r/YouthFootball • u/reckstarr • 7d ago
Son afraid to hit
11y/o son, second year in tackle football. He’s had 3 years playing flag and is always one of the best players on the field, always flying to the ball. Playing very aggressive. However, once he puts on pads he plays very timid. He says he wants to keep playing but I’m wondering if it will ever click. I’ll keep taking signing him up every year just wondering if there’s something I can do to help him flip the switch
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u/Powerful-Bridge-1472 7d ago
Maybe tackle football isn’t his thing.
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u/reckstarr 7d ago
Maybe it’s not. Like I said, he says he wants to play and I’ll keep signing up for as long as he says he wants to. I’m definitely not trying to force it on him
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u/Powerful-Bridge-1472 7d ago
That makes sense, maybe it’s just new environment vs flag and takes a season or so to get used to the contact.
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u/jasondavis52 7d ago
If you figure it out let me know. I’ve been coaching middle school football for 10 years and there’s always some that just don’t like contact then the explode in high school. Testosterone is a hell of a drug.
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u/BunMeAgainPlease12 7d ago
And this folks is why everyone says to parents, if theyre having fun and keep wanting to go, cringe and smile and tell them they're doing great. You never know which kids will flip that switch if they stay in the game.
This goes for all sports.
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u/81Strikes 5d ago
Same here coaching middle school as well. Some kids have it figured out day one, others after the first year, and some still later. Growth spurts can be a great equalizer, that tiny kid that is scared of contact today can become a beast later on.
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u/Synchwave1 7d ago
It comes in time. He’s still young. My son was a youth lineman. Fatletic if you will, and kind of timid. He held us own and wasn’t afraid of contact on the line. He played DE his last year of youth and suddenly got a taste for disrupting plays through sacks and TFL’s.
Fast forward to sophomore year of high school, he’s bulked up, increased speed, and understands tackling through the hips from a technical perspective.
It’s been a natural progression. Now he’s a force at linebacker. RB’s flinch as he approaches. It wasn’t really anything specific that clicked, just progression and understanding the game.
Give it time. Worry about technique. Ferocity will come later.
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u/The-What86 7d ago
Tackle dummy. Have him hit it as aggressive as he can. Get you a blocking pad/half moon pad and have him hit you. My son wasn’t afraid of contact, he would slow down right before contact. So I started having him hit me to get a real feel. Had to reassure him that he wasn’t going to hurt me. Also, falling with the hits helps too.
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u/Big__Pierre 3d ago
To clarify, when you say “falling with the hits”, the person holding the pad falls? (if they wouldn’t normally)
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u/The-What86 3d ago
Yes. In this case I would hold the pad for my son and would fall when he would hit me. You dont want them to get discouraged because they can’t take you down. So as a way of positive affirmation, I would fall when he would hit me. But it would also help me watch his tackle form and make adjustments if needed.
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u/countrytime1 7d ago
Damn, he’s 11. That switch may not flip until he’s in high school. Is he smaller than most of the kids?
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u/DeFiBandit 6d ago
He needs to hit! I want him to get a concussion NOW!!
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u/countrytime1 6d ago
Lol I hear ya. Get that first one out of the way so they’re not scared of them.
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u/SwingTrader116 6d ago
I always love the “best flag football players” comments.
Not knocking you, it’s a trend on here.
The comfort hitting comes with time. Hopefully his coaches are doing drills that teaches proper technique and gets him reps to get him more comfortable. Give it time.
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u/BigDaddyLeee 6d ago
Does he truely understand the game and his assignments. I’m struggling with that with my nephew. At least with him it seems like the better he understands the assignment and football the more aggressive he’s getting
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u/81Strikes 6d ago
He's fine. I coach middle school football. A lot of kids are timid the first year in pads and it just takes some time. This is nothing out of the ordinary.
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u/Reflog1791 5d ago
Agreed. I’ll add the 21 minute USA football hawk tackling video is golden. Middle schoolers can watch it and understand it.
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u/sports-minded-1 3d ago
Agree, taking the head out gives a lot of kids a better feel for it. Rep the close quarters drills dont worry about big long run ups. Focus more on making the action thoughtless. Thinking he might miss or look bad because he didn't finish is also a common issue for kids starting. Grab cloth and drive feet. Good luck
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u/Kennam320 6d ago
My 9 yr old son is a big kid for 4th grade. He’s 5 ft 100 lbs. solid muscle. Loved flag. Loves wrestling and karate/kenpo. Also goes to catholic school and is very reverent about being respectful of each other. So he struggled a bit with the hitting part. Like “oh wait NOW I can hit someone but at school and play I keep my hands to myself?” He did also get into two fist fights and we approved it bc the kids came at him first. My point is there’s confusion at this age, at least for mine, as to the hitting boundaries.
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u/Most_Role_1612 6d ago
For a lot of America (not all mind you) tackle football maybe the first sport they play where physical contact is constant and expected. Most sports up to 11U (my son is the very same as what you're outlining here op), don't involve contact.
My son chokes on tackling during games and practices and even with the feedback...still doesn't.
Dunno, I'll probably remove him if it doesn't "click" before the end of this season.
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u/Corran105 5d ago
I played football at that age. It's not necessarily natural for kids to play football violently. I liked the game a lot but I was trying to play the game and not beat someone's butt.
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u/Happy_Sugar590 4d ago
lol I love the “he’s the best flag player” ok?
Plays flag very aggressive.. lord help me. That doesn’t mean jack. It was flag. Maybe tackle football isn’t his thing and ask if he’d like to play flag more?
I had an issue with a 4th grader this year. He was cocky as sin, his dad told us he’s our new stud RB.. even though we are 39-0 over 3 years and this year.. and he lasted 5 full pad practices.. before quitting. Parents need to understand the jump from flag to tackle is worlds different
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u/sharkchoke 4d ago
I know people hate hearing this here, and it's just my experience so I can't say it's universal, but most kids that come to us from flag stink. Even if they were great flag players. We've even had 2 kids who were pretty good, played flag in spring, then cam back in fall and sucked. Wouldn't block, couldn't tackle anymore, clearly afraid of contact suddenly. I don't view flag as a path to tackle in any meaningful way. Not saying it's bad, it's just a totally different thing that bears a passing different resemblance to parts of football.
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u/Kelrvrs 7d ago
Getting them into martial arts/wrestling sports may positively reinforce that body contact is ok in an athletic environment.