Football Training Workouts for Kids

Youth football coaches can get their kids in shape and teach them the finer points of the game.

Football is one of the most popular sports among kids in America, with an estimated 425,000 youths participating in the Pop Warner program alone at the time of publication. Teaching youngsters conditioning and technical skills can put them on the path to long playing careers. When training young footballers, you'll want to balance the conditioning and skills portions of the workouts.

Foot Fire and Drop

"Foot Fire and Drop" is a conditioning drill that can benefit any player on your football team. Have the team form four lines -- it doesn't matter which players are in which lines. When the coach blows the whistle, the first player in each of the four lines steps forward and begins rapidly chopping his feet up and down. When the coach blows the whistle again, the four drop to their bellies and quickly pop back up, keeping their feet moving until the coach blows the whistle a third time. Then the players go to the back of the line and the next group follows the same steps.

Zigzag Agility Drill

Set up a group of cones in two horizontal lines with the lines off-center from each other. Have your players run from the left-most cone on one line to the left-most cone of the other line. Then your players must backpedal to the second cone in the first line and continue the process. This drill gets your players' heart rates up and improves their agility, which helps them no matter which position they play.

Bull in the Ring

Teach your kids how to tackle by running the "Bull in the Ring" drill during practice. Have the team circle up, with one player going in the middle. Give the ball to one of the players in the circle and tell him to run to the other side of the ring. The player in the middle has to tackle the ball carrier before he can make it. The player in the middle must stay there until he makes a tackle. Run the drill until everyone has had a turn in the middle.

Set, Find, Fire

Boost your quarterback's poise with the "Set, Find, Fire" drill, which requires quick thinking. Have three or four receivers line up horizontally downfield from your quarterback and give each a number. Then have your quarterback take a quick step back as you call out a number. Your player should then throw the ball to the corresponding receiver.

References

• Y-Coach: Youth Football Drills; Bull in the Ring Drill
• Y-Coach: Youth Football Drills; Shuffle Drill