You could make a case that the most important coaches in a program are the elementary coaches.
Couldn't agree more, Hinsa. Having quality instruction at the elementary level not only builds a foundation for the kids to develop, it also sets a standard of expectation for the parents.
As my kids have grown, I have coached a variety of their elementary/rec teams (baseball, basketball, football and soccer). I'm not saying it never happens, but I have never understood why the high school coaches do not make a point of speaking with the coaches of the youth teams. At the very least, let the elementary coaches know what fundamentals...proper blocking and tackling techniques, etc...you would like the kids to learn and how to teach it so they are prepared for the next level of development, i.e. middle school. For the record, I do NOT believe the double and triple reverse is a platform from which to develop a successful offense. But go to some of these rec football games and that's what you'll see. Why would the high school coaches not take a vested interest in what the kids are learning at these early stages of their development? After all, their livelihood may depend on how these kids perform when they get to high school.