No matter what position you play on your football team, agility is needed. To enhance your agility, it is important to strengthen and condition your muscles to reach your maximum levels of performance. Executing drills that focus on strength and resistance helps increase your agility and your speed. Maintaining a routine that is consistent will play a big role in your ability to outmaneuver your opponents on the field.
Agility T Drill
This drill is used to keep players agile as they switch positions with their feet and run from forward to backward. To begin, place a player on the field and set up four cones in the form of a "T," with each cone located 5 to 10 yards from the player. While waiting for the whistle, the player performing the drill must sit on the field with his legs crossed Indian style. When the whistle blows, the player explodes up, runs to the cone located to his right, backpedals to the cone on his left, and sprints back to the center. On the next whistle, the player does the same thing with the cones behind and in front of him.
Angle Cuts
Place six cones on the field in a zigzag pattern. The total drill should cover about 25 yards of field. Place the first cone on the goal line and the sixth cone at the 25-yard line and fill in the zigzag shape from there. The players will start at the first cone. On the whistle, the first player will sprint as fast as he can to the second cone. Right before he gets to the cone, he should begin to shorten his stride. As he cuts from the second cone, instruct him plant the outside foot and drop his hips before accelerating and sprinting to cone number three. Repeat with each cone until the course is complete.
Hopscotch Drill
The hopscotch drill uses the ladder to practice footwork. It helps veteran players stay sharp and is easy enough for even the most novice players to complete successfully. Have your players line up at the foot of the ladder, with their feet positioned hip width apart. When you blow the whistle, the lead player will jump into the ladder, landing in the first square with only his left foot. As soon as he lands, he should push off with the left foot, jump into the second square and land with both feet on the ground. Continue the drill with the players alternating between landing on their right foot and left foot, using both feet in between. Start a new player as each player hits the third square.
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