Daddy Ball: A Point to Prove
Essentially, this is part three of the breakdown of Brysen’s 9u football season. It was the second season in a row I wasn’t Brysen’s coach. Last year he played 10u while I operated as park president and head coach for our 8u & 12u teams. This year I transitioned back to high school football and wasn’t part of his team’s coaching staff at all. It was also the second year in a row I watched his team lose as he didn’t touch the ball. Forget about being a father for a second. As a coach who’s seen what he can do with the football. Watching him get 2 touches or less with the season on the line is frustrating to watch. So, I decided that this year, his football season wouldn’t end with a loss.
Brysen is a truly dynamic football player. Not everyone can handle his playing style and ability. If you’ve never coached a kid like Brysen, it’s hard to do. Without proper coaching, he doesn’t help the team as much as he should or reach his potential. So, I coach Brysen as much as possible. And his brother too. It has been extremely successful for us, as well as their teammates. We win, a lot! After watching Brysen stand on the sideline during his final game of the season, I decided to be the Head Coach for his all-star team this year. Brysen didn’t get the chance to show everything he could do this past season. However, I knew Brysen still had the juice.
This season was our 3rd time participating in the Between The Hash All Star Game. I’ve coached in the game every year he’s played but I’ve never been head coach. I just help as much as I can but typically on defense. This year I decided I was going to be the head coach and call the plays on offense. I was going to run very similar concepts to what we run in high school and see how quickly the kids could pick it up. I just had to make sure we got some lineman to compete with the kids from Georgia. Getting the skill players was easy. This year instead of playing 904 (Jacksonville) versus 352 (Gainesville/Ocala) we combined at some age groups. Brysen was able to play with a lot of his Northside Pride teammates as a result.
We were scheduled to play against Georgia and South Carolina as the All-Star event expanded to tournament style this year. Although we only had two practices with everyone there, I was still confident we were going to put on a show. NSP by itself was a great 9u team so adding kids from Jax made them Elite! Everybody knew Brysen was playing and I’m sure had a game plan regarding him coming in. However, I immediately dismissed whatever plan they thought they had. This past season was the first time Brysen didn’t play QB since he was 5. At this time, you can officially fire up all “daddy ball” comments and opinions. Despite not playing one snap at QB all year, Brysen was the primary QB for the All-Star game.
Let me get you straight though. I coach my son and I do it well. I know when to get him the ball, but I also know when to make him a decoy. When I coach Brysen, his entire team is successful and every kid is excited when they get their trophies. We have a history of winning. I embrace daddy ball commentary. It’s my favorite term in youth sports. People associate it with me often and it doesn’t bother me at all. I am confident in what I do with all the kids on my son’s teams. I also didn’t make myself the head coach just to give Brysen the ball. Let me rewind for a second.
Remember I said this was year 3 for us in the All-Star event. The previous two years we played against the 352 one day and against Atlanta another day. We beat 352 and lost to Atlanta each year. During those previous 4 games, without me calling the plays, Brysen scored almost every touchdown. He scored 5 TDs in year one at 7u. Then in year two he played 8u against 352 and 9u against Atlanta. He scored again in both games. So, my version of daddy ball had two goals in mind. Winning and showing what he could really do.
We went into the game with 3 different QBs and each QB had their own formation. Brysen played WR in one formation, QB in one, and TE in another. Brysen was one of 3 skill players that was featured in all 3 formations. We also featured a different RB in each formation. In my opinion, this is how all-star games or all-star teams should be approached. If you have a plethora of talent on your team you use it all and in a variety of ways. It hearts my soul to watch teams run the exact same stuff all season. We did more in 3 weeks of practice than some of the offenses I’ve watched over the years do in 7-month long seasons. Also, we scored more points in each of our games this year than any of the past All-Star games.
The tournament started with a 22-12 victory over Atlanta on Saturday in what seemed like the longest game ever. I’m still convinced we played 5 quarters instead of 4 but at least we still came away with the victory. We followed that up with a 26-0 win over South Carolina on Sunday. They ended that game early. We had to play Ga again on Monday for the Championship and won 19-8. I was really impressed with our kids. We had some real deal All Stars! What they were able to pick up in just a few practices was amazing. And Brysen was dominant on the football field looking like his old self. See his stats below:
Saturday: 2 Pass TDs and 1 Rush TD (1 carry)
Sunday: 1 Pass TD, 1 Rec TD (1 target), and 1 Pick 6
Monday: 1 Rec TD (3 targets), 1 Rush TD (1 carry)
Brysen completed 80% of his pass attempts and didn’t require to be force fed to get in the endzone. In three games I called plays to get the ball to Brysen 6 times. His other touches came from playing QB and being responsible to get the ball to everyone else. I know that when he’s involved in the flow of the game it’s already over. Once it’s his turn he gets in the end zone 60% of the time or more. It’s amazing to watch. He once had a game with 5 carries for 5 touchdowns. And that’s how I daddy ball.
If he needed it more for us to win then I would’ve given it to him more. I was certainly asked to on the sidelines. But I know I had plenty of skill players I could spread it around to. Also, I understand how to use him and when to use him. That’s the benefit people ignore about coaching your son. I know when to rip him, I know when to coddle him, and I know when to let him be. So, since he’s still 10 and figuring out his emotions and who he is as young man and as a player. I will be on those sidelines with him as much possible. Daddy Balling, until he figures it out and whoever coaches him and can figure it out. We make a pretty good team. As head coach I was able to select our team’s MVP so of course you know who I chose.
Yep, not Brysen! Eli “Mr. All Day Long” Newell. Like I said, Brysen is special and I don’t think we win without him. But we had other QBs, WRs, and kids that played safety. Eli, our center, was completely irreplaceable. We couldn’t run a play at practice until Eli got there and lost a scrimmage at practice against 8u. Brandon Jacobs even told me, “Coach don’t do that to him.” When I told him, I wasn’t going to give the MVP to Brysen. “We already talked about it,” I told him. It was an easy decision; Brysen and other skill players always get noticed. The media will always pick the skill guys. But as the head coach I know what kid made it all possible. So, point proved, Brysen still got the juice, Brysen can still lead his team to victory, and Brysen can QB at a high level. Brysen truly is the most versatile athlete in the country! Until next time, B U!
