Loving Middle School American Football Running Back Drills by Wellington W

Conditioning: The five dot drill

Conditioning drills are effective in training and helping athletes be strong and reactive. 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.

This drill begins with the player starting on two of the outer dots and jumps feet together to the middle dot and then out again to the edge dots separating their feet. The second phase is having the player touch each of the dots with only one foot, and then switch to the other foot. The next step is jumping on all five dots with both feet together. The last phase is really returning to the original starting phase of jumping together and apart, however this time the athlete will change directions after they have jumped to the outer 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.

Catching the ball low

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. Here are some secrets to making this catch. First keep the pinkies together down low to make a shovel. This ensures that the ball will not slip through your fingers. Second, keep low to the ground as a reference your knees should be level with your elbows, and if this means that you are down on all fours better a complete and no extra yards than an incomplete pass. Second, bend your knees and get low. Use your hands and not your body. Always watch the ball through from the first time you see it in the air until it is in a secure ball carrying position. And always see the ball through, meaning that you are watching it into the tuck.

Strip Tackling

The faster your defense is at getting the ball back into the offensive?"'""s hands the more likely you are to win a game. Win your games by training your defense to use a strong tackle that strips the ball from the opponent. A great way to practice is have two players line up, one as the defense, the other with the football as the offense. As the offender runs ahead of the defender, have the defender bring his clenched hands up quickly, and forcefully, as he aims his hand at offender?"'""s football. Start the drill slowly, and reward for a strong tackle that affectively tackles and makes an attack to dislodge the offensive players grip on the ball.

Water on and off the field

Dehydration should never appear on the football field if both the players and coaches have good habits. Make sure that during the football practice players have their water bottles handy and are drinking often. Water should never be used as a motivational or reward type basis. Keeping everyone happy and hydrated will go a long way to a successful practice.

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