Youth Football Training Program: Give Them What They Need
By Dave Gleason
There is often a dichotomy between what we know is the ideal training for young athletes and what parents/coaches want for them. We know through our education and in trenches experience(s) how to devise an athletic development program and implement it to athletes of various abilities and sports interests.
What are we to do when the opportunity presents itself to work with an entire youth league of athletes with a board president and coaches that have a philosophy that doesn’t match our ideals?
Make sure your keep your focus on their needs by asking questions…and a lot of them. You will gain the trust of the coaching staff when they know you are there to help them versus taking control over any aspect of their practice sessions. If you do this with care and patience the outcome can be very beneficial to your business and most importantly to the young athletes involved.
Youth Football Training Program Case Study:
After several conversations with the president of the youth football league and some of his coaches I was able to ascertain the areas they were most concerned with. They were, in their words a.) “Revamping the warm up” to get the kids ready to play b.) “Agility in small spaces” and c.) Injury prevention. Once we narrowed it down to these specifics I could devise a game plan. They did not want the new programming to be intrusive to their practice time or ability to coach football.
Keep in mind the relationship with the president of this youth football league began developing nearly 2 years ago. Be patient when engaging coaches.
The outcome was to implement a pre-written youth football training program for every age group in the youth football league that the coaches would learn and implement for every practice. Exposure to every football player from 1st grade through 8th grade and the buy in of every coach – you just can’t buy that type of exposure for your business.
Upon completion of the last practice session we set a time for the coaches and I to meet in order to trouble shoot any issues they were having.
The nuts and bolts
With the knowledge that the coaches have limited time to learn their new programs, I only had one practice session with each team…and what I know is ideal…the programs had to be prioritized. The youth football training program had to deliver what the president and coaches asked for combined with simple yet effective activities for coaches and players to learn.
Here are all of the youth football training programs that were put into action
(Not included are the descriptions and key points for each age group that were provided for each coach):
Pembroke Titans Football Mighty Mites (1st & 2nd Grade)
Warm up
1.) Reactive Game or Fun Activity
a. Simon Says
b. Tag Variations
c. Movement Mirroring (coach or each other)
d. Rhythm Machine (clapping)
e. Coaches Choice
2.) Monster Walks
3.) Bear Crawls
4.) Dragon Walks
5.) Log Rolls
Speed/Agility/Strength = Coordination Training
1.) Scramble to Balance 2x each leg
2.) Rats/Rabbits
3.) Red light – Green Light (add football themed lights)
4.) Push up hold/High Fives (partners)
Speed and Agility
1.) Dynamic Repeats (run to stop)
2.) Dynamic Repeats with Return (run, stop, return)
3.) 4 x 4 x 4 Drill (survive for 7 seconds)
4.) Bear Crawl to Hand Taps 6:4
5.) Forward Crab Walk to Table Top 6:1
Cool Down
A formal cool down is not necessary from a developmental standpoint and static stretching is not advised for this age group. To acclimate the kids to a structure and expectation for future youth football practices you can put them through the following passive active stretching activities.
1.) Cobra – 2 second hold x 5
2.) Alternating Knee hugs x 5 each
3.) Around the worlds 2x each leg
Pembroke Titans Football Mites (3rd & 4th Grade)
Warm up
1.) Activity – game, laps, etc…coaches choice.
2.) Spiderman 2 x 10
3.) Alternating Supine extension 20 Second Hold
4.) Squat to stand 2 x 5 (squat, knees out, arms up, stand)
5.) Prone Extensions 2 x 8
6.) Lunge with toe touch 1 x 10 each
7.) Dynamic Warm up
a. Skipping Patterns
i. Straight
ii. High
iii. Back
iv. Side
b. Knee Hugs 1 x 10
c. Butt Kicks
d. Straight Leg March 1 x 10
e. Heel Walks/Toe Walks 1 x 10 each
f. Side shuffle/Carioca (tight) 10 yds each x 2
Speed and Agility
6.) Dynamic Repeats (run to stop)
7.) Dynamic Repeats with Return (run, stop, return)
8.) 4 x 4 x 4 Drill (survive for 7 seconds)
9.) Bear Crawl to Hand Taps 6:4
10.) Forward Crab Walk to Table Top 6:1
Cool Down
1.) Static Stretching
a. Hamstrings
b. Inner Thigh
c. ITB/Hips
d. Cobra Stretch
e. Calf Stretch
Choice as needed
Pembroke Titans Football Pee Wees (5th & 6th Grade)
Warm up
8.) Activity – game, laps, etc…coaches choice.
9.) Spiderman/inside elbow to ground 2 x 10
10.) Alternating Supine extension 2 x 8 each side
11.) Squat to stand 2 x 5 (squat, knees out, arms up, stand)
12.) Prone Extensions 2 x 10
13.) Lateral Lunge with toe touch 1 x 10 each
14.) Dynamic Warm up
a. Skipping Patterns
i. Straight
ii. High
iii. Back
iv. Side
b. Knee Hugs 1 x 10
c. Butt Kicks
d. Straight Leg March 1 x 10
e. Heel Walks/Toe Walks 1 x 10 each
f. Side shuffle/Carioca (tight) 10 yds each x 2
Speed and Agility
11.) Pro Agility
a. 5-hold-10
b. 5-10-Hold
c. 5-10-5
12.) 4 x 4 x 4 Drill (survive for 7 seconds)
13.) Bear Crawl to Push Up 6:1
14.) Forward Crab Walk to Table Top 6:1
Cool Down
2.) Static Stretching
a. Hamstrings
b. Inner Thigh
c. ITB/Hips
d. Cobra Stretch
e. Calf Stretch
Choice as needed
Pembroke Titans Football Midgets (7th & 8th Grade)
Warm up
15.) Activity – game, laps, etc…coaches choice.
16.) Spiderman with hip lift 2 x 10
17.) Supine extension with rotation 2 x 8 each side
18.) Squat to stand 2 x 5 (squat, knees out, arms up, stand)
19.) Atlas Stretch 2 x 6 each
20.) Prone Extensions 2 x 10
21.) Alternating Lateral Lunge Walk 1 x 10
22.) Dynamic Warm up
a. Skipping Patterns
i. Straight
ii. High
iii. Back
iv. Side
b. Knee Lift/Heel lift 1 x 10
c. Straight Leg March 1 x 10
d. Cradles
e. Heel Walks/Toe Walks 1 x 10 each
Speed and Agility
15.) Pro Agility
a. 5-hold-10
b. 5-10-Hold
c. 5-10-5
16.) 4 x 4 x 4 Drill (survive for 7 seconds)
17.) Turn and Burn (Hip turn and go)
18.) Bear Crawl to Push Up 6:1
19.) Forward Crab Walk to Table Top 6:1
Cool Down
3.) Static Stretching
a. Hamstrings
b. Inner Thigh
c. ITB/Hips
d. Cobra Stretch
e. Calf Stretch
f. Choice as needed
So there you have some great examples of a Youth Football Training Program and some tips how to deal with coaches to best suit their needs and ideals.