This week we will be taking a closer look at the elements of training and coaching an American football team.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 - Hello and welcome to Limitless Rise of the Falcons.
00:24 I'm your host Daniel Anenu,
00:26 and this week we'll be taking a closer look
00:28 at the elements of training and coaching
00:30 an American football team.
00:32 But first up, let's start by examining the playbook
00:34 and the role it plays in how a team approaches the game.
00:37 Cora Ingalls has more.
00:39 - Recently, I went to a training session
00:41 to learn about the playbook.
00:43 I interviewed coach Ian Whitehead
00:45 to learn how the playbook is used
00:47 during training and a game.
00:49 - Playbook is like a written bunch of plays.
00:51 It's like tactics that the defense uses
00:53 or an offense uses to get the upper hand on the opponent.
00:56 So a lot of teams have different type of playbooks,
00:58 they have different type of schemes,
00:59 like the way in which they use them.
01:01 Like obviously you've got run and pass plays.
01:03 Some people use different schemes and passes
01:05 to make sure they get open.
01:06 Similar to a lot of run plays,
01:07 but also the defense has to count about that.
01:09 - In American football, the defensive
01:11 and the offensive sides have different game plans.
01:14 I interviewed players from both sides of the team
01:17 to learn about the purpose of their playbooks.
01:19 - We do something called install,
01:21 which is our coaches, where they scout the opposing team.
01:24 They know what they're gonna run,
01:25 so we'll run our playbook in practice
01:28 against what we think they're gonna run
01:30 to sort of get us a first look
01:32 so that we're not gonna get into the game
01:34 and that's gonna be the first time we see
01:36 their plays run against our coverages.
01:37 It's sort of like mesh them together
01:39 and that's what we use training for, like majority.
01:42 - Yeah, and then after we've done all that,
01:43 you know, we know our system for the game.
01:46 We'll go into, in the training,
01:47 we'll do a little bit of team on team,
01:49 offensive versus defense, we'll implement all that there
01:51 so that we're getting used to it,
01:53 understanding the coverages and the system for the game.
01:55 - From an offensive standpoint, it's more different
01:57 because in offense, we draw up plays
01:59 to scheme against defense.
02:01 So we draw up plays like routes
02:03 and things of that nature to attack defenses.
02:05 On better defensive, you do the reverse
02:08 and then you just work on schemes
02:11 to stop an offensive play and things of that nature.
02:13 And for the offensive standpoint,
02:15 you draw up plays that will work
02:17 to get us more success on the field to score.
02:19 - I also spoke with the quarterback
02:21 who walked through an example
02:23 of how the playbook is applied.
02:24 - Depending on what the defense do,
02:26 it depends on the next play we do.
02:27 So if you like, let's say the first play you run the ball,
02:30 but if they manage to stop that,
02:31 we'll go for a pass play instead.
02:33 So it really depends on it.
02:34 And in-game, it's very different to training
02:36 'cause training, yeah, you don't have the opposition
02:38 trying to come at you,
02:39 whereby in-game, they're trying to take you down.
02:41 It's kind of frightful 'cause you just have
02:43 four huge guys coming for you,
02:44 but once you trust your team, the O-line,
02:47 they stay, you know, go and protect you,
02:48 get the ball up, and hopefully you score a touchdown.
02:51 - As we can see, the playbook
02:52 is not only a guide for the players,
02:54 it is also a vital part of the team's success.
02:57 This has been Cora Ingalls for KMTV.
03:00 - And next, let's take a closer look at the coaches,
03:04 more specifically, the positional coaches.
03:06 Jack Darkin spoke with coaches Tyrell Bovel and Tom Lee
03:10 to find out what the roles consist of
03:12 and what their part in the team is.
03:14 - In American football, a positional coach
03:16 is a fundamental part of the team.
03:18 Since each position requires different coaching,
03:20 these coaches can work on individual strengths
03:22 and weaknesses.
03:23 I sat down with two positional coaches
03:25 from the Kent Falcons to ask them
03:27 what exactly is a positional coach.
03:29 - So you've got your head coaches
03:31 and your offensive coordinators,
03:33 defensive coordinators, and then under that,
03:35 you've got your positional coaches.
03:36 So for every position, you've got a coach
03:38 to obviously coach the players who play that position.
03:41 - And each one of them is doing something
03:44 that's quite important to the play.
03:47 - I also spoke to them as to why positional coaches
03:49 are an important necessity for the team.
03:51 - Sometimes you need constructive criticism.
03:54 You need someone who knows what they're doing
03:55 to tell you, "Oh, try doing it like this,
03:58 or work on this."
04:00 In my experience, I've done this.
04:02 Like, it makes a huge difference
04:03 and it makes that development time a lot shorter.
