Youth Football Blocking Fundamentals

Probably the single most important group on your football team is the offensive linemen. Without a solid offensive line the team will struggle to move the football regardless of how outstanding your athletes are. As the players get older and elevate to each level, the offensive linemen become a very important part of your football team.

At the youth football level usually most coaches will put the biggest and slowest players on the offensive line. That's fine, but a lot of times these players don't know their blocking assignments, can't move, and basically use their size to push their opponents out of the way. Its important that we give them a little bit more than that. In the end we will all benefit.

From day one work on their three point stance. Make sure that they have good technique and get in it properly, reset their feet until they get it. make sure they have a nice flat back, butt down, with head up. As they set in their stance make sure they don/t have too much weight on that front hand. Once you've established a good stance, now work on getting them to take their first step. Footwork is probably one of the most important thing we neglect to do with our linemen at the youth football level. If they cannot move their feet properly then we cannot expect them to get to or maintain their block. Footwork drills out of a three point stance should be done every practice.

The rule of thumb with offensive linemen is that their first step is a short six inch step followed by a second larger power step as they engage their block.

First step ties, second step wins.

Teach them to hit and stick, not to pop up out of their low stance and drive their man until the whistle blows. At the youth football level a shoulder drive block should be practiced with their head tucked on their block play side. Once they have a solid stance and are moving their feet introduce to them the holes where your going to run the football whether it be a numbering or letter system, coach them up to where the ball will possibly run based on your plays. Some coaches even name their holes such as dive, smash, slam, etc. Its important they know where the ball is going!

Once they know the hole numbering system or whatever you go by, introduce some basic blocking rules such as Gap, On, Over. Basically, your linemen will line up knowing where the ball is going and then apply their rules in order to open up a hole. The rules reflect their biggest defensive threat. Before the snap they read the D-line and by checking where the defence is aligned. First check inside gap, nobody there, so check to man on, nobody there, so check to man over, ah there he is , that's your man to block.

There are different football blocking rules you can apply based on what your philosophy is, the main thing is to give them some rules and make it easier for them. You'll notice it when your running back is exploding up the middle for big gains!


Cheers

Football Equipment Inventory

With keeping the spring theme in mind as we evaluate our football systems, drills, and special teams, another project for the youth football coach would be to take equipment inventory. Take stock of all your gear and hardware carefully inspecting each item. Take each helmet and inspect them very closely. If they appear worn and used chances are that they are ready to be turfed. All football helmets should have the manufacturers production date stamped on the inside of the helmet by the ear hole. Check the date, and any helmets that are 5 years and over , get rid of them.

Football is a fun, physical game and its important that we protect our youth football players as much as we can. Don't take a chance with helmets that are 5 years and older, its just not worth it!

Now, check all of your shoulder pads for wear and tear as well. The tell tale sign of a lot of wear will be on the inside of the shoulder pad where it sits on the players shoulders. If they appear to be worn with not much padding left or displaced, turf them as well, they're no good! Certainly you don't want any of your players wearing them. Shoulder pads depending on who's wearing them usually last longer then helmets, they're pretty durable.

For the most part , and to keep your costs down, try and replace 8 helmets  and shoulder pads per season. That way after every 5 years you've completely replaced your inventory of helmets and shoulder pads. Most dealers have Buy two and get one free type deals so take advantage of them.

Cheers!

Football Playbooks and Spring Cleaning

Spring is almost here and like any good youth football coach its time to evaluate your football systems and do some spring cleaning and get rid of some clutter. Time to go through the playbook and evaluate plays that you ran the previous season.

For the most part your play evaluations should be based on the football players that you have returning and how they fared in your offensive system last season. Perhaps they struggled in a particular look or formation, or they just weren't ready to do what you asked them to do from within the football system.

On the other hand, they have a years experience under their belt , are probably a little bigger and stronger, and more mature than they were the previous year and maybe now this play that failed you so bad last season might be a "go to" play this season.

 It's up to you as the football coach to determine that as nobody knows your players better than you do.

As you do your football spring clean-up, you may as well evaluate your football drills, practice plan, special teams,and even your assistant coaches. As well, evaluate your own performance as we all can improve in football somewhere.

Cheers!

Football Sled Drills

Probably one of the best football coaching tools that I ever had to implement was the use of a seven man sled. Nothing can compare! The sled is a great tool to teach basic football fundamentals. There are many sled drills out there but my favourite one of all is called the "Hit n Drive". This drill forces the football player to execute all the core fundamentals needed in tackling and blocking.

Have your player's line -up and across from each sled bag with an equal amount of players in each bag line. Instruct them to stand at least two yards back from the sled-bag and in a two point football stance. On the whistle and in unison all players will step, drop their hips, and then explode up through and wrapping up the bag, with neck bulled and head back, with a chest to bag contact while pumping their legs and driving the sled for 5-7 yards or until the coach blows the whistle. The next line will align across from the bags and on the coaches whistle will perform the same drill again. This is a great team building drill as the players seem to feed off it and they love to smack the sled down the field. The coaching staff follow the sled and point out and coach up fundamentals to the players as they peel off the sled and get back into line. Then when it's their turn once again they hit n drive the sled having made their adjustments fundamentally as pointed out by the coaching staff. The drill has good flow and it can be done out of a three point stance as well.

Cheers!