Offensive line troubleshooting
Sound footwork is essential for playing on the offensive line. Many of the problems that youngsters encounter can be traced to the positioning of their feet. Here are a couple of those problems:
⻬Gets knocked off balance easily:Make sure the lineman is continually moving his feet. Whenever a player stops moving his feet or crosses them, he’s more susceptible to losing his balance. Also, ensure that he takes only short steps. Anytime a lineman takes a big stride, he’s extend- ing himself too much, which reduces the power of his block. His feet should remain wide, with his outside foot back.
⻬Defenders get by him easily:A couple factors can cause this. One, make sure the lineman’s shoulders are square at the line of scrimmage. If they’re angled, the defender can exploit that weakness to get by the offensive lineman. Two, check his stance. If his weight isn’t distributed properly, the defender can overpower him more easily. Finally, on pass protection, stress protecting the inside first so defenders can’t charge through the middle and sack the quarterback.
Figure 9-29:
Punching the hands into the defensive player’s jersey is a good pass- blocking technique.
Helping Kids Who Just Don’t Get It
As you move through the season, your players will hopefully have fun, learn skills, and embrace your teachings. But what can you do about those kids who haven’t quite grasped how to catch a football or block an opponent? Every team you ever coach will have players who struggle to learn specific skills, and how you handle those kids is the true barometer of your coaching ability.
Analyzing problems
When the season is going well and the team is really coming together, overlooking the kids who are struggling with different aspects of the game is easy. You never want to lose sight that your job entails making sure that every child is developing and having fun; if a youngster struggles to catch the ball or make tackles, you have to figure out a way to help him improve that area of his game.
Take a close look at how you interact with the kids who aren’t picking up a particular skill as quickly as their teammates and see how you can resolve the problem. Are you spending too much time talking and not giving them lots of opportunities to practice the skill? Are you filling their heads with too many thoughts about what to do instead of keeping the instructions simple? If the kids are giving maximum effort, the problem is probably with the teaching.
Here are some tips on helping youngsters get back on the learning path:
⻬Switch up positions:For example, maybe the youngster who’s struggling had his heart set on playing in the secondary, and when he was assigned to a wide receiver position, his interest in learning and playing fizzled. So mix things up for the youngster and see whether a new position rejuvenates his enthusiasm. If you have time at the start of the season, teach all the kids all the different skills so you have more well-rounded players.
⻬Don’t embarrass the child:Never make a spectacle out of a child who’s struggling with some aspect of the game. Most children are well aware of how their skills stack up to the other kids’ on the team. The last thing they need is for you to make their deficiencies stand out even more by singling them out for extra work on the sidelines. Try demonstrating the skill again yourself, which may help the youngster who’s struggling and serves as a good refresher for the other players.
⻬Keep an even tone:Never allow the tone of your voice to reveal frustration or disappointment in the child’s progress. The same goes for your body language, too. Be calm, patient, and understanding as you help this youngster work through his difficulties. Don’t neglect him or give up on him just because he hasn’t been able to contribute as much during games as some of your other players.
Stick by these struggling kids and applaud their efforts every step of the way. They need you now more than ever. Who knows? Years from now, when they’re still actively involved in the sport, they may look back and realize you’re the reason they’re still putting on a helmet every fall.
⻬Find out whether they like the game:Football is a great game, but some children simply don’t enjoy contact sports, and there’s nothing wrong with that. A child could be struggling with the game simply because he’s tired of being knocked to the ground. If the child’s parents seek out your advice about whether he should continue with football, be honest and helpful. Maybe suggest other sports that can better provide their child with opportunities for fun and rewarding athletic experiences.
Recognizing physical problems
A child’s progress could be hampered by an existing physical condition. If you’re aware of some of the warning signs, you may be able to make a differ- ence. Be on the lookout for the following:
⻬Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD):A child’s lack of focus may be the result of ADHD. Some of the most common characteristics of ADHD are distractibility and poorly sustained attention to tasks, impaired impulse control, and excessive activity and physical restlessness. If you think someone on your team may be displaying signs of ADHD, talk to the player’s parents about your concerns.
⻬Vision problem:A child’s struggles with catching passes or spotting open receivers may be due to an easily correctable vision problem. Talk to the child’s parents. Perhaps a trip to the eye doctor can pull every- thing in focus for the youngster and turn his season around.
As we mention in Chapter 3, one of the most important reasons to hold a preseason parents meeting is so you can find out about any children on your team who have special needs. If a youngster has a hearing problem, for example, and needs to read lips, you need to alter your teaching methods.
Anytime you explain a technique, make sure you speak directly to that child.
A child’s physical limitation or past injury can also hamper how he performs a certain skill. Everything from asthma to diabetes can impact a child’s performance and progress, and you need to adjust accordingly.
Chapter 10
Defensive and Special Teams Fundamentals
In This Chapter
䊳Making blocks and tackles 䊳Kicking field goals
䊳Kicking and receiving punts
In football, like all team sports, playing defense is a major element of the game. Because roughly half of each game you play will involve your players on the defensive side of the ball, the more they know and understand the techniques involved with the various positions, the more enjoyment and success they can have.
This chapter zeroes in on the fundamentals of good defense, and it tackles (hey, it’s a chapter on defense, so we had to say it) the basics of pass rushing, fighting off blocks, covering receivers and, of course, the all-important essen- tials of tackling safely, among many other areas. We also introduce the basics of special teams play — covering everything from kickoffs and punts to field goals and fair catches. For those kids encountering any difficulties learning any of these skills, we provide handy troubleshooting tips for diagnosing what went wrong and what to do to get them back on track. (For general tips on helping kids who aren’t catching on, check out Chapter 9.)
Defensive Linemen
Players on the defensive line must be able to recognize running and passing plays and react accordingly. Here are the techniques they need to know to be successful.
Proper stance
Defensive linemen usually use the three-point or four-point stance.
Three-point stance
This stance (see Figure 10-1) is most often used by defensive ends.