On "READY!", snap in to position. For the younger players, we have them slap their thigh boards twice and yell "OUTLAWS" as they snap into position. This helps lets them relax until it's time to go to work and helps them stay focused until the snap.
Knees bent as if you're sitting in a chair.
Butt out
Back straight
Chest proud
Back of helmet pressed into back of shoulder pads
Hands in the "hoster" position.
Most common corrections:
Not enough bend in the knees
Slouching or bent back
Head down
To emphasize "get off", we tell them to take 2 "tiny machine gun" steps and try to get that 2nd step down as fast as humanly possible. I invite them to show me who can get their 2nd foot down the fastest, then ask if anyone thinks they can do it faster.
Since I asked, I probably out to comment... We're Wing T, btw...
We begin teaching stance by teaching Form Fit for Blocking. We begin with the end in mind.
Form Fit for Block.
Demonstrate the body position on a partner of what the blocking form looks like when perfect We emphasize the Gorilla position. (these are 3rd and 4th graders – they get a kick out of it)
Head up, butt back, knees bent, chest out (we have them pound their chest like King Kong) if their biofeed back system is developed at all, this is pretty easy. A lot of kids don’t have proper Biofeedback and can’t copy the position, they don’t know what position / shape their body takes.
This is good to learn early on. Typically, even the late rounders who play outdoors will be OK. It’s the kids who spend all their time indoors that usually can’t copy the form they see. So we have to correct their body position.
May not surprise more experienced coaches, when we tell a kid to change their incorrect form, how often they’ll tell you they are doing what you asked, when they clearly are not.
Once proper position is achieved, have them move into a partner (partner is a ‘scarecrow’ – the kid stands up straight arms out) and demonstrate proper form, all kids are busy, either in form block or scarecrow.
Hold the position until a coach comes and inspects (corrects) it.
For us, perfect form is stepping into the scarecrow at 30 degree angle, head in front, ear on belly button in the ‘gorrilla’ position.
We have the kids take 2 steps back, then on command step to their scarecrow and form fit.
We do this 5 times then switch kids, the scarecrow gets to Form Fit, and his partner becomes the scarecrow.
Now that the kids know where they are to end up, we teach 3 pt stance
2. 3 pt stance
Feet under armpits. We find most kids think they have much wider shoulders than they do, Arm pits gets their feet right. When SAB to the left, we have the kids put right foot back - toe align with front foot instep. They will push off ‘back foot’.
Gorilla position, head up, butt back, chest out
Hand on same side as the back foot. Swing it out like an ‘elephant’s trunk’ bend over and put in out under the nose.
Put a little weight on the hand.
Head up, flat back, butt up.
Watch for excessive heal height. Occasionally have a kid with tight achilles tendon, but usually easy to correct.
Replacement Step
Have kids stand up straight and put front foot at 30 degrees in direction of block (in this case to the left). This often takes a few tries. Some kids have to have their foot actually picked up by a coach and set at the correct angle.
We try to gain ~6 inches with the 1st step. A lot of kids will put the foot right back in the same spot it was before, but now its angled. We watch for and fix it before we put the kids back in 3 pt.
From 3 pt stance staying low, we take the replacement step. Emphasize swinging the left (front) arm back and the right (Back) arm across the body, get the shoulders turned.
Selling point, we tell them bringing the back arm across the front of their body is to protect the family jewels. Most kids know getting hit in the ‘dangleies’ is not desirable.
They should be in the Gorilla position after when the complete the replacement step.
We do this on the count (We always go on two) 10 times to the left, then switch the front and back foot and do it 10 times to the right.
Once we know which side of the Line they are on, and our SAB it to toward the Center, we want the outside foot to be the back foot, we drive off that back foot.
3. The Block
We have the kids for two lines – face each other and off-set the lines about 2 ft. One side is the scarecrow, the other side the blocker. The scarecrow will align off-set to the blockers left.
From 3 pt stance (we inspect before moving on)
Take replacement step (we inspect before moving on)
Then step into scarecrow in proper form fit (we inspect before moving on)
Repeat 5 times.
Switch sides, block is now the scarecrow, scarecrow now the blocker.
Then go back to original line of blockers, off setting the scarecrow line ~2 ft the right. Repeat process.
Once we are confident kids have it correct.
We use 2 – 4 lines vs dummies held by coaches or injured players.
Off set the dummies ~2 ft to one side, run all the kids through 5 times, the off-set to the other side and repeat.
We’re looking esp. for replacement step (no cross over steps) and head & shoulder placement on the pad.
After SAB we teach other blocks, but basically this is our beginning point.
