I am enjoying watching the Little League World Series (LLWS) again this year. I love watching these kids play their guts out just for the love of the game. What I find striking is the difference in size between 12-13 year old boys. The size difference can range anywhere from 4'8" - 6'3" ...playing on the same team. Of course, the bigger kids seem to dominate the smaller kids at this age, but does this size-difference domination transfer over to the gridiron? Not necessarily.
"A Good Small Kid is Good, But A Good Big Player is Better"
....Coach Billy Livings (1986)
I heard Coach Livings say this several times in fact. But just because a kid is big, it does not mean he is going to be a good football player. More often that not, a kid who grew faster than their piers were often physically throttled by their superiors at an early age...out of fear of hurting their friends. These type of kids often were too big to play in their local football leagues (weight controlled leagues) so they often played baseball or soccer instead....if they played anything at all. Often, the bigger kid just dominated their piers on physical strength alone. That works just fine until the rest of the kids get a little older (12-13-14 years old) ; then, puberty kicks in. Often, the big kid quits growing so fast, and the rest of the kids catch-up in size. Sometimes, a big kid is just a big kid forever. But that still does not make him an athlete.
"I Bet You Can't Wait Until The Big Kid Plays Football"
Personally, I don't get too excited about any kid until I see him walk or stand. I have been looking at kids for over 30 years now, and my rules have not changed too much. I know this sounds funny, but consider the following:
Slew Footed
If I see a kid standing, walking, or running with his feet placed like this like, I know we have a lot of work to do. I like to look at his shoe laces. If they are tied on the side of the shoe, this is because they are often too lazy (or unable) to bend over and properly tie them, so he bends one leg over the other and ties them on the side. This type of kid is often flat-footed, and when he runs, you can hear him coming..clop,clop,clop clop etc. Look at his shoes, they will often start wearing on the outside; yet the heels are almost perfect. This is because there is little heel-to-toe walking or running in his life. These type of kids generally have their calves more elongated, naturally placed lower on the leg. Their calves are rarely balled up or developed (at this age) because they have not been taught how to run....or they have not seen a weight room yet. However, these type of kids often have nice thick upper leg development and potential for power. If they spend some time in the weight room, and perhaps work with the track coaches, then there is some potential there. These kids are rarely skill position type kids; however, they do make good powerful interior lineman if they are willing to work at getting better.
Feet Pointed Straight
If a player stands or walks with his feet straight, then that excites me. (I once watched one of my former players ...Zach Finnegan...walk down the isle at Walmart when he was just a 8th grade puppy....perfect walk and perfect calves) This type of kid maybe has both feet pointed very slightly inward. Their shoe laces are always tied on top of the shoe...not off to the side. I look at his calves...always high on the lower leg because of the way he walks...heel to toe) When this type of kid runs, it is almost silent...heel to toe. Often, their shoes are worn down on the heels, and the toes may have scuff marks. When I meet this type of kid, I like to throw something at him (It can be anything...a tennis ball, a crushed paper cup, wadded-up piece of paper, etc....) and watch him catch the item. Most times, he will snatch the projectile right out of the air....perfect! Kids like this have fast-twitch muscles, so they tend to be pretty quick. This type of kid was probably a good athlete from the beginning of his young life, so I looked at them for skill-positions offensively and defensively.
My Grandson GRICE: Hey, I'm just Saying!
These are generally my rules-of-thumb I used during an initial evaluation. Sometimes kids will change my mind on the field...but my rules are pretty close most of the time. Tony Perry (a coaching colleague and Head Track Coach at SRHS) was great at initial evaluation of kids as well. I loved comparing notes with him about certain kids, because they were generally dead-on-balls to mine. Of course, Coach Wilson (Football and Track Legend) was the master at taking a project player and working him until he found a place the player could help us. I was always awed (and humbled) by his vision. I don't know everything...I just think I do.
Later.
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