Youth Football – Onside Kick-King of the Hill Drill

While I was a youth football coach and we would onside kick a lot, especially the younger teams. An effective, high repetition football drill that the kids loved was our “Onside Kick – King of the Hill Drill”.

It’s real simple:

Two lines of players (preferably just your kick off team) line up at normal on-side kick width behind cones (where the football would cross the 10 yard point), at their normal kick off depth, with 3-4 yards of space between them.
The kicker kicks onsides and the two players go full speed and try to recover the ball. The player that does not recover the ball is “out” and the players are eliminated until we determine the “King of the Hill”. I often do a preliminary round and then we begin the elimination rounds.

This special teams drill is great for teaching effort and learning how the ball may typically bounce in addition to the kicker getting many reps. Since the players are young and to keep it fun, the King may get a Gatorade at the next water break or whatever; young players will find that extra gear for stuff like that!

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