Dolan Chosen to Replace Ray at WVSSAC

Bernie Dolan, Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Ohio County, has been selected by the WVSSAC Board of Directors to succeed Gary Ray who will retire in January 2016. The Board of Directors interviewed five (5) candidates at the annual Board of Control meeting held at Stonewall Lodge and voted unanimously to hire Dolan.

Board of Directors President, David Cottrell said, “We had five (5) outstanding candidates but Mr. Dolan brings experience to the SSAC that is unmatched. His educational background touches all levels of the school system serving as a teacher, coach, athletic director, both as an assistant principal and principal and assistant superintendent.   He has worked tirelessly when directing both the golf state tournament the Super Six football championships.”

While principal at Wheeling Park High School, Mr. Dolan served on the Board of Directors and coordinated numerous regional and sectional tournaments in a variety of sports. Dolan served Ohio County Schools as a Technology Coordinator while at Wheeling Park High School.

Gary Ray, outgoing Executive Director, said, “I have the utmost respect for Bernie Dolan and I am proud to pass the torch to him. He will continue to provide the necessary leadership well into the future for our education based interscholastic athletic programs. He will make the transition very smooth.”

Mr. Dolan is married to his wife Jeannette of 29 years and together they have two sons Joseph and Nathan and one daughter Claire. Joseph is married to Amanda while Claire is engaged to Dave Paxton. Dolan said, “I look forward with great anticipation to this opportunity to devote full time to education based athletics”.

Dolan will begin his employment on July 1, 2015.

Mon April 13, 2015

By Greg Williams
West Virginia Director of Scouting

The Elite Eight team rankings will be updated on a bi-weekly basis culminating with a final set of rankings following the state championships in June. Here are the scheduled dates that updates are to be released.

Update 2: April 27
Update 3: May 11
Update 4: May 25
Final Rankings: June 8

Week of 4/13/15

Class AAA

NEW YORK — To toughen safety standards in youth sports, medical experts are turning away from lawmakers and toward high school sports associations to implement policies and procedures to prevent deaths and serious injuries.

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine completed two days of meetings and programs with representatives from all 50 state high school athletic associations Friday at the NFL offices in Manhattan. The goal was to have decision-makers return to their states and push high schools to put into place recommendations on how best to handle potentially catastrophic medical conditions such as heat stroke, sudden cardiac arrest and head and neck injuries.

Some states, such as Arkansas, have passed laws requiring schools to meet certain standards, but Doug Casa, director of athletic training education at the University of Connecticut, said high school associations should be first to act because they have more flexibility to move quickly.

“Trying to get a state law passed, one, can take a long time but two, sometimes a lot of things get attached to the laws that weren’t the original intention. Also, they’re written by people who don’t truly understand the nuances of a football practice or how sports work into the system of a school year. Those are nuances that the state high school association totally gets,” Casa said.

In 2013, best practice recommendations were published in the Journal of Athletic Training, but many states are still lagging in implementation of those guidelines. They include having a full-time athletic trainer on staff, having automated external defibrillators in every school and accessible to all staff members, and having an emergency action plan for managing serious and potentially life threatening injuries. Funding is often cited as the reason schools, many of which are already struggling to make ends, meet fail to implement these recommendations.

According to the NATA and AMSSM, only 37 percent of high schools in the United States have full-time athletic trainers. Only 22 percent of states meet the recommendation that every school or organization that sponsors athletics develop an emergency action plan. Only 50 percent of states have met recommendations that all athletic trainers, coaches, administrators, school nurses and other staffers have access to an automated external defibrillator.

Casa said just 14 states meet the minimum best practices with regard to heat acclimatization, but the ones that have adopted them since 2011 have had no athlete deaths from heat stroke.

Casa cited Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, North Carolina and New Jersey as states that have been leaders in implementing the recommendations.

Jason Cates, a member of the executive committee of the Arkansas Athletic Trainers’ Association who led reforms in Arkansas after a high school basketball player died of sudden cardiac arrest in 2008, said that while legislation can be help to move programs forward, it can also create problems with legal liability.

“At what point in time are we going to legislate ourselves out of sports?” he said. “I think in some states, in some instances (legislation) is the way to go, but my hope is people just get it.

Casa acknowledged legislation is often necessary to fund programs.

