Advancing Middle SchoolAmerican Football Winning Habits
Practicing the Hand off
Running backs should constantly practice the hand off. A simple drill for a hand off is to line up all of your running backs in two lines facing each other in what we will call line A and Line B. A player leaves line A with the football and runs at line B. At the same time that the first player leaves player B leaves his line towards player A, as they pass each other in the middle player A hands off the football to player B. At the point of the hand off another player leaves line A and runs towards player B, who hands off the ball to the new player. This drill should perform in a seamless motion. Practice this drill every day to ensure that your running backs are effective on their hand offs.
Practice can help turnovers
In order to win football games you need to have possession of the football. The fastest way to gain possession of the ball is to force an offensive player to fumble the football. Practice dislodging the football on the field in pairs of players. 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. Practice these movements slowly to start muscle memory and to correct bad habits.
Low Ball Catching Techniques
Great plays are made through dedicated practice of the fundamentals. Making the plays means that you have practiced the non-optimal situation and know how to react to them. Perfect and not so perfect scenarios should constantly run at football practice. One not so perfect scenario is a low passed catch. First, keep your hands down low in a scooping or shovel position; you can even cross your pinkies. This technique stops the ball from bouncing away and also helps the player scoop up the ball quickly. Second, keep low to the ground as a reference your knees should be level with your elbows, and if this means that you are down on all fours better a complete and no extra yards than an incomplete pass. Second, bend your knees and get low. Remember, the cardinal rule of catching is to use your hands and not your body. Never use your body to catch a football. And always see the ball through, meaning that you are watching it into the tuck.
Catching the ball high
High passes happen, and as a receiver you need to be ready for something unexpected. Here are some simple steps when making a high catch: 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 try to catch the ball with your body there is a greater chance that it is going to bounce off and cause an incomplete pass. Once you have your hands around the ball, dont take your eyes off the ball but follow it right into your tuck. If you are taking your eyes off for any reason you will lose focus and have a greater chance to miss the pass, or worse, fumble the football.
Running backs should constantly practice the hand off. A simple drill for a hand off is to line up all of your running backs in two lines facing each other in what we will call line A and Line B. A player leaves line A with the football and runs at line B. At the same time that the first player leaves player B leaves his line towards player A, as they pass each other in the middle player A hands off the football to player B. At the point of the hand off another player leaves line A and runs towards player B, who hands off the ball to the new player. This drill should perform in a seamless motion. Practice this drill every day to ensure that your running backs are effective on their hand offs.
Practice can help turnovers
In order to win football games you need to have possession of the football. The fastest way to gain possession of the ball is to force an offensive player to fumble the football. Practice dislodging the football on the field in pairs of players. 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. Practice these movements slowly to start muscle memory and to correct bad habits.
Low Ball Catching Techniques
Great plays are made through dedicated practice of the fundamentals. Making the plays means that you have practiced the non-optimal situation and know how to react to them. Perfect and not so perfect scenarios should constantly run at football practice. One not so perfect scenario is a low passed catch. First, keep your hands down low in a scooping or shovel position; you can even cross your pinkies. This technique stops the ball from bouncing away and also helps the player scoop up the ball quickly. Second, keep low to the ground as a reference your knees should be level with your elbows, and if this means that you are down on all fours better a complete and no extra yards than an incomplete pass. Second, bend your knees and get low. Remember, the cardinal rule of catching is to use your hands and not your body. Never use your body to catch a football. And always see the ball through, meaning that you are watching it into the tuck.
Catching the ball high
High passes happen, and as a receiver you need to be ready for something unexpected. Here are some simple steps when making a high catch: 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 try to catch the ball with your body there is a greater chance that it is going to bounce off and cause an incomplete pass. Once you have your hands around the ball, dont take your eyes off the ball but follow it right into your tuck. If you are taking your eyes off for any reason you will lose focus and have a greater chance to miss the pass, or worse, fumble the football.
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