Running, Tackling, Catching.It Is What Football Is All About.
Low Ball Catching Techniques
Good receivers and even running backs know how to make the great plays. Making the plays means that you have practiced the non-optimal situation and know how to react to them. One situation that happens a lot in a game is catching the low passes. Here are some great techniques in coaching and learning the low catch. First keep the pinkies together down low to make a shovel. This ensures that the ball will not slip through your fingers. Locking your pinkies prevents the football from falling through your hands. Once you have the football in your hands scoop it up and tuck it away. Remember, the cardinal rule of catching is to use your hands and not your body. Never use your body to catch a football. Last, concentrate on catching it first and then worry about the defense, and scoring some more yards.
Football tackling 101
It has been stated many times that a defensive teams win games, and the most fundamental part of a defensive team is performing a great tackle. If executed poorly not only will you not succeed in stopping the offensive team, but you could possibly injure yourself in the process. Some points to remember when tackling:
First, plant yourself in front of your opponent. Plant your cleats in the grass squarely in front and in the middle, bisecting the player in half. Also, and in coordination with your feet throw your arms back preparing to grab.
Second, thrust your other foot again squarely in front of your opponent and with all the momentum that you have brought to the tackle grab your opponent. As your feet plants your head should be making its first contact. To protect yourself never, ever try to tackle with the crown of your head, but instead keep your head back, and your head square. You need to literally imagine that the football is a big hamburger and you want to bite it and not slam your forehead against it.
The third and last step is to bring your hips up and drive the opponent backwards and towards the ground. The more momentum that you bring to the table on steps two and three the more effective your speed will be in this last step.
Catching the ball high
Because not all throws are perfect you will need to practice making catches that are high or low. As such you need to practice the high passes so that you know to react, here are some basics: When you go to make the high catch extend your arms, but keep your hands close together with your hands coming together in a diamond formation. When you have your hands extended you are performing a proper catch, remember, and don't ever catch it with your body. Important to look the catch through and tuck it away. Some receivers fear an oncoming tackle and want to check out the field as soon as possible, those receivers that follow the catch with their eyes are going to catch more and receive more playing time.
Conditioning: Five dot jump
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.
The athlete starts at the edge of the mat placing their feet on two of the outer dots and proceeds to jump with feet together on the center spot and then out again quickly to the outer dots similar to a simple hop scotch motion. 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 end step is similar to the first jumping jack step except that this time the player will turn 180 degrees after jumping on the two 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.
Good receivers and even running backs know how to make the great plays. Making the plays means that you have practiced the non-optimal situation and know how to react to them. One situation that happens a lot in a game is catching the low passes. Here are some great techniques in coaching and learning the low catch. First keep the pinkies together down low to make a shovel. This ensures that the ball will not slip through your fingers. Locking your pinkies prevents the football from falling through your hands. Once you have the football in your hands scoop it up and tuck it away. Remember, the cardinal rule of catching is to use your hands and not your body. Never use your body to catch a football. Last, concentrate on catching it first and then worry about the defense, and scoring some more yards.
Football tackling 101
It has been stated many times that a defensive teams win games, and the most fundamental part of a defensive team is performing a great tackle. If executed poorly not only will you not succeed in stopping the offensive team, but you could possibly injure yourself in the process. Some points to remember when tackling:
First, plant yourself in front of your opponent. Plant your cleats in the grass squarely in front and in the middle, bisecting the player in half. Also, and in coordination with your feet throw your arms back preparing to grab.
Second, thrust your other foot again squarely in front of your opponent and with all the momentum that you have brought to the tackle grab your opponent. As your feet plants your head should be making its first contact. To protect yourself never, ever try to tackle with the crown of your head, but instead keep your head back, and your head square. You need to literally imagine that the football is a big hamburger and you want to bite it and not slam your forehead against it.
The third and last step is to bring your hips up and drive the opponent backwards and towards the ground. The more momentum that you bring to the table on steps two and three the more effective your speed will be in this last step.
Catching the ball high
Because not all throws are perfect you will need to practice making catches that are high or low. As such you need to practice the high passes so that you know to react, here are some basics: When you go to make the high catch extend your arms, but keep your hands close together with your hands coming together in a diamond formation. When you have your hands extended you are performing a proper catch, remember, and don't ever catch it with your body. Important to look the catch through and tuck it away. Some receivers fear an oncoming tackle and want to check out the field as soon as possible, those receivers that follow the catch with their eyes are going to catch more and receive more playing time.
Conditioning: Five dot jump
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.
The athlete starts at the edge of the mat placing their feet on two of the outer dots and proceeds to jump with feet together on the center spot and then out again quickly to the outer dots similar to a simple hop scotch motion. 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 end step is similar to the first jumping jack step except that this time the player will turn 180 degrees after jumping on the two 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.
