Tackling Fundamentals and Safety
Tackling is fundamental to football, and should receive proper attention at practices. Tackling can be fun and exhilarating, but done improperly and it can be dangerous. Some points to remember when tackling:
First is to cut off your opponent by placing yourself directly in front of them. Plant your cleats in the grass squarely in front and in the middle, bisecting the player in half. Also, and in coordination with your feet throw your arms back preparing to grab.
Second, push your other foot keeping your knees low and bent, and in sync with your feet throw your hands up hard around the offensive player. As your feet plants your head should be making its first contact. To protect yourself never, ever try to tackle with the crown of your head, but instead keep your head back, and your head square. You need to literally imagine that the football is a big hamburger and you want to bite it and not slam your forehead against it.
Third, throw your hips up and hard as you drive the offensive player backwards. The squarer you are in the first step the easier it will be to perform the third step.
Steps to effectively block driving
Simple drives are important for linemen to practice and perfect. The drive block is the most fundamental and should be practiced often. It is a simple yet effective way to move your opponent. If the Defensive lineman is aligned slightly to the right of the offensive linemen then the drive block with pus the defender to the right. When driving start with your play side foot. Move quickly and in a speed bursting motion, make solid contact with your opponent to drive them off in the direction that you want.
Conditioning: Dot drilling
Conditioning drills are effective in training and helping athletes be strong and reactive. The intent of this drill is to increase accuracy, timing, and speed. In order to execute the drill you will need a place with five dots, either marked on the grass or on a mat, forming an x shape much like the dots for the number five side of dice.
The player will start by placing a foot on the back two dots and then jumps together to the middle dot and then out separating his legs to the outer dots, much like you would see in hop scotch. Next the player will jump touching each dot with on leg only, and then switch using the other leg. After this, the player will touch all of the dots with both feet together. The last phase is really returning to the original starting phase of jumping together and apart, however this time the athlete will change directions after they have jumped to the outer dots. Because this drill is intended for accuracy and speed, it is recommended that players start out slow and deliberate and then speed up to their maximum time.
Ball handling Drill: Hot potato
Ball handling is one of the most vital skills that a player can have on the field, and this drills goal is to help players get a better feel and control for the football. In this drill players will be constantly moving or passing the ball from one hand to the other. The drill is simple and starts by having the player pass the ball around their head, torso, arms, knees, and even between their feet from one hand to another in constant motion.
The best thing that a coach can do is call out body parts that the players will have to move the ball around, or even calling a reverse command were the players will need to change the direction of the football. This change of motion will keep players from falling asleep, and ensure that you are developing handling skills and not just muscle memory.
At the very end of the drill the players will do several simple drops. This means that the player will drop the football and retrieve it again quickly. They also should rotate which hand they are using to pick it up so that you can increase ball handling with both.
Tackling is fundamental to football, and should receive proper attention at practices. Tackling can be fun and exhilarating, but done improperly and it can be dangerous. Some points to remember when tackling:
First is to cut off your opponent by placing yourself directly in front of them. Plant your cleats in the grass squarely in front and in the middle, bisecting the player in half. Also, and in coordination with your feet throw your arms back preparing to grab.
Second, push your other foot keeping your knees low and bent, and in sync with your feet throw your hands up hard around the offensive player. As your feet plants your head should be making its first contact. To protect yourself never, ever try to tackle with the crown of your head, but instead keep your head back, and your head square. You need to literally imagine that the football is a big hamburger and you want to bite it and not slam your forehead against it.
Third, throw your hips up and hard as you drive the offensive player backwards. The squarer you are in the first step the easier it will be to perform the third step.
Steps to effectively block driving
Simple drives are important for linemen to practice and perfect. The drive block is the most fundamental and should be practiced often. It is a simple yet effective way to move your opponent. If the Defensive lineman is aligned slightly to the right of the offensive linemen then the drive block with pus the defender to the right. When driving start with your play side foot. Move quickly and in a speed bursting motion, make solid contact with your opponent to drive them off in the direction that you want.
Conditioning: Dot drilling
Conditioning drills are effective in training and helping athletes be strong and reactive. The intent of this drill is to increase accuracy, timing, and speed. In order to execute the drill you will need a place with five dots, either marked on the grass or on a mat, forming an x shape much like the dots for the number five side of dice.
The player will start by placing a foot on the back two dots and then jumps together to the middle dot and then out separating his legs to the outer dots, much like you would see in hop scotch. Next the player will jump touching each dot with on leg only, and then switch using the other leg. After this, the player will touch all of the dots with both feet together. The last phase is really returning to the original starting phase of jumping together and apart, however this time the athlete will change directions after they have jumped to the outer dots. Because this drill is intended for accuracy and speed, it is recommended that players start out slow and deliberate and then speed up to their maximum time.
Ball handling Drill: Hot potato
Ball handling is one of the most vital skills that a player can have on the field, and this drills goal is to help players get a better feel and control for the football. In this drill players will be constantly moving or passing the ball from one hand to the other. The drill is simple and starts by having the player pass the ball around their head, torso, arms, knees, and even between their feet from one hand to another in constant motion.
The best thing that a coach can do is call out body parts that the players will have to move the ball around, or even calling a reverse command were the players will need to change the direction of the football. This change of motion will keep players from falling asleep, and ensure that you are developing handling skills and not just muscle memory.
At the very end of the drill the players will do several simple drops. This means that the player will drop the football and retrieve it again quickly. They also should rotate which hand they are using to pick it up so that you can increase ball handling with both.
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