Junior Cade Howell and senior Taylor Wykes took charge this season and coached a flag football team. They coached 4th, 5th and 6th graders and helped the kids all the way through their season.
Howell said keeping a young mind focused for a whole season can take some extra work, but he and Wykes were willing to try different methods and ideas to make it happen.
“[A method that worked was] letting them do what they think is best,” Howell said, “or simply letting them do what they want to do. Letting them pick their own positions was a pretty good way to keep them focused on the sport.”
Wykes and Howell said there were some difficult parts to coaching, despite finding methods that work.
“The most difficult part of coaching flag football for the past few years has been getting the kids to learn plays,’’ Wykes said. “Knowing the defense and guarding the man they’re matched up with can also be a difficulty for them.”
Despite their young age, they pushed the kids to their full capabilities to prepare them for high school.
“I knew I would be coaching anywhere in a range from 1st grade to 6th grade, but I pushed them all to do what I knew they were capable of doing,” Wykes said. “They would tell me that they couldn’t do something and I would make them do it to show them that they are capable of doing anything they are asked to do and to never be scared of anything, and to try to their best ability.”
Even with the challenges, Wykes and Howell said they see a lot of potential in the younger generation of football players.
“I see a lot of good football players and athletes who push to get better as an individual,” Howell said. “I also know they look up to us.”
