I have coached quite a bit in flag football as well.

When I started with 5th grade players, we tried to make everything as even as possible. We still held kids accountable for unexcused absences. This was hard to be consistent. They are 9-11 year olds who still need to be kids. We tried to be accommodating to family reunions and vacation at the end of summer. I tired to make it a thing where hey weren’t just taking the time off to be off and play video games with their friends. We tried to make sure each player had a chance to be a team captain for a week. We tried to make sure that each player had a chance to get Offensive/Defensive/Special Teams player of the week along with a Jamba Juice smoothie. (This also came with being captain for a week.) We also have a rule for each player getting 10 plays per game, 6 in the first half and 4 in the second half. Only 2 plays that count toward the minimum of 10 can be on special teams.

For 6th grade last year, we did the same but had the added issues of YM during practice, and wrestling in middle school. This makes it hard to be fair. I wanted kids to go to activities they wanted for YM. I also understand the kids that want to try other sports at this age, especially when they become available in their schools. I am also a big believer that all other sports help your favorite sports. It is just a challenge to fit it all in and for coaches to make it fair. We all want to win and have fun.

For 7th grade, we are trying to hold kids more accountable. Most of the “kids need to be allowed to be kids” is still on the table for me. They need to be with their families, they need to go to YM if they have activities that they are interested in. But we are not allowing each player to be a team captain, we are not allowing each player to get player of the week on O/D/ST. We will still have them, but they will be earned.

I have 5 new kids his year. 1 is a descent athlete who has never played tackle. He will probably start on O. Maybe on D. I have a couple of other returning players who have not and still are not good players. I have a couple of returning players who were terrible last year who look better this year and will either start or play a lot more. I have a couple of kids who were studs last year who really haven’t shown up this year. They still show flashes of being good but will check out often. They might not play as much this year. I have studs last year who are still studs this year. They will play 2 ways and a lot.

Of my 5 kids who I am considering only giving them the required 10 plays, one kid has complained that he isn’t playing in the position that he thinks he would do well at. He has shown no aggression and is a heavier kid but not over the weight limit to be an “X” man. I still have him at the line. I will surround him with better players because he is a liability on O and D. He won’t play that much. He asked to play LB.

Here is my dilemma, this kid is probably going to get hurt if I put him in a situation to get run over by a RB that looks for contact or even by an O lineman who blocks and hit well. Do I allow these kids to get pummeled? Or find ways to hide them and protect them from getting injured? I tend to error on the side of caution. Injuries will always be a part of football but I don’t think I could live with myself by putting a kid in harms way when I feel like I know what will happen.

I am stacked at linebacker and thin at the lines. I asked him trust me to put him in the best possible position to find success.

The parents so far have been great and appreciate my willingness to explain to them what I see. Even being at all the practices and doing the extra work doesn’t always make you ready to go against a player who is bigger, faster, stronger and more aggressive than you. You still have to beat out those kids ahead of you. The older they get, the more they have to earn it. I have just tried to make that a part of my coaching as the kids age.

It isn’t just having fun and winning that I have to balance. Player safety goes before all of that.