Begin using the easiest drills first, and move on later to the more advanced. Demonstrate the expected drill, have each player take part, and watch each person’s progress measuring their weaknesses and strengths and ability to work together.
The purpose is to train the team for both endurance, skill, and strength and also train for plays, handoffs, and blocking. Here are some good drills for flag football plays.
Basic Skill Drills
- Pass and catch is a drill so commonly used but is still a good drill for learning eye/hand coordination. A player can either be standing still or running around, near or far away. Start with payers stationery about five yards apart, taking a step back with each successful throw.
- A sprinting drill will encourage endurance. Here your team sprints and, without any great rest by walking or jogging, enters into another sprint. More than two sprints can be used.
- Running the Cones is a drill where the cones are lined up approximately three yards apart. The players are lined up in two groups, and on the signal, the leader in each line begins through the cones. This is a good drill for young players that enjoy a game of relay. The two groups can play against each other.
- Handoff the ball drill has the team divided into two groups, forming a line facing each other. One has the ball, which is held properly for the handoff. The ball must be held securely but ready for the proper handoff. On a signal, the player races toward the other line of players. The ball is handed off to the first player approached. That player then runs forward to the other team and hands off to that player. This continues until the ball has been down the entire line. In this drill, a player learns to handle the ball properly for a handoff and to receive it without fumbling.
- This drill is to help an RB on a sweep from running out of bounds in an effort not to be tackled. Sometimes the RB will go out of bounds and lose or gain no ground in his pursuit to not be tromped.
- In this drill, the RB will begin to run forward. The QB has to hand RB the ball, and RB will run through two cones near where the tight end is lined up. At a further five yards, another set of cones are set up. The RB must run between these cones and then face a defender. The defender must be passed without the player losing a flag.
More Advanced Drills
Scrim Mash
Scrim mash is a good drill as it involves more of the entire team. You want to halt the play more often than usual to correct errors. That is the advantage of playing and following the rules. Have the team play the game as they would a regular game. On defense, it might be beneficial to have two players versus two to three players on the other side.
Out of the Back Field Receiving Drill
You use the RB as a receiver on this next drill. It involves passing the ball to an RB as he comes from the backfield, using two groups, each having a QB and RB. The QB gives the signals and pretends to pass them off to the RB. The RB runs along a line ending near the scrimmage line toward the boundary. The QB then prepares to send the ball to the RB down the field. It is important for the QB to give the proper signals and to act as if he passed the ball to the RB.
Defensive Drill
Sharks and minnows begin with one shark and the rest of the team minnows. A shark tries to pull the flag off as many minnows as possible. Once a shark pulls the flag of one minnow, the minnow becomes a shark and tries to pull the flags of other minnows. The game ends when one minnow remains.
Conclusion
The effort is to build skills in the players in ways that they want to learn and be challenged. These are only a few drills. Use a tackling drill or a blocking