Need Advice, NT: HS Football

[creamofdacrops]

I'm entering my senior year of HS and since I love talking about/watching football, I decided to try it out. It was all good at first, but after awhile I began to dread going to practices and, truth be told, I'm not very good anyway.
Now, I'm contemplating quitting because I tried it out and didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would have, but the self-conscious part of me doesn't want to give people the satisfaction of knowing I quit (I'm Asian, so when I told people I was trying it out they hit me with the "Really? ")

So what do you guys think I should do: quit or just keep going at it? Apologies in advance if you think this belongs in General or any other forum.

 

[jjs07]

If your heart isn't in to it, you're either going to get yourself hurt or hurt someone else while on the field. You gotta be in it 100%, IMO.

If it's not something you like, or want to do...then don't play. In the grand scheme of things, you have to do what's best for you.

Just think about it....a year from now when you're in college, no one will remember this. ****, a few weeks from now, no one will remember this.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Yea what James Jett ^ said.

You "minus whale" let people laugh at you for quitting. That is your best choice.

What the hell were you thinking anyways when you signed up?

 

[creamofdacrops]

Yea what James Jett ^ said.
You "minus whale" let people laugh at you for quitting. That is your best choice.
What the hell were you thinking anyways when you signed up?

I love football, watching it, talking about it, playing it with friends, so I thought to try out organized football. My thoughts were pretty much "Hey, it's my senior year... why not?"

 

[ricanchulo]

Stick with it my dude. Im sure your season ain't even start yet. There will be ups and downs. I barely got any run my soph and jr years but i still had fun being part of the team.

 

[ham city]

I love football, watching it, talking about it, playing it with friends, so I thought to try out organized football. My thoughts were pretty much "Hey, it's my senior year... why not?"

I commend you for going out there and trying. That said if my heart wasn't in it there's no way I would continue.

You really want to spend every single weekday afternoon and evening for the next 3.5 months putting on pads when you know you'll be lucky to get garbage minutes and you don't even want to be at practice?

That's how you want to spend your second to last semester of high school?

 

[kixology]

My guess is you're making your decision based off football camp which is the absolute worst part of the year. It only gets easier. My advice is give it 5 weeks from your first practice. If you're still not about it then you'll have no second guesses. If you give it up now you'll still have that what-if feeling which is sometimes worse than making a quit fix decision.

 

[sonunox34]

I'm entering my senior year of HS and since I love talking about/watching football, I decided to try it out. It was all good at first, but after awhile I began to dread going to practices and, truth be told, I'm not very good anyway.

Hardly anybody is any good at football their first year. There's a lot to learn technique-wise, even if you are gifted physically.

Are you getting lit up out there? What position are you learning?

My guess is you're making your decision based off football camp which is the absolute worst part of the year.

Very true.

 

[creamofdacrops]

So initially I decided to quit but then I went to talk to the coach and he convinced me to stay. It was cool seeing how much people were trying to convince me to stay, it felt like a family. I have my first scrimmage tomorrow, wish me luck fellas.

sonuno - I'm a WR, and nah I'm not getting lit up but my major problem is adjusting to the ball. It's bad because once I drop that first ball, I just kind of lose confidence but it really helped when you said that hardly anyone is good their first year.

 

[finallyfamous]

Good luck

 

[emulov]

So initially I decided to quit but then I went to talk to the coach and he convinced me to stay. It was cool seeing how much people were trying to convince me to stay, it felt like a family. I have my first scrimmage tomorrow, wish me luck fellas.
sonuno - I'm a WR, and nah I'm not getting lit up but my major problem is adjusting to the ball. It's bad because once I drop that first ball, I just kind of lose confidence but it really helped when you said that hardly anyone is good their first year.

are you closing your eyes as you catch it?

 

[ricanchulo]

So initially I decided to quit but then I went to talk to the coach and he convinced me to stay. It was cool seeing how much people were trying to convince me to stay, it felt like a family. I have my first scrimmage tomorrow, wish me luck fellas.
sonuno - I'm a WR, and nah I'm not getting lit up but my major problem is [COLOR=#red]adjusting to the ball[/COLOR]. It's bad because once I drop that first ball, I just kind of lose confidence but it really helped when you said that hardly anyone is good their first year.

 

[creamofdacrops]

are you closing your eyes as you catch it?

Nah. It's just a lot of times, when the ball is placed near my chest, I try catching it with my body rather than my hands and ultimately drop it.

 

[romedadude]

are you closing your eyes as you catch it?

Nah. It's just a lot of times, when the ball is placed near my chest, I try catching it with my body rather than my hands and ultimately drop it.

That's a no no brother. With pads, as you've learned from experience, the ball will bounce right off your pads.

I recommend doing some exercises to strengthen your fingers and just staying after practice to get some extra reps. Good luck!

 

[sonunox34]

sonuno - I'm a WR, and nah I'm not getting lit up but my major problem is adjusting to the ball. It's bad because once I drop that first ball, I just kind of lose confidence but it really helped when you said that hardly anyone is good their first year.

What's your height/weight?

