Running will increase performance

Running drills are one of the most basic ways that you can enhance your endurance. 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. Because in the end, the team or players that are the fastest are the ones that win the championships. Running has a final help to your team, and that is learning how to push beyond your limits, you will be surprised how often that happens in football, and in life!

Conditioning: Five dot jump

Conditioning is meant to increase speed, endurance, and reaction time on the football field. The intent of this drill is to increase accuracy, timing, and speed. In order to execute the drill you will need a place with five dots, either marked on the grass or on a mat, forming an x shape much like the dots for the number five side of dice.

The player will start by placing a foot on the back two dots and then jumps together to the middle dot and then out separating his legs to the outer dots, much like you would see in hop scotch. 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. Players will need to increase their speed and accuracy to be effective with this drill.

Ball handling Drill: Hot potato

Ball handling is one of the most vital skills that a player can have on the field, and this drills goal is to help players get a better feel and control for the football. In this drill players will be constantly moving or passing the ball from one hand to the other. The drill starts with the head moving the ball in a circular motion from hand to hand, then proceeds to go under the arms, around the waist, then the knees, and finally through and in between the players legs.

The best thing that a coach can do is call out body parts that the players will have to move the ball around, or even calling a reverse command were the players will need to change the direction of the football. This change of motion will keep players from falling asleep, and ensure that you are developing handling skills and not just muscle memory.

We recommend that you end this drill by doing several football drops. This means that the player will drop the football and retrieve it again quickly. To further increase pickup skills have your players change up the hands that they are using so that both their strong and weak hands are developed.

Receivers: Ball Security Drill

When a receiver catches the ball they need to immediately put it into a secure ball carrying position. There are three steps of a great catch: First, place your hands in front of you with your palms open and thumbs out forming an open triangle for the football. Second, keep your eyes on the ball through the entire catch. Third, roll the ball into a secure ball position before you take your eyes off the ball. Bad habits can form easily as many receivers look away mid catch to scan the field for defenders. Taking your eye off the ball increases incomplete passes, fumbles, and turnovers. To overcome this habit set up a simple drill where two players pass the ball to each other stopping at each critical step: the catch, the follow through, and the tuck.