With legislation comes politics and give and take. Kevin Guskiewicz, professor and co-director of the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center at the University of North Carolina, said that doesn’t come easy for medical professionals.

“It’s hard for people like us that are medical people to compromise on anything because we think we should have it all,” he said. “So that’s where we’re beating our fists on the table at state capital buildings as we’re debating why we need it all. I did learn a lot about compromise.”

Preseason Class A Elite Eight Rankings Released

Thu March 26, 2015

By Greg Williams
West Virginia Director of Scouting

As we prepare for a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC to jump start the 2015 season with a week’s action at the Mingo Bay Classic, we devote this week to our preseason Elite 8 rankings in each classification. Over the next three days we will reveal our top eight teams in each class. Today we take a look at Class A.

preseason class a elite 8

 

Rank	School	Notes
1	Notre Dame	The Irish have made back-to-back trips to Charleston, losing to Man in last year’s title game. Although a significant portion of the Irish starting lineup graduated, leaving questions at a number of positions, look for them to continue to make noise in Class A.
2	Man	The Hillbillies look to defend their 2015 state title and return enough talent to make a return trip to Charleston a possibility.
3	Moorefield	The Yellowjackets come off a 21-9 campaign in 2014 and are the odds on favorite to push Notre Dame for the Region 2 berth in this year’s state tournament.
4	Clay-Battelle	Region 1 Preseason Player of the Year and two-time Class A all-state selection Kurt Latocha looks to lead the Cee Bees to Charleston.
5	Charleston Catholic	Connor Golden (Marietta College) has departed, but much of the young roster that finished 21-11 in 2014 returns.
6	Parkersburg Catholic	The Crusaders return more than enough offense to compete for a spot in Charleston. Pitching depth could be the issue in their march to the state tournament.
7	Greenbrier West	The Cavaliers were hit hard by graduation but will still trot out six seniors that should make significant contributions. A ramped up schedule heavy with games against bigger schools always makes them dangerous come playoff time.
8	Bishop Donahue	C Alex Riedel, RHP Jesse Padlow (5-2) and IF/OF Brett Moore (.365) provide the Bishops with strong senior leadership coming off a 14-12 campaign in 2014.

Elite 8 Preview Schedule

March 26: Class A Preseason Elite 8
March 27: Class AA Preseason Elite 8
March 28: Class AAA Preseason Elite 8

More West Viringia prep baseball news and expert analysis at http://www.prepbaseballreport.com/west-virginia

Late March may feel like too soon to release an initial watch list for the upcoming season — and maybe it is — but there are enough known factors to put together an interesting, albeit early, Pre-Preseason Top 25.

The HSFB100 Preseason release schedule will follow the normal pattern of seeing the spring camp circuit and the summer 7 on 7 sessions before the official countdown starts at the end of July but it is all but a lock that these teams will make an appearance in the upper half.

An initial Top 10 has a decidedly West Coast feel as five of the Top 10 teams are in the Pacific Time Zone with the top two positions being Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV) and De La Salle (Concord, CA).

Traditional powers Katy (Texas) and Centennial (Corona, CA) with emerging flagship Miami Central (FL) all take spots in the Top 5.

While each has questions that need answered most bring back the bulk of a talented team that found success in 2014.

Read more about the early No. 1 team, Bishop Gorman.

