Need help with finding a fun conditioning drill

They would rather do the following Drills than sprints, but you are getting the sprints ANYWAY:

No longer run wind sprints after practice because players will pace themselves. Get the running by: #1 TEAM PERIOD – 40 PLAY SCRIPT – THROWING - line sprints 15 yds. downfield on each pass to cover (like covering punts). #2 “RIGGO DRILL” = 15 plays (INSIDE ZONE) & RB/Line sprints 30 yds. on each snap. “SELL THE RANCH” during these two drills!!!

All of our conditioning after practice is fun:


1. Special Team Work - has a purpose and is full of running.

2. Group Runs - 2 guys pair up with 2 guys across the field (on the sidelines) on the 5 yard markers. All players are paired 2 x 2 across the field from each other. Player 1 runs the width of the field (now, there are 3 on one side, 1 on the other). When Player 1 gets 5 yds from sideline, Player 2 from that side he ran to sprints to the other side. The kids keep running back and forth (the width of the field) for 2-3 minutes. Then they break and one side moves into the hash. They repeat the same drill but now the sprint is around 34 yds instead. After 2-3 minutes, they go to the next hash. They repeat the same drill. The shorter the distance they run, the more sprints they run. **Trust me, they will run HARD without thinking about it during this session.

3. 4 Corners - Separate groups and place them evenly in the corners of the endzone. 2 of the 4 groups will do push ups or sit ups or whatever you want. The other 2 groups will SPRINT around the field until they get to their original corner. Then they will jump down quickly and do the pushups or sit ups. The other group that was doing the pushups or situps will quickly get up and they will do the sprinting around the field. Do this for 4 or 5 laps and it will whip em in shape.

4. Doubt those are too much FUN but they are better than blowing the whistel every 10 seconds and watching kids do windsprint after windsprint. So here is my FUN one. Kids line up in groups of 10 on the Goal Line, spaced 3-5 yds apart. Each group has 6-8 kids. The guy in front comes to the 10 yd line and holds a cigar dummy or step over bag up high. On the whistle, the guy in line runs a full sprint and tackles the dummy that the other guy is holding. If he runs hard, that dummy (with himself clinging to it) will slide 4-8 yds on the grass. He gets up and the next guy tackles the pad and hopes for it to slide. THE GOAL IS TO SPRINT FAST, TACKLE THE DUMMY AND HOPE IT SLIDES FAR AS POSSIBLE. When the dummy hits the 50 (after many kids have sprinted and tackled it), the guy who hits it runs back with the dummy in his hand to the goal line is the winner (along with the rest of the group). That group is done with conditioning and the others compete against each other. WITHOUT A DOUBT, OUR KIDS LOVE THIS AND REALLY WORK THEIR BUTTS OFF ON THIS DRILL.


hope i explained them so you can understand.

This is what my JV coach (when I was a player) did:

If the team had a poor practice we would line up and do 15 up-downs, 15 squat thrusts, 15 push-ups and 15 sit-ups. Then 14 of each, then 13 and so on. NO FUN AT ALL.

If the team had a good practice, we played "sharks and minnows". The coach would pick out two or three "sharks", everyone else was a "minnow". The "minnows" would try to run from one sideline to the other (staying between the goalline and about the 30) without being tackled by the "sharks". Those who made it remained "minnows," those who were tackled or knocked out of bounds became "sharks." After a few times across there would only be a couple of "minnows" left and you start a new game with those kids as the "sharks." It is a lot of fun especially in comparison to the alternative (all those squat thrusts etc.).

For Varsity HS you may want to control the hitting to avoid any injuries but I think the general idea is good.

Bill,

I heard that brother! YOU START THE WINNING PROCESS WHEN YOU STEP BETWEEN THE LINES OF THE PRACTICE FIELD, NOT THE GAME FIELD!!! If you want them TOUGH, THEN BE TOUGH WITH THEM!!!

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

BILL,

I CONCUR WITH THAT PRACTICE 100% !!! SEEMS LIKE THE TREND NOW DAYS IS FOR THE COACH TO BE EVERYBODYS "FRIEND" INSTEAD OF ESTABLISHING A REAL COACH-PLAYER RELATIONSHIP THAT ALWAYS MEANT TO ME THAT " I'M YOUR COACH, NOT YOUR DADDY OUT HERE ON THE PRACTICE FIELD". When we get done with practice I will be glad to sit down and talk with you, but out here we need reps, not talk!

Coach Easton-TIGER ONE

The best way to "break up monotony" is to have short, crisp, practices! Keep the pace BRISK, & make every MINUTE count, & if you are not TEACHING FOOTBALL - IMO you may be wasting time!

I have never seen a single kid who would prefer long practices WITH a "monotony break", to short practice WITHOUT a "monotony break". If your kids find practices "monotonous", in all probability you are staying on the field too long.

