Increasing Middle School Sports Team Routines

by

Wellington W

Conditioning: Dot drilling

Strength and reaction time is what makes a great football athlete. This drills intention is to help quickness and accuracy on the field which will reduce errors and increase the chances of great plays. 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. Next proceed around the dots one at a time jumping with one leg only, and then change to the other leg. The next step is jumping on all five dots with both feet together. The last step is the same as the first hop scotch method but this time when the player reaches the other side they will turn around 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.

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 dont ever catch it with your body. Important Tip: never, ever, under any circumstances, for any reason, take your eyes off the ball; even after you have caught it watch the ball until you know that it is safely in your grips. 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.

Football tackling 101

Tackling is fundamental to football, and should receive proper attention at practices. 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 is to cut off your opponent by placing yourself directly in front of them. An excellent technique is to plant your foot in the middle of your opponents. At the same time you want to bring your arms back in anticipation for the next phase.

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. A great way to insure that you are in the right position is to practice touching your facemask to the football of the opposing player.

Third, throw your hips up and hard as you drive the offensive player backwards. The squarer you are in the first step the easier it will be to perform the third step.

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. The running back starts the hand off running towards the quarterback with his arms open creating a pocket for the quarterback to slide the football right into the running backs chest. When the running back receives the football he clamps down both arms hard on the football to protect it. As the running back runs off with the football it is important to stay low to increase agility and speed.

Are you looking for some great football gear. OSU Authentic is the official carrier of

Oklahoma Cowboys Apparel

and

Oklahoma Cowboys Clothing

. Find official jerseys, shirts, hats, and more. Shop now!

Article Source:

Increasing Middle School Sports Team Routines}