In other articles we've discussed how important it is to be a good tackler. In youth football, tackling is critical to teach as all kids aren't created equally. You have the kids who are bigger than others or the kids who are much smaller than others yet they still want to play the game and be good at it. They can do that if they learn the correct ways to play and specifically the correct way to tackle.
One of the things that always bothered me about this drill was the fact you need to have 4 long dummys to use as landing pads. Well at about $100 each, that is $400, out of the reach of many youth programs. Lugging these dummies around is a big hassle as well. Then once on the field, you have just one landing pad for 25 kids. As most of you know I'm not a fan of having kids standing in long lines, so that means whenever we do splatter drills. It is only part of a circuit, it is never a drill we want to do on it's own, even if we need it.
I remember losing a championship football game as a young player and I still experience what that felt like. I remember ending the game and being beaten up, bruised and emotionally drained. I how to play football professionally gave it everything and we still lost and it didn't make sense. I believe situations like that put people in spots that change them for good or bad. It's those moments where you have 2 choices. Do you keep going and fight or do you give in and quit? The best athletes use those moments for motivation and do whatever they can to never feel that way again. This really begs the question...what can youth coaches do to develop mental toughness in players?
But, most guys I've seen can't Front Squat to save their life. They have more bad habits than Artie Lange. They push the knees way over the toes, don't sit back, and fall forward.
I have long been a believer that if the team starts to get out of control and stops listening then "hell night" as I call it is in order. I do not believe in excessive conditioning of your youth football players, on a regular basis but when you need to "reel them in" nothing works as good as some old fashion conditioning.
After you get the motion down, begin to do the entire movement as one complete exercise rather than pausing with the bag at chest height before pushing. This is an ideal time to video the lift or have a coach/teammate watch you and critique your form. There aren't many guarantees in football or football training, but, I can damn-near guarantee that this exercise will improve your blocking and tackling.
Box Squats eliminate many of the problems encountered when doing traditional squats. Gone are the knee problems associated with the knees traveling way past the toes. You are also limiting the stretch reflex, so Box Squatting becomes much like a Deadlift in it's ability to build explosive strength.
The summer is the time that All-American football players build their body. If you're a football player and you aren't working on your nutrition, your competition is doing it and going to have an advantage over you.