TEAM	(CITY, ST)	2014 RANK	2014 RECORD
Bishop Gorman	(Las Vegas, NV)	No. 3	15-0
Bishop Gorman starts the year in the driver’s seat but will be tested with a schedule that has it playing Bellevue (WA), Bingham (UT), Chandler (AZ), Don Bosco (Ramsey, NJ), and Servite (Anaheim, CA), among others. Tate Martell will be asked to lead the team back to the top of the polls as the team replaces talent at the skill positions but always finds a way to reload.
De La Salle	(Concord, CA)	No. 2	14-0
The Spartans could be the actual Preseason No. 1 team if quarterback Anthony Sweeney is healthy. It returns both of its top rushers and enough talent on the defensive side of the ball to justify another lofty ranking. The Spartans will play a couple of quality non-NorCal opponents on the schedule that will test its mettle throughout the season. A national title could return for the first time since 2003 if the team stays healthy.
Miami Central	(Miami, FL)	No. 13	14-1
Central reloaded with a healthy amount of move-in players that our early guess went from low- or mid-30s to Top 10. The Rockets will take on DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD) on Labor Day Weekend in a game likely to be featured on ESPN for the country to see. Since breaking through with its first state title in 2010 the team has not looked back and has become one of the top programs nationally.
Katy	(Katy, TX)	No. 14	14-2
Katy could have three players make the all-state team in Texas this season and for a team that is exceptionally well-coached adding in that kind of talent could push for Texas having back-to-back National Title winners. The Tigers return leading rusher, passer, receiver as well as half of its defense. The schedule will not test the team until the playoffs when it will likely see Manvel (TX) and Steele (Cibolo, TX) prior to the state finals, likely against a Dallas-Fort Worth representative, but it may be enough to show this is the best team in the country.
Centennial	(Corona, CA)	No. 16	12-3
There will be a debate as to which team should be the No. 1 in SoCal entering the year between Centennial and St. John Bosco as both return loaded teams that met in the Pac-5 finals in 2014. Centennial gets the early edge with the result of that game but either one could be a preseason Top 5 team with talent moving into the senior class combined with what is coming up behind them.
DeMatha	(Hyattsville, MD)	NR	9-3
Pretty stunning that a team that finished unranked in 2014 could potentially start inside the Top 10 but the talent coming back for DeMatha is hard to ignore. The Stags have three players already committed and likely another six seniors that will be signing with major programs. It has a challenging schedule and could push for a national title with an unbeaten season.
DeSoto	(Desoto, TX)	No. 20	10-2
DeSoto will bring back one of the most explosive offenses in the country next year and if healthy it could make the Eagles the favorite to win a state title that has alluded the program during its rise. It will have to replace coach Claude Mathis but Todd Peterson is likely to keep the formula familiar. Quarterback Tristan Wallace will have Jaylin Nelson, K.D. Nixon, La’Darren Brown, Kairi Muhammad, among others, at his disposal. The defense will have to do its part at some point but after Allen won with offense and timely defense there is hope that DeSoto can get over the hump.
St. John Bosco	(Bellflower, CA)	No. 19	12-2
The skill players at St. John Bosco are growing on countless with Sean McGrew, DJ Morgan, Jared Harrell being three of the best in the state. The junior class is equally interesting with Keith Taylor and Kristian Taylor starting to get looks for the next level. The team will have to replace quarterback Josh Rosen and there could be a battle between an underclassmen and a rising senior to take his spot but a strong offensive line figures to protect whomever is back there. The Braves are stacked and may be the best team in SoCal.
Archer	(Lawrenceville, GA)	No. 41	11-4
Archer rebounded from a slow start in 2014 to make the state finals — and nearly won. The team brings back almost its entire defense with seniors Kobe Smith, Donta Evans, and Dylan Singleton getting plenty of attention at the next level. Archer has become a quick force to be reckoned with in Georgia and its offense is usually the focal point but right now it is the question as it will have to replace its quarterback.
Bingham	(South Jordan, UT)	No. 18	13-2
Bingham is the third team in the top half of this list that is replacing its coach, joining Bishop Gorman and DeSoto. There is genuine optimism that this could be one of the best teams that the Miners have produced in recent years and that will say a lot come game time. The rich got richer as Louisville commitment Keaton Toree moved into the program and bolstered the quarterback position.
Spartanburg	(Spartanburg, SC)	No. 78	11-3
The Vikings got healthy and went on to win a state title last season — a year earlier than many projected. This season has been circled as a breakout opportunity with the talent coming back to play for coach Chris Miller. Spartanburg will be paced by running back Tavien Feaster — who may be one of the most explosive players on the East Coast. Quarterback Austin Scott needs to be a steady hand and protect the ball while underrated defended Mike Murphy will continue to patrol the secondary and make plays.
Steele	(Cibolo, TX)	No. 42	13-2
Steele was the best team in San Antonio last year and competed well in games versus DeSoto and Katy but fell to both. The Knights bring back a lot of talented players this year and will feature Mark Jackson on the defensive line alongside Quincy Williams and Josh Croslen. The offensive line has four players that know their role entering the year and if Xavier Martin develops at quarterback it will be a solid season for this team.
