USA Football

Coach,

I am a first year rocket football coach responsible for coaching our towns 8 and 9 year olds. We are a very small town so we only have one team in this age group with 22 players. Therefore, my primary objective for this season was to teach proper technique, help the kids to have fun, andtry to end the season with all of them hungry for next season.

All has gone well until recently which leads to my question. My question is concerning teaching proper tackling technique and particularly front tackling technique. I have been teaching tackling using alittle saying I remembered from my rocket days, "Head Up, Square Up, Wrap Up, and Drive". We have been teaching to hit with your helmet to the side of the body and shoulder pad contacting the torso, waist, or legs with an emphasis on getting low. I believe this to be in line with your tackling technique guidelines, only an abridged version.

I now have an assistant (and dad of one of our players) that is in disagreement with this saying if I were to go to USA Football I would see that you teach to put the facemask of the tacklers helmet into the chest plate of the shoulder pads of the on coming runner and then explode through the runner.What this is leading to is kids that are leading with the top of their helmet. In my opinion we are creating a recipe for disaster.

Would you please clarify for me the technique you have outlined on your techniques page? I personally believe it is clear enough but I want to make sure of my understanding of your technique guidelines. There is too much at stake with regards to the kid’s safety if it is being taught in the wrong manner.

Best Regards,

Bryan Couch

8/9 year old coach

Hi Bryan,

Our teaching in regard to tackling consist of the following:

• Never use the helmet as a point of contact when making a tackle.
• Teach all initial tackling drills at half speed, in close proximity, with players of same size [and temperament] when possible.
• For a straight ahead tackle we would start by having the two players 1 yard apart [designate one tackler and one ball carrier].
• Using a three count from the coach, the tackler would start in a football position, feet straight ahead, shoulder width apart, knees bent, feet under hips, hands on thighs, back straight, head up.
• Coach would designate the shoulder to be used to make the tackle;
  1. Count one – short step straight forward with foot opposite the shoulder to be used to tackle.
  2. Count two – Second explosion step driving up and through with foot on side of shoulder to be used to tackle, driving the shoulder into the center of the ball carrier.
  3. Count three – As contact is made the tackler should have his head up, eyes open, sliding his helmet to the side of the ball carrier, opposite the shoulder he is using to tackle, pounding both arms, grabbing jersey cloth in both hands, and lifting ball carrier.

• If you can use a stand up dummy when teaching the technique you can have the player drive the dummy to the ground.
• Once you feel that the players are safely making the tackle using proper technique, you can increase the distance the players are apart and the tempo of the drill.
• For a tackle made at an angle, the head would be in front of the ball carrier, the explosion foot would be with the foot opposite the direction he is moving and the tackle would be made with the shoulder on that side of the tackler’s body.

Again, no part of the HELMET should ever be use as a point of contact when making a tackle.

It is also always important, as coaches and teachers of young players, that we never forget that many beginning players have a fear of tackling, that this fear is natural and normal. As a coach you should realize that players will overcome this fear when you teach them how to safely make a tackle and give them the opportunity to learn the skill in a safe controlled environment.

I hope my explanation helps clear this up for you,

Coach Tom Bass.