kids to specialize if they want to play at the next level, especially at the larger schools.  And I hate it, because I believe specialization is bad for kids.  I'm with you - we practiced football starting with two-a-days in the late summer/early fall, practiced and played during the season, then when it was over we went on to basketball, then to baseball or track.  This is what is happening at Maumelle.  Last year, I think we maybe had one or two kids from the football team play basketball, and 3 of the ninth grade football players played baseball.  This year, I think it will be about the same with crossover from football to basketball, and there are currently no baseball players that play football.  It's frustrating because across all sports, Maumelle has enough talent to have good teams in all 3 sports, but the kids are having to pick which one they want to do because of the overlap.

[Marblehog]

What D1 basketball player from Arkansas has played football or baseball in high shcool?  Maybe there is one but I cant think of any.  I think basketball takes the most practice

[Chief_Osceola™]

What D1 basketball player from Arkansas has played football or baseball in high shcool?  Maybe there is one but I cant think of any.  I think basketball takes the most practice

There have been a few, but I could probably count the number on one hand off the top of my head.

[Go Postal]

What D1 basketball player from Arkansas has played football or baseball in high shcool?  Maybe there is one but I cant think of any.  I think basketball takes the most practice

Not sure but former Goblin John Colliver?  I know in HS he played Football, Basketball and Soccer.

[sevenof400]

If practice needs three hours, there is something seriously wrong with the coach's prep.

[Marblehog]

If practice needs three hours, there is something seriously wrong with the coach's prep.

Yep

[dynamite22]

If practice needs three hours, there is something seriously wrong with the coach's prep.

Exactly