Tackling in youth football is one of the key fundamentals that must be practiced and mastered by youth football players in order for them to safely play with confidence, avoid injury, and be effective football players. Teaching tackling mechanics in practice is a key component towards developing football tackling skills. Probably, the biggest key to tackling is teaching proper body position or body mechanics to the youth football player prior to any contact. It's extremely important that the player know and practice these body mechanics at the youth football age level so as to develop solid tackling fundamentals as their bodies grow and they progress to each football level.
1. Stance: prior to contact, the feet should be about shoulder width apart and slightly staggered with one foot slightly ahead of the other. For reference purposes, the toe of the trailing foot should line up with the front arch of the leading foot. Again, feet are shoulder width apart.
2. Knees and Butt: prior to contact the knees should be slightly bent and the butt down. This sets up the body in a coiled fashion ready to explode up and through the ball carrier on impact
3. Back: should be vertical with a slight lean forward with chest out. Again, this puts the body in a position to explode up and through the ball carrier on impact.
4. Neck and Head: should be cocked back with the neck bulled ready for contact. In fact, the most important element of tackling to avoid injury is making sure the players head and neck are always back. Do not let a player have full speed contact if they drop their heads on contact! Practice this element of football tackling until head position is in the right place. The head is never a factor in tackling!
5. Arms; the arms should be cocked back and bent slightly forward at the elbows with hands out and ready to grab the cloth of the ball carrier on impact.
The body now is set into what is referred to as the "breakdown position". The tackler is taught to set up his body into the breakdown position just prior to contact. This puts the body in the right position to safely and effectively tackle. With this in mind it's time to teach the tackler the mechanics of tackling. The tackler is now taught that as he pursues to the ball carrier, that just before impact he is to set in the breakdown position and explode up and through the ball carrier by extending his knees and rotating his hips forward with the point of contact being the chest plate of his shoulder pads just under and up though the chest plate of the ball carrier while the arms explode up and around the torso of the ball carrier and grabbing the jersey. The tackler is taught to keep his feet moving on impact with the head back and the neck bulled until the ball carrier is taken to the ground. Again, the head is never part of the equation when it comes to tackling.
These elements of tackling must be practiced each week and are one of the key fundamentals of playing football. Good tackling fundamentals will give your player confidence and will enhance other areas as well of your football team.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Football Coaching Tips: Offence and Defence
The game is changing! Football players are bigger, faster and stronger now and are more committed to their sport than ever before. The equipment, the facilities, the weight-rooms and gymnasiums are much better facilities than they were twenty years ago. As well, information regarding proper nutrition, diet, and training plans are much more readily available today than they were in the past. The athlete now trains year round and there is an endless amount of football resources around complimented by spring and summer football leagues and good football systems.
Better athletes with better coaching, and more opportunities to play football, equals a higher brand of football played today than in the past.
With that in mind the challenge for a football coach today is immense. You need to be on top of your game, you need to be organized in both your practice plans and systems and know them inside and out. As a football coach you need to make a commitment to the game, like your football athlete does in the weight room and gym, to be the absolute best that you can be otherwise the game and its evolution will pass you by very quickly.
The players will expect that from you as well as their parents who will be quick to criticize a disorganized practice or poor football systems. It's absolutely necessary for you as a football coach to have everything in place and your football house in order; it will save you a lot of grief! So organize yourself, be better, and attend a local coaching clinic. One of the things you'll notice is that even the most successful coaches still attend coaching clinics; it's just another way despite their on field success for them to stay on top of their game
Cheers!
Better athletes with better coaching, and more opportunities to play football, equals a higher brand of football played today than in the past.
With that in mind the challenge for a football coach today is immense. You need to be on top of your game, you need to be organized in both your practice plans and systems and know them inside and out. As a football coach you need to make a commitment to the game, like your football athlete does in the weight room and gym, to be the absolute best that you can be otherwise the game and its evolution will pass you by very quickly.