Chandler	(Chandler, AZ)	No. 7	13-1
Chandler won its first state title last season and could be considered a heavy favorite to repeat. The Wolves bring back a lot of the key players to its team from last year and after the defense started clicking the program went to a different level. Much of the attention will be on how the quarterback position performs as three-year starter Bryce Perkins is replaced by Mason Moran. Moran already has offers from Boston College, Colorado and UMass, making many believe the drop off may be negligible.
Jenks	(Jenks, OK)	No. 49	11-2
Jenks avenged its two losses from last regular season in the playoffs and claimed another state title. The annual battle between Union and Jenks may be shifted towards Jenks with the team having won three straight titles. This year figures to be the same two teams but the Trojans are returning 13 of 22 starters from last year and figure to have its best team in a couple of years.
South Panola	(Batesville, MS)	No. 22	14-0
South Panola had gone from the top of the mountain, winning the 2010 HSFB100 National title, to not making the final poll the next three seasons. The Tigers broke through with an undefeated season last year in a very good Mississippi state playoffs. The team is expected to stay on that level this year and will begin the year near to where it left off.
Mallard Creek	(Charlotte, NC)	No. 57	15-1
The Mavericks will be returning more players than it has in any year since the school opened. Mallard Creek will be lead by its defense and Josh Brown on the defensive line. North Carolina has produced quality teams in recent years with Butler and Mallard Creek taking to the Top 25 of the HSFB100 multiple times. The initial placement could slide for Mallard Creek but it will be a lock for a spot in the preseason.
Allen	(Allen, TX)	No. 1	16-0
A season after winning the national title, Allen isn’t dropping too far from the pace it has set. The Eagles return seven defensive starters as well as two other players that saw significant time. The offensive line is still solid but the biggest boost the team got was with the move-in of four-star quarterback Seth Green to fill the void left by Kyler Murray. Murray was the Offensive Player of the Year last season and so Green certainly has large shoe’s to fill but the Oregon commit is actually more of a prototypical sized quarterback and could keep Allen at the top of the national rankings.
St. Ignatius	(Cleveland, OH)	NR	7-5
An early stretch pick for the Ohio Division I champion is St. Ignatius. The team has dropped from 13-wins in 2011 down to 11, 8, and 7 over the last three years so this is a leap of faith. A lot of the roster returns from last year and that may be good or bad depending on how one views the results.
Good Counsel	(Olney, MD)	NR	10-2
The clash between DeMatha and Good Counsel could have as much talent on the field as any contest in the country this year. The Falcons will be bringing back the majority of its starters on both side of the ball and the expectations could be pushing 2011 standards. Defensively the group will have stars at all levels with Izon Pulley, Keandre Jones, and Travon Scott leading the lineman, backers, and secondary.
Ocean Lakes	(Virginia Beach, VA)	No. 37	14-0
The defensive side of the ball for the Dolphins will be impressive next season with Levonta Taylor, Jermaine Trotman, Anthony Womack returning as seniors. Talented prospects Khalan Laborn and Eric Crosby join Justin Smith on the offensive side. The lone concern is that, like Spartanburg, the team won a year earlier than most expected and now the target is on their back.
Colerain	(Cincinnati, OH)	NR	8-4
To show how volatile Ohio is the top two teams we see entering the season were a combined 15-9 last year. Colerain was extremely young last year and a little banged up but improved as the season went on to be a legit threat in the playoffs. This year the hope is that the defensive line is improved enough that the Cardinals can represent one side of the bracket in the state finals.
La Salle	(Cincinnati, OH)	7 / 7	No. 2, (twice)
Following the theme of teams winning a year before they are expected to, La Salle will be the favorite to win Division II again but repeating has proven harder than winning the first title. The Lancers will ride Jeremy Larkin again this season and could work its way to being the best team in Ohio.
Paramus Catholic	(Paramus, NJ)	No. 32	9-2
The Paladins will start atop the New Jersey state rankings and that placement has become one worthy of Preseason Top 25 respect. Paramus Catholic lost its coach to Michigan and several talent players to graduation. It features defensive tackle Rashaun Gary and several talented teammates. It will need to find a replacement to quarterback Willy Hansen.
Booker T. Washington	(Miami, FL)	No. 10	15-0
Outside of losing head coach Tim Harris, Jr and the normal list of graduated players it has been a relatively quiet offseason for the 2013 HSFB100 National Champions. The transfer season was somewhat uneventful for the Tornadoes, too. It is hard to predict how the team will be entering 2015 and it may not stick on the No. 2 spot in the state but it has earned the benefit of the doubt at this point in the offseason.
Clay-Chalkville	(Pinson, AL)	No. 24	15-0
The debate between Hoover and Clay-Chalkville being the top team in Alabama raged most of the 2014 season and wasn’t ultimately decided until Clay-Chalkville lost its running back due to injury. This year it should be no such argument as Hoover graduates a lot while the Cougars return offensive firepower that will make it the favorite to repeat in Class 6A.

