4 Tips Designed to Make Youth Football Players Better Blockers

Every youth football team needs to be taught correct fundamentals and that isn't often the case. Too many times we simply see a parent of the quarterback coaching the team and really not teaching the kids what they need to know.

The main area where we lack good teaching in youth football is in the area of blocking. With so many different blocking schemes and ideas out there it is easy to get confused or overloaded with data and that is too much for the average youth football team to handle. I've put together a list of 4 simple tips or ideas that coaches can use to create a great blocking youth football team.

Simple and sound blocking rules. On each play, each player needs to know what his assignment is. Too many kids don't understand that if nobody is in the spot in front of them that they still have to do something. They need to have some simple rules that they can always follow. For example, if a player is head on with a lineman then he needs to block him. If he isn't head on then each player needs to understand the play so they know who they should hit next. How often do we see lineman block down-field in youth football? It should be more than it does but coaches aren't teaching kids simple facets of the game like that.

The best coach needs to work the offensive line. In youth football and arguably football in general, the most important position is the offensive line. Have your best coach work with the line. Install a scheme where each player has set rules that they live by until they have those down before adding different wrinkles that may be tough to grasp. Just like any other position, they need to know why they are doing things a certain way and why they are important.

Slow motion plays and drills are essential. When working on your offense it is key to make sure that each player identifies and runs the play perfectly. Have the defense switch up a bit to test the line against different schemes and fronts. If the drills are done slow enough it is easy to identify who gets it and who doesn't. When it comes to the line I accept nothing but perfection because they are the key to every play.

Never neglect technique. Just like #2 where you put the best coach with the line, always have that coach teach proper technique. Make sure that the feet are always moving and that the player is on balance.

With youth football you can really set a tone for a player for the rest of his playing life. If they are taught correctly when they are younger they will get more opportunity when they are older. I never let it slide when a good block is made with poor technique. Take the time to talk to the player right away while it is fresh. Comment on the great block but also stress the importance of doing things the right way so that they become habits. When the best go against the best it is the players who are fundamentally better that have the advantage.