As our football camps approach in the next couple of weeks you'll notice that our football fields are becoming busier with players throwing footballs, punters, kickers with father's holding, as well as quarterbacks throwing the football in anticipation of the upcoming football training camp.
One of the things you can do if some of your players are available is to implement a couple of hours per week in implementing a passing skeleton. For the most part, a lot of the players will be kicking around anyway and looking for something to do so why not! It's a good time to get together, throw the football, and practice your offence and defence without the pressure of preparing for a game. Coverage's and routes can be tweaked and players can shuffle in and play both sides of the football all the while receiving coaching and practicing plays and systems that will be used for the upcoming season.
It's also a good way to introduce new players to your passing system, and defensive coverage's while having fun throwing the football. Your skeleton participation is always optional taking in consideration that it is summer and your kids need their down time as well. The main thing is to let them know that your there if they are interested, if not no big deal!
Cheers!
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Monday, August 9, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Football Tackling Drills:Head Position in Tackling
As a youth football coach it's very important that when we are teaching tackling that we make sure that we emphasize that the players never use their head to butt, ram, spear, or make contact with an opponent. In drills covering tackling, all football coaches need to make this a priority.
I read an interesting article the other day whereby a neuro-surgeon with a football back round stated that the best way to teach our youth football players to tackle would be with out helmets. That way they would develop a good tackling technique that would protect and not involve the head.
Now I wouldn't recommend this but I do certainly understand his point.
With the pencil necks that we coach at the youth level the head never should be part of the equation. The point of contact when making a tackle should be the chest with the head back. If you examine any youth shoulder pad the breast plate is well protected and designed to sustain contact. Once contact is made the player should be taught to drive up and through his opponent with his arms, latch, keep his feet moving, and take his opponent to the ground.
Tackling drills should cover straight on tackling and angle tackling with the coach emphasizing point of contact and proper head position. Players should be taught to never, ever drop their heads, and with their head back at all times, watch and follow the hit in all the way. One of the things I have incorporated in tackling drills is that in the early sessions of teaching tackling is to tackle with "thud" contact, head back, wrap up, and do not leave your feet. Now "thud" contact is controlled half speed contact whereby we want the contact to be initiated but, the emphasis is on good tackling technique with head back, and proper form and technique. We stick with controlled "thud" contact until we are comfortable that all players have good tackling fundamentals and then we will pick up the speed a little more in the contact drills.
And you know what happens?
Once the speed is picked up a little, a lot of young tacklers will drop their heads on contact. At this point as a coach you have to step in, review technique once again, and send them back to "thud" school for more training. A couple of trips through "thud school" will get them thinking. What's most important is that they never tackle at a faster speed until they pass "thud school". Then it's controlled progression in all tackling drills until they have it right.
Cheers!
I read an interesting article the other day whereby a neuro-surgeon with a football back round stated that the best way to teach our youth football players to tackle would be with out helmets. That way they would develop a good tackling technique that would protect and not involve the head.
Now I wouldn't recommend this but I do certainly understand his point.
With the pencil necks that we coach at the youth level the head never should be part of the equation. The point of contact when making a tackle should be the chest with the head back. If you examine any youth shoulder pad the breast plate is well protected and designed to sustain contact. Once contact is made the player should be taught to drive up and through his opponent with his arms, latch, keep his feet moving, and take his opponent to the ground.
Tackling drills should cover straight on tackling and angle tackling with the coach emphasizing point of contact and proper head position. Players should be taught to never, ever drop their heads, and with their head back at all times, watch and follow the hit in all the way. One of the things I have incorporated in tackling drills is that in the early sessions of teaching tackling is to tackle with "thud" contact, head back, wrap up, and do not leave your feet. Now "thud" contact is controlled half speed contact whereby we want the contact to be initiated but, the emphasis is on good tackling technique with head back, and proper form and technique. We stick with controlled "thud" contact until we are comfortable that all players have good tackling fundamentals and then we will pick up the speed a little more in the contact drills.
And you know what happens?
Once the speed is picked up a little, a lot of young tacklers will drop their heads on contact. At this point as a coach you have to step in, review technique once again, and send them back to "thud" school for more training. A couple of trips through "thud school" will get them thinking. What's most important is that they never tackle at a faster speed until they pass "thud school". Then it's controlled progression in all tackling drills until they have it right.
