Our
Program Goals
Hello Parents, Players and Friends,
It's not close to playoff time, but it will be here before
we know it, and it's important to make note of a few things
before we get to that point in the season.
First, all teams will make the playoffs. That should take
some of the pressure off of the players and coaches. These
ten regular season games are not all about winning and
losing. There is so much going on here that has nothing to
do with winning and losing. All wins and losses do are
determine what position a team will take during the only
games that really count, the playoffs.
Secondly, it's VERY important to recognize that this is
all just a game. It's a Rec League, and that is all. This
is not the NFL, or an extension of the Brookline Knights,
and we all need to step back for a moment and get focused.
The Brookline Recreation Center provides this program for
the purpose of bringing our neighborhood kids together to
play flag football in a SAFE, FRIENDLY and COMPETITIVE
environment. That's all it is. It's just a game. We all
must remember those words ... "It's just a game." ...
and behave accordingly. We will NOT tolerate obstructive
behavior from anyone: parents, players or patrons alike.
We are here to give the kids a chance to play and have
some fun. There can be NO other way.
So, with the onus taken off winning and losing, just what
is it that we are trying to accomplish here?
First, we have brought 60 kids together to play the game
of flag football in a structured learning environment.
The whole idea of forming a league is to provide a proper
atmosphere where these kids can develop both skills and
an understanding of the NFL Youth Flag Football game. The
only real way to do this is to play games, lots of them.
Forming teams necessitates the concept of teamwork, and helps
create a bond between the players. Hard work and dedication
will further strengthen these concepts. Our coaches and
instructors will do the best that they can to help with
this process. But, in the end, it is the desire of the
individual players that will determine the success or
failure of this endeavour. We hope that everyone will do
their best to learn the fundamentals of the game, define
their roles as a team player, and work hard to improve
their skills. This is the key to success, and the only
way to help their team improve.
Now, we do have a wide range of ages involved in this
league. It is unrealistic to think that most junior
players will become dominant members of their teams.
We do not consider this a problem, and hope that these
younger players do not become discouraged by their size
or lack or parity with the older players. Regardless of
age or skill level, all players are members of a team,
and must function as a team to succeed as a team.
It is important to note that there are many dynamics
involved here, and experience has taught us that we
must give this league, these teams, our coaches and
officials, and ourselves, the necessary time to evolve.
The kids need time to get to know each other and their
coaches. The teams need time to develop and learn to
execute. The staff needs time to observe, evaluate and
make whatever corrections are needed. To expect instant
results is not realistic.
Trust us. What we see in the first few games will not be
what we see in the last few games. Please be patient
with the process and allow the teams to evolve. Many
times we have seen top seeded teams get knocked off in
playoff games by low seeded teams that just took longer
to get their games in gear.
With respect to our coaches and referees. These individuals
are volunteers and have been chosen by our staff because
they have demonstrated an ability to instruct and get
results. The coaches are doing their best, and each
has a different and unique style. Remember that yelling
and a certain level of intensity are bred in a
competitive environment. As much as we try to downplay
winning and losing, the desire to win sometimes can be
a bit overwhelming. We are all human. Please do your best
to respect the coaches and their decisions. If they make
a mistake, the mistake will be addressed by the staff
after the game. If a parent feels that their child has
been slighted in any way or is not happy for some reason,
please bring this to the attention of the staff and the
issue will be dealt with accordingly.
Our referees will do their best to keep the game flowing
and work hard to manage the game. They will call fouls
and they will inevitably miss some fouls. They also are
human. As league directors, we have put a lot of trust
in the individuals chosen to help officiate and teach.
We respect them and we expect the same from the parents
and players. Any problems, and I'm sure there will be
some, should be brought to the attention of the staff
after the game, and these concerns will be dealt with
accordingly.
It's again VERY important to recognize that this is all
just a game. It's a Rec League, and that is all. This
is not the NFL and sometimes we all need to step back
for a moment and refocus. The Brookline Recreation Center
provides this program for the purpose of bringing kids
together to play flag football in a safe, friendly and
competitive environment. That's all it is. It's just
a game, and hopefully we will all have a little fun.
We will NOT tolerate obstructive behavior from anyone:
parents, players or patrons alike. We are here to
give the kids a chance to play and have some fun.
There can be NO other way.
SO.......
after all this typing, we are back to the original message.
Each team has five weeks and ten games of flag football to
learn how to play the game, and play it as a team. Each
player will hopefully learn their roles on the team and
each team will improve. We must give them this opportunity
and hope for the best.
We ask that everyone be patient with the process and when
its time for the playoffs we will have some good games
to entertain us.
Thanks everyone for your support!
-Dale and Clint
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