How does my son prepare for professional football?

Question

My six-year-old son wants to play professional football for the Green Bay Packers when he grows up. What is the best way for me to steer him in that direction?

Answer 1

That's not something that you can just steer towards and at six years old you have a really good chance you are wasting your time. It's extremely hard and rare to play in the NFL let alone choose the team you like. His mind will change just like kids who want to be firefighters and cops.

Answer 2

Let him play in a little league tournament, or for your local county AAU or division small camps first. Let him get the hang of it, and see if he likes it first. Cause my son wanted to play football, but once he got on the team, and realized he was one of the smaller boys on the team, and had to go to practice for like 2 hours for 5 days of week, he kinda started changing his mind. So, I didn't force him. But if your son is dedicated. After he's done with those summer league's and gets older. Let him try out for his middle school team and for highschool. Now, he doesn't have to play highschool ball, but the more experience the better. Last but not least, the most important thing is to get him into a good college. The bigger the football program the have, the easier it will be. Like and Usc, or Texas, our any school in Florida. If he can't get a scholorship, they do have walk-on try-outs. But there useless, unless he go's to that school. Now if those schools are to far away and too expensive, you can try smaller, up and comings schools that are way cheaper, like a Clemson or your local university, as long as the have a football program. But, the most important thing that I think you can do right now is start saving for his college education, because those things are expensive, like at least 10,000 dollars a year. And you son is 6, so now is the perfect time to start saving. My son is 8, but he decided he didn't want to play this year, he rather play video games all summer. But it's okay, hopefully by the time he gets to highschool he'll fall back in love with it. And if he does, he already got his pre-league training, so he'll be straight. So, get your son into some kind of summer league, they have like an 6-7 year old league. Then 8-10, and so on.
If you start that for him, and take care of the financial end later, then all he has to do is deliver on his half, and that's on the field. Maybe your son and the Packers will meet up against my son and the Raiders in a few years, until then - good luck......

Answer 3

The best way for you to approach this is to start with the commitment factor. You need to instill in your son the drive to accomplish his goals no matter the sacrifice.He must realize that to achieve such a goal will take hard work and dedication to the end results. He must know that it will be a sometimes hard journey that he has chosen, but at the same time an attainable one. Encourage, encourage, encourage especially at the early ages. You as the parent need to believe in his dream and support him every step of the way. So much of success in attaining ones goals is in the mind set of the individual. If he really wants to achieve his dream then he must know that it will be hard and time consuming. While other kids are swimming at the lake, or going to the local playground, he will be in the back yard practicing hand , feet and eye coordination. You as the parent must realize that you too will be busy . When other parents are boating, or fishing or just relaxing, you will be outside working right along side your son encouraging and helping to perfect the many skills that it will take to make it at the professional level. Purchase training tapes that are available for all ages of athletes, sit with him and study these tapes and practice these tapes with your son. Be an active partner in his striving to reach this goal. As he becomes older enroll him in football camps for his age group. You as a parent can even go with him to some camps. I quess the botom line is commitment to an end result. The mind is a powerfull thing and one who lacks the physical attributes of some but has the commitment and drive to achieve what he wants can persevere where others fail.

Answer 4

If he's only six, i would recomend you get him on an organized football team, while at the same time practicing with him daily on his, speed, throwing, catching, blocking, or kicking. Make sure he's familiar with the fundamentals. I wouldn't recomend weight lifting until maybe 9th grade.

But to be honest with you a big part of making it professionally or coliegately has to do with size... For example, if your 6'4, 215, in good condition, college scouts will look at you before they would a guy that's 5'8 165 Great Speed Great Strength, and an all around great player.

So the bottom line is if your child doesn't have good size it may be harder for him to play football professionally. and that's the truth.

Answer 5

Even though playing pro football is very tough, its possible if he works hard at it all his life. Start by getting him in pee wee football so he can get a feel for what its like playing football. Even though it's not very serious at this level, keep his spirits high and if he enjoys playing, encourage him to keep going at it. When he gets older and starts growing, he'll be able to see what kind of physical gifts and size he has that will determine what positions he can play in. After that he'll be in pop warner in his true position and can start getting use to the contact of the game and how he needs to play his position. After that it's high school, where practice and preparation really need to be a focal point if he truly wants to play football. If he plays well enough he'll most likely get some sort of scholarship to a college, or nonetheless go to college academically, and walk on to the college team. During college is when a lot of NFL scouts will be looking at him, and if he's practiced, mastered his position to his best, and played well enough in college, he'll be looked at by scouts. Then It's a matter of what team will look at him and give him a shot at playing pro football. Granted he might not be a superstar or starter, but at least he made it and played pro football that most of us can only dream about.

Answer 6

I would prepare him by having him build up his endurance with running. He is only six and you really do not want to start him out with weights yet, but when he reaches 11, then get him some light weights to start off with until he hits 14, then get him a membership to a gym.

For now running and running him through various plays with a football. Make sure to work on his catching ability. You want to run plays with him having him do abrupt turn arounds and having the ball in his hands once he turns around. Work on timed plays. Have him practice tackling techniques with other children. Research and work with him on agility relays.

I hope this helps. Oh, and work on his passing ability. Maybe tie a small hula-hoop by a rope off of a tree branch. Make him start throwing through the hole close up and eventually get farther and farther away.

Answer 7

try to get him in as many camps as you can. also have him play youth football and other sports. the more sports he plays the stronger and more fit he will get. and make sure it stays fun, if it is fun he will be more likely to stick with it and work at it. and make sure you are a parent not a coach. i am in high school and i play football and basketball and if you try to be a coach more than a parent he will start to hate playing. and i would try to take him out back every night you can and work on little things with him like catching and how to carry the ball. try to keep it at the same time every night for the same length of time every night so then when he gets to middle school and high school he will be ready for prac. and i saw that someone else said to keep him out until he is in middle school DONT, you may not think it will but it will help him learn the basics of the game play youth football and if he is going to start in middle school he WILL be behind the kids that played youth. trust me i didnt start until i was in 8th grade, that yeah and my freshman year were just catching up to where the other kids were at. and since he is only six you really dont want him lifting yet but as soon as he gets like 13 get him working out. and try to get him atleast into the camp that the school runs if there is one you want the coachs to notice him as soon as possible.

Answer 8

by not allowing him to play football until he is in middle school. My reason is, that most coaches that coach youth football end up making a kid hate football. Put him in soccer to work on his foot work, then let him play baseball to work on his hand eye coordination. This will give him the basic elements he needs to play football.

Answer 9

Start with little league/pee wee football - most neighborhoods have an association. My husband coaches your sons age group and they teach the basics. If he likes it go from there to middle school/ high school/college. Good luck!!!

Answer 10

easy!
i have a girl who wants to be just like me.
i play soccer.
so i just took her to lessons and sometimes i even taught her!