MAY

As a coach, you control the tempo of the game. Your the one in charge for who goes on the field and who sits on the bench. You must realize the power and authority you have as a coach. Before the game begins, if you know nothing about the other team, then you should go with your first string of players if you have a extra players on the bench (IWFFA allows up to 20 players on women's team rosters). You put your first string in so you can create momentum for your team, get first downs, then get more first downs and then touch downs. This tempo, success created by your offense, builds up a rhythm and momentum and positive energy for the entire team (on and offthe field).

When you see an opening, for a play to insert a bench player.... put her in. You can mix up your first and second string players, and you don't have to keep your strings as a whole separate team from one another. You want to put everyone on the bench out onto the field as much as possible during your games. This is to build confidence in all your players, make all the players feel part of the team and to develop skills of your weaker players.

I've been at games where there's 2 minutes left in the game, and coach for "team B" who is loosing by two touch downs, has kept their bench off the field the entire game. And still with two minutes left in the game, no one from the bench is put into the game. Coach is trying to win a loosing game. There is no Practical purpose to keep any player on the bench the entire game.

Remember the hardest position to play on the team is "Bench". If coach puts you onto the field, your coming on "cold", you've not had a chance to warm up your muscles and you have to "turn it on" instantly. A bench player may feel de-moralized because they're not playing first string. Society in the women's flag football game, plays such a strong influence. There are societal stigmas to sit on the bench. The stereotype created is that you "must win". This rationale keeps players on the bench.

As a female flag football coach, you have to control your team and monitor these emotions for ALL your team players because you want a strong team, and you want to develop team work, where everyone feels part of the team. A good coach will put ALL the team players on the field. Winning should not be emphasized, but rather playing your best and that translates for a good coach to develop all your team players to a skill level that includes all your players in the game.

You also want your first string players to get use to sitting on the bench, to share positions on the field with their team mates. I 've seen elite players with attitudes get miffed and negative because they've been taken off the field and put on the bench in order to allow another team mate the opportunity to play. As a coach, I'm not happy with these attitudes and from time to time if you have elite players who don't want to get off the field to allow others to play, then moving your bench serves a great lesson for those types of players as well. Team Work!

Tahira is 39 years old and a married woman who has 7 children. She is a dedicated mother and wants the best for her children. She was living a tough life some years ago; it was very difficult to meet her household expenditures.

For many years, she has been running a business where she sells of milk with the help of her husband. She keeps buffalos for milking purposes and then she sells the milk in her area. Her

business is doing well enough to pay for some of her family’s expenses.

We have loaned Tahira some money to help her purchase a cow to increasing milk sales and earn

a good amount of income.

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