04:06 Like, someone can be a better player in much less time
04:08 if they've got someone to actually help them out.
04:10 - So we are trusted to kind of own our position group
04:14 and to decide what drills we need to do,
04:17 what we need to improve on.
04:19 We're all different from our own sort of judgments,
04:21 but it all does need to fit in
04:23 with the scheme of the whole team.
04:25 Kind of coaching at Falcons,
04:26 it's coaching uni players who have never necessarily
04:28 played the game before.
04:30 So a lot of that is kind of starting with the basic.
04:33 It's all sort of down to the players.
04:35 You know, they've really bought into
04:36 what we've tried to do this year.
04:38 Like, we can come in and we can try
04:41 and do this culture shift,
04:42 and we can try and coach them to the high level
04:44 that we can, but if the players don't buy in,
04:45 that doesn't really go anywhere.
04:47 But the players have been great this year.
04:49 - It's difficult to find positional coaches
04:51 for American football teams in the UK
04:52 due to the lack of popularity in the sport.
04:54 However, as the sport has become more popular here,
04:57 it's become easier to find more positional coaches.
05:00 As a result, this has created a much more organized
05:02 and structured coaching system for British teams.
05:05 - Well, I think since I started playing
05:07 and to now, the sport has grown a lot.
05:10 So to find somebody who watches the sport,
05:13 knows it enough to actually be a coach,
05:15 and then has the time to dedicate themselves to coaching,
05:17 obviously, it's quite a small sport here.
05:19 A lot more people are becoming aware of the sport,
05:22 starting to enjoy the sport,
05:23 and you get more experienced guys
05:25 who are now getting sort of maybe to the end
05:26 of their playing career,
05:28 who are now starting to give back.
05:30 So everything's getting bigger,
05:31 more players, more coaches.
05:32 When I was sort of starting off,
05:34 there wasn't any positional coaches and stuff as such
05:37 in the team that I played for.
05:39 So it's nice to be able to change that
05:42 and help out the younger guys
05:44 and make a difference in the sport,
05:46 I suppose, and see it sort of grow and develop.
05:49 - And now it's time for Tony Teaches,
05:52 where we learn the fundamental manoeuvres of the game
05:55 with our resident running back, Tony Muzunichita.
05:58 This week, he took on tackling
05:59 with the Kent Falcons linebacker, Daniel Collado.
06:03 - This week on Tony Teaches,
06:04 I'll be going through the play-breaking power of tackling
06:07 with defensive captain, Daniel Collado.
06:10 Now, let's break it down.
06:12 - When it comes to tackling,
06:13 you want a strong base to start.
06:14 Then you want to take off towards the player you're tackling,
06:16 staying low and breaking down before making the tackle.
06:19 Also, make sure you wrap your arms around the player's waist
06:22 with your head towards the side of the player.
06:24 Now that's how you tackle.
06:26 After the training session this week,
06:28 me and Daniel sat down to speak about the future of the team,
06:31 as well as Daniel's future in American football.
06:34 - Thanks for joining me, Daniel.
06:35 So your team has recently clinched the playoffs.
06:38 What's the atmosphere like around the team?
06:39 - Well, the atmosphere is quite good.
06:41 Obviously, we're a first-year programme,
06:43 brand new coaches, a lot of rookies.
06:45 Obviously, like 60% of the team is rookies,
06:48 and they don't actually know what a playoff feels like.
06:50 So they're all excited.
06:51 They're ready to get into it.
06:52 And for our senior players,
06:54 we're excited to get back into it
06:55 after missing out last year.
06:57 - What's the recruitment process like
06:59 for University of America football?
07:00 - Well, obviously, we're kind of a niche sport
07:02 still in this country.
07:04 The way I do it is if I see someone
07:05 that might look like they might enjoy it,
07:07 I'll go up to them and I'll be like,
07:08 "Look, we have a training session."
07:11 This is obviously after Freshers' Week.
07:13 But if I see someone in the gym, for example,
07:15 who might be good at the sport,
07:16 I tell them, "Look, we're the America football team.
07:19 "We have a training session, this, this, and that day.
07:21 "You're welcome to come through and try it out."
07:23 And the way I sell it to them is,
07:25 if you try it and you enjoy it,
07:27 you just found a sport that you really enjoy
07:28 and you're gonna obviously play in it.
07:30 If you don't enjoy it,
07:31 at least you've tried something new,
07:33 and that's what uni at the end of the day is about.
07:35 - And do you have any plans for after university,
07:37 or do you plan to go further in the sport?
07:39 - Well, my plans for the sport are eventually,
07:41 my aspiration is to make it to the ELF
07:44 or add the Spain national team.
