how do you start your practices

Our practices typically start with about a 10 - 15 minute pre-practice routine. Our OL will work on footwork drills, ropes, agility while our QB, backs, WR are working on passing and catching (pat n go, mesh, routes, etc).

It has helped us tremendously in terms of being able to catch and pass better as well as it has seemed to decrease the number of minor injuries throughout the course of the year.

We do however spend time at the end stretching out.

We have about 10-15 minutes of Individual drills to start practice.

I take my OL through board work.

QB's and WR's do Pat and Go

RB's do ball security and handoff drills.

We've done away with static stretching altogether. It was a pain getting everyone to do a stretch (that they didnt believe helped them anyways)

Going straight into Indy times gets them focused and moving as soon as we hit the field.

we have a "Zero" period .... it basically starts 15 minutes before period 1.... this is a "casual" period from the time kids get out of school until we actually start practice (period 1).

zero period consists of various things going on at the same time... typically individual skills or group things such as center/qb exchange... qb throwing routes to receivers... receivers doing cone or ball drills.... ol doing chutes, boards, or other drills.... etc. we change it up each day and post it. it is structured, obviously, but it's main purpose is to get kids out of the locker room. not everyone starts at the same time... as kids come out, they jump in the drills. i am outside from the start and other coaches are hurrying kids along.

at the appropriate time HC blows a whistle, starts the clock and we go into period 1 ... which is a quick cal period for us. (example: school gets out at 3:35. we want to start practice at 4:05 - meaning period 1 is at 4:05 - so zero period is basically from 3:50 until HC blows the whistle @ 4:05. again, though, we may start doing some of the zero period drills sooner than 3:50 as kids get out there - that is just a rough estimate we try to follow)

15 minutes of Specialties (emphasis on passing and kicking; linemen work on techniques, review, pass pro and rush).

Next, Monday 15 minutes of Flexibility and Form Running.

Tuesday 15 minutes Team Defense vs. opponents' "Gadget" plays.

Wednesday 15 minutes of TTO ("Team Take-off") Drill.

Thursday 5 minutes of Flexibility (Pre-Game routine).

10 minute pre practice (WR's on jugs machine, Punter's and punt returners, if we seperate kicker and punter, the kicker is working on onside kicks, O-Line is working on a fundamental I assign for that pre practice period which ranges from pull steps, mirror dodge drill, etc.)- We try to get the blood flowing during this time instead of spending alot of time of a stretch period

5 minute- Dynamic stretch

10 min- Kickoff or Kick Return

then right into indy

Well, we start it with a sack race relay, followed by a brief but intensive interpretive dance session while Enya is played over the stadium PA. Lastly, we move on to 10 solid minutes of pre-practice nut-kicking. Really toughens 'em up for the physicality of the game.



15m of specialist pre-practice before some quick dynamics and we're off.

We use the "Coaching for Life" program as well as the "Character Counts". Each week there is a character quality we teach, and we try to work the stories and quality into everything we do during the week. They have pre-made lessons where there are stories and questions to ask the kids, and there is always room for improv on top of the stories.

This last year we had a crazy group where we had a 3.5 GPA as a team and we did not have any really bad kids, but we had bad football players. Been taking heat about how if we wouldn't teach the character we could "get to more" at practice. We are the only program in the area doing anything like it, so we have a lot of naysayers floating around. We really think that teaching them how to make better decisions and being better people is more important than anything else they can learn on the practice field.

We do a zero period - 12 minutes

Field is getting set up for 1st period of INDY by some coaches and injured players.

Other players are going through some position specific activities with their coaches.

Mon- Special teams specific VARS - JV and frosh are playing games
Tue - Defensive specific VARS - Offensive Specific JV/Frosh
Wed - Offensive specific VARS - Defensive Specific JV/Frosh
Thur - Special Teams Specific

We then do a very quick (8 min) dynamic stretch period ending with jumping jacks.

On Tues and Wed after those 20 minutes we go straight to our BONZAI period.

LIVE #1 offense vs. BEST defense 5 minutes of plays from the 40 going in. This happens at both ends of the field with VARS/JV and younger JV and Frosh at the other end.

AFTER thsi 5 minute period - we go to our normal practice.