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Kefense Hynson just completed his third season on the staff of the University of Montana. In his first year, he coached tight ends and two seasons ago he was promoted to both co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Hynson came to Montana from Yale where he was the wide receivers coach. He has also coached at Minnesota State, Boise State, Quincy and Willamette College. Hynson was an Honorable Mention All-American defensive back at Willamette.

In this piece he discusses situational offensive gameplanning, management, and execution. Hynson originally shared the coaching tips in this article in a recent issue of American Football Monthly. For subscription information for the magazine visit its website, AmericanFootballMonthly.com

** We teach our players to develop a thorough understanding of situational offense: its importance, its relevance, and the consequences of not recognizing and reacting to the many situations that exist and ultimately define our game. Here are eight main situations and how we develop our players’ understanding of them.

During the beginning of fall camp, as well as in the opening of spring practice, we implement a well-planned-out installation that will be the foundation of our offensive football for the season. Along with the Xs and Os however, we also install the situations that occur as they relate to these specific plays. We install situations to instill in our players the importance of execution with the situation in mind.

RUN DOWNS

Our run downs are defined as 1st and 10 or 2nd and 6 or less. We call them run downs, but that doesn’t mean we only run in those situations. Because we believe in running the football and utilizing the play-action pass, understanding how to stay in run downs is imperative for our offensive success. There are three main points of emphasis we explain when we talk run-down football.

1. Ball Control – Allows our defense to stay rested and keeps potentially explosive offenses on the sideline.

2. Opens our playbook – By staying in run downs, we stay out of one-dimensional scenarios and keep the defense honest.

3. Because the majority of the game will be played on run downs, it allows us to run our base plays which inherently have the highest success rate.

When players understand the importance of playing in run downs, they will begin to understand how their decision making directly relates to this as well. The QB understands how important the check down pass is, the wide receiver understands why he must get vertical after the catch, etc.

BACKED UP

Anytime we get the ball inside our own 10-yard line, we are in a backed up situation. We have a specific set of plays we go to when this situation occurs, but more important than the Xs and Os is how our players react to the challenge of facing this adverse situation. Some of the coaching points we address:

1. Our first goal is to allow our punter his normal spacing for operation (His heels are at 15 yards).

2. Never give up the ball – a turnover equals automatic points.

3. Utilize the snap count. You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain (false start vs. off-sides).

4. By game plan, we will have a way to try and flip field position (vertical throw).

5. Commit to our base runs – these runs will have answers for defensive stunts and pressures.

During the season, we practice our backed up offense every Tuesday. It is important the players have an idea of the play-call library so that a hostile situation like being backed up in an opposing stadium doesn’t create any anxiety.

RED ZONE

The next situation we will cover is our Red Zone Offense. In terms of situational football, the success or lack thereof of your offense in the red zone is arguably the biggest difference in winning and losing. Great offenses score touchdowns in the red zone. Our key reminders in the red zone are as follows:

1. The red zone begins when we see the defense change their demeanor (i.e., a zone team plays more man, a non-pressure team brings heat).

2. We stay committed to our run game. Don’t let being on the fringe of scoring make you an impatient play-caller.

3. Understand how defensive force patterns change with the reduction of field space.

4. Have an answer for zero pressure.

5. We cannot take a sack – we have three points virtually on the board.

6. In the low red zone, we have to utilize the backline, which is sparsely defended at times.

Based on these reminders, it is imperative that you have a solid plan for the red zone. Whether it is the high red zone or low red zone, the reminders and coaching points of the situation will contribute to your success rate if your players understand them. You cannot practice your red zone offense enough.

