There has been a lot of conversation about the talent level for the game of flag football as we begin to choose our teams. However; there is a void that not many are talking about because there are not many qualified to talk about it. There are not very many qualified flag football coaches. There is an abundance of talent, regardless of who you talk to. There are plenty of tournaments to show that talent. Fortunately, there is even a media attention presence surrounding flag football as we gradually work towards the 2028 Olympics.
Here is the thing about flag football. It is not any different than any other sport. Teams will be as good as their coaching. I coached for thirty years in the NFL and college football. A coach I worked with many years ago said something I will never forget. "The players are so talented but they could not get out of the locker room without us". The more I coached over the years, the more I realized he was correct.
Here are three areas that most flag football coaches are very unprepared for:
No PlayBook Means No Plan
Inexperienced coaches love to put it all on the players. In other words, it's always the player's fault. Flag football plays and defenses will need to be taught and yeah...you will need a playbook. It has been incredible to see the number of coaches who are trying to be Olympic coaches do this without a flag football playbook.
You Better Have Video & Study It
The majority of flag football coaches out there who actually think they are going to get to Los Angeles are not recording video of their practices or their games. Flag football coaches will learn that you get better by studying yourself and your opponent. You can do that by just finding SnipBack.
Wristband Sheets Are Not A Suggestion
Let's face it. Flag football, at its highest level will mimic tackle football at its highest level. The schemes involved with flag football will not be as complex as 11 man football. The numbers dictate that. So if you can't out scheme a defense, how do you do it? You play faster and on the same page. Thus we have flag football coaches understanding the importance of flag football wristband sheets!