cougs
Freshmen Member
Posts: 19
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Post by cougs on Sept 5, 2011 8:12:06 GMT -6
I've got a team of 12/13 year olds and one kid (pretty good athlete) is terrified of contact. I've done everything I've done to get kids over this before but am not having any success with this one...in fact he seems to be getting worse.
As for drill/contact progression we started slowly and have progressed over the last month. Close contact at 1/2 speed, close contact at full speed, further distance full speed into bags, further distance at 1/2 speed, and finally further distance at full speed.
I'm running pretty short of athletes this year and would REALLY benefit from getting him in the backfield. Anyone have any suggestions for drills, sport psychology, voodoo, etc that might help?
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spurred
Sophomore Member
Posts: 101
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Post by spurred on Sept 5, 2011 13:51:59 GMT -6
I would say just keep repping him......eventually something will happen and the light will come on for him.
I have had this with several kids and it worked out well for them. I think the big thing is that he just lacks the mental confidence to initiate the contact. If he knows that you have confidence in him it will help
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Post by coachmsl on Sept 5, 2011 19:22:56 GMT -6
Just TONS of form tackling. Sounds lame, I know. Sorry
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Post by Coach JR on Sept 7, 2011 11:15:22 GMT -6
If he's shy of contact, I think forced full speed contact wouldn't be the answer. Splatter tackling/blocking drills. Keep repping form tackling at less than full speed. If you want him running the ball, maybe gauntlet drill, starting out with it less aggressive, and ramping it up.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2012 7:59:22 GMT -6
Digging up another old thread here! I've found with freshmen players, a "splatter" drill helps. I think it's one of those fairly common drills that everyone has a different name for, splatter was just our name. It's a form-tackling drill, but the player getting tackled just stands there, gets tackled, and the two players land on a mat placed behind them. If the tackler is using proper form, the hitee should be receiving a good pop but also shouldn't be hurt. This can help them overcome this fear of contact.
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Post by chi5hi on Mar 3, 2012 10:13:16 GMT -6
If he doesn't get over it, and you play him, he'll get hurt and you may be liable. BIG RED FLAG!
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Post by davecisar on Mar 5, 2012 9:21:45 GMT -6
Splatter tackling is what we use for that AFTER he has perfected the base snug, angle form fit, baby steps fit
After Splatter, then it's close quarters tackling- they are less than 1 foot apart, dummys set 10 feet apart- no room for big hits
Base block destruction form- then form with tackle fits
Eventually all brought together live
Been a long time since we had one of those- that went past the first 30 days without ever getting over fear of contact
If he doesnt get over it, you put him in zero space so he doesnt get hurt
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Post by Chris Clement on Mar 5, 2012 21:43:09 GMT -6
Call me crazy, but our kids love splatter drill without pads. And the splattee seems to learn that contact doesn't hurt. Pads and gear are scary for some kids.
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Post by wingt74 on Mar 10, 2012 17:21:26 GMT -6
Have 11 yrs of youth football under my belt...and I've learned that it's true. If they don't bite as puppies, they won't bite as young adults.
Tackling is 10% form, 30% talent, and 60% attitude.
You can take a mean, strong, fast kid and teach him to tackle...but you can't teach a reserved, slow kid, to tackle.
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Post by CoachCP on Mar 11, 2012 8:36:24 GMT -6
Have 11 yrs of youth football under my belt...and I've learned that it's true. If they don't bite as puppies, they won't bite as young adults. Tackling is 10% form, 30% talent, and 60% attitude. You can take a mean, strong, fast kid and teach him to tackle...but you can't teach a reserved, slow kid, to tackle. I'd have to disagree with that. I think rankling is much more on form then attitude. We have kids who love to drop their head or use just a shoulder who have a big hitter attitude. I also believe kids originally fearful of contact can overcome it. it usually happens between their first and second year for us. Sent from my LG-P999 using ProBoards |
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Post by davecisar on Mar 11, 2012 16:51:18 GMT -6
Call me crazy, but our kids love splatter drill without pads. And the splattee seems to learn that contact doesn't hurt. Pads and gear are scary for some kids. Has not been my experience at all SPlatter is a great way to ease kids into contact once we have mastered the fundatmental form of tackling with our snug progression, angle form fit and line fit "tackling" With the last 16 teams Ive had- really can think of only 1 player still turning his shoulder and trying to avoid contact After those 3 form movements Splatter is next Then close quarters- zero room full contact tackling Then to circuits, those that can handle more distance are given it Then 3 SLot Challenge Then Open Field- one move, 10 yard box, circle the wagons, Oklahomas, 3 level Oklahomas, Stalk Keep Away Tackling, tackle baseball All on circuits so kids are in groups with drills they can handle Doesnt count the 100s of tackle fit movements we do that are tacked on to almost every defensive indy drill we do- Ms, Tugs, slide run slides etc etc |
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Post by Chris Clement on Mar 11, 2012 17:06:23 GMT -6
Absolutely form first, but after that they all seem to want to get splattered, even ones that are otherwise contact-shy. I don't always have the brightest kids, though.
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Post by newt21 on Mar 11, 2012 18:02:28 GMT -6
Something that has helped us in the past is doing standard tackle fitting every day. I line them up 5 yards apart, first whistle they break down and chop their feet, second whistle they sprint straight and break down a foot or two in front of their man, third whistle they hit with chest, wrap and run their feet. Then we do it on angle. This takes maybe 3 minutes at the beginning of indy, but doing it EVERY day has helped our kids to get more confidence in their abilities along with improving their technique.
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