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. The drill set up is a mat or place on the field with 5 dots about a foot away from each other forming an X shape, exactly in the same shape as you would see diamonds arranged on a number five card in a poker deck.
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. Then continue around the dots with both legs together. The end step is similar to the first jumping jack step except that this time the player will turn 180 degrees after jumping 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.
Hand off drill
Because hand offs are such a vital part of a running offense, running backs should practice hand off skills every day. One great hand off drill starts by having two separate lines of players facing each other: line A and line B. At the coaches signal player A leaves line A running with the football towards line B. At the same time a player leaves line B, and when they meet in the middle Player A hands off the ball to Player B. Now player B has the ball and will hand off the ball to the next person in Line A who will hand off to the next player in Line B. The motion should be constantly moving from one line to another in this drill, almost like a juggling pattern. It is an effective drill to teach handoff skills and help running backs achieve higher accuracy and consistency.
Learning the Basics of Catching a Low Football Pass
This means that quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, etc have gone through the motions several times and know how to react to situations on the field. Perfect and not so perfect scenarios should constantly run at football practice. One not so perfect scenario is a low passed catch. Here are some basics to a great low catch. This technique stops the ball from bouncing away and also helps the player scoop up the ball quickly. Second, keep your knees bent low and in extreme cases you should be flat on the ground or diving. Third, once the ball touches your hands scoop it up into your chest and tuck it away into a secure position. Third, once you have caught the ball, tuck it away as soon as possible. Keep your eyes right on the ball. And always see the ball through, meaning that you are watching it into the tuck.
Ball handling Drill: Hot potato
This drill is used to increase players ball handling skills on the field. Players will move the football from one hand to another hand around differing parts of their body. 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.
Coaches can mix up the drill by shouting out body parts that the players will have to start circling with the football; they can also reverse the direction that the ball is traveling by calling, reverse. The reverse option is an important command as it will keep the players on their toes and focuses on concentration and ball handling.
When the coach calls and end to the drill the players will drop the ball several times (at least 7). This means that the player will drop the football and retrieve it again quickly. It will also help to change the hand that the players uses to pick up the ball to ensure both hands are learning this technique.
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. The drill set up is a mat or place on the field with 5 dots about a foot away from each other forming an X shape, exactly in the same shape as you would see diamonds arranged on a number five card in a poker deck.
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. Then continue around the dots with both legs together. The end step is similar to the first jumping jack step except that this time the player will turn 180 degrees after jumping 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.
Hand off drill
Because hand offs are such a vital part of a running offense, running backs should practice hand off skills every day. One great hand off drill starts by having two separate lines of players facing each other: line A and line B. At the coaches signal player A leaves line A running with the football towards line B. At the same time a player leaves line B, and when they meet in the middle Player A hands off the ball to Player B. Now player B has the ball and will hand off the ball to the next person in Line A who will hand off to the next player in Line B. The motion should be constantly moving from one line to another in this drill, almost like a juggling pattern. It is an effective drill to teach handoff skills and help running backs achieve higher accuracy and consistency.
Learning the Basics of Catching a Low Football Pass
This means that quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, etc have gone through the motions several times and know how to react to situations on the field. Perfect and not so perfect scenarios should constantly run at football practice. One not so perfect scenario is a low passed catch. Here are some basics to a great low catch. This technique stops the ball from bouncing away and also helps the player scoop up the ball quickly. Second, keep your knees bent low and in extreme cases you should be flat on the ground or diving. Third, once the ball touches your hands scoop it up into your chest and tuck it away into a secure position. Third, once you have caught the ball, tuck it away as soon as possible. Keep your eyes right on the ball. And always see the ball through, meaning that you are watching it into the tuck.
Ball handling Drill: Hot potato
This drill is used to increase players ball handling skills on the field. Players will move the football from one hand to another hand around differing parts of their body. 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.
Coaches can mix up the drill by shouting out body parts that the players will have to start circling with the football; they can also reverse the direction that the ball is traveling by calling, reverse. The reverse option is an important command as it will keep the players on their toes and focuses on concentration and ball handling.
When the coach calls and end to the drill the players will drop the ball several times (at least 7). This means that the player will drop the football and retrieve it again quickly. It will also help to change the hand that the players uses to pick up the ball to ensure both hands are learning this technique.