Questions and Answers

We are always interested in your views, If your would like to share you experiences with the coaching community, please mail Damon (see feedback page). The second in the series the N.F.C.A talks to John Skiffington, who coaches mites football at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, VA, for 5 years. Their record over that span is an inpressive 24-8-2. The Mite division is 11 man, full contact for players 6-8 years old and a 70 pound weight cap.

To see the first in the series, when we spoke with Chris Merrit, of the Hamburg Blue Devils, Follow this link

Q1. What made you want to become a coach ?

When I was in high school, I started coaching a soccer team that my younger brother was playing on when his coach had to move out of the area. I found that I enjoyed working with children and teaching them the fundamentals of sports even more than I enjoyed playing. I've been coaching ever since.

Q2. You coach players between ages 6-8, full contact, what do you feel is the most important aspect in teaching such a young age group.

Without a doubt, it has to be patience. We start practice every year on August 1, before the school year begins. Some of our players haven't even started the first grade. My staff and I are frequently the first adult figures outside of their parents that they will see and have extensive interaction with. So they have a big adjustment to make. Additionally, their attention spans are very short, so we have to design every practice, and every part of every practice, around that fact. All of our drills last at most five minutes-- after that, the players get bored. As the season rolls along, they develop considerable skills. But in the beginning, if you don't have a lot of patience and a sense of humor, you'd just pull your hair out.

Q3. What types of media do you feel best help you to increase your knowlegde ? (eg books/mags ,camps/clinics, internet ?, etc)

I have a pretty good collection of old books that I rely on for tips and techniques. After all, drive blocking techniques of today are pretty much the same that they were 40 years ago. Camps and clinics are okay, but often don't help players at our level. I have high hopes for the Internet, and it is getting better and more useful every day.

Q4.What have been your favourite moments in football ?

I don't have a good answer for that. Every year there is something different that I find enjoyable. Seeing a players eyes light up when he finally understands a difficult concept, or masters a complex drill, is always a thrill. Seeing some of the players I coached 10 years ago starting on local high school teams makes me very proud to have helped them get this far. This past year, it was the fact that we were rebuilding, and had the smallest and youngest team in our league. But this group of players was the most hardworking, intelligent, and team-oriented group that I ever have been fortunate enough to coach. With very little physical talent, they were able to come within one play of going to our league championship game. I have never been prouder of a group of players and coaches than I was this year.

Q5. What aspects of coaching do you not enjoy so much ?

The biggest problem I have had on my level has been dealing with one of two types of parents. The first type is the kind that views my staff and me as baby-sitters. They drop their children off at practice, and then show up when it is over. They aren't there to see the hard work, and progress, that their children make. That really bugs me. No parent can be at every practice, but many can try a lot harder than they do to support their children. The second type is the parent who goes over board in the wrong direction. On occasion, we get a parent in our program who is absolutely convinced that his 6-year-old is going to be a superstar in the NFL one day. And so they put a lot of pressure on both the child and the coaches to have the child excel. That pressure on the child often takes all of the enjoyment out of the experience.

Q6.Does the prospect of 'American' Football becoming a global game excite you ? Why ?

Absolutely. I may be biased, but I see football as a game where many different types of children can excel. You don't have to be blessed with exceptional speed, great strength, or any other dominating physical characteristic to learn and enjoy the game. And football, unlike other sports, is inherently based upon teamwork. I believe that as it becomes more and more accessible to children across the globe it will become a sport of choice for players who want to improve their confidence, concentration, and discipline.

Q7. What is your ultimate ambition as far as coaching is concerned ?

You know, I think I have the best job of any football coach in the country. The guys at the pro and college level make a lot of money, and get to be a little more sophisticated in their approach, but they are always dealing in short term contracts. No matter how good a coach they may be, if they don't have the players, or if they can't motivate the ones that they have, then they will lose their job. The high school coaches are coming under more and more pressure all of the time as well, as the money thing, as well as the need to pay attention to NCAA rules for their players, becomes more and more prevalent. At my level, I have my job until I want to quit. Motivating players who are 6-8 years old is simple-- they want to play hard and make you happy. My coaches and I just try to point them in the right direction and give them the tools to succeed. While we can't match the pro's, we can still be a little more sophisticated than the average fan would expect. So I have reached my ultimate ambition, and am quite content where I am. Unless Mike Holmgren were to need help with that west coast offense. Just joking.

My Thanks to John Skiffington and the N.F.C.A send its best wishes for the coming season and your future in coaching.

I would like to feature All coaches Not only Coaches based in Europe.

Please Mail me If you wish to take part, thank you.