We have SHORT practices (90 minutes each in "2-a-days") with WATER BREAKS every 25-30 minutes or so. We tell our players that "if you are bored - the water break IS your "monotony break"!

This is an exerpt from our "COACHES' GUIDE", & it addresses the issue (IE: "monotony"). The coach I got it from several years ago was BUD WILKINSON - who won 3 National titles (& had a 47 game winning streak) at the U. of Oklahoma:


ERRORS IN TEACHING METHODS:
FIRST = FAILURE TO USE TIME EFFICIENTLY. Failure to recognize the time factor available to get the job done. Planning makes for valuable use of time. Too long on any one thing produces boredom. When boredom comes in, learning goes out. Football players have a short attention span. Hold to time schedule.
SECOND = FAILURE TO EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE DRILL. Tell the boy WHY he is doing what he is trying to accomplish and he will do a better job. Explain WHY, then show HOW.
THIRD = IMPROPER TEACHING PROGRESSION. You can’t teach a boy how to block until he has learned stance. If he hasn’t learned stance, he doesn’t know how to step out of the stance into the block.
FOURTH = TOO MUCH VERBAL INSTRUCTION ON THE FIELD. How much can boy learn from your verbal instruction with his helmet on, he’s breathing hard, he aches, he’s stunned, etc. Do WHO and WHY in chalk talk. Teach assignments before hitting the field. Correct on the field. Teach – no! (HOW is taught on the field – not WHO & WHY).
FIFTH = TOO MUCH DEMONSTRATION BY COACH. How much you know is not important. How much player knows is.
SIXTH = BEING ON THE FIELD TOO LONG. Better to have a team eager to play rather than physically tired. How long to practice is a judgment factor. Cut down as season goes along – not going to change mechanical ability late in season. Only one rule we never violate:. If one coach on staff feels practice too long, we must cut it down. More boys play poorly because they practiced too long than boys playing poorly because they didn’t practice long enough.


ERRORS IN DEVELOPING MORALE (MORALE IS TO THE PHYSICAL AS 4 IS TO 1).
FIRST = FOOTBALL BEGINS WITH MORALE! Once you get morale, it is easy to maintain. How to get it is a problem.
SECOND = HOW TO LOSE MORALE. Do what you said you’re going to do. Don’t say we’re going to practice 1 ½ hours and go 2 ½ hours. Training rules – if you’re not going to enforce them, don’t have them.
THIRD = MORALE STEMS FROM DISCIPLINE (ALL Discipline begins by being on time).
FOURTH = TREAT PLAYERS AS A PERSON. If he feels you are interested in him only as a football player, he won’t go all out for you. If you are interested in his academics, his personal problems, etc. and he knows this, he’ll go all out for you. Convince him that football is good for his future.
FIFTH = One year, Notre Dame had 2 QB’s competing for the starting position. Under great athlete, team failed; under mediocre QB, team succeeded. Why? Captain’s reply – “the great athlete is trying to show how good HE is. The TEAM is trying to make the average guy look good”.

Best wishes in whatever you choose to do!

These are two of the things we give OUR assistants in the realm of "Coaching Guides":

COMMON COACHING ERRORS AND HOW TO AVIOD THEM

By: Bud Wilkinson

GENERAL COMMENTS: The best coach is the one who makes the fewest mistakes; the one who does the best teaching job; the one who is the best organizer. Writing the X’s & O’s is not the most important thing. There are 22 variables in a football game. Coach must be a salesman to the extent that when his team loses, they don’t blame him or the offensive and/or defensive system, but rather themselves.

ERRORS IN TEACHING METHODS:
FIRST = FAILURE TO USE TIME EFFICIENTLY. Failure to recognize the time factor available to get the job done. Planning makes for valuable use of time. Too long on any one thing produces boredom. When boredom comes in, learning goes out. Football players have a short attention span. Hold to time schedule.
SECOND = FAILURE TO EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE DRILL. Tell the boy WHY he is doing what he is trying to accomplish and he will do a better job. Explain WHY, then show HOW.
THIRD = IMPROPER TEACHING PROGRESSION. You can’t teach a boy how to block until he has learned stance. If he hasn’t learned stance, he doesn’t know how to step out of the stance into the block.
FOURTH = TOO MUCH VERBAL INSTRUCTION ON THE FIELD. How much can boy learn from your verbal instruction with his helmet on, he’s breathing hard, he aches, he’s stunned, etc. Do WHO and WHY in chalk talk. Teach assignments before hitting the field. Correct on the field. Teach – no! (HOW is taught on the field – not WHO & WHY).
FIFTH = TOO MUCH DEMONSTRATION BY COACH. How much you know is not important. How much player knows is.
SIXTH = BEING ON THE FIELD TOO LONG. Better to have a team eager to play rather than physically tired. How long to practice is a judgment factor. Cut down as season goes along – not going to change mechanical ability late in season. Only one rule never violated at Oklahoma. If one coach on staff feels practice too long, we must cut it down. More boys play poorly because they practiced too long than boys playing poorly because they didn’t practice long enough.

