We added these [tag]football tackling drills[/tag] to our practice routine at the mid point of last season and it really helped improve our defensive aggressiveness and provided great conditioning.
Stagger 4 tackling dummy bags 10 yards apart in both width and length (one on the 10 yard line, one on the 20 yard line, another back on the 10 yard line and another on the 20 yard line). From above the pattern between bags should look like /\/ .
A football coach holds each bag by putting pressure down on top of the bag. Do not hold the bag but use pressure on top of the bag to provide resistance to the player. Players line up in a single file line with the first player head up on the first bag and in a 3-point stance.
The first player explodes out of his stance, knocking the dummy bag to the ground. He then sprints to the 2nd bag and executes a running tackle, taking the bag to the ground. He repeats this running tackle on the 3rd and 4th bags then sprints to the end of the line.
Coaches can move the bags slightly before contact to make the players focus on the bag and adjust their hit to keep their form when tackling.
Coaching emphasis is on players keeping their heads up when making tackle, being in a great breakdown position so that the tackle isn’t made too high, and getting their arms wrapped around the bag as they make the tackle. Most of all, the focus is on aggressive tackling at a high rate of speed.
This [tag]football drill[/tag] helped turn some of our passive kids into hitters last season and some of stronger players became even more aggressive.
Next step: check out this article on football practice planning to discover the best way to incorporate tackling drills into your practice sessions…