AFQ X's and O's

Free football coaching strategies, play diagrams, X’s and O’s for coaches at all levels

Character & Leadership



Beyond the Scoreboard Forrrreeee!!!!

Beyond the Scoreboard Forrrreeee!!!! By Eddie Fields, Teacher and Coach Space Coast High School (FL) Summer break is the most joyous of times for teachers and coaches. With relaxed responsibilities and an abundance of free time, we all find hobbies…

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Beyond The Scoreboard – Hold the Mayo

Beyond The Scoreboard Hold the Mayo By Eddie Fields, Teacher and Coach Space Coast High School, Cocoa, FL I love cheeseburgers…irrationally love the things. The best one I ever had came from a Mexican joint in Fayetteville, North Carolina. When…

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Beyond the Scoreboard – Sac Bunt, Sac Fly, Sac Apply

By Eddie Fields, Teacher and Coach Space Coast high School (FL) With a runner on first and second with no outs I looked across the diamond to see the signs our third base coach was giving to our hitter. The…

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Beyond the Scoreboard-What Football Means to Me: Win or Lose : The Hard Way

  By Eddie Fields, Coach and Teacher Space Coast High School (FL) The other day my son was horsing around on our stairs. My wife, nervous, told him to get down before he hurt himself. He immediately said “Dad lets…



Beyond the Scoreboard: What Football Means to Me—Win or Lose

I…CAN Handle the Truth After taking the season off from coaching football, I anxiously showed up to winter baseball workouts ready to roll. The reflections on relationships, especially with my son, afforded by a season-long retreat were rewarding, but the…

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Beyond the Scoreboard: What Football Means to Me—Win or Lose

  Happy Holidays The Wednesday before Thanksgiving one of my good coaching buddies shot me a text. It said, “Hey, if Nathan wins Friday he will be in the MAC Championship and we should go!” I politely texted him back…



Lou Holtz on Mental Toughness

What are some of the characteristics of a mentally tough athlete? What leadership qualities do mentally tough athletes bring to the team? Did you have a favorite player who was mentally tough?  -Doug Heslip, National Academy of Sports Medicine Performance…



Beyond the Scoreboard: What Football Means to Me—Win or Lose

Dear Son… By Eddie Fields, Coach and Teacher Space Coast High School (FL) In a recent school assignment my, 8-year-old, son had to write a letter to one of his parents expressing appreciation. My son penned the following message: Dear…



Beyond the Scoreboard: What Football Means to Me — Win or Lose

 Players, Coaches, Angry Fans…Lend Me Your Ears Everyday exchanges in the football world carry a tremendous amount of variety in both message and motive. From the idealistic and hopeful messages in pregame speeches to the nonsensical mantras of disenfranchised fans,…



Beyond the Scoreboard: What Football Means to Me – Win or Lose

The mention of love in society generally conjures visions of hearts and flowers, creating a Disney-like mental picture of romantic relationships. The masculinity and machismo often associated with the gridiron does not immediately surface in this affectionate imagery. Still, love…

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