The Huddle - Edition 76

Intro
Coaching Doesn’t Stop

The scoreboard may be off, and the practices paused—but a young athlete’s development doesn’t go on vacation. During the off-season, whether it's a short winter break or a few months between sports, there’s still real opportunity to grow. This time is less about wins and more about habits. Smart coaches know that this "down time" can actually be prime time for sharpening skills, building confidence, and maintaining physical literacy.

In this edition of The Huddle, we’ll explore how coaches and parents can be thoughtful about the kind of guidance we give young athletes when the team isn’t meeting regularly. Because if we want kids to keep progressing, we have to give them the tools to keep going—even when the gym lights are off.

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Insight of the week
Leadership Beyond the Court or Field

One of the hallmarks of great youth coaching is the ability to extend your impact beyond the team huddle. Off-seasons offer a valuable window to reach players in ways that often get crowded out during the rush of games and practices. This is where personalized, low-pressure development can happen. Consider creating a simple “off-season plan” tailored for each athlete. Nothing fancy—just a short list of drills or skills to work on, reminders about proper rest and meals, or a couple of video clips you recommend they watch to learn a specific movement or technique.

Even a quick email or message to the family with a few words of encouragement and a skill checklist can show players that you're still thinking about their progress. And for some kids, that small nudge may be the reason they pick up the ball or stick over break. Off-season guidance doesn't have to be a burden. It just needs to be intentional. A little planning goes a long way—and it keeps your athletes connected, confident, and cared for.

Drill of the week
Dribbling Relay

Skill Focus: Dribbling control, agility, decision-making
Setup:

• Place 4–6 cones in a zig-zag pattern from baseline to half court.

• Players line up in single file behind the baseline.

• The first player in line dribbles through the cones using their dominant hand on the way up, then returns using their non-dominant hand.

How to Run It:

• Once Player 1 returns to the line, Player 2 goes.

• You can make this competitive by timing the run or splitting into two teams.

• To increase difficulty, have players alternate between crossovers and behind-the-back moves at each cone.

Coaching Tip:
Keep it light and fun, but emphasize control over speed. Drills like this work well at home too—especially if you encourage parents to set up cones in the driveway or even use water bottles in the basement.

Coaching tip of the week
Use What You Have

You don’t need a fancy camera crew to keep kids motivated in the off-season. In fact, one of the simplest and most effective things a coach can do is hit record on your phone. Create a quick video explaining a single drill, a technique breakdown, or even just a reminder to stay active. This keeps your voice—and your leadership—in front of the team, even when you're not together.

The key here is simplicity. These don’t need editing or music or filters. Just you being you—demonstrating a move, encouraging consistency, and reminding kids why it’s worth it. Bonus points if you ask players to send back their own videos doing the drill. This creates a light accountability loop and keeps engagement two-way. You’re not just coaching skills. You’re teaching discipline, consistency, and self-starting—all traits that transfer well beyond sports.

Here’s how to get started with your own short coaching video:

• Keep it Short: Aim for 3 minutes max. Focus on one drill, one skill, or one coaching point. Attention spans are short—especially for younger athletes.

• Pick a Quiet Spot: Find a clear space to record—backyard, garage, driveway, gym, or even a quiet park. Reduce background noise if possible, and make sure the camera isn’t pointing into the sun.

• Use What You Have: Your phone is more than enough. Prop it up with a tripod, lean it against a cone, or even have your kid hold it. The key is stability and a wide enough frame to see the movement.

• Face the Camera: Give a brief intro—"Hey team, here’s a simple drill I want you to try this week..."—then demonstrate. Speak clearly, and walk them through how to do it and what to focus on.

• Call to Action: At the end, say something like: “Try this 10 times a day this week—send me a video if you want some feedback!” This creates light accountability and keeps the connection alive.

• Optional Bonus: Share via your preferred method—text chain, email, private team Instagram, or Google Drive folder. Keep it easy to access. You don’t need likes; you just need reach.

Remember, you’re not trying to go viral—you’re trying to stay visible. In doing so, you remind your players that improvement doesn’t take a break just because the team does. More importantly, you’re showing them that you care about their growth even when no one’s keeping score.

Blog Highlight
How To Keep Your Youth Team Engaged

Summer’s over, fall season has ended, or maybe it’s just a long winter break — and suddenly, the field is quiet, the gym is empty, and the sound of cleats echoing across the court disappears. For many youth athletes, that gap can feel like a timeout — and without structure, that timeout easily slides into disengagement. But with a smart plan, off‑season or break periods don’t have to be a lull. They can be some of the most important — and growth-packed — stretches of the year. For coaches and parents, these breaks are an opportunity to build strength, sharpen skills, reignite motivation, and deepen team culture.

Here’s how to turn downtime into “level-up” time for your team.

Equipment Guide
Equipment Shopping Checklist + Tips for Breaking Equipment In

Not sure what gear your kid really needs—or how to break it in so it actually feels good?

This guide from The Coaching Dad gives you a simple, no-stress roadmap for youth sports equipment. It combines:

• Sport-by-sport checklists for football, hockey, baseball, and softball (what’s required vs. nice-to-have)

• Fit reminders for helmets, pads, skates, gloves, and cleats

• Break-in tips for the most common problem items:

  • Baseball/softball gloves and catcher’s mitts

  • Composite bats

  • Hockey skates and goalie gear

  • Cleats

Perfect for:
Parents new to youth sports, busy families juggling multiple teams, and volunteer coaches who want a simple resource to share with their teams.

Make equipment one less thing to stress about—so your kid can focus on playing, learning, and having fun.

Holiday Shopping
The Coaching Dad Gift Recommendations

Holiday shopping for your youth athlete just got easier. This Holiday Shopping Guide rounds up my favorite equipment, training tools, and coach-focused resources so you can find gifts that actually build skills, confidence, and fun on (and off) the field.

The Volunteer Coach Academy
My Complete Coaching Approach

Thank you for following and engaging with me here.

You’ve seen the tips and tools I share each week—now imagine everything you need to coach with confidence, all in one place. I’ve built a complete course designed specifically for volunteer and parent-coaches to help you feel prepared, supported, and ready to lead. Whether you’re stepping on the field for the first time or just want to get better for your kid’s sake, this course was made for you.

Oh and if you aren’t ready for the course yet, still check out the link to learn more because there’s a free Coach’s Guide that you can start using instantly.

Book highlight
For Coaches, Parents and Youth Athletes

The Constant Coach

Get this for the coach in your life as it provides coaching guidance and insights one day at a time throughout the entire year.

Stories For Young Athletes

Do you have an Young athlete who’s afraid of getting hit by a pitch or who maybe isn’t quite as aggressive on the soccer field as they could be? This book helps kids with a variety of circumstances, in a lot of different sports, through various stories that your child can relate to. It’s perfect for kids 7-11!

Featured Coaching Resources
Aggression and Anxiety Guides

I just released two new guides designed to make your coaching easier and your players more confident:

1. The Aggression Guide
Perfect for the child who plays great at home but hesitates in games. This guide gives you simple, practical strategies to help players be more assertive, engaged, and confident—without pressure or yelling.

2. Calm Under Pressure
A quick, powerful guide for helping young athletes manage anxiety, nerves, and fear of mistakes. You’ll learn what to look for, what to say, and how to support kids during tough moments.

Content
Other Free Content

You might be new to coaching a team or sport. You may be a grizzled coaching veteran. Either way, check out the content section of thecoachingdad.com. You’ll find resources that cover a large number of sports, including game refreshers, position breakdowns, injury management, practice ideas and more.

Engage
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