It’s the annual struggle.\u00a0 Kids leave the “real” high school football season in December and immediately turn their attention to the all important 7on7 season.\u00a0 Some do this against the best wishes of their high school football coach.\u00a0 Others are forbidden from participating in it because their coach is 100% not in favor of it.\u00a0 Your high school coach hates All Star 7on7 and here’s why.<\/p>\n
There are a ton of fast food restaurants out there that started off serving just one item.\u00a0 There are even more that just served dinner or just breakfast.\u00a0 Many of them now serve multiple items streaming across a wide pallet of tastes and are open 24 hours delivering breakfast, lunch, dinner and all the snacks in between.\u00a0 Why do you think that happened?\u00a0 It happened because they just couldn’t stand to see you go to another place to have your needs fulfilled.\u00a0 Those restaurants wanted total control of your dining experience every time you wanted to eat.<\/p>\n
Most of your high school football coaches,\u00a0 want total control of your football experience.\u00a0 They want control of your in season play as well as your offseason activities.\u00a0 If it’s about football,\u00a0 they want to be the say so in it.\u00a0 The athlete going elsewhere to learn or engage in football type activities is frightening.\u00a0 Your coach has no idea what you will learn in the offseason from someone else that they might have to undo once you come back to them full time,\u00a0 if you come back to them.<\/p>\n
Notice how your coach may not have that much of a problem with you running track,\u00a0 wrestling,\u00a0 playing basketball or hitting the baseball diamond.\u00a0 Those things aren’t football, football is their thing.\u00a0 It’s fine if you want to do another sport,\u00a0 they may even encourage it but when it comes to All Star 7on7,\u00a0 that’s football,\u00a0 that’s supposed to be their thing.<\/p>\n
For some coaches,\u00a0 it’s just as simple as,\u00a0 they have their way of doing things,\u00a0 they believe in it and they don’t need you picking up any bad habits.\u00a0 Many coaches have a disdain for the unreal aspects of 7on7.\u00a0 \u00a0Some of those things are too much time to throw the football,\u00a0 unreal releases off of the line of scrimmage by wide receivers and the amount of holding you may get away with as a defender.\u00a0 Your high school coach doesn’t want to have to deprogram you once you are done with your all star 7on7 season.\u00a0 Your high school coach is probably also on social media and only really gets to see the viral clips of all star 7on7.\u00a0 This often involves disrespectful celebrations, blatant penalties, fights and unprofessional behavior by 7on7 coaches.\u00a0 It would be really easy based on these mini-clips to come to the conclusion that this is all that all start 7on7 is about.\u00a0 Social media has a way of distorting reality.<\/p>\n
Another segment of coaches run a highly organized offseason program.\u00a0 For some,\u00a0 it’s tradition.\u00a0 From the weightlifting, to speed training and conditioning to leadership classes,\u00a0 participating 100% in the program gives you a leg up on the guys you are competing against for a starting job.\u00a0 It also gives the better players on the team to display their leadership.\u00a0 All star 7on7 is not part of those programs. Often times those programs feel that it requires 12 months out of the year to get and keep you in the right frame of mind to be a champion.<\/p>\n
Then there is that other segment.\u00a0 There is that segment of coaches that are scared to death that you will go play all star 7on7 and then transfer out of their program.\u00a0 These coaches think that you will be unduly influenced by all star coaches who often coach at other high schools to switch to their program.\u00a0 These high school coaches are worried that another coach will build a strong relationship with you,\u00a0 teach you things,\u00a0 seize your mind and send you into the guidance counselor to ask for your transcripts.\u00a0 To these coaches,\u00a0 letting you play all star 7on7 is like letting your girlfriend go out on dates during the spring and then ask her to be your full time lady in the Fall.\u00a0 Your high school coach does not trust all star coaches more than they can throw them.\u00a0 Sometimes it’s because your high school coach either knows he’s not providing you with what you need and has a complex.\u00a0 Other times it’s because your coach has had a few bad past experiences with theft as it pertains to all star 7on7 coaches.<\/p>\n
I am not here to say your coach is right or wrong.\u00a0 It would be wrong of me to do that.\u00a0 However,\u00a0 I am giving you this information so that you can understand where your coach may be coming from.\u00a0 The best way to combat this situation is to have an open line of communication with your coach.\u00a0 In the back of his mind,\u00a0 one or more of these factors exist in his head whether he is allowing you to participate in all star 7on7 or not.\u00a0 Take the first step in being a man and communicate with your coach with regards to the all star 7on7.\u00a0 Assure him that you realize every part of 7on7 is not real and that you are being mindful of your technique and habits while you are out there.\u00a0 Let your coach know that one of the coaches may be trying to induce you to switch to their school.\u00a0 Assure your coach that you are listening to that.\u00a0 What coaches really hate is when a player and their parents do things secretly.\u00a0 Be as open as you can.<\/p>\n
For coaches that may be reading this,\u00a0 realize that all star 7on7 provides a few crucial things to your athlete.\u00a0 First,\u00a0 is that it creates exposure opportunities.\u00a0 We can debate all day about whether or not a kid can actually get offers directly from 7on7.\u00a0 Let’s not waste our time on that.\u00a0 One thing that is not debatable is that your athlete gets more exposure by performing well at 7on7 events.\u00a0 These events are widely covered by recruiting media who will provide video, write ups and shine for your athlete.\u00a0 Your athlete shining brings a spotlight to your program.<\/p>\n
The other thing it provides for your athlete is a certain amount of freedom.\u00a0 A football season can be stressful.\u00a0 There are also a ton of rules both on the team and on game day in real football.\u00a0 7on7 gives the player a chance to let his hair down and have some fun.\u00a0 For us older coaches it’s similar to when we were allowed to just go to the park and play ball as youngsters without coaches around.\u00a0 Remember how liberating that was?\u00a0 Often times a player can do a little experimenting and learn something new.\u00a0 That new thing might be a breakthrough for his development.<\/p>\n
Finally,\u00a0 your player is in highly competitive situations in all star 7on7.\u00a0 The mental training that this provides in immeasurable.\u00a0 There is a certain mental toughness that is developed by constantly being put in these situations.\u00a0 It’s the kind of mental training that can’t necessarily be duplicated by you setting up a tug of war in your offseason program.\u00a0 I have personally watched athletes grow up during an all star 7on7 season.\u00a0 The chance to also be around other players from other schools allows them to build relationships,\u00a0 learn about some other positive things that they may bring back to your program.\u00a0 It’s not all negative.<\/p>\n
Ultimately,\u00a0 the decision is up to your high school football coach with regards to participation in 7on7.\u00a0 I personally believe that if you are going to allow your players to participate then you should probably go easy on criticizing it.\u00a0 Just my two cents.\u00a0 I hope this article has been helpful for both the player and the coach in understanding where both are coming from on the matter of high school all star 7on7.\u00a0 I know the debate will continue to rage on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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