With youth participation in football on the rise, more and more parents are interested in learning how playing the sport can help their kids learn valuable life lessons.
In addition to helping to build teamwork skills, teaching discipline, and even preventing poor decisions, football also offers a whole host of other benefits to children and teenagers.
One of the biggest?
Youth football drills help to develop coordination, speed, agility, and much more.
Read on to find out why and how.
How Football Drills Help Your Teens Play Better
When it comes to football, speed is one of the most important skills out there. Drills can help players develop both linear (straight line running) and zig-zag speed, both of which are a crucial part of the game.
Speed drills also help to boost the cardiovascular health of players. This helps to strengthen a young athlete’s overall endurance levels. To make it even tougher, consider adding weighted vests to ladder drills and sprints.
Drills can also help to develop a young player’s reflexes. In a game, things move quickly, and a split-second mistake can sway a game. Quickness drills help players to reset quickly, and can even help to boost a child’s metabolism.
Finally, drills also help to develop a young player’s agility, which is crucial in preventing injuries on the field. When a player is able to adjust their bodies quickly, it’s not just their game that will improve. They’ll also have shorter recovery times after practice, and their blood flow and circulation will improve, too.
To ensure these drills are their most effective, always combine good nutrition with proper training. Focus on lean meats, lots of leafy greens, and skip the sugary drinks.
Our Favorite Youth Football Drills
Though there are tons of youth football drills out there, we want to share two of our favorites with you.
The first is called “Bull in the Center.” Players should make a circle, with one player standing in the center. A coach then tosses the ball to one of the players, who must then make it all the way across to the other side of the circle without being tackled by the “bull.”
The bull has a maximum of three tries to stop a player from crossing before switching him out with another player.
The next drill makes running ladders much more fun. Choose a few players to line up on each side of the ladder. As their teammate crosses the ladder, they’ll try to hit him with water balloons.
The last one standing wins!
Take Your Training to the Next Level
Thanks to this post, you now have a much better understanding of how youth football drills can help your child/teen’s physical development just as much as their personal growth.
No matter what kind of sport you or your teenager enjoys playing, there are always ways to improve.
Spend some time on our website to see how specialized personal training in the Las Vegas area can help you be better than ever. Schedule your complimentary functional movement screen today.
