As summer comes to a close, football teams are starting to gear up for the upcoming fall season. With school tryouts weeks away, CoachUp offers advice and tips to properly prepare athletes to move up the roster and wow the coaches.
While every player should focus on having good footwork, accuracy, strength and mechanics, here are some specific tips that will help defensive, offensive and special team players prepare to make a strong impression prior to stepping out onto the gridiron.
Defense: Defending the Deep Ball
As a defensive player, it's not only your job to protect your zone, but also to track the ball and stay in a position to make a play. You can do this by making sure your hops are parallel to the receiver and staying as close to the receiver as possible. By doing so, you prevent the possibility of a play occurring. Keep your body against the receiver as much as you can without penalty by placing your hand on his hip, so if he jumps for the ball, you'll jump too.
Offense: Being an Ace Quarterback
As the quarterback, you're the playmaker of the game, which means it's important to have solid mechanics. When gripping the ball make sure to leave some space between your palm and ball. Posture is important - keep your knees and hips bent so that you're agile and on the balls of your feet. Lastly, keep the ball close to your body and squeeze your elbows in before throwing or passing the ball off.
Special Teams: Learning to Kick a Field Goal
As the kicker, it's important to stay calm and make sure you get into the correct position before kicking no matter the situation. Kickers should line up three steps backwards from the ball and depending on your dominant foot, you should take two additional steps to the right or left. Next, place your non-kicking foot slightly forward, and three steps towards the ball and kick.
Looking for help in your football training? Check out CoachUp's list of elite football coaches near you. For more best practices and tips, be sure to check out CoachUp's football training videos.
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