Conditioning: The Quick Jump

Football is all about action and reaction, and those that practice reacting quickly in a variety of directions will dominate the field. This practice drill is intended to increase reaction speed and the ability to quickly change directions. It starts by placing players in a small four square box. Once a players positions themselves in one of the corners they will proceed to jump from one corner of the area to other in either a patterned function or randomly. Coaches should encourage one foot jumping to increase further strength and reactions on the field.

Learning the Basics of Catching a Low Football Pass

Great plays are made through dedicated practice of the fundamentals. Execution on a football field starts with practice. Perfect and not so perfect scenarios should constantly run at football practice. One not so perfect scenario is a low passed catch. First keep the pinkies together down low to make a shovel. This technique stops the ball from bouncing away and also helps the player scoop up the ball quickly. Locking your pinkies prevents the football from falling through your hands. Third, once the ball touches your hands scoop it up into your chest and tuck it away into a secure position. Remember, the cardinal rule of catching is to use your hands and not your body. Keep your eyes right on the ball. And always see the ball through, meaning that you are watching it into the tuck.

The importance of learning the Playbook

Practicing the plays is fun, and also very important. When you master your part of the play it will strengthen your team and yourself. In order to start learning a play, make sure that you first pay attention to the instructions when they are given. In order to avoid learning a play wrong, or developing bad habits, we recommend that you go through the entire play slowly at first. Practice is a great time to get some extra help, so if you are struggling with a certain play remember that your coaches are there to help you master the techniques. Always, always ask for the help that you need. After practice is over visualize the play in your mind. Go over it again and again, and you will find that your mind will help you learn the plays even when you sleep.

Angle tackling

It is a great idea to practice angle tackles with your defense because not all tackles are made with the opponent right in front of you. Accomplish this drill in pairs, having one teammate act as the offense, or ball carrier, running in a straight line and the other as the defender coming in at any angle. As the defender he will need to adjust his body to cover the shortest distance towards the ball carrier, and make the stop by placing his foot squarely in front, and remembers for safety to put his head in front of the ball carrier. The defender follows through with the tackle by straightening his knees in a lunging type motion, wrapping his arms around the ball carrier to pull him down to the ground or push him off sides.