07:46 Those are my two aspirations within the sport.
07:48 But I'm in uni to do architecture.
07:51 America football, at the end of the day,
07:52 isn't part of my career overall.
07:55 I would love to do it, but I can't at this point.
07:58 So I wanna focus in architecture,
08:01 do my masters, and then end up in Dubai.
08:03 - Next.
08:04 Earlier, I sat down with Jacob Maxford,
08:06 a coach who works with the Kemp Falcons and Team GB.
08:10 I started by asking him what it's like
08:11 to coach teams across different levels.
08:14 - Oh, that is a fantastic question.
08:17 So it's a real opportunity to be a part
08:20 of a really great community.
08:22 That it's not the biggest community within sports in the UK,
08:26 but there's such a close-knit group
08:28 to watch people develop from people just being introduced
08:32 at the bottom level,
08:33 all the way up to working with elite talent.
08:35 You can really see where the opportunities are
08:37 from top to bottom.
08:38 - And when it comes to your ideologies and philosophies,
08:41 what type of ideas have you brought
08:42 to the clubs that you coach?
08:44 - I think, and it's true to life,
08:48 and that's what's beautiful about American football
08:51 in a lot of ways, is that it's no major secret
08:54 what success is.
08:55 It's hard work, it's putting in the effort,
08:57 it's doing the small things right,
08:58 and doing it with punctuality, intent, and focus.
09:02 And that is the making of a great team, in my eyes.
09:04 It's no special secret, there's no tricks of the trade
09:07 in a lot of senses.
09:08 It's just a case of putting some good old-fashioned hard work
09:11 and making a great environment out of it.
09:14 - Is there something that's important to you
09:15 when it comes to coaching?
09:16 Is there a singular value or more that you try to teach
09:20 the athletes while coaching them?
09:22 - That's a great question.
09:25 For me, it's always been hustle and intent
09:29 is the two words that I usually go by.
09:30 Hustle and intent, okay?
09:31 So we're working hard and knowing why we're working hard.
09:35 And the combination of those both
09:37 really sort of produce some great results.
09:38 - And can we get a comparison of coaching two teams
09:41 at different levels?
09:42 What's that like?
09:43 What's your experience been like?
09:44 - Yeah, so that's really interesting.
09:46 It's a skill that you need to master along the way
09:49 as a coach, sort of working with those two
09:51 kind of different groups.
09:53 And sometimes you forget when you're working
09:55 at the top level.
09:56 Sometimes you really need to explain
09:58 the 101s of football again.
10:00 And you've been ingratiated into this sport for so long
10:03 that sometimes you forget you need to explain
10:05 the core rules or basic ways we act,
10:08 approach things, so on and so forth.
10:10 So that's at the bottom level.
10:11 We need to make sure that we look after the guys
10:14 and get them set up with the correct foundations to exceed.
10:16 - And at the Falcons, are the expectations different
10:19 as opposed to Team GB?
10:21 Are the expectations different?
10:23 - Well, you definitely have different types of people
10:26 in terms of their experience with American football.
10:29 We've got a lot of people coming in,
10:31 I believe we're about 70% rookies at the moment
10:33 within our squad, which rookies meaning
10:35 that they haven't had any experience
10:36 with American football before.
10:37 Explaining those foundations and getting the build up
10:40 from the bottom upwards, we won't really need to do that
10:42 at GB because these people are experienced
10:44 in their high performance,
10:45 typically semi-pro or professional.
10:47 - And when it comes to coaching both teams,
10:49 do you use the same ideas and philosophies for both teams
10:52 or does it differ because of the experience
10:54 and expectations?
10:56 - I think the teaching points differ,
10:58 but the core philosophies and values all stay the same.
11:00 And it's that hustle and intent,
11:02 the things that I've already spoken about before.
11:04 - And as a coach, has your philosophies changed over time?
11:07 - Oh yeah, yeah, absolutely.
11:08 I think the sign of a good coach is the one
11:11 that is willing to break down the ideas
11:13 that they've already set up for themselves
11:14 and try and stand on the shoulder of giants
11:17 as the famous saying goes.
11:19 So you pick up new things along the way,
11:21 you learn things off of the coaches
11:22 that you're working with, even the players
11:24 that you're working with and you develop
11:26 as the game develops.
11:28 - Well, coach, that was absolutely amazing.
11:30 Thank you for your insight
11:31 and thank you for joining me on this show.
11:34 Thank you so much.
11:35 Now we've reached the end zone of today's episode,
11:38 but join us next week where we will look
11:40 at rookies and seniors.
11:42 Now don't forget to catch up on previous episodes
11:44 by visiting kmtv.co.uk.
11:46 But for now, thank you so much for joining and goodbye.
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