NFF
Riverside County Chapter
Message
from the NFF Riverside County Chapter President-Wally Clark
I hope all of you had a great summer!
This is the second year of sending out our
newsletter! We hope you find it helpful and informative. I encourage your
feedback and input!
Football 2009 is starting and we wish all of you
the best of luck.
The 2010 NFF Scholarship Banquet is scheduled for
Sunday, March 14, 2010 at the Mazestone Restaurant at the Country Club at Soboba
Springs. Please mark the date on your calendars. At the end of the year, we
will be distributing information on what is needed to submit your star
scholar-athlete to be a successful recipient of the scholarship award.
Visit the following two websites;
www.nffriversidecounty.com and
www.cifss.org
Congratulations again to last year’s recipients. We
are proud of you and your accomplishment:
Josh Appel – Norco Mathew Carlson –
San Jacinto
Gerardo Castaneda – Coachella Aaron Christian – Linfield
Michael Ford – Banning Andre Ford – Patriot
Brandon Guerrero – Lakeside Adam Hollick – Centennial
Caleb Herring – Citrus Hill Zach Hubert – Paloma
Dennis Johnson – Murrieta Max Johnson –
Elsinore
Christopher Martin – Santiago Shane Mitchell –
Beaumont
David Moodie, Jr –Calvary Chapel Chris Ruiz – La Quinta
Andrew Pulsipher – Temecula Vly Andrew Taylor – Chaparral
Austin Reeves –
Temescal
Canyon
Owen Weissberg – Vista Murrieta
Good Luck this season!
Wally Clark
NFF Riverside
County
Chapter
President
Football Playbook
Practice Better
As I began
my 13th year coaching at Centennial High School, we have accomplished some
amazing feats, including 10 League Titles, 5 CIF Championships, and a State
Championship.
I am
constantly being asked the question: “What makes you so successful?” I believe
one of the biggest reasons for our sustained achievement is the way we
practice. Most have heard the age old adage, “Failure to prepare is preparing
to fail,” but we live by this creed. I believe that in comparison to other high
school programs, we spend less time on the actual field but much more time in
preparing a practice plan. Our practice is structured to eliminate down time,
reduce transition times, and to function as efficient as possible to maximize
our time on the field. Here are some of the key principles and organizational
guidelines that we use to plan our practices:
Organization.
No practice during the week has the same structure but will follow this format:
-
Individual
-
Group
-
Team
-
Interspersed Special Teams
-
Interspersed Competitive Situations- it creates competition and teaches game
situations
When I say
interspersing specials teams and competitive situations, I am referring to
placing these periods throughout various times during practice to create game
like scenarios. For example, a typical practice begins with stretch and then we
might go directly to a goal line period or set up a situation where the offense
has the ball at the 30 yard line going in with 10 seconds remaining, down by 3,
and no timeouts. This creates competitive game like situations elevating the
intensity level of practice. Be sure to consider the logistics of the field to
best utilize your space and minimize transition times between drills and
periods. For example if you are rotating Quarterbacks between an inside run
drill and a half field passing drill make sure the drills are in close proximity
to reduce the transition time between drills.
Script your practice.
I learned a long time ago the pen has a better memory than I do. Almost every
offensive rep we get in practice is scripted, from field position, formation,
play, defensive front, blitz and coverage. I am ensuring I get the look I want
and the plays that I anticipate using versus that opponent. We will go so far
as to script our one on one man routes and even ensure quarterbacks throw the
same amount of time to the right as they do to the left.
Tempo, tempo, tempo.
When I was in college, I hated all the standing around I did during practice. I
hate it even more now that I am a coach. I believe kids learn best when they
are moving and actually participating rather than by being told what to do. I
believe it creates a more intense atmosphere and gives the opportunity for more
repetitions in practice. Our general guidelines are to get over 2 plays per
minute in team periods, and over 3 plays per minute in group periods. Due to
our high tempo, we do not schedule any periods longer than 20 minutes. In a 10
minute 7 on 7 period we will script 36 plays and in a 20 minute team period we
will script 48 plays. We do not have to spend time on conditioning because of
the high repetitions and tempo of practice.
No huddle. Even if you huddle in games,
there is no reason to huddle in practice. Huddling in practice wastes an
inordinate amount of time walking back and forth from the LOS to the huddle.
The most common complaint coaches have is they don’t get a good look in practice
from the scout squad. One of the best solutions is to call the play out at the
LOS. If the scout team knows where the ball is going you’ll get much better
look and with the no huddle you’ll get more reps.
No water breaks.
Water
breaks take too much time and gives the kids the opportunity to lose focus. It
doesn’t matter the age if the kids when you put 30-100 of them together at once
with no structure, nothing good will happen. The reality is they probably spend
more time goofing off than drinking anyway. Don’t get me wrong, we allow our
players to drink as much water as they wish but it is done during practice.
Each individual position has its own 6-pack carriage of water bottles (positions
with large numbers have more carriages) and they are responsible for keeping the
bottles full and taking them to every period throughout practice. We also have
the luxury of having water girls to make sure the players have plenty of water.
