Developing Middle School Coaching

Practice can help turnovers

In order to win football games you need to have possession of the football. 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 offenders football. This drill is most effective if you start it slow focusing on the motions needed to be effective, and then speed up over time.

Secrets to a good hand off

Handoff skills can secure yardage on the field and increase your overall success. The hand off can take place in many ways, but most if not all handoffs occur between the quarterback and the running back. A good hand off starts with the running back giving a target to the quarterback, this can be done in the running back keeping his arms flat against his body, one arm low and the other high creating an open square or target around the chest for the quarterback to slide the ball in. When the running back receives the football he clamps down both arms hard on the football to protect it. As the running back leaves from the handoff he needs to stay low to react quickly and again to protect the ball.

Angle tackling

It is a great idea to practice angle tackles with your defense because not all tackles are made with the opponent right in front of you. Accomplish this drill in pairs, having one teammate act as the offense, or ball carrier, running in a straight line and the other as the defender coming in at any angle. As the opponent comes toward the defender he will need to adjust his body position and shorten the angle, put his foot in front of the opponent, and make sure that he put his head in front of the opponent. The defender follows through with the tackle by straightening his knees in a lunging type motion, wrapping his arms around the ball carrier to pull him down to the ground or push him off sides.

Running Drills: A Way of Life

If you have more energy at the fourth quarter then your opponent then you have won, and the best way to get endurance are running drills. These drills are meant to help you play your hardest throughout the entire game. Even with all of these benefits you will notice that most of the complaints in practice come from running drills. Whether you are tired, exhausted, and ready to throw up, if you keep running your added strength will help you win games. Running also will teach you how to push yourself even when you don't want too.