PLAYING TIME
Our program is first and foremost a teaching organization. Our coaches are dedicated to doing their best to teach their players good work habits, self-discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship and commitment. Winning football games is a byproduct of doing these things right.
We are lucky to have a wonderful coaching staff. They all have a true love of the game of football and a love for the kids they coach. They have experience and a good feel for what will earn each player a spot in the game. Their goal in this program is to give every child the best coaching experience they are capable of and to be fair in their evaluations of each individual. One of the biggest issues that our organization deals with year in and year out is the question of playing time. Ideally, we would like to have every player play in an equal amount of time in every game, but with an average of 30 players on each team, balanced playing time for everyone is practically impossible. As in any youth sports program that relies on experienced coaches to make decisions about player strengths and weaknesses, we will rely solely on our head coach's judgment to determine how much time is an adequate amount for each player on his team. The playing time decisions of the head coach are final.
Our coaches will try as much as possible to allow each player to play to his or her full potential. This demands a strong commitment on the part of each player. Our coaches must rely on demonstrations of the player's abilities and capabilities during practice. The player needs to work hard at practice and have a positive attitude both on the field and off. Playing time is earned by attending practices, but just showing up for practice is not enough to guarantee playing time. It calls for a commitment to learning the game and improving those parts of his/her game that may be weak. It takes a commitment by the player to his/her teammates to do their best so they can do their best. Playing time is earned through an understanding of the plays being called and the demands of the position he/she is assigned. The Roughriders play in a competitive league, meaning that we are playing to win as does each of our opponents.
First year players are welcome in the Roughrider program. Our coaches often look for extra scrimmages and exhibition playing opportunities to ensure all players receive some "game reps". We encourage all parents to be as supportive to these teams as they are of the rest of the team during close/competitive games.
If you have concerns about the playing time that your child receives, please discuss it with your child first. There may be legitimate reasons for the decisions their coach makes that your child has not communicated with you. He/she may not want to play as much as you think he/she should, but may be afraid to tell you. He/she may be afraid of getting hurt. He/she may be fearful of failing in his/her position assignment. He/she may be anxious about doing as well as siblings, friends, or his/her father's high school "war stories." There are many things that may affect a player's performance that have nothing to do with his physical ability. Do your best to listen to your player's thoughts and feelings about his/her place on the team and be supportive. The best measure of your child's success is the fun and good feelings he/she associates with the game of football.