Cheers!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Youth Football Summer Season Planning
With spring camps completed and the summer upon us nows the time to start thinking about your up-coming football season. Depth charts should now be established with player evaluations completed and you should have a good idea who's penciled in to play at all positions. This includes your specialty spots, long-snappers, holders, returners, and kickers. So with training camp six weeks away you will have a general idea of where your players will fit in, and what positional spots you need the most help. Playbooks should be reviewed and tweaked, your season schedule and match-ups revealed, equipment inventory taken and new stuff ordered , and your training camp dates set.
All in all, you should be ready now at this point to "get er going"!
With the framework of this years team in place it makes it easier for you as the coach to get into your training camp as you will have a good idea where players will be fitting into positions. One of the funnest things in training camp are those pleasant surprises of who will show up unexpectantly that will impact your team. It doesn't happen a lot but when it does you'll be smiling.
Now that all is in place, sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the summer. You'll find that your mind will drift in and out of football daily, hourly,its natural as a football coach. Just don't get the fired up juices flowing, its too early! Relax, and enjoy the sun!
Cheers!
All in all, you should be ready now at this point to "get er going"!
With the framework of this years team in place it makes it easier for you as the coach to get into your training camp as you will have a good idea where players will be fitting into positions. One of the funnest things in training camp are those pleasant surprises of who will show up unexpectantly that will impact your team. It doesn't happen a lot but when it does you'll be smiling.
Now that all is in place, sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of the summer. You'll find that your mind will drift in and out of football daily, hourly,its natural as a football coach. Just don't get the fired up juices flowing, its too early! Relax, and enjoy the sun!
Cheers!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Football :Attacking the 3-4 Defence
The football defence of choice these days appears to be the 3-4 defence. Teams at all levels appear to like its diversity, its pressure, and its ability to cover most areas of the field. The 3-4 defence has emerged as an attacking defence capable of bringing the heat and providing good downfield coverage.
But what is its drawback?
Basically, my belief is that this defence is set-up around the nosetackle. If this defence does not have a true nose-tackle then things can become unravelled and exploited. A true nose tackle per say is a player with both good size and football ability that can take on a double team block effectively and not be scooped or washed down. But the key is the ability to withstand a double team block. What usually takes place on a nosetackle that cannot handle the double team block is that they will end up initially being double teamed by the centre and offensive guard and once their momentum is stopped or they began to lose ground one of the offensive linemen will chip off the double team block and go down and get one of your linebackers.
This brings up the point that an effective zone blocking scheme versus a 3-4 defence with a weak NT can be very effective. Double team the NT and chip off to get the middle linebacker would be the basic strategy.
Another weakness of the 3-4 defence would be misdirection such as an inside counter. An agressive nosetackle would definately "bite:" on the lead back and with the tailback cutting back to counter, with a trap from the OG on the counterside DT with both middle linebackers getting washed down with good blocking angles by the offensive line would definately do damage.
Coaching point versus the 3-4 defence. Test and attack the NT position. Look for the double team chip to middle linebacker and run misdirection plays such as an inside counter. Run the ball effectively inside and get them to switch into a 4 man front to counter the zone blocking double team.
Cheers!
But what is its drawback?
Basically, my belief is that this defence is set-up around the nosetackle. If this defence does not have a true nose-tackle then things can become unravelled and exploited. A true nose tackle per say is a player with both good size and football ability that can take on a double team block effectively and not be scooped or washed down. But the key is the ability to withstand a double team block. What usually takes place on a nosetackle that cannot handle the double team block is that they will end up initially being double teamed by the centre and offensive guard and once their momentum is stopped or they began to lose ground one of the offensive linemen will chip off the double team block and go down and get one of your linebackers.
This brings up the point that an effective zone blocking scheme versus a 3-4 defence with a weak NT can be very effective. Double team the NT and chip off to get the middle linebacker would be the basic strategy.
Another weakness of the 3-4 defence would be misdirection such as an inside counter. An agressive nosetackle would definately "bite:" on the lead back and with the tailback cutting back to counter, with a trap from the OG on the counterside DT with both middle linebackers getting washed down with good blocking angles by the offensive line would definately do damage.
Coaching point versus the 3-4 defence. Test and attack the NT position. Look for the double team chip to middle linebacker and run misdirection plays such as an inside counter. Run the ball effectively inside and get them to switch into a 4 man front to counter the zone blocking double team.
Cheers!
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