Learning the Basics of Catching a Low Football Pass

Execution on a football field starts with practice. Perfect and not so perfect scenarios should constantly run at football practice. One not so perfect scenario is a low passed catch. First, keep your hands down low in a scooping or shovel position; you can even cross your pinkies. This technique stops the ball from bouncing away and also helps the player scoop up the ball quickly. Second, keep your knees bent low and in extreme cases you should be flat on the ground or diving. Once you have the football in your hands scoop it up and tuck it away. Third, once you have caught the ball, tuck it away as soon as possible. Never use your body to catch a football. Last, concentrate on catching it first and then worry about the defense, and scoring some more yards.

Strength and conditioning: Up Downs

The popular conditioning drill known as up downs is a very effective way to increase cardiovascular activity and endurance. This drill starts by having the players run in place as fast as they can encourage them to get their knees up as high as they can. At the coaches signal the players will drop to the ground and do a push up, and then quickly get back up and start running again. As up downs require endurance and strength, players are encouraged to start in slow short burst and work up to longer and more intense sessions.

Conditioning: Five dot jump

Conditioning is meant to increase speed, endurance, and reaction time on the football field. This drills intention is to help quickness and accuracy on the field which will reduce errors and increase the chances of great plays. Setting up this drill is very simple, you will need five markers placed about a foot apart in an x formation with one of the dots being in the center surrounded by four other dots in a square formation.

The athlete starts at the edge of the mat placing their feet on two of the outer dots and proceeds to jump with feet together on the center spot and then out again quickly to the outer dots similar to a simple hop scotch motion. Next the player will jump touching each dot with on leg only, and then switch using the other leg. The next step is jumping on all five dots with both feet together. The last step is the same as the first hop scotch method but this time when the player reaches the other side they will turn around on the two dots. Players will need to increase their speed and accuracy to be effective with this drill.

Proper Catching Leads to Great Ball Security

When a receiver catches the ball they need to immediately put it into a secure ball carrying position. The points of a proper catch are: First, opening up your hands with an open triangle. Second, keep your eyes on the ball through the entire catch. Third, roll the ball into a secure ball position before you take your eyes off the ball. The problem is that receivers have a tenancy to start looking down the field before they have the ball properly secured. Taking your eye off the ball increases incomplete passes, fumbles, and turnovers. To prevent this, have two receivers throw to each other and as they catch it have them slow down the motion so that they pause at each catch, follow through and tuck.