ERRORS IN TACTICS AND STRATEGY:
FIRST = TACTICS AND VICTORY. You get very few victories on tactics. Victories come if you can out block, out tackle, out fundamental your opponent. Red Sanders quote: “Intimidate them physically”! Outmaneuver – no. Defeat – yes.
SECOND = CLEAR CUT PHILOSOPHY A MUST. Decide on an offense and defense that will suit your personnel then stick to it. Depth of morale can be determined by a kid’s reaction to a loss. If morale deep, they’ll blame themselves. If morale shallow, they’ll blame you.
THIRD = TOO MANY PLAYS AND DEFENSES. Subtract the number of different plays used in the game from the total number of plays you practiced. If this number is too large you better get rid of some plays. It is difficult enough to know when to run off- tackle, but if you have four ways to run off-tackle, you will never get the right play. Beauty of Split-T was it’s very limited number of plays
ERRORS IN JUDGMENT:
FIRST = BE REALISTIC ABOUT PLAYER’S ABILITY. Don’t just put an X or an O on the board. Put up the boy’s name. Immediately his limitations affect the offense or defense you put up. Whale of a lot of difference between Dick Butkus and Humpty Dumpty.
SECOND = WHEN CHIPS ARE DOWN, BEST PLAYERS ARE IN THE GAME. It is a mistake to be able to play blue chippers only one way. Say best kid you have can only go on offense. Say opponent has ball for 45 minutes. These are 45 minutes he cannot help you.

ERRORS IN OFF FIELD RELATIONSHIP:
FIRST = RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER FACULTY MEMBERS. The environment that exists has a lot to do with winning or losing. If they are with you, your job is easier. If they are against you, you’re in trouble. Work on a program of how to win friends and influence faculty members.
SECOND = ORGANIZE A MOTHER’S CLUB. Get mother on your side by pointing out to her what he can get out of football besides winning games.
THIRD = PRESS, TV, AND RADIO. Straight up fact of life that the great majority of people get their impression of you from what they read in the paper, see on TV, or hear on radio. Their jobs depend on info. Get it to them to make their jobs easier. Get these people on your side. Let them know what you’re doing. They will interpret what you’re doing in the way you want it interpreted if they are with you.

ERRORS IN DEVELOPING MORALE (MORALE IS TO THE PHYSICAL AS 4 IS TO 1).
FIRST = FOOTBALL BEGINS WITH MORALE! Once you get morale, it is easy to maintain. How to get it is a problem.
SECOND = HOW TO LOSE MORALE. Do what you said you’re going to do. Don’t say we’re going to practice 1 ½ hours and go 2 ½ hours. Training rules – if you’re not going to enforce them, don’t have them.
THIRD = MORALE STEMS FROM DISCIPLINE (ALL Discipline begins by being on time).
FOURTH = TREAT PLAYERS AS A PERSON. If he feels you are interested in him only as a football player, he won’t go all out for you. If you are interested in his academics, his personal problems, etc. and he knows this, he’ll go all out for you. Convince him that football is good for his future.
FIFTH = One year, Notre Dame had 2 QB’s. Under great athlete, team failed; under mediocre QB, team succeeded. Why? Captain’s reply – “the great athlete is trying to show how good HE is. The TEAM is trying to make the average guy look good”.

COACH IN YOUR OWN WAY:
FIRST = DON’T COPY! Note clinicians and their personalities. ALL different ways of being successful. Plan carefully in the off season. Can’t take golf lessons between the 8th green and 9th tee.

CONCLUDING REMARKS: The man who is best organized and does the best teaching job, is the best coach.


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PRACTICE AND TEACHING PHILOSOPHY


1. Goal is to out practice our opponents.
a. Practice harder
b. Practice smarter
c. Practice with game day intensity

2. You Must Get Your Position To Believe That You Are The Best Coach And Teacher In The League. If The Players Don’t Believe, We Won’t Win.

3. We Must Be Great Teachers.
What you see on video is what you have coached.
You are a teacher! Your teaching is evaluated by your player’s performance. Profs can have A, B, C, D, F students. We must have all A’s. Keep things simple. Don’t over coach. Find the best way to teach. Teach fundamentals. Our goal is that each player masters the fundamentals at his position.

