Developing High School American Football Routines
Receivers: Ball Security Drill
Catching the football properly and effectively is fundamental to a strong offense. The points of a proper catch are: First, opening up your hands with an open triangle. Second, follow the ball through with your eyes. Third, tuck the ball away security, keeping your eyes on the ball, so that it is in a high tight position. Many receivers can get into a bad habit of looking away from the ball before it is stored away properly. This error leads to incomplete passes or worse, a fumble. To prevent this, have two receivers throw to each other and as they catch it have them slow down the motion so that they pause at each catch, follow through and tuck.
Conditioning: Five dot jump
Conditioning is meant to increase speed, endurance, and reaction time on the football field. The intent of this drill is to increase accuracy, timing, and speed. Setting up this drill is very simple, you will need five markers placed about a foot apart in an x formation with one of the dots being in the center surrounded by four other dots in a square formation.
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. The second phase is having the player touch each of the dots with only one foot, and then switch to the other foot. Then continue around the dots with both legs together. The last step is the same as the first hop scotch method but this time when the player reaches the other side they will turn around on the two dots. Remember that speed and accuracy are important on this drill so coaches should start players off slow and then proceed to full speed constantly watching accuracy.
Tackling Fundamentals and Safety
Learning how to perform a proper tackle is fundamental to the game of football. Tackling can be fun and exhilarating, but done improperly and it can be dangerous. Here are three important steps to practice:
First, you need to stop the opponent quickly so make sure to place yourself directly in front of the opponents path. You can do this by placing your foot between your opponents feet. 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. Never, ever, ever tackle with the top of your head down, keep it up and square against your opponent. Tell yourself, or your players to imagine that they are biting the football.
Third, throw your hips up and hard as you drive the offensive player backwards. The more momentum that you bring to the table on steps two and three the more effective your speed will be in this last step.
How to overpower on the line of scrimmage
Football is all about strategy and fining, or making weak spots in your opponent. A great technique that will give you an advantage on the line is double team blocking. It is basically putting two linemen on one. This technique is effective for punching a hole through the line and getting a running back through, or it also works great on a defensive blitz. Here are some pointers for this strategy: First, players need to step together, and second lock hips. They form a wall that the opponent cannot break. Concentrate on this wall so that the opponent cannot duck around or go through the double team. Work it fast and work it hard
Catching the football properly and effectively is fundamental to a strong offense. The points of a proper catch are: First, opening up your hands with an open triangle. Second, follow the ball through with your eyes. Third, tuck the ball away security, keeping your eyes on the ball, so that it is in a high tight position. Many receivers can get into a bad habit of looking away from the ball before it is stored away properly. This error leads to incomplete passes or worse, a fumble. To prevent this, have two receivers throw to each other and as they catch it have them slow down the motion so that they pause at each catch, follow through and tuck.
Conditioning: Five dot jump
Conditioning is meant to increase speed, endurance, and reaction time on the football field. The intent of this drill is to increase accuracy, timing, and speed. Setting up this drill is very simple, you will need five markers placed about a foot apart in an x formation with one of the dots being in the center surrounded by four other dots in a square formation.
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. The second phase is having the player touch each of the dots with only one foot, and then switch to the other foot. Then continue around the dots with both legs together. The last step is the same as the first hop scotch method but this time when the player reaches the other side they will turn around on the two dots. Remember that speed and accuracy are important on this drill so coaches should start players off slow and then proceed to full speed constantly watching accuracy.
Tackling Fundamentals and Safety
Learning how to perform a proper tackle is fundamental to the game of football. Tackling can be fun and exhilarating, but done improperly and it can be dangerous. Here are three important steps to practice:
First, you need to stop the opponent quickly so make sure to place yourself directly in front of the opponents path. You can do this by placing your foot between your opponents feet. 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. Never, ever, ever tackle with the top of your head down, keep it up and square against your opponent. Tell yourself, or your players to imagine that they are biting the football.
Third, throw your hips up and hard as you drive the offensive player backwards. The more momentum that you bring to the table on steps two and three the more effective your speed will be in this last step.
How to overpower on the line of scrimmage
Football is all about strategy and fining, or making weak spots in your opponent. A great technique that will give you an advantage on the line is double team blocking. It is basically putting two linemen on one. This technique is effective for punching a hole through the line and getting a running back through, or it also works great on a defensive blitz. Here are some pointers for this strategy: First, players need to step together, and second lock hips. They form a wall that the opponent cannot break. Concentrate on this wall so that the opponent cannot duck around or go through the double team. Work it fast and work it hard