GOAL LINE

Along the same lines as the red zone, scoring touchdowns when you reach the goal line is also a must. Goal line offense is a phase of the game that must be acknowledged and practiced. We install our goal line offense with these points of emphasis:

1. We will be in a goal line offense mentality when we reach our opponent’s 3-yard line.
We will run two run-game schemes.

2. Defensively, they will always be +1 in terms of blockable defenders – our runs must account for this.

3. We cannot take a sack or force a pass that could potentially be intercepted. It’s either a touchdown or an accurate incompletion.

4. We will not go on exotic cadences – we have nothing really to gain and a lot to lose (false start vs. off-sides).

5. We are diverse in our play calling – we don’t put play call patterns on tape.

6. While game-planning for the goal line situation, make sure that you are not wasting time. The GL situation can be the most over-planned situation relative to how often it shows up. Knowledge of the situation and execution of familiar concepts has helped us become more efficient in this area.

SCRAMBLE DRILL

The scramble drill is always an emphasis in offensive football, and at the University of Montana it is no different. We have included the scramble as a situation and have tried to choreograph that situation as best we can. First and foremost, we explain to our players that the scramble is not a frenetic, unorganized situation but rather a “second chance” opportunity to sting a defense when they think they’ve defended our initial play. We coach the scramble (See Diagram) as follows:

1. The WR to the side of the scramble must work toward the ball. If he is low, he can sell a take off and then come back to the QB. We want first downs.

2. The WR farthest from the ball must work parallel to negative to the QB. If there is no one in the post, he can take a post angle.

3. The QB has to have a throwing lane or he cannot throw the ball.

4. All eligible receivers are never to move from uncovered to covered.

5. When working the back of the end zone, save two yards.

6. Be prepared to make a legal block if and when the QB runs.

7. Stay in bounds when working the sidelines.

The scramble situation can be a deadly tool for your offense, and should be practiced and coached like any other route concept. We practice this by assigning a scramble on a certain number of plays in our team periods including 7-on-7, and by telling the QBs to never concede a sack in practice (one of the many benefits to not having your QB live in practice).

The last three situations all relate to how you finish games on offense. They include the Two- Minute Offense, Four-Minute Offense, and Overtime. I have put all three together because I think there is merit to installing them at the same time in your offense. Understanding how to finish games, whether you have a lead or need to gain the lead, is a mindset that has to be developed. Both situations require extreme confidence, and belief in what you do.

TWO-MINUTE OFFENSE

When we install our two-minute offense, we adhere to these coaching points and principles:

1. We establish and consistently teach and reinforce our two minute identity – route concepts, screens, runs, and protections that our athletes know they can anticipate running.

2. We appoint an offensive lineman that is always in the huddle to remind everyone of the situation – down and distance, timeout situation, and time on the clock. The assigned player realistically may not know the answer to all of these questions, but it is his job to ask the question so everyone is alerted to the situation.

3. When killing the clock, every WR lines up on the LOS. We will never be called for not having enough players on the LOS.

4. Our execution needs to be, at worst, 25% in terms of getting a first down based on the fact we have four downs.

5. We must know our kickers range if we are playing for a FG.

6. Practice your 911 plays (plays you run when the clock is running and you don’t have time to get something called and signaled to the field. These plays can be different by field zones. We designate ours by field zone as 911 red-field/white-hi red zone/blue-low red zone).

At some point during the season, your offense will be called upon to perform when the clock and score are against you. The coaching points that you instill in your players will play a direct role in the success or failure of your attempt at finishing the two-minute drill with a score.

FOUR-MINUTE OFFENSE

The four-minute offense, like the two-minute offense starts with a mindset that has to be established. The margin for winning and losing is most often so small that the inability to close out a game with a physical, efficient four-minute drill is often the difference. We start our four-minute philosophy with the mindset that we must defeat our opponent and leave no doubt that we did so. From there, we talk to our players about the following:

1. We MUST be able to run the ball against an 8-man front.

2. We will slow our operation down by spending too much time in the huddle and at the LOS.

3. We absolutely cannot have a penalty – show poise under pressure and no retaliation.

4. Ball security is a must – never sacrifice the ball for extra yards.

5. Keep the clock running and don’t run out of bounds.

6. The QB aborts all naked fakes and tracks the runner (extra eyes and body on a fumble).

7. If we throw it, the QB has to be ready to take a sack. We cannot stop the clock willingly.

8. QB has to be ready to run the ball on pass plays.

9. First downs are winning plays – everyone should know where the sticks are.

10. Have blitz answers in the run game.

11. Take pride in finishing football games with the ball.

The coaching points and reminders mentioned above are essential, but make no mistake about it – the four-minute offense starts with a physical mindset.

