pee wee Q

[Danny1979]

Coach Sanders is focusing alot of his attention to the crunch bunch through eigth grade. He is trying to pay particular attention to the pee-wee and middle school levels, which brings me to my question: how are most of the LPD programs organizing at the youth level these days?

I ask because I have been advocating a middle school (5-6th grade) JV team at both Pennington Middle and Jonesville Middle, as well as advising the dismantling of our crunch bunch. I just dont understand not letting kids be kids, plus this structure will grant greater continuity to the program. What do you guys think?

Crunch Bunch is usually for kids 8 and under. Learn some but have fun. See who likes the game.

After that you try to have kids by age and weight. Those who have larger numbers may have a split type P-nut league.
Those who are not old enough but size wise are to big.
Teach the fundamentals.

Wouldn't hurt if you could develop a middlel school team. It helps and prepares most for JV.
With a good JV program, a varsity coach who has good JV coaches, has a realatively good and less stress job.

Most of the time. When kids come through a program that matches what their varsity does, it makes the program easy for all involved, JV coaches and Varsity coaches especially.
JV you teach and enhance on the fundamentals.

Me personally i'd set my p-nut program up to have fun, teach the basics of what my varsity run and enjoy it.

JV you enhance the Varsity program by adding more development and more demand. After kids know the fundamentals.

By varsity most kids know the program and it's just a little more work and play development.

Just my thoughts but i have seen it work at most of the successful programs over the years. GC, PV, Appy and others.

[1inStripes]

If your talking about the Lee County system, they used to have a very nice league. Jville and PG had a couple of teams with Woodway, St. Charles, and Ewing all fielding a team. It used to be pretty good. The whole key is teaching fundamentals. If that doesn't happen, your not going to be successful in the long run.

[Danny1979]

Allow me to better explain the advantages of a middle school JV team:

By playing 5-6th grades together, the middle schools would have their players a longer time---to develop talent and knowledge, as well as for coaches to grow better acquainted with these pupils. It would accord an earlier start to develop players in line with the high school's program. I am thinking in terms of building blocks.

I understand what your saying. But with dedicated p-nut coaches you can do this at that level or at a middle school level.

BSG has had coaches in their p-nut programs for 20 some years. They teach the fundamentals and have the kids from 8-12 years old. As has Appy and other p-nut programs. 4 years you have these and other kids to develop them.

I know what your saying. But it honestly goes back to having a dedicated program and coaches teaching what needs to be taught.

You need to remember to make it fun and also develop the fundamentals and yet build on them step by step. P-nut to Varsity.

Middle school program would not hurt. But you have to have those who coach and teach the game that don't forget, it's not about winning because it's another school your playing.

Biggest thing you need to teach before JV is fun and fundamentals.

JV needs to stress fundamentalsj, work ethic and build on that to more development.

By Varsity most kids know the program and it's just a matter of placing a few kids here or there. And developing plays around the talent you have. Look at the LPD over the last 25 years, i think you can and will see what im talking about.

[Danny1979]

I played in the Lee county pee wee system that coach williams had in place. Back then we had two teams in woodway, three in Pennington, one in St Charles, 2-3 in Jonesville, and one in Dryden; now we dont have four teams countywide, including Thomas Walker's territory.

By JV, I meant at the middle school: JV = 5-6, and Varsity =7-8. Then you would have your 9th grade JV before reaching varsity at the high school level.

This is a national trend. I know schools with this structure as close as Morristown, TN, and Keywood, KY. While I was coaching for the LHS program, I tried to get it in place back home as well. One of Lee's problems is its envy for the football heritage in Wise County to the point that immitating the latter becomes the solution for everything.

[Danny1979]

No offense to Wise county traditions, of course.

Yeah, BSG has an awesome peewee program. The dedication of their coaches is amazing. I watched some of their jamboree just last Friday.

I think your on the right track. Anything that adds fun and increases the development on the fundamentals has to help.

Some just have to remember it's about building blocks. Winning is important but so is teaching and learning.

Some of the most successful JV teams in the LPD never did squat at the varsity level. Why? They forgot there was several other programs out there they never played and losing broke their spirits.

I'd say take it to coach Sanders and see what he has to say. He is usually very receptive of everyone. And esp. if he thinks it is something the kids need and it will help the program.

[Danny1979]

I helped in Lee's weight room some this summer; got to know Sanders well--he himself says that football should be about learning values and having fun. He's a good coach. (And coming from one of Wolfe's loyalists, that says alot.)

Also, I agree that pnut ball is where a championship team first bonds. Very good point.

[TheBeast]

I don't like having crunch bunch p-nut football. Full contact for kids this young is not a good idea and should not happen. You can have these teams but they should be flag teams that are there to learn the basics and not have contact in pads that can harm their development.