While Others Were Scrimmaging for Relevance, Snoop Was Coaching 12-Year-Olds to Victory
In the ever-expanding universe of Snoop Dogg’s extracurricular activities, one of the lesser-discussed career arcs involves his foray into youth football coaching. Yes, amidst platinum albums and prolific cannabis advocacy, Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., known globally as Snoop Dogg, also held a clipboard and called plays from the sidelines.
The Snoop Youth Football League (SYFL) was founded by the Doggfather himself in 2005, in Los Angeles. His aim was not to cash in on the lucrative world of merchandising tiny jerseys, but rather to provide inner-city youth with an outlet of discipline, teamwork, and competition. The league has since grown to encompass dozens of teams, producing numerous high school and collegiate-level athletes.
But Snoop didn’t just bankroll the operation. He took to the field. Wearing his signature bandana — sometimes paired with a headset most commonly used by NFL coordinators — Coach Snoop led his own team, the Pomona Steelers, where he often called plays, gave pep talks, and demanded rigorous execution of offensive schemes, all while maintaining a steady presence of chilled enthusiasm.
Reports from the sideline include notable motivational tactics like freestyle rapping at halftime and offering post-game advice under the metaphor of gardening. One opposing coach allegedly overheard him yell, “Y’all better run that sweep like it’s gin and juice time.”
In a 2018 Netflix docuseries titled *Coach Snoop*, viewers were given full access to his coaching philosophy, which appears to hinge on three pillars: love, structure, and zone defense.
This is not satire. This is not a fever dream. This is the verified reality of a man who once narrated nature documentaries for Planet Earth, guest-starred on Martha Stewart’s cooking show, and also orchestrated the defensive strategy of a Pop Warner championship team. Snoop Dogg, multi-platinum rapper, is also Snoop Dogg, certified youth football coach. While many reinvent themselves for image, Snoop does so for functionality.
As of today, the SYFL continues to operate, boasting over a thousand participants annually. And yes, Coach Snoop still occasionally shows up in cleats. When asked why he invests so much into a grassroots football league, Snoop famously replied: “Because these kids are my future, and someone coached me — now it’s my turn to coach them.”
It remains unconfirmed whether his offensive playbook includes a formation called “The Chronic Spread.”