USA Football launches app to help teach/coach youngsters
USA Football is launching an app that can help coaches and parents on all youth levels of the sport. The free app, called Coach Planner by USA Football, was built by the governing body of the sport as part of the Football Development Model that aligns with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s American Development Model. The FDM is designed to aid in the progression of the whole athlete based on a child’s age and stage of development. Coaches, who are often parents of the players, teach athletes based on their age, skill level and the version of the sport that they prefer, from flag football to 11-player tackle and game types in between. More than 100 football drills and 12 prescribed practice plans are loaded on the app, with more to come. If coaches have been involved in the sport for a decade or more, reinforcement of their techniques is available on the app. But if the coaches are newcomers or relatively inexperienced, there are programs available for them as well.
It includes six categories for player development: athletic foundations; passing; running and receiving; kicking and punting; preparation for contact; flag pulling and tackling. Critical to the success of the FDM are such touch points as ensuring that playbooks and drills are easily usable, and for coaches to connect with their teams and players’ parents. to connect. Through the app, they can share all the content needed to teach the sport.