4. We Know What Must Be Taught – Staff Growth. Improve Schemes, But Have A Philosophy And Sell It To The Players.

5. Utilize Teaching Aids.
Change up procedure of meetings
Must use them
Video Breakdown (find a way to use it).
Marking Boards – accuracy of diagrams is critical – 75% of learning is visual.
Practice and Scrimmage Video
Training Video



6. Great Enthusiasm (Not Cheerleading) - 3/1 Theory (3 Positive - 1 Negative).
Explain to athlete we criticize performance and not to take it personally. Find things to be positive about.
80% of your communication and motivation should be positive! If this is not true, then change!

7. Must Be Consistent.
All players must be team players and abide by the Team Covenant.
Consistency in everything.
Praise and criticize – all players. Players will notice any inconsistency in your player interaction.
Coach toughness. Coach toughness. Coach toughness. Coach toughness. Coach 100% effort every play. Every Play Every Day! - Play Hard Players must be on time every scheduled meeting or practice. Attention to detail.
Demand players to compete in everything they do. (6-second player)

8. Hard Workers On Field. Coaching.
Coach every play! Coach every play! Coach every play! Coach every play! Don’t stand in one spot. (Hands in pockets, arms folded not permitted in our program.) Get to where the action is.
If coach stands around, so will players. No clinics on field. That’s why we meet and have walk-thru. Coach will run drill to drill just like the players. Players must run on the field - never walk.
Players don’t lay on the ground. Demand enthusiasm, intensity and knowing assignment.

9. Control The Hitting - Tag-off, Play Ball Live-Tag Off, Thud, Live.

10. The best coaches in the country take their players
performance personal. OUR COACHES TAKE THEIR PLAYERS PERFORMANCE PERSONAL!

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That's NOT the issue. If your practices are monotonous, it is either because they are too long, or your coaches don't conduct the sessions with enthusiasm & vigor! How can a brisk 90 minute workout (with 2 or 3 water breaks) be monontonous?? That (to me) is ABSURD! Either the kids or the coaches do NOT have an "appetite" for the game!

What IS monotonous is losing! This can result from wasting precious practice time by doing "something" that ISN'T teaching FOOTBALL!

GCTIGERS57: "ABSURD" = the notion that a well-orchestrated, brisk 90 minute workout with 3 water breaks would get monotonous (if it DOES - it implies "poor coaching")! Other words for it are "NONSENSICAL", or "RUBBISH"!

NOTE: IF you read my post (above) of 8/12 - you would find the following:

ERRORS IN TEACHING METHODS (these are the two reasons a practice can get monotonous, & are the FAULT of the Coach):

FAILURE TO USE TIME EFFICIENTLY. Failure to recognize the time factor available to get the job done. Planning makes for valuable use of time. Too long on any one thing produces boredom. When boredom comes in, learning goes out. Football players have a short attention span. Hold to time schedule.

BEING ON THE FIELD TOO LONG. Better to have a team eager to play rather than physically tired. How long to practice is a judgment factor. Cut down as season goes along – not going to change mechanical ability late in season. Only one rule we never violate: If one coach on staff feels practice too long, we must cut it down. More boys play poorly because they practiced too long than boys playing poorly because they didn’t practice long enough.

PS: I first entered football as a player in 1952. I have coached on EVERY level. I have ALWAYS thought football was FUN! Now, some coaches on this site are trying to imply that we need to "break monotony" by playing "grab-ass" games! There is not a MINUTE to waste in-season on anything that is NOT teaching the GAME OF FOOTBALL. Look at Joe Bugel's great tape done with "Gilman Gear" - he talks about not doing certain drills IN-SEASON because they are a waste of time.

Next time your opponent is beating the hell out of you, try telling HIM: "hey buddy - this is monotonous; let's take a time out & play some FUN games"! Better still - watch the movie "HOOSIERS" & see how the coach handled those "situations" in practice!

You are exactly right. IN-SEASON there is not a MOMENT to waste. A great coach once told me "DO NOT DO ANYTHING IN PRACTICE THAT IT NOT TEACHING THE GAME OF FOOTBALL"!

" 'Organized Grab Ass' is what a PE teacher does with 50 students in half a Gym with one frisbee."

Sam Venuto
Head Football Coach
Salem HS Salem, New Jersey

Deac & Tiger-1: Good posts!

Football always has (& always WILL be) the game that teaches the lesson so vital in LIFE: To work HARD; to BELIEVE in yourself; to NEVER give up. In other words - fight back vs. all odds, suck up your gut, & hang tough.

I do NOT believe you can teach this in practice by playing "ring around the roses"!

"TOUGHNESS IS CONTAGIOUS, & UNFORTUNATELY, SO IS A LACK OF TOUGHNESS"!

Coach - you do things YOUR way, & I'll do things MY way.

Best wishes!

Just my opinion:

Football and the work it takes to be successful at football should be, for the player, the most fun they can imagine having. You get them to buy into working hard and business like for the ultimate goal of winning; when you do win they will have fun.