Football Coaching – Tips for Footwork

This is the type of information the young players need to be shown starting in youth football. Save these tips for your football coaching files; they are simple and very effective!

I always hear football coaches telling kids to get their weight on the balls of their feet, but I have rarely heard the coaches tell how exactly to do that.

I attended coach’s conference and one of the speaker’s presentation was on how to get the weight on the balls of their feet in preparation for movement with no waste.

Have the player get in their stance as required by their position. It seems to work with all positions. When they are in their stance have them flex (roll) their knees inward, just a short flex is needed, usually not more than 1/2 inch. Their weight rolls over to the balls of their feet automatically. Try it, so easy I was shocked.

This was another football coaching tip for footwork for linemen.

To make sure lineman pick up their feet when making their first step you can place a 2 by 4 (I prefer those Fun noodles you use in the pool–they’re softer) in front or to the side of the players foot. At the whistle the player’s first step must clear the board. Set the board so that clearing it amounts to the initial 6″ step most coaches teach. You can set it for whatever distance. If the player’s foot bumps the board, he’s not lifting his feet to get the power behind it. If he steps on the board his step is not long enough. If the heel of his foot clears the board by too much when it lands, he’s taken too big a step. You can place the board in front of the foot to practice a drive step forward, at a slant to practice the first step for a down or reach block, or to the side to practice pulling.

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