Touch Football Coaching Drills

An appropriate training plan will have your team ready to win on game day.

Coaching touch football has three essential elements. The coach must design a training routine that highlights physical fitness, football skills and a solid mental approach to the game. The drills listed here focus on these areas and will help prepare a team for any level of competitiveness. Fitness drills should be performed at both the beginning and end of practice.

Shuttle Drill

Shuttle runs are a good example of a fitness drill and also promote team building. In shuttle runs, the entire team lines up on one end line and sprints to the 10 yard line and back. They then sprint to the 20 yard line and back. This continues to the 50 yard line, then the progression is reversed. The coach should encourage the team to support each other, as this can be a very difficult drill.

Ladder Drill

This fitness drill entails having a rope ladder or drawn ladder on the field. Each participant starts at the bottom of the ladder. As quickly as he can, the player puts his left foot into the center of the first square, followed by the right. This actually entails a slight jump. Immediately, he puts his left foot on the outside of the second square, followed by the right. This alternation continues until the end of the ladder, at which point he sprints back to the back of the line.

Route Running Drill

Skills training consists of passing, catching and defensive drills. All three points can be addressed in a single drill, or can be separated for special focus. In a drill that combines all three skills, the quarterback snaps the ball and two receivers run different receiving routes. Two basic routes are a "square-in" during which the receiver runs 10 yards and turns to the middle of the field to receive the ball, and the "fly," which has the receiver run straight to the end zone. Two defensive players guard the receivers and attempt to disrupt the pass. The quarterback identifies which receiver is open and delivers the pass. After a catch, the receiver tries to score a touchdown, while the defensive players attempt to down him by touching with two hands. After the play ends, the receivers become defensive players, and the defensive players return to the back of the receiver line to start the cycle over again. For leagues that permit running the ball, this drill can be adapted to incorporate a running back and a third defender, so that the offense has a choice of run or pass.

References

• Fit Day: 5 Effective Football Fitness Training Drills
• The B-Man's Flag Football Page: Flag Football Plays