LA Rams High School Coaches Shadow Program 2026

Hey guys, Deb Wickes with High School on SI. Training camp isn't just an opportunity for players to improve, it's a chance for coaches to learn too. The Rams High School Coaches Shadow Program gives boys tackle and girls flag football coaches a behind-the-scenes look at NFL practices, allowing them to observe the Rams coaching staff and bring new ideas back to their own teams. It's another way the organization is helping grow the game at the high school level. Tell me about the Shadow Program. The purpose is really to give them an opportunity to see NFL practices, the efficiencies, the drills, how coaches are communicating, what that schedule looks like for coaches, just to empower them to add to their repertoire. How amazing is this opportunity for you guys to learn? You know, it's great. I wish more teams did stuff like this for coaches. The Rams doing this for the community is really good and it's great to invest in youth sports. I mean, these are our future NFL players. So why not give coaches the opportunity to learn from the professionals and see what we can take away and help these kids, you know, grow in the sport. Why do you love coaching girls? For some reason, girls tend to listen more than the boys. At least that's been my experience when I compare it in soccer. Boys sometimes think they know it all. They're like, yeah, yeah, coach. Girls tend to absorb and execute better. What's so special about girls flag football? Well, it's a new sport for the high school. So we've been doing it for two years. This is our third year. So it's very exciting to teach the girls how to play football. And our first year was a little bit difficult. But, you know, it was very rewarding that girls were excited and eager to learn. So it's very exciting to coach the girls. What are you taking in today from Sean McVay and from the team? Just trying to get some ideas on efficiency of practice. As high school athletes, you know, they don't have a lot of time because they have their academics as well. So it's a matter of how can I use the time that we do have most effectively. What is the difference between coaching the men and coaching the girls? Girls are different, right? It's like their approach is different. I'm always learning. Like, I have daughters, too. But you're always learning about the best way to approach them. Boys, I feel like I was a louder coach. And as a coach now, I'm very more deliberate with my language. And they're fun. They're still the same aggressive. They want to win. They're attacking. All those great things. There's no differences in the gender. It's just approach mostly. And why do you coach girls flag? It's just so fun. I went to a game and I was hooked. The girls are so eager to learn. They just soak up any information. And it makes the game so much more fun. Tell me a little bit about the quarterbacks that you work with. We're trying to grow the game, right? A lot of the positions for quarterbacks, nobody really coached girls. Through my learning experience, 17 years, I was like, you know what? Like, I love the game. Have the passion for it. Why not, like, give back? Why are you here with the coaches program today? Just to have an opportunity to see what it's like. How the practices are run. And to be able to bring these girls back to the girls. What are you learning that you want to bring back specifically to your program? Finishing every rep as best as we can. And being able to install plays quickly and move through them quickly. So, the tempo of it all is something I'm looking forward to. You participated in the high school shadow program. Why did you decide to participate? It is really important. Not just for, not for me, but for to see other people involved. Those little kids and high school kids and elementary kids, they're our future. And if you don't invest in them, then who is? For me to have an opportunity to go out and just speak to, you know, to the people that are giving their hearts and their soul, you know, to these young individuals, it's special. And so that's the least that I could do.