Building strong bonds with your kids often happens through shared activities. For fathers who love American football, practicing sports skills together is a fantastic way to spend quality time while helping your children improve their game. In this blog post, we'll detail specific drills and exercises you can do in your backyard to enhance football skills, such as blocking, tackling, flag grabbing (for flag football), throwing/passing, catching, agility, and conditioning. We'll also provide tailored suggestions for boys of different age groups: elementary, middle school, high school, and college.

1. Blocking

Elementary (6-10 years)

Focus: Proper stance and basic hand placement.

• Drill: Use cones to create a small space. Teach your son the three-point stance and have him practice blocking against a soft object like a padded chair. Emphasize keeping his head up and using his hands to push rather than hitting with his head or shoulders.

Middle School (11-14 years)

Focus: Footwork and strength.

• Drill: Set up cones in a straight line. Have your son practice shuffling side-to-side while maintaining a blocking stance. After the shuffle, have him step forward to block a makeshift defender (you can use a padded cushion).

High School (15-18 years)

Focus: Technique refinement and power.

• Drill: Pair blocking with resistance. Use a resistance band or have your son push against a weighted sled or a homemade equivalent (like a heavy-duty storage bin filled with sand or weights). Focus on maintaining balance and driving through the block.

College (18+ years)

Focus: Advanced techniques and situational blocks.

• Drill: Simulate game situations by mixing up blocking angles. Use cones to mark out different points of attack and practice both run and pass blocking scenarios. Incorporate hand-fighting techniques to improve your son's ability to maintain control against a defender.

2. Tackling

Elementary

Focus: Safe tackling techniques.

• Drill: Practice wrapping up by tackling a soft target, like a large stuffed animal or a tackling dummy made from rolled-up towels. Emphasize getting low, wrapping the arms around the target, and keeping the head up.

Middle School

Focus: Tackling form and strength.

• Drill: Use a tackling dummy or a padded object. Have your son practice driving through the target with his shoulder while maintaining proper form. Focus on wrapping up and driving the legs.

High School

Focus: Power and tackling angles.

• Drill: Set up cones to create angles of attack. Have your son practice open-field tackling by approaching the target from different angles. Focus on hitting low and driving through the target while keeping the head up.

College

Focus: Tackling in space and group tackling.

• Drill: Simulate real-game situations by incorporating other players or using dummies. Focus on solo tackles in open space as well as gang tackles. Practice different tackling techniques such as the "hawk" tackle (used by teams like the Seattle Seahawks).

3. Flag Grabbing (for Flag Football)

Elementary

Focus: Hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes.

• Drill: Play simple flag-grabbing games where your son tries to pull your flag or a flag attached to a cone. Focus on quick, decisive movements.

Middle School

Focus: Agility and technique.

• Drill: Set up a cone drill where your son practices quick changes of direction while attempting to grab a flag from a moving target (you or a sibling running a simple route).

High School

Focus: Strategy and defensive positioning.

• Drill: Incorporate flag-grabbing into coverage drills. Have your son practice shadowing a receiver before moving in to grab the flag. Focus on maintaining a proper defensive stance and positioning.

College

Focus: Advanced flag-grabbing techniques.

• Drill: Simulate game-like scenarios with multiple players. Practice stripping the flag in close quarters and during pursuit. Focus on staying low and using quick hands to secure the flag.

4. Throwing/Passing

Elementary

Focus: Grip and basic throwing mechanics.

• Drill: Start with a light football or a foam ball. Teach your son the proper grip and have him practice throwing to a target like a net or a designated spot on a wall. Focus on the throwing motion and follow-through.

Middle School

Focus: Accuracy and footwork.

• Drill: Set up targets at varying distances in the backyard. Have your son practice throwing to each target, focusing on stepping into the throw and maintaining balance.

High School

Focus: Timing and throwing on the run.

• Drill: Incorporate a moving target (such as a sibling or a rolling ball) into the throwing drill. Have your son practice throwing while rolling out or moving within the pocket. Emphasize accuracy and timing with the receiver.

College

Focus: Advanced passing techniques and decision-making.

• Drill: Simulate game scenarios with different routes and defensive coverage. Focus on making quick decisions and executing different types of throws, such as deep passes, touch passes, and quick slants.

5. Catching

Elementary

Focus: Hand-eye coordination.

• Drill: Use a soft ball or foam football and have your son practice catching with both hands. Start with short, underhand tosses and gradually increase the distance as his confidence grows.

Middle School

Focus: Catching on the move.

• Drill: Set up simple routes, such as slants or curls, and have your son practice catching while running. Focus on watching the ball into his hands and securing the catch before turning upfield.

High School

Focus: Catching in traffic and high-pointing the ball.

• Drill: Use a partner or a padded object to simulate a defender. Have your son practice catching passes in tight coverage, focusing on securing the ball in contested situations and catching at the highest point.

College

Focus: Advanced receiving techniques.

• Drill: Incorporate route-running into catching drills. Practice catching passes on different routes, focusing on footwork, timing, and making adjustments to the ball in the air. Work on sideline catches and securing the ball inbounds.

6. Agility Drills

Elementary

Focus: Basic agility and coordination.

• Drill: Set up cones in a straight line and have your son practice weaving in and out of them. This drill helps improve lateral movement and foot coordination.

Middle School

Focus: Speed and quick direction changes.

• Drill: Use a ladder drill to improve quick foot movements. Have your son practice moving through the ladder with different foot patterns, focusing on speed and precision.

High School

Focus: Advanced agility and reaction time.

• Drill: Set up a T-drill with cones and have your son practice sprinting, shuffling, and backpedaling. Incorporate a reaction component, such as changing direction based on your signal.

College

Focus: Game-speed agility.

• Drill: Combine agility drills with real-game scenarios. For example, have your son perform a shuttle drill, then immediately transition into a defensive backpedal or a receiver route. Focus on maintaining speed and control.

7. Conditioning

Elementary

Focus: Building basic endurance.

• Drill: Create a simple conditioning circuit that includes running, jumping jacks, and bodyweight exercises like squats. Keep the sessions short and fun, focusing on general fitness.

Middle School

Focus: Developing stamina and strength.

• Drill: Incorporate interval running (sprints followed by rest periods) into your son’s routine. Combine with basic strength exercises like push-ups and planks to build overall conditioning.

High School

Focus: Sport-specific conditioning.

• Drill: Implement a more structured conditioning program that includes speed drills, hill sprints, and resistance training. Focus on building endurance for longer practices and games.

College

Focus: Advanced conditioning and recovery.

• Drill: Design a conditioning program that mimics the intensity and duration of a football game. Include high-intensity interval training (HIIT), resistance band exercises, and proper recovery techniques like stretching and hydration.

Conclusion

Practicing football skills in your backyard is a great way to bond with your son while helping him improve his game. Whether he's just starting in elementary school or preparing for college-level play, these drills and exercises will help him build the skills and confidence needed to excel on the field. At Legacy Father, we believe in making the most of every moment with your kids, and we hope these ideas inspire you to get outside and enjoy the game together.

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