5 Tools Every Football Coach Needs
In order to do this, you want to ensure you have the best tools available at your disposal. These tools will assist your coaching staff and players:
We have compiled a list of 5 tools every football coach needs:
1. Offensive Line Spacer (Line Splits Marker)
The offensive line spacer is probably the most underutilized coaching tool on the football field. A benefit of using this tool is that it can be used for practicing and teaching both the offense and defense. Offensively, the line spacer can be used when you are practicing plays with your running backs ‘on air’ (without linemen). This is crucial because you need to simulate the offensive linemen split distance so the running backs can alignment properly. This will also ensure that the point of attack paths are consistent. The line spacer positions can be easily adjusted to accommodate any line split distance. Defensively, the line spacer is an excellent tool for when you practice team defense on air. You can set up the line spacer with the opposing offense’s line split distance so that your defensive alignment is consistent.
2. Hudl
We all know young athletes are visual learners. Combine that with the fact that they spend hours on tablets and computers, and Hudl is easily the best software for helping young players develop.
By allowing coaches to add comments and drawings to any video, Hudl turns every moment into a lesson. After coaches add their teaching points, they can share clips directly with the entire team or individual athletes. In a time where practice is limited and schedules are busy, Hudl allows coaches to train their players anytime, anywhere.
Hudl also gives players and parents the tools to create highlights with one click and communicate with its built-in messaging app. It’s a real one-stop- shop for coaches, parents and players. And since Hudl is used by over 90% of high schools in the country, it’s another way to help athletes get ready for the next level.
Hudl’s youth packages start at $99 for a team of 25 players (Use code: YFO1 for an additional 10% off)– that’s less than $4 per player. Click the image above to sign up.
3. Youth Football Online Shotgun Wing T Playbook
Having the right offensive playbook makes a difference. The Shotgun Wing T is a balanced youth football offense that offers speed and deception. This playbook attacks the edge of a defense very quickly. The best aspect of this playbook is that you only have to block two to three defenders in order to gain big yardage. Furthermore, this playbook has excellent plays that allow you to utilize your athletic quarterback. All play-diagrams are drawn up vs. various defensive fronts and include blocking rules.
This playbook is easy to implement and can be downloaded instantly by clicking Shotgun Wing T Playbook.
4. Portable White Dry-Erase Board
I ALWAYS have my dry-erase board by my side at practice. This is used in various ways- for instruction, and also as a motivational tool. Coaches should keep a white dry-erase board available during games for illustrating adjustments. My whiteboard will be used to visually show our players the plays we are installing. We will draw a play up first on the board then proceed to run it. When the kids see a play, they are able to execute it at a faster rate. Our game-time adjustments are usually drawn on our whiteboard. When we want to make halftime adjustments we will draw them up, then walk the kids through it on air. Each week we have our “word/acronym of the week” drawn on our whiteboard and highlighted at practice. The whiteboard is a very good motivational tool.
5. Wrist Coaches
The most effective way to call plays is by using wrist coaches. Wrist coaches allow coaches to coordinate the play calls to their quarterback without having the QB run over to the sideline every play. They are also excellent tools for no-huddle play calling. Wrist coaches will also allow you to control the pace of the game as you can communicate plays in very quickly. When you go no-huddle, each player and coach should have one.
