Youth football coaches go over the fundamentals of tackling with players during a camp last week at Churchill County High School.
As the football season draws closer, youth football players in Fallon are chomping at the bit to get on the field.
For about 90 children, last week provided their first opportunity to hit the field and learn the fundamentals at the annual football camp hosted by the Churchill County Parks and Recreation Department.
Steve Moon spearheaded the week-long camp, which tutored the ambitious young players in every position highlighted with two flag-football games to end the event.
“It’s really centered around fundamentals,” he said. “The reaction I heard from the parents is pretty positive as well.”
Moon, who coaches the Fallon Renegades of the Sierra Youth Football League, and other Fallon youth coaches provided lessons on dynamic stretching as a way to warm up, agility and plyometric jumps. As for field work, Moon and company taught each player every position from the technique on the offensive and defensive lines to proper form as a quarterback.
“We do an offensive day centered on fundamentals, then we do a defensive day,” he added. “Our coaches applied those fundamentals into a team concept.”
The children ranged from elementary to middle school students, many of whom have participated in the camp for several years.
As for the rookies, Moon said the camp provides a good lead into the tackle football season whether in SYLF or Pop Warner.
“It can be a little intimidating (for the first-year players),” Moon said. “They have a little knowledge behind it. I think the reaction has been positive for us.”
As for the games, Moon said the players were split into age groups with a 9-and-under and 10-and-older group forming two teams each. During the game against their respective age group, Moon said the coaches were creative with their plays as opposed to what they would run during the season.
“We want them to apply what we taught them,” he added. “Because it is flag football … be really creative. Running dive or blast all season … no. We had a double-reverse pass by one of the younger teams and they completed it. We want to make the games fun for the kids.”
As the camp concluded last week, the SYFL teams started practice on Monday with their first games on Aug. 30. Pop Warner practices begin Aug. 4.
“Part of our league is we have to have 10 hours of conditioning before we can put on gear,” Moon said. “Those camp hours apply. We make those things work hand-in-hand.”