| Practice Philosophy:
All coaches share a basic problem: The two most important aspects of the game are blocking and tackling. Not being able to use equipment in the summer months that is vital to performing these tasks makes it close to impossible for coaches to properly and safely teach these essential fundamentals. We practice blocking and tackling drills in the summer to assure proper technique and safety with our players. These drills are done at a step by step pace to guarantee safety of the players involved and to emphasize the proper technique involved without impact. Analyze your blocking and tackling drills. Break the drills down to a very basic and specific approach that teaches your players by focusing on fundamentals and safety. When camp starts focus on the same drills and gradually increase the pace until you get to full speed always using the correct distances and match up of players. We are constantly stressing the proper player match ups of our team during individual periods, group, and team sessions. Our sophomore players are in different color jerseys than our junior and senior players so they do not get confused with our older experienced team members. This is true for first year upper classmen as well. We treat them like sophomore players until we know that they are safely prepared in the fundamentals of the game. Analyze your drills by asking yourself a few simple questions and have a purpose: 1. Will this drill transfer to a game situation? For example: We never implement any tackle drills with a large distance between players, match up a small player with a larger more experienced player, or do a drill simply to see who is tough. Invite your freshman, junior high, and youth coaches to your camp practices. Give them the opportunity to see the drills and how they are safely taught to the varsity players. Have them implement the same fundamentals at their level. Also, keep track of all of the drills that are being used and implemented with your entire program. If they are not fundamentally safe and sound- change them or get rid of the drill altogether. When we start camp we use a safe progression to ease into our contact drills. Keep in mind your players are excited to hit. They need to be slowed down at the start of camp and reminded of fundamentals, safety, and proper technique. Here is a basic overview of our process for week one.
Use the above steps and practice strategies during your regular season practice plans. Control hitting during the week knowing that you will have your team ready and prepared to play on game day at full speed being fundamentally sound. We all know that football is a contact sport. Injuries will occur and it is the part of the game that is most difficult to accept. However, as coaches and players we are more tolerable of an athlete getting injured in a game rather than practice. Make sure practice is controlled by the coaches. Overall, there is a greater awareness today when it comes to concussions and other major injuries. Do your best to minimize major injuries during practice and teach you players how to practice properly and safely. Sure, we had our share of injuries and this year and several occurred in week one of camp. In 2010 we played a sixteen game schedule and two scrimmages during our two week summer camp. That is eighteen weeks in pads. Our season ended with a Pennsylvania State Championship victory. I can honestly say that we hit less this season than any of my thirteen years as a head coach. After analyzing our drills and practice plans we determined that we effectively provided the safest and most fundamental learning environment for our players. Remember, football is a contact sport and unfortunately injuries a part of the game. As a coach always stay informed. Be open to learning new techniques and practices in order to teach the fundamentals of the game to your players in a safe, controlled, and competitive environment. Inform coaches within your entire program or local programs of the best procedures for drills and practices. Injuries are going to happen but do your best to eliminate those that are the result of poor planning and preparation. Good luck next season. |
|
About the Author... |
|
|
Art Walker
|