Fort Calhoun High School football coach Zach Byrd stood on the midfield logo and delegated coaching duties to his teenage Pioneers on Tuesday during their program's Youth Camp.
The second-year head coach knew he could trust his players to keep the, approximately, 100 youngsters on task through the position-by-position defensive drills.
“We've had a really good summer with our guys showing up and getting to workouts this offseason here,” Byrd said. “I think it's a great opportunity for the boys to be able take what we're trying to teach them with what we do, and to see how they can relay it back to another younger generation that's looking up to them.”
It's a learn-by-teaching methodology.
“It puts them on the spot a little bit and gives them a little bit of ownership in some of the stuff we're doing here,” Byrd explained.
It also kept the elementary-age boys — and some girls — focused during the three-day, 90-minute-per-day camp.
“Obviously, the youth kids just love working with (the high school players), being around them and listening to what they say way better than they're going to listen to me,” Byrd said.
The campers worked on defensive technique Tuesday, practicing their secondary drop-back skills, their run-stopping linebacker work and their ability to engage a blocker as a defensive lineman. They even enjoyed themselves tackling the rolling tackle wheel.
Drills then led to multiple games of touch football across the Pioneers' entire playing field at FCHS.
“With our youth kids, we're just trying to foster and create an enjoyment for the game,” Byrd said. “Get them excited about playing.”
It appeared to work with a lot of smiles and touchdown celebrations to prove it.
“Ultimately, the whole goal here is for the kids to have fun,” the coach said.
