Coaching question

T

the123kidz

Well-known member
Some coaches coach that you play TO the whistle, others coach that you play THROUGH the whistle. I have always believed that you coach to play through the whistle. This may lead to some flags for late activity but I believe it's easier to kick it down a notch that to turn it up a notch. I've talked to many coaches about this and would you believe there are many coaches who believe it's "dirty" to play through the whistle. What say you Yappi fans. I don't think this is splitting hairs there is a huge difference in how teams are perceived that are coached to play through the whistle.
 
 
Play through the whistle easily. Football is an emotional game, you are hitting someone for 48 minutes, and playing through the whistle can start to wear a team down more. I think it playing through can help you in some aspects of the game, although the refs could throw some flags its worth it
 
Play through, too many times you see freak plays where someone stops and there was an inadvertent whistle or no whistle at all and the play continues.
 
Tigers84 said:
Play through the whistle easily. Football is an emotional game, you are hitting someone for 48 minutes, and playing through the whistle can start to wear a team down more. I think it playing through can help you in some aspects of the game, although the refs could throw some flags its worth it
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If your intent is to hurt an opponent by "playing through" hoping they will stop on the whistle, then I would consider it dirty.
You should stop on the whistle as difficult as that may seem.
Kinda like the difference between giving 100 or 110%, realistically you can only give a maximum of 100.
 
hsfan60 said:
If your intent is to hurt an opponent by "playing through" hoping they will stop on the whistle, then I would consider it dirty.
You should stop on the whistle as difficult as that may seem.
Kinda like the difference between giving 100 or 110%, realistically you can only give a maximum of 100.
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You should never play with the intent to hurt an opponent, it is really difficult to stop on the whistle, when playing you aren't thinking about the when the play is done
 
Tigers84 said:
You should never play with the intent to hurt an opponent, it is really difficult to stop on the whistle, when playing you aren't thinking about the when the play is done
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Spot on, i feel that even for 4th graders it is hard to stop your momentum which is why i personally feel that the late hit penalties should be more lenient at a young age
 
Knights By 40 said:
Spot on, i feel that even for 4th graders it is hard to stop your momentum which is why i personally feel that the late hit penalties should be more lenient
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Depends some late hits are pretty much because both are going full speed when the whistle is blown, and if you do stop, you get ran over. After college I helped coached a peewee near Massillon, the head coach who worked with the high school boys, always had his kids play to the whistle then stop. I am guessing that has to due with injuries and them being younger
 
I had an offical yell at me that the play is technically over when the ball carrier hits the ground, or the ball in an incomplete pass situation. I asked one, "then why do we have whistles then?" He wasn't overally impressed with my question and seemed hurt personally. Playing through the whistle is a mindset and culture thing. It doesn't mean taking cheap shots on guys near a pile or teeing off on someone behind a play. But if kids are blocking or driving a guy back on a tackle through the whistle, that's completely ok.
 
Tigers84 said:
Depends some late hits are pretty much because both are going full speed when the whistle is blown, and if you do stop, you get ran over. After college I helped coached a peewee near Massillon, the head coach who worked with the high school boys, always had his kids play to the whistle then stop. I am guessing that has to due with injuries and them being younger
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I'm sure it is, but if you think about it do you know how hard it is for a 4th grade kid to learn when to lay off and when to tee off? Probably not, i say get rid of the late hit penalty, the kids don't hit that hard anyways!
 
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Knights By 40 said:
I'm sure it is, but if you think about it do you know how hard it is for a 4th grade kid to learn when to lay off and when to tee off? Probably not, i say get rid of the late hit penalty, the kids don't hit that hard anyways!
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This isn't the 80s anymore Bill, that doesn't fly anymore
 
Tigers84 said:
You should never play with the intent to hurt an opponent, it is really difficult to stop on the whistle, when playing you aren't thinking about the when the play is done
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Stopping on the whistle or not going 100% after the whistle are different, 51 years never had to ask to play past the whistle, that is what your asking for when you use the term "thru the whistle" imho!
 
If a coach preaches "play (block) to the whistle", then the coach has to accept the fact that he is opening up his team to the real possibility of being flagged for dead ball fouls.

The first Football Rule Fundamental regarding a Dead Ball is...

"A game official’s whistle seldom kills the ball. It is already dead by rule".

It is the player's responsibility to know when the ball is dead. Now, there is some leeway in the application of that statement. However, the whistle's main purpose is to signify and to communicate to the players that the ball had already become dead by rule.
 
Knights By 40 said:
The average size of your players on your state championship teams was 5'3 115, you won your titles before humans evolved into sapiens
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You are really showing your lack of knowledge when it comes to Ohio HS football history, no matter what team we talk about!


I think it's uneducated(nice word) to think that no Massillon teams that was at least undefeated prior to the playoffs was not the best team in the state, get a grip! I'm from east side of Cleveland, so not a hater or a fan, just respectful of OHIO FB history!

What are the HS's you guys went to?
 
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When my son was younger I coached him. I coached him to play through the whistle. He ended up a 3 year varsity starter at defensive end. He lead his team in sacks as well as personal fouls and late hits. He was also and all state selection. None of those penalties were dirty plays. He was either engaged or about to be at the whistle. Did he cost his team a first down? Of course he did. His high school coaches were of the play to the whistle type coaches. Because he was my son and had to deal with my bs at home so he played through the whistle. I wonder though if he played to the whistle if he would have had the same success.

He did not will any poll titles in his career ?
 
Coach through the thud of the whistle…especially In High School.At the college level the way the game has changed to protect players with all the targeting BS …we actually got to the point of our teams losing overall team aggressivenes getting our players to ease up so to speak…hate it and it makes it tough to play great defense because being really aggressive can change the complexion of a game in a hurry.It is a fine thin line.Most officials will flag anything close and they review everything.Still believe that you have to coach players to be tough and that is not happening many places.
 
Thank you coach. Teams that play to the whistle are usually softer and not as physical, they often complain about another teams physicality who play through the whistle. Will the teams that play through get more personal fouls and late hits called. I believe so. I believe that it's worth the trade off of a couple of 1st downs if it allows your team to set the tone of the game. Because they are'nt good at it, the softer teams will usually lose their composure and retaliate and get there own fouls. Also, refs talk and when they know they are officiating a game with a team that is known to play through the whistle they may call it tight initially but in the end most of the officials played football and understand the difference between playing through the whistle and playing dirty. They usually give a warning or two before making the call as well. When they do make the call you have to be okay with it because you've decided that you are willing to accept the consequences when it does happen.
 
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