OVERTIME

This situation is unique in that it really encompasses many of the previous situations directly and the coaching points that exist within them. On any given overtime situation your two-minute, red zone, and four-minute situations will undoubtedly show up. These are some of the key points of emphasis in our overtime situation:

1. Our captains must know that we always want to defend first (this could differ from our decision on what to do on the opening kick-off).

2. Our captains must know where we want to play football. Know your stadium and its advantages/disadvantages and have an idea of your opponents as well.

3. When we get the ball first, remember:

• Ball security – we have three points already.

• Red zone philosophy – no sacks, no penalties, touchdown-check down mentality, commitment to run game.

• Worst case scenario – get the field goal.

4. When we get the ball second:

• Everyone must understand what we need to win (FG or TD).

• If we need a FG to win, possibly use the four-minute philosophy.

• If we need a TD to win, use the two-minute philosophy in that you’re playing with a four down mentality. Execution on third and fourth down will be the difference in the game.

• We do not need to score on one play – don’t press, and just execute the offense.

The overtime situation is one that has to be practiced. You could go years without playing an overtime game, but when it happens you must be ready. During the 2013 season, we played two games that went to OT. I firmly believe the emphasis we put on practicing overtime situations benefitted us and helped us win both contests.

The way we practice OT is that we start with a coin toss where our offensive and defensive captains simulate their roles. We explain to them what we would like for them to do when we win the toss or lose the toss, and how we go about deciding what end of the field we want to play on based on whether we are home or away. Once this phase is explained and simulated, we have our #2 offense start the OT drive against our #1 defense and when the drives ends, our #1 offense takes the field and works against our #2 defense with the results of the previous series serving as a barometer for what we need to do to win the game. This simulation is really an unscripted team period in your practice, as well as a functional way to illustrate the subtleties of playing an overtime game.

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While the commercial has become cliché the point still holds true: fewer than two percent of NCAA student-athletes will go pro.

That number is still exponentially higher than that at which a high school student-athlete will make their living by playing their desired sport at the highest level. The ability to use sports to pursue a degree in a multitude of fields is where the truest value in an athletic scholarship can be found.

Those taking advantage of their on-field ability have been shown to graduate at higher rates than corresponding members of the student body, with the disparity in that rate rising each year.

The chart below is taken from the NCAA.org website, showing the probability of competing in athletics beyond high school — both collegiately and professionally.

ATHLETES	M-BBALL	W-BBALL	FOOTBALL	BASEBALL	M-HOCKEY	M-SOCCER
HS Athletes	538,676	433,120	1,068,6273	474,791	35,198	410,982
HS Seniors	153,907	123,749	310,465	135,655	10,057	117,423
NCAA Athletes	17,984	16,186	70,147	32,450	3,964	23,365
NCAA Freshman	5,138	4,625	20,042	9,271	1,133	6,676
NCAA Seniors	3,996	3,597	15,588	7,211	881	5,192
NCAA Draftees	46	32	254	678	7	101
% HS TO NCAA	3.3%	3.7%	6.5%	6.6%	11.3%	5.7%
% NCAA TO PRO	1.2%	0.9%	1.6%	9.4%	0.8%	1.9%
% HS TO PRO	0.03%	0.03%	0.08%	0.5%	0.07%	0.09%

The study was conducted to estimate the probability of competing in athletics beyond the high school level.

Using data provided from the National Federation of State High School Associations and the five professional sports leagues to extrapolate the points the study came to its findings.

The study found that the highest percent of high school hockey players were extended the chance to play in college with nearly 11.3 percent of participants while only 3.3 percent of boy’s basketball players would make it to the next level.

High school football was the overwhelming leader in participation and was still towards the front of the pack as 6.5 percent of senior athletes were able to go onto play on one of the multiple level of NCAA athletics.

