Youth football started as a four-team league in Pennsylvania. It has now grown to a national phenomenon, boasting multiple organizations in all 50 states, each with leagues and divisions for every age. Strategy in youth football varies greatly from that at the high school level and higher. Fundamental breakdowns happen often, leading to games where coaches must focus on keeping the strategy basic, and committing as few mental errors as possible.
Hit Low
In youth football, the amount of muscle packed on the little bodies is little to none. Hitting a ball carrier up high may result in lost balance for the player being hit, but hitting players down low will almost always knock the ball carrier down. It's important that players never aim for the knees, however, as this can cause serious injury to the player being hit. Thighs and ankles should be the focal points when hitting low.
Wrap Up
When on defense, whether a hit takes place below the waist or above the waist, it's absolutely imperative for the young player to wrap his arms around the player he's tackling, and hold on tight. Just running into a player may knock him off course, but wrapping up and attempting to bring him to the ground almost always results in a successful tackle.
Keep Your Legs Moving
On offense, it's common for a young player running with the ball to stop in place once he reaches a pack of defenders. Tackling form is often very poor in youth football, so even if multiple defenders are attempting to bring down a player with the ball, that player should always keep his feet churning and moving forward. It's not uncommon at all to see a player break out of a gang tackle simply because he never stop moving his legs.
Keep Plays Simple
Due to the lack of football fundamentals in youth ball, plays should be kept simple and easy to execute. Trick plays like end-arounds or flea-flickers almost always result in a fumble or turnover. Basic plays like sweeps, runs up the middle, and short to intermediate passes should be the focal point until the players become more fundamentally sound.
Strip the Ball
Youth football players have smaller hands, but in most leagues they still use a large football. This means that holding the football while running can be awkward. If a ball carrier has his attention on an opposing player on one side, he won't likely be aware of a defender approaching from the other side — giving that defender a prime opportunity to strip the ball loose. Every defender should be aware of how the ball is being held in a situation where the ball carrier has his attention somewhere else.
Member Comments