jlt
Junior Member
Posts: 313
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Post by jlt on Oct 14, 2008 6:18:26 GMT -6
I am coaching a bunch of new guys and the pulling guards dont have too much trouble hitting but alot of the running backs who have to lead block flinch or slow down for the hit and subsequently it ruins the play.
Has anyone got any really good drills to get that fear out of the player for when they have to make the blocks?
Our returning running back hits as hard as anyone and it seems he actually speeds up to make the block. i was just wondering if there are any specific drills for improving the running backs blocks or whether it is just repetition and agression issues.
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Post by schultbear74 on Oct 14, 2008 6:40:48 GMT -6
For hitting and driving I like "king of the board" (I usually just use a line on the field). Get two guys on either end of a board from 1 to 3 yards away and have them hit each other and drive one or the other off of the board. The key to it is to have the whole team watch, hoot and holler while they do it. Have your guards go first to set the tone. Then have your backs that you want to get tougher go at it. Peer pressure may then help them to overcome their timidity.
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Post by bulldogoption on Oct 14, 2008 7:13:46 GMT -6
GOOD QUESTION!!!
I would really appreciate hearing from some vets as well. In my experiences, its a natural thing.
The best hitting teams I've been around have had one or two kids who look for the kill shot....then it becomes infectious with the rest of the players.
Without those couple of natural hitters its really hard to get your team to hit.
But I could be wrong. Maybe there is a way to flip that switch and if there is, what drills/practice environment can change it???
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htownoc
Sophomore Member
GATA
Posts: 186
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Post by htownoc on Oct 14, 2008 7:26:34 GMT -6
IMO hitting cannot be taught. No coach can turn a nonhitter into a hitter. You may be able to do some drills to lessen a kid's fear or improve his technique. The desire to knock people on their a$$ is either in them or its not.
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jlt
Junior Member
Posts: 313
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Post by jlt on Oct 15, 2008 1:59:52 GMT -6
I am of the other side. I believe every player has it in them. It just has to be found. We had a guy at cornerback last year who did not want to hit but was fast. Whenever he came to tackle he just wrapped up and dragged them to the floor. Even when he had a chance to cream someone he would drag them to the floor.
Well with our coaching and a couple of games, he is now a beast. He is not stopping for anyone. As soon as he is able to make the tackle he creams the runner.
So I am sure we can do it I just wanted some drills and/or advice.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2008 6:17:20 GMT -6
You also have to realize you are not teaching anything natural at all when teaching somebody how to hit. From birth we are taught to find open spaces, pass people on the sidewalk and in the hallways. If a kindergarten teacher had a dollar for everytime they said "don't hit" they would be millionaire kindergarten teachers all over the country! From very young we are taught NOT to make physical contact with our fellow man, and so I think when it comes to contact sports you are having to undo a lot of what has been done by parenting and the school systems. Not saying we should have hitting going on in school, I'm just saying it takes time to undo some of that stuff. I think it can be learned though, once the fear and confidence issues are overcome. Much like jlt says we too had a corner this year that was basically put a Deion. Runs a 4.5 40, can cover a lot of ground, but won't even try and trip a ball carrier for the first month of the season. He sees little to no action anywhere and then all of a sudden in the circle of life drill he comes alive and drives a senior (he's a junior) linebacker out of the circle! I don't know what happened but the lightbulb just came on. He's a starter now and last week he had 8 tackles and a pass breakup. Before then if the runner/receiver broke out, he'd just run with them instead of trying to tackle them. Now he's acutally putting kids on their a$$es! Kinda nice to see IMO! So yes, I think it can somewhat be taught or learned, but as with any skill the kid has got to meet the coach 1/2way.
Duece
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jlt
Junior Member
Posts: 313
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Post by jlt on Oct 15, 2008 6:46:35 GMT -6
Whats a circle of life drill? I probably know it as something else.
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Post by schultbear74 on Oct 15, 2008 8:21:06 GMT -6
Bull in the ring?
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mc140
Sophomore Member
Posts: 218
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Post by mc140 on Oct 15, 2008 9:18:57 GMT -6
First thing you need to do is make hitting important to you and stress it at all times. If you dont hit in practice, they will not hit in games. Of course as the year goes on you lighten the load a little but you must stress being physical from day one.
We have done a few things with our freshmen (most of whom had never played organizedfootball before this year). Around the second week of practice we noticed most of our linemen would not hit. So we brought out Circle Drill (bull in the ring) we had a few bruises but nothing serious. It atleast got the majority of them to hit and realize there not going to get hurt.
Also, three days a week we do live tackling drills and the 4th day we do nut cracker. Everyone rotates in nutcracker, you get linemen running, backs blocking etc. THe losing group in nutcracker has to do ten pushups.
We have become a much more physical team as the year progressed. In fact we have a physically dominated the last two teams we played.
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Post by strongdog09 on Oct 17, 2008 8:23:50 GMT -6
Last year I had a strong safety and free safety that were timid as could be, but had a nose for the ball... if the ball was in the air they were coming down with it. This year The I have the same guys at FS and SS... and they will knock your head off. When the ball is in the air they go for the highlight hit. I wish they would come down with the ball every once in a while but the other guys on defense see them making those big hits and feed off that. I think some kids just have that switch in them that can turn on at anytime.
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Post by superpower on Oct 17, 2008 8:34:25 GMT -6
Hitting (blocking and tackling) comes from being confident. Confidence comes from repeated successful repetitions in practice and from a serious investment in the weightroom. We have seniors this year that were not physical players at all two years ago. However, because they have become bigger and stronger in the weightroom and because we spend a large amount of our practice time in blocking and tackling drills, they have become very physical players. I believe that you can teach it, but it takes a commitment. Much of what we do for blocking and tackling drills comes from Coach Hugh Wyatt's SAFER AND SURER TACKLING dvd. It is a very useful tool for football coaches at all levels.
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