Same skills, different drills.
Someone said that “variety is the spice of life.” If you do the same drills
over and over then the drill becomes mundane and boring. If it is mundane and
boring to the coach how do think the kids feel that are performing the drill?
There is skill set or technique that you are trying to teach, then provide
different drills or variations on drills that will also utilize the skill set
you are trying to get mastered.
Don’t play against air.
The opponents we play are good and well
coached. They will line up every Friday with the intention of beating us.
There is no conceivable way that I can prepare a kid to play on Friday by
running plays versus air. Always, always, always have some type of look to work
against. We use trash cans to emulate defensive fronts, secondaries, and you
name it. We will always work versus some type of look otherwise I believe we
are wasting time and repetitions.
Don’t be afraid to try something new.
Do not
fall into the idea that “this is the way it has always been done and it has to
be done that way.” Try something new and if you don’t like it, you can always
go back to the way you did it before. Always look for new ways to do things and
accept input from your staff or other coaches.
Better
practices is one of the key reasons we have been successful and I hope you can
use some of this information to help your team get more out of your practices.
Matt
Logan
Head Football Coach,
Centennial
High
School
Training News
Heat Problem may be your Problems
Football and sports in general, has changed again.
On September 1st, 100 people returned to the court room at 9:30 a.m. in the case
against former Pleasure Ridge Park High School, coach David Jason Stinson was
charged with homicide. Eight jurors were dismissed Tuesday afternoon. Lawyers
are trying to reduce the remaining pool of 100 jurors to 15. A grand jury
indicted David Jason Stinson former head football coach in the death of Pleasure
Ridge Park offensive lineman Max Gilpin. Stinson is being tried on one count of
reckless homicide and wanton endangerment charges connected to the death of
15-year-old Max Gilpin. Gilpin had collapsed at practice in August 2008 and
later died. It is an unusual case for a coach to be prosecuted for a player's
heat-related death.
Here is
some brief information that occurred that day.
At 5:30
p.m. gassers began. About a half an hour later, the first player collapsed, and
Stinson sent him to a nearby tree for shade and treated him with water and ice
packs, according to the coach's notes.
Gilpin collapsed 15 minutes later, at about 6:10
p.m., as the rest of the team headed for the shade tree for an end-of-practice
meeting.
Assistant
coach Steve Deacon called 911 when Gilpin stopped responding to ice packs and
water. In the call, made at 6:17 p.m., Deacon describes Gilpin as pale, with a
"big rapid pulse."
"Yes ...
he's breathing ... yeah ... he's going ... kinda going in and out on us though,"
Deacon said.
Christina
Spiva, the mother of another Pleasure Ridge Park student, called Gilpin's mother
a few minutes later. "You need to get here quick. He's been down here for a
while, and I don't think they are moving fast enough," Spiva said.
Crockett
arrived at the school at 6:27 p.m. and found her son limp, with bloodshot eyes
staring straight ahead, an ice pack behind his neck and a hose spilling water
over the pack. Two people were pumping his legs to "keep Max's circulation
going,"
Paramedics
arrived about the same time and made an unsuccessful attempt at putting a tube
down Max Gilpin's throat before rushing him to the hospital, where he remained
for three days before he died of septic shock, multiple organ failure and heat
stroke. His teammate who collapsed was released several days later.
It was 94 degrees out that day and when Max got to
the ER his core temperature was 107.
Never before that I know of has a coach been charge
with a homicide for an incident on the field of play. This will be a very hard
case for the coach to win because all the literature states that heat illness is
preventable.
It is always easy to second guess someone after the
event. I’m sure that coach Stinson never premeditated killing one of his
athletes. In his mind, he was probably trying to get the best out of them to
prepare for the season.
When dealing with injures, I always say doctors
cheat. They see all their patients in the comfort of an exam room with the
ability to run tests and x-rays to determine the extent of an injury or illness.
Where as you, the coach, will evaluate the injury in some, if not most cases,
without an athletic trainer and with limited injury evaluation knowledge or
testing / evaluating equipment that a physician has. Plus you may be doing it in
front of a couple thousand people where a few of them may be video recording
your every move from different angles. That does not happen with a physician in
their office.
So with that thought in mind here is some
information on heat problems.
Recommended
Water Intake
The
average person should drink between 8-12cups (1/2 – 3/4 gallons) of water a day.
During
activity, an athlete should consume an additional 4 ounces (1/2 cup) every 15
minutes of exercise.
Therefore,
during a 2 hour practice, the average athlete should intake 8 cups (1/4 gallon)
of water. (16 ounces per hour x 2 hours) = 32 ounces every 2 hours 32 ounces = ¼
gallon
For every
25 players, it would take 6.25 gallons of water for proper hydration. (25
Players x ¼ gallon = 6.25 gallons)
If the
average team has 75 players, then the school should provide 19 gallons of water.
Since most
water coolers can hold 5 gallons, at least 5, 5 ounce coolers (with ice) are
necessary to hydrate the entire team.