I'd be interested in how folk are coaching the 3 pt stance, and for those who use it, the 2 pt stance
Thanx
As far as stance goes I have a hand out I give to the parents at the beginning of the season before practice starts. Kids that have pre registered and waiting for the season they at least have a packet to go through some of the things the players need to get ready for. One of the things is the stance. I will try to find that portion of the handout and post it
Ok here is the pic that is in the handout I have an explanation of how to get them into this and to keep doing it to build up their quads before the season. I'll try to find the write up. Many parents loved the visual as to what it should kinda like
I'd be interested in how folk are coaching the 3 pt stance, and for those who use it, the 2 pt stance
Thanx
As far as stance goes I have a hand out I give to the parents at the beginning of the season before practice starts. Kids that have pre registered and waiting for the season they at least have a packet to go through some of the things the players need to get ready for. One of the things is the stance. I will try to find that portion of the handout and post it
Ok here is the pic that is in the handout I have an explanation of how to get them into this and to keep doing it to build up their quads before the season. I'll try to find the write up. Many parents loved the visual as to what it should kinda like
Otherwise not bad, his feet are wide but not too wide. Head is up nicely. Looks like slight lift on the right heel. All these things are good. Stagger looks good too. The arm on the leg is good too(I hate chicken wings, in a stance only).
Joe
"Champions behave like champions before they're champions: they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners"Bill Walsh
Having had a Defender jump off sides and step on my hand, I've always had the kids curl their fingers under and put the knuckle to the ground instead of finger tips.
But great pic. I'm thinking of copying your idea.
Thanx
Umm.... why does that 6 ft tall 9 yr old have a goatee...?
Having had a Defender jump off sides and step on my hand, I've always had the kids curl their fingers under and put the knuckle to the ground instead of finger tips.
But great pic. I'm thinking of copying your idea.
Thanx
Yeah, that pic was only my second or third year coaching
Take it if you want it. That is exactly what this place is for. You will see a ton of stuff that has worked for others and none of its wrong, its just what works with what you want.
I love this place as a huge resource for youth coaches.
Its like google for youth football
2 Things my offense will always have is a Wing and a Wedge
So, on the knuckles drops the head by 2 inches. On the fingertips is the preferred way of doing it.
Joe
Hi Joe,
You are right about the head drop, but I want to protect the fingers, I found that 3 broken fingers will take the romance out of playing on the Oline petty quick.
Umm.... why does that 6 ft tall 9 yr old have a goatee...?
Last Summer, I volunteered to help with a couple of USA Football camps for our club. It was supposed to be a "fun" camp to introduce kids to tackle football. The camps were very well attended and Mahonz and I actually grabbed about a half-dozen recruits. Anyway, they asked me to run an o-line station. I had really 2 instructions: 1) Make it fun 2) Teach them a proper 3 point stance. I couldn't think of 2 more conflicting instructions if I tried.
But if I'm forced to teach a 3 point stance, I want it as close to a 2 point as I can get it, which means fingertips in the grass with as little weight as possible on the down hand.
Last Summer, I volunteered to help with a couple of USA Football camps for our club. It was supposed to be a "fun" camp to introduce kids to tackle football. The camps were very well attended and Mahonz and I actually grabbed about a half-dozen recruits. Anyway, they asked me to run an o-line station. I had really 2 instructions: 1) Make it fun 2) Teach them a proper 3 point stance. I couldn't think of 2 more conflicting instructions if I tried.
But if I'm forced to teach a 3 point stance, I want it as close to a 2 point as I can get it, which means fingertips in the grass with as little weight as possible on the down hand.
So, I understand what you are saying, but playing for 11 years never got a broken finger from a 3 point stance. I did however break every finger at least once.
Most of the O line guru's preach fingertips to raise the head. It's also supposed to enable the Lineman to fire out faster.
Joe
"Champions behave like champions before they're champions: they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners"Bill Walsh
But if I'm forced to teach a 3 point stance, I want it as close to a 2 point as I can get it, which means fingertips in the grass with as little weight as possible on the down hand.
Greetings
Do you have issues with the butt coming down when doing this? We do have kids early in the season that want to use the "squatting dog" stance, and they get tumbled over backward pretty easily if they're not firing off quickly. We have had opponents (other leagues) that will take a penalty to blast an OL kid and try to intimidate / slow him down by purposefully jumping the count. With light fingers seems he's more vulnerable to getting bulled (bowled?) over.
Umm.... why does that 6 ft tall 9 yr old have a goatee...?
So, part of the teaching of 3 point stance is minimum weight on the front hand to begin with. When I played our coach would walk by & kick the down hand out. If you fell forward it was a lap.
One of the big things I have issues with is which hand down. Some coaches teach, right side right hand down & left side left hand down. I have found it's easier to teach dominant hand down( dominant foot back for the stagger).
DP & I have had the discussion about 3pt vs 2pt on various occasions, what we agree on is a bad stance is a bad stance. So, a good 2pt vs a bad 3pt & vice a versa.
Joe
"Champions behave like champions before they're champions: they have a winning standard of performance before they are winners"Bill Walsh