The players will expect that from you as well as their parents who will be quick to criticize a disorganized practice or poor football systems. It's absolutely necessary for you as a football coach to have everything in place and your football house in order; it will save you a lot of grief! So organize yourself, be better, and attend a local coaching clinic. One of the things you'll notice is that even the most successful coaches still attend coaching clinics; it's just another way despite their on field success for them to stay on top of their game
Cheers!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Linebacker Keys: Effective Block Shedding Technique
To be an effective inside linebacker it's important to get to the ball on every play from the line of scrimmage. For the most part there will be blockers along that path to the ball and it's important that the linebacker has a good block shedding technique in order to take on blockers, shed them, and get to the ball. As important as tackling is in football, it's also very important for linebackers to learn effective block shedding techniques.
One of the most effective block shedding techniques is called the two point punch.
In the two point punch the linebacker when engaging a blocker would strike the blocker with his two hands on the blockers shoulders and fully extend his arms in what we refer to as "locking out". The strike to the shoulder area should be quick and with authority causing the blocker to lose momentum. The extension and locking out of the blocker is another effective technique to keep the blocker off the linebacker and gain separation.
Finally, to complete the block shedding process the linebacker would use a "rip technique" whereby he would disengage his backside arm, push on the play-side shoulder and rip across the front of the blocker with his backside arm and leg to completely shed the blocker and get to the football. The two point punch block shedding technique would be practiced in your group work segment of your practice plan within your linebacker group.
Cheers!
One of the most effective block shedding techniques is called the two point punch.
In the two point punch the linebacker when engaging a blocker would strike the blocker with his two hands on the blockers shoulders and fully extend his arms in what we refer to as "locking out". The strike to the shoulder area should be quick and with authority causing the blocker to lose momentum. The extension and locking out of the blocker is another effective technique to keep the blocker off the linebacker and gain separation.
Finally, to complete the block shedding process the linebacker would use a "rip technique" whereby he would disengage his backside arm, push on the play-side shoulder and rip across the front of the blocker with his backside arm and leg to completely shed the blocker and get to the football. The two point punch block shedding technique would be practiced in your group work segment of your practice plan within your linebacker group.
Cheers!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Football Blocking Tips:Man Blocking
Man blocking in football has been around since the early days of football itself and for many years was the main system in football blocking. Man blocking in football today is still being implemented, and with the debate ongoing between man blocking and zone blocking is still an effective blocking system. For those not yet familiar with man blocking the basis of it is that your offensive linemen have a set of blocking rules they follow for their plays and depending where the ball is being run will implement their blocking rules to determine who or what player the block. An example of a set of blocking rules would be: Gap-On-Over. Basically, in these blocking rules the offensive linemen prior to the snap would check first their "Inside Gap", followed by "On" or whether or not there is a down linemen lined up right on them ,and finally " Over" to determine if there is a player over them like a middle linebacker. On each check if there is a player in that area it's their man to block
Another element of man blocking is the trap play. Basically, the trap play is designed to allow a defensive linemen to proceed across the line of scrimmage at the snap of the ball untouched only to be blocked out or "trapped" by an offensive linemen that is pulling down the line of scrimmage from the backside. Usually on the play-side there is a double team, taking place as well as one of the linemen down blocking on a middle linebacker. With the backside Offensive Guard pulling to the play side and trapping you are basically out manning the defensive front at the point of attack. This is the basis of a lot of the Double and Single Wing blocking schemes.
Another option in your man blocking scheme would be to have a fullback in your backfield that always attacks into the second level of linebackers. By implementing a fullback in the backfield you can create more double teams on the line of scrimmage without giving up a block into the second level linebackers. As well, a fullback can create a lot of misdirection in the backfield which can compliment your trap blocking scheme.
Cheers!
Another element of man blocking is the trap play. Basically, the trap play is designed to allow a defensive linemen to proceed across the line of scrimmage at the snap of the ball untouched only to be blocked out or "trapped" by an offensive linemen that is pulling down the line of scrimmage from the backside. Usually on the play-side there is a double team, taking place as well as one of the linemen down blocking on a middle linebacker. With the backside Offensive Guard pulling to the play side and trapping you are basically out manning the defensive front at the point of attack. This is the basis of a lot of the Double and Single Wing blocking schemes.
Another option in your man blocking scheme would be to have a fullback in your backfield that always attacks into the second level of linebackers. By implementing a fullback in the backfield you can create more double teams on the line of scrimmage without giving up a block into the second level linebackers. As well, a fullback can create a lot of misdirection in the backfield which can compliment your trap blocking scheme.
Cheers!
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