Prevent fumbles with strong techniques

A team that prevents fumbles is a team that wins. Nothing is worse for your offensive team then turning it over carelessly to the other team in a fumble. There are four points to protecting the football. First grab the football with your carrying hand with the tips of the football being covered with your fingers. Second, wrap your forearm completely around the football. Third, pull the football in close to your bicep to protect it from opponents jabs and attempts to make you fumble. Last point is to hold the back of the football right up against the ribcage and as you run keep it high and tight. Run a couple of drills were the ball carrier runs through a pack of defenders to practice. In this way you can practice great defensive moves to force a fumble, and also focus on offensive ball protection.

Ball handling Drill: Hot potato

This drill is used to increase players ball handling skills on the field. Players will move the football from one hand to another hand around differing parts of their body. 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.

Coaches can mix up the drill by shouting out body parts that the players will have to start circling with the football; they can also reverse the direction that the ball is traveling by calling, reverse. 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. The player will drop the ball and quickly pick it up again. 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.

Conditioning Drill: Up Downs

The popular conditioning drill known as up downs is a very effective way to increase cardiovascular activity and endurance. This drill starts by having the players run in place as fast as they can encourage them to get their knees up as high as they can. Then at random a coach will yell, down or blow a whistle at which the players must dive to the ground do a push up and then jump back into running in place. As up downs require endurance and strength, players are encouraged to start in slow short burst and work up to longer and more intense sessions.

Powerful Blocking Strategy: Double Teaming

In various plays whether you are on offense or defense you will want to have a strategic advantage over your opponents. Use the proven technique of double teaming to get great results on the field This play is simple, double up and push through. If you ever need to get a running back through or perform a great blitz, remember this technique. To execute this properly have both linemen step together at the same time and lock their hips together. Next, form a wall, an impenetrable block that the opposing teams linemen cant break. Hit the shoulders hard and pin the opponent down as you drive them back. Work it fast and work it hard