Beginner Football Drills

Coaching a youth football team can be a challenge, especially when your players are new to the game. But it can also be a lot of fun, too. Helping beginners discover the sport for the first time is one of the most rewarding parts of this activity. Before you start huddling your players up to talk about running a 4-3 defensive scheme or a nickel package or telling your offense to run a misdirection, you'll need to start with some fundamentals that will help them get used to throwing, catching and moving like football players.

  1. Passing Drill

    • Quarterbacks are often the leaders of their teams on and off the field. This skill position all begins with the player learning to throw the ball and then developing the ability to throw on the run. A good beginning passing drill is one that involves two candidates for the quarterback position.

      The Rapid Toss is a drill what will help future quarterbacks with their reaction time and speed while running the offense, according to the We Play website. Two quarterbacks should line up approximately 10 yards apart, facing one another. The first player jogs toward the second and passes the ball toward the upper-chest or chin area. The second player is backpedaling as the first jogs toward him.

      When the second player catches the ball, he should switch directions and begin jogging toward the first player, who is now backpedaling. The second player, as quickly as possible, gathers the ball and throws it back to the first player. This routine continues until each player has thrown and caught 10 balls.

    Tunnel Ball

    • When working with a group of beginners on a football team it is important to identify the natural talent who will catch on to the game easily and the players who will need more individual attention. A drill to help you sort out the talent levels on a team is Tunnel Football, according to the Football Tutorials website.

      Set up four cones in a 30-yard-by-30-yard square on the field, beginning at the goal line. Divide the group into teams of eight. Have them play a game where there is one quarterback and seven players eligible to catch the ball. They must try to advance the ball past the farthest cones from the 5-yard line in four plays. The defense tries to stop them. Give the offense a 35-second time limit to run each play, and penalize teams three yards for delay of game, five yards for holding and 10 yards for clipping.

    Receiver Drills

    • Receivers must be able to catch the ball above all else. Their speed and agility will develop, but the ability to go up and get a ball and bring it down in their hands is a basic skill that they should work on from the beginning.

      Run a wall catching drill by having the receiver stand about 10 feet in front of a wall. Stand behind the player and throw a tennis ball over his head and bounce it off the wall. The receiver will attempt to spot the ball and catch it with both hands before it hits the ground. This will help the receiver with reaction time and work on his ability to catch. If he can catch a fast moving tennis ball, he will be able to catch a football.