Body Mechanics and Youth Football

Football fundamentals such as blocking and tackling are key elements towards effective football play. Specific drills that emphasize fundamentals should be a big part of your practice plan and done daily in order to develope your youth football players. But more than just drills, you as a youth football coach, should take some time to really explain the funadamental as well as the key body mechanics that must be performed correctly that will enhance the specific fundamental. Lets face it great hitters have excellent body mechanics which enables them to effectively perform with power and speed. One of the things a youth football coach can do is really take the time at the beginning of the season and explain to your players the importance of sound body mechanics in order to have strong fundamentals in football. Such things would include head position prior to impact as well as having the body in a set position with knees bent and arms back so that when contact is made the body is set up in order to be able to explode up and through the opponent. When teaching tackling drills the point of contact of your player or point of impact should be explained as part of the body mechanics they need to know to be strong physical players. Sometimes you'll notice players will pursue hard to the ball carrier and then let up just before impact. This would be a good example of a player not fully understanding perhaps his own bodies point of impact on his opponent which is they are not as physical as they should be. If proper body mechanices were emphasized in fundamental drills perhaps it would have made a huge difference. Body mechanics teaches youth football players why they do what they do and in the end will give them super confidence. A lot of times the youth football coach gets so wrapped up in their drills they lose sight of the teaching side of the game specifically the communication to your football players the importance of good body mechanics. Cheers!