Attention Youth Football Coaches & Parents
An Open Letter to all Youth Football Coaches
(and Parents, too)!
By Aaron G. Locks 'Sports Master' & President of the
University of Sports, Sonoma CA

Dear Coaches,

Congratulations on embarking on an adventure that can be very fun, educational and rewarding for all concerned.

You are reading this letter because you and the youth in your lives have a passion for the game of football and the wonderful challenges and lessons it has to offer. 

If you are like many youth coaches you probably have become a coach for one of the following reasons:

• Your child is playing and you thought it would be fun to be involved in his/her football experience.

• You played football and you would like to give something back to the kids in your area.

• No one else wanted the job. If you don’t coach, there won’t be a team.

No matter how you came to the role of coaching, whether you yourself played back in high school or you have been a fan of the game on TV, your sports season can be a positive experience for both you and your players if you keep these important thoughts in mind:

• There are different levels of players so there needs to be different levels of instruction to match their individual ages and abilities. Practices and drills can be adapted to maximize each player’s strength and weakness.

• With the trend of players becoming more athletic, faster and stronger, it can be easy to forget to teach them the basics.  If a player excels on ability only and doesn't learn the fundamentals, at some time down the road it will catch up to him or her. You owe it to your players to make sure that they have a solid foundation to build their football skills on.  Keep it simple but stress the fundamentals.

Your perspective as a coach matters to the players and their parents. For that reason it’s essential that you remember football is a game. And like all other sports, it offers countless opportunities for players to learn many life skills, including sportsmanship and effective preparation for competition. These lessons, among others, will help your players become just as successful off the court.

Good luck with your team!

Aaron Locks, President, University of Sports, LLC.

Aaron Locks  on Big Blend Radio
Aaron Locks 'Sports Master' & President of the University of Sports, was a featured guest on Big Blend Radio's 'Champagne Sundays' variety show, which aired live from 11am PT / 2pm ET on January 17, 2010. To meet the rest of the guests and listen to the show, please click here. To listen to Aaron's interview, please double click on the Play Button below.

Aaron Locks has helped run youth camps, adult training programs and developed public relations with the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s and has worked with some of the best in sports such as Pat Riley, Magic Johnson, Rick Barry, Rick Patino and John Wooden. In 2003 he opened University of Sports, an indoor sports and spa facility located in Northern California which has served more than 100,000 happy campers. Currently he is writing 'Coach’s Best Friend', a series of books about football, baseball, basketball, and soccer.
Information: www.uofs.com  or call 707-636-0966.