Yesterday I got an answer to a question I had in 2014 or 2015.
I was teaching tackling with a rolling motion, and wondered whether it was better for the tackler to roll "into" the tackling shoulder or away from it. What I taught then was what seemed best to me at the time, but then made me wonder about its safety: rolling "into" ("with") the shoulder.
Yesterday we were coaching the 8th graders together with the high schoolers at Newton (NJ). On that day he was coaching only a fit and grasp, but he said the next step (to be taught on a day we won't be together with them) will be a roll. So I asked him which direction and explained my dilemma. He told me he did it the way that seemed best to me years ago, which is to move forward with the shoulder that was driven into the opponent, not the opposite shoulder.
I teach what is commonly known as "Hawk" tackling. Near foot, near shoulder. I teach 3 finish techniques: "drive for 5", "single leg" and "gator roll". For "gator roll", i teach them to drop their non-hitting shoulder to the ground. I struggled teaching this last year and my kids struggled learning it until I discovered a trick. Taking an additional step with your away foot and putting it behind the BC's away foot makes it work much better.
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
@gumby_in_co , what age group are you again? We just started tackling with a group of 4th graders that have never played Tackle.
@gumby_in_co , what age group are you again? We just started tackling with a group of 4th graders that have never played Tackle.
HC for a 6th grade team. AC for a 3rd grade. 3rd grade header is using my progression and method, but so far, I've only seen "drive for 5" with the 3rd graders. I put a lot more structure into my method this season. I had 3 optional practices in July where I had about 10 kids show up for each. I used this to hone the methodology. I don't mean to brag, but I was so happy with my Day 1 "Tackling Install" that I thought I should have made a video of it and sold it. 🤣
I start with a fit/freeze and use DP's "coach backward" method. They hold the fit until a coach checks and corrects. If they are good, coach taps them on the helmet and says "relax". Then we start moving backward. First one step back, then 2 steps, then 3 steps, then we back up to 4-5 yards, which is how we run it daily. Last step (when contact is made) is "Explode. I have them all say it as they do it. 2nd to last is "load". Again, I have them say it as they do it. When they are ready to put both steps together, "LOAD! EXPLODE".
I had an epiphany about the gator roll today thanks to Bob. So we will be focusing on gator roll for form tackling tonight. Form tackling is our warmup. I've already had 2 ACs from the 3rd grade team complain about lack of stretching/butt-kickers/high knees/spelling the team name while jumping jacks, but not a peep from the 6th graders. To be fair, Mahonz and I have those parents trained pretty well.
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
We roll in the direction of momentum. We don't stress the roll bc that's all they will accomplish. We stress "landing on top" of the runner. We use this in rugby so we can attempt to poach, but In football it reminds the tackler to fight and drive the runner down. In regards to the roll this reinforces some tackle safety (landing on top).
Landing on top adds 1 more contact to the runner. Initial hit, ground, and body. I want to fatigue that runner physically, however minor it seems the 3 contacts add up, more so with gang tackling.
Short answer, roll with your momentum, bring the runner down, and land on top of him.
I can explain it to you, I can't understand if for you.
I can explain it to you, I can't understand if for you.
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