Staying Hydrated

Sufficient water intake on and off the field for athletes should be a concern for both the coaches and the players. 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. When players are hydrated and energized they will practice harder and learn more.

Making a great hand off

Learning the basics in a handoff is essential to a strong offense. We will explain this in a common scenario between a quarterback and a running back. A running back at the start of a hand off should give the quarterback a target by opening up his arms that are in front of his chest enough to allow about one and a half footballs in. When the quarterback slides the ball into the arms, or the pocket as it is called, the running back closes his arms around the ball to protect it. As the running back runs off with the football it is important to stay low to increase agility and speed.

Protecting the football as you run

You cant run with the football until you have learned some basic ball security measures. Football teams have lost many games because a couple of players were lax in there ball carrying and fumbled the football. There are four points to protecting the football. The first point is the claw, meaning that your fingers are wrapped over the tip of the football. Second, wrap your forearm completely around the football. Third point is to have the ball held tight against the bicep to prevent defenders from punching up through from behind. The final point is keeping the football high and tight against the ribcage. Run a couple of drills were the ball carrier runs through a pack of defenders to practice. By reducing the risk of a fumble you will increase the offensive strength in effectively driving across the field and scoring touchdowns.

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. Though dull and sometimes boring, these running drills will help you play your hardest until the end of the game. Even with all of these benefits you will notice that most of the complaints in practice come from running drills. Just remember that in the end it is the fastest that win games. Running also will teach you how to push yourself even when you don't want too.