- In
addition, electrolytes and sodium (salts) need to be replenished in order to
better avoid dehydration, stabilize body volume, and avoid muscle cramps. (for
some of you that have been around for a while this means salt is back) A good
way to do this is through the consumption of sports drinks such as the new “G –
no excuses” by Gatorade.
There are
also time released salt tablets for those heavy salt sweaters. You can tell
these athletes by the white lines of salt on their workout clothes. Also
Thermotabs Salt Supplements for the heavy salt sweaters and crampers.
Signs
and Symptoms of Heat Illnesses
* If an
athlete is suffering from flu or flu symptoms, they are more susceptible to heat
problems.
Heat Cramp:
Abdominal muscle cramping, as well as cramping in the extremities caused by
prolonged exercise in heat and the loss of salts and water caused by sweating.
Heat
Syncope:
Weakness, fatigue, and fainting due to the loss of salt and water
Heat
Exhaustion
(Water Depletion): excessive weight loss, reduced sweating. Elevated skin and
deep body temperature, excessive thirst, weakness, headache, and possible
unconsciousness.
Heat
Exhaustion
(Salt Depletion): Exhaustion, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, and dizziness due
to profuse sweating and inadequate replacement of body salts.
Heatstroke:
Nausea, high body temperature, hot dry skin, seizures, disorientation, and
possible unconsciousness or coma related to thermoregulatory failure. This is a
medical emergency that may occur suddenly without being proceeded by any other
clinical signs.
Gradual acclimation to hot weather is largely
important for the prevention of heat related problems. In order for an athlete
to acclimatize, or adjust, to the heat a graduated physical conditioning program
in the heat is suggested. 80 percent acclimatization can occur within the first
7-10 days of conditioning, with the final stages marked by increased sweating
and reduced salt concentration in the sweat.
Remember water and salts lost during exercised must
be replaced daily. Modest salting of foods after intense exercise is recommended
to replenish the body. Proper hydration is the most important safeguard to the
health of an athlete. For this reason water must be readily available to all
athletes at all times. By providing an unlimited quantity of water and checking
to ensure that the athletes are drinking a sufficient amount at each practice or
game, one can reduce the risk of heat illnesses. It is imperative that athletes
consume an ample amount of water before, during, and after physical exercise.
If heatstroke or heat exhaustion occurs, urgent
medical attention is vital. Immediately cool the body while waiting for transfer
to a hospital. Remove clothing and apply cool water to the body, get the athlete
to a cool area, place ice in arm pits, around the neck and in the groin region.
Fanning can also be used as it will cause evaporation and cooling. If the victim
is conscious and able to swallow, fluids can also be given in order to cool the
body. You should always have an Emergency Action Plan in writing, and it
should be practiced. If it is not, it does not exist.
Best of luck and have a safe season.
Jim Clover,
MED,
PTA,
ATC,
CPT
Coordinator, The SPORT Clinic
www.mysportclinic.com
1st Annual National Football
Foundation
Riverside County Chapter
Scholar-Athlete Fund Raiser Golf Tournament
NFF
Riverside County held their 1st Annual Scholar-Athlete Fundraiser
Golf Tournament June 30, 2009 at The Country Club at Soboba Springs.
Coaches,
School Administrators and NFF supporters participated in a shotgun at 8:30 a.m.
and enjoyed the opportunity to play the championship golf course at Soboba
Springs.
Afterwards, all enjoyed a lunch buffet and announcements of the days highlights
and winners.
Following
are the award winners:
·
First place team - Greg Bowman, Tom
Malone, Rick Alkire and Mark Winslow
·
Longest Drive - Tom Malone
·
Closest to the Pin - Todd Naylor
·
Highest score winners - Loran Whitehorn, Wayne Weisman, Bruce Weingarten and
George DeFrank. Better luck next year!
Thanks and appreciation goes to The Country Club at Soboba Springs. The food
and service was exceptional. The Pro-shop and staff made sure the day went
smoothly. 2nd Annual National Football Foundation - Riverside County Chapter -
Scholar-Athlete Fund Raiser Golf Tournament in Spring 2010.
A big thank you to the
sponsors helping make the event successful:
·
Albertson’s
·
Whitehorn Construction Company
·
Pacific Coast Investment Management
·
Tri-Lakes Sportswear
·
Tulips, Trophies and Treasures.
Everyone enjoyed the
day, and we encourage all of you to participate in next years’ tournament.
To view
pictures, go to our website,
www.nffriversidecounty.com
Click on
the Golf Tournament link.
Calendar of events
Mark your
calendars for the following events.
NFF Annual Scholar-Athlete
Football Banquet
Sunday,
March 14, 2010
6:00 pm –
9:00 pm
The Maze Stone – Country Club at Soboba Springs
2nd Annual National Football
Foundation
Riverside County Chapter
Scholar-Athlete Fund Raiser Golf Tournament – Spring 2010
Country Club at Soboba Springs
Home of the Southern California 2009 Soboba Classic
Miscellaneous
Please let us know of your upcoming events. We
would love to include them in the newsletter. Please send us information on any
events you would like to share with others. We will help you get the word out.
