One-on-One Youth Football Tackling Speed Drills

There are many benefits associated with participating in youth sports like football. Regular physical activity youth find in an organized sport provides healthy bones and muscles, reduces stress and anxiety, increases self-esteem and improves blood pressure and cholesterol levels according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Teaching proper tackling techniques in youth football is one of the keys to having healthy, injury-free players.

  1. Goal Line Drill

    • This drill teaches tackling speed in a one-on-one situation. The players are separated into two different groups: the defenders and the ball carriers. The ball carriers line up single file about three yards away from the line of defenders. In between the two lines, place two cones around five yards apart from each other. On your whistle, the ball carrier attempts to get past the defender and through the cones before the defender can tackle him. After the tackle or score, continue to the next pair. Make sure to check for proper tackling form during the drill.

    Open Field Tackling

    • This drill helps defenders practice closing in quickly on a ball carrier in the open field. Divide the team into ball carriers and defenders and set up a cone in front of the ball carriers. About five yards in front of the carriers place one cone in the center, one cone a few yards to the right and one cone a few yards to the left. Defenders are a few yards behind the middle cone. Instruct the ball carrier to run for the middle cone and then just before hitting it to break to the right or left and try to elude the defender. Defenders must read the action of the ball carrier to make the tackle.

    Two Hits and a Tackle

    • This drill emphasizes proper form and over time can enhance tackling agility. It can be carried out in pairs of two or with your team split into two lines with two players going at a time. Have the two players line up five to six yards apart with one designated as the defender. On the whistle, the two players jog up to each other and the defender pushes the other player away with his arms like he is shedding a blocker. The two players then backpedal and repeat the motion. The third time the defender performs a tackle. Doing this drill over and over again at faster speeds can make defenders quite adept at quickly shedding blocks and tackling.

    Carrying the Weight

    • This drill will strengthen legs and get defenders used to tackling fast. Divide your team into groups of three of similar weight. One player is the ball carrier, another is the defender and the third player is on the defender's back. The ball carrier and the defender are 10 to 15 yards apart. The defender runs while carrying the other player until he closes half the distance to the ball carrier. At this point the other player jumps off the defender's back and the ball carrier runs and tries to get past the defender. The player who is used to carrying an extra 150 (or more) pounds will feel a burst of speed when free of the weight and your players' legs will become stronger the more often you do the drill.