Catching the ball low

Good receivers and even running backs know how to make the great plays. Execution on a football field starts with practice. One situation that most offensive players will face is the low catch. 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 ensures that the ball will not slip through your fingers. Locking your pinkies prevents the football from falling through your hands. Once you have the football in your hands scoop it up and tuck it away. Use your hands and not your body. Never use your body to catch a football. Last, concentrate on catching it first and then worry about the defense, and scoring some more yards.

Around the world: Improved Ball Handling

Without a solid foundation of ball handling players will be easy prey to a solid defensive team. This drill is meant to help players control and develop their ball handling skills. Players will move the football from one hand to another hand around differing parts of their body. The drill starts by having players hold the football above their head and start to pass it around their head, moving to the chest, under the arms, around the waist, knees, and completing with passing it through the legs.

The best thing that a coach can do is call out body parts that the players will have to move the ball around, or even calling a reverse command were the players will need to change the direction of the football. This change of motion will keep players from falling asleep, and ensure that you are developing handling skills and not just muscle memory.

When the coach calls and end to the drill the players will drop the ball several times (at least 7). 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.

Playbook Practicing

Learning a play is critical because when an individual learns a play and executes it properly, it benefits the whole team. In order to start learning a play, make sure that you first pay attention to the instructions when they are given. In order to avoid learning a play wrong, or developing bad habits, we recommend that you go through the entire play slowly at first. Remember that if you need help, you should ask for it. At times we have seen a player fail to advance or refine their techniques because they don't ask for added assistance. Don't let this happen to you Are you done with the play after practice? No wayt thing that you can do after practice is visualize your plays. Sleep on them, and you will learn them twice as fast.

Gauntlet Drill for Ball Security

Ball security has to be the most important aspect of a strong offensive team. This of course is even more important for wide receivers and running backs as they handle the ball more than most. That is why the gauntlet drill was created, to test and practice effective ball security. The point to the gauntlet drill is to have a player run through several opponents that try to dislodge the football. A coach can set up short fast runs or longer relays with several obstacles and defenders prying at the ball. Run each of the gauntlet drills slow and then speed them up as each player gets better at effective ball security.