High school baseball and college baseball carried very strong numbers across the board as about 6.8 percent of high school players went on to college while 0.5 percent of collegiate baseball players moved onto the professional ranks through the draft.

To see the complete methodology visit NCAA.org.

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Criticized for its own handling of head injuries, the NFL launched an extensive lobbying campaign to pass laws protecting kids who get concussions while playing sports. The result: Within just five years, every state had a law on the books.

But are the laws strong enough?

An Associated Press analysis of the 51 youth concussion laws — one in each state and the District of Columbia — found that fewer than half contain all of the key principles in the initial bill passed in Washington state in 2009. That measure mandated education for coaches about concussion symptoms, removal from a game if a head injury is suspected, written clearance to return, and a concussion information form signed by parents and players.

About a third of the laws make no specific reference to which ages or grades are covered. Even fewer explicitly apply to both interscholastic sports and rec leagues such as Pop Warner or Little League. Certain laws make clear they cover public and private schools, others only refer to public schools, while some don’t say at all. Almost all lack consequences for schools or leagues that don’t comply.

“We did make compromises … in some states where we wanted to get something. A ‘B’-level law, as opposed to an ‘A’-level law,” said NFL Senior Vice President of Health and Safety Policy Jeff Miller, who testified about concussions before Arizona’s legislature on Tuesday while in town for the Super Bowl.

“Better to get something good, and get something in place,” Miller said, “as opposed to shoot for something fantastic in all places — and fail.”

The laws were passed with remarkable speed, and many were weakened because of concerns about cost. Jay Rodne, the Republican who sponsored Washington’s initial law, said putting expensive enforcement mechanisms in the bills would have caused many to fail.

Judy Pulice, in charge of state legislation for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, helped guide the NFL as bills were written and was disappointed that the final products didn’t include penalties for noncompliance.

“What happens if you don’t pull the kid out of the game? What happens if you put them back in with no medical release?” Pulice said. “Nothing happens.”

The AP’s review of the laws passed after Washington found that only 21 have all four of the requirements in the model legislation.

All but two of the laws call for the immediate removal of an athlete from a game or practice if a concussion is suspected. All but four contain language about education for coaches.

Yet only 34 say that before returning to action, an athlete with a head injury must have written clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussions. Just 30 mandate that a concussion information form be signed both by the athlete and a parent or guardian.

“They don’t all have the (main) principles. Not every state has the same bite as Washington state,” said Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, chairman of neurological surgery at the University of Washington and co-chairman of the NFL head, neck and spine committee.

He treated Zackery Lystedt, the middle-school football player who nearly died after getting two concussions in a game. Washington’s law was named for the teen.

After that landmark bill was passed, Ellenbogen recalled, he had a conversation with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about efforts to replicate the legislation elsewhere.

“The commissioner asked me, ‘What do (you) want to get out of this?’ I said, ‘I want to see, in my lifetime, 10 more states pass a Zack Lystedt law,'” Ellenbogen said. “And he said, ‘No. We’re going to get all 50 states. And we’re going get them in under five years.'”

Despite the weaknesses in a majority of the laws, there does seem to be consensus that their passage has increased awareness.

The NFL’s Miller pointed out they can always be amended.

“I say, ‘Let’s go back and make them better.’ That’s OK, too,” he said. “There’s only 10 laws that are etched in stone and those are the Ten Commandments. Everything else can be changed. Everything else can be improved.”

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Each Sunday Court XIV will hold… Training Sessions Training sessions will work on fundamentals that are crucial throughout the season. Each session will last for an hour. These sessions are normally performed in small groups of players specific to their position. These are by appointment only and start at $60.00 per session. Spots fill up quickly so please contact as soon as possible to reserve yours today! Evening Clinic  Each Sunday Court XIV will hold a skills clinic working on basic fundamentals for 1st-8th grades. These clinics are less intense, but still very efficient for skill development. This clinic will run from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m every Sunday! Cost for this clinic is $40.00 per player. We hope that you have had a great start to the new year. Please let us know if there are any questions you may have or would like to sign up for any of our Sunday activities by contacting us at courtxiv@gmail.com. Thanks again and hope to see you soon! Court XIV Staff