Not much more that I can say other than than finish routes strong and get extra catching work in before and after practice. Team up with the 2nd or 3rd string QB and help each other get reps. Look the ball in and lock it up. Don't turn upfield until you know you have it secure. There's so much more... how much does your team pass versus running?

With the bouncing-off-your-chest thing, I'm guessing that happens during curl/hitch/slant routes? Make sure your hands are extended towards the passer and on hitch/curls, make sure you are coming to the ball. Try not to "trap" anything between your arms and pads... some guys get away with this, but it can be detrimental (like you've seen).

 

[do be doo]

OP why didn't you join in middle school? you know to REALLY learn how to run routes? to catch? to play???

Some of the CBs covering you are gonna eat you alive. They been playing longer than you. No way your gonna be Santonio Holmes out there with little experience in playing football.


Good luck OP. Oh remember IF you score a TD dont forget to TAP TAP PULL!

 

[nooera]

@ the tap tap pull reference. With the way things are nowadays, youd probably get your TD called back and a 15 yard penalty

i stay stick with it through the whole season OP. the dudes on the team will respect you knowing youre not very good but still showing up to practice every day and trying to get better. Bus rides to and from games are a blast. Get to rock your jersey to school on gameday and remind all the junior and senior breezies youre on the squad . Pep rallies. Memories that will last forever. The satisfaction that you joined the team and stayed a part of it throughout the whole season will be seriously gratifying when the season ends. Friday night lights fambs Who doesnt want to be a part of that ?

Good luck!

 

[slicknick951]

Im a little late to the party but everyone has been pretty on track with what i was going to say. Training camp/ mini camp or whatever your school does is the worst part of the season. Since it is your first year it is even more of a pain because you are not used to it. Stick it out and try to remain positive once the season starts you will be better acclimated after going through a hard summer of practicing

Since its your first year be honest and realistic with yourself. Not everyone can be a starter at WR so if you dont get alot of playtime dont let that discourage you.

Make sure you are on every scout team
Coaches need someone to give the offence or defense a good look when practicing for games and they realize who is just being a dummy to hit or someone who is actually making the team work.

Try to get on special teams
Weather it be punt or PR kickoff or KR get on something anything it will give you time on the field and allow coaches to see that you are a hard worker. This will work out for you cause if there is a way for them to get you in at WR they will be more willing to let you get some playtime rather than some WR who just throws the ball around on the sideline while the team is practicing.


GL and hope you have a good season.

 

[liquidswords]

My guess is you're making your decision based off football camp which is the absolute worst part of the year. It only gets easier. My advice is give it 5 weeks from your first practice. If you're still not about it then you'll have no second guesses. If you give it up now you'll still have that what-if feeling which is sometimes worse than making a quit fix decision.

this camp is the hardest part

 

[creamofdacrops]

Had my first scrimmage today, only got in on two running plays so I really couldn't show much.
I sincerely appreciate the advice everyone, it helped a lot when you guys said that camp was the hardest part because two-a-days :x .
The Larry Fitzgerald video helped a lot.

sonuno - I'm around 5-9/5-10, 160.

 

[slicknick951]

Had my first scrimmage today, only got in on two running plays so I really couldn't show much.
I sincerely appreciate the advice everyone, it helped a lot when you guys said that camp was the hardest part because two-a-days :x .
The Larry Fitzgerald video helped a lot.
sonuno - I'm around 5-9/5-10, 160.

My team goes away for a week and we used to practice once eat breakfast practice again eat lunch practie eat dinner then practice before lights out. The first time was horrible i felt like i was gonna die. But its hard so the rest of the year is a breeze

 

[kixology]

You need one drill and one drill only and you will never catch the ball with your pads again:

-Stand with chest against goalpost pad

-Wrap arms around pad

-Hands extended to the ball

-Catch pass

50 of those a day will take you 5-10 minutes and will immensely increase your hand eye, hand softness, and finger tip awareness. 

 

[651akathepaul]

I wish I entered this thread earlier. So glad you decdided to stick it out. The feeling you'll get from perservering through it will be much more rewarding and you'll be glad you stuck with it.

It was cool seeing how much people were trying to convince me to stay, it felt like a family.

This right here makes it worth it whether you're good or not. There's definitely a special bond you have and it's a whole group of friends that you otherwise may not have gotten the chance to know or hangout with.

 

[creamofdacrops]

I wish I entered this thread earlier. So glad you decdided to stick it out. The feeling you'll get from perservering through it will be much more rewarding and you'll be glad you stuck with it.
This right here makes it worth it whether you're good or not. There's definitely a special bond you have and it's a whole group of friends that you otherwise may not have gotten the chance to know or hangout with.

Yeah, I'm definitely beginning to get that feeling as the year progresses and the season hasn't even started yet.
Only one more day of camp too.

 

[slicknick951]

I wish I entered this thread earlier. So glad you decdided to stick it out. The feeling you'll get from perservering through it will be much more rewarding and you'll be glad you stuck with it.
This right here makes it worth it whether you're good or not. There's definitely a special bond you have and it's a whole group of friends that you otherwise may not have gotten the chance to know or hangout with.

The only people from hs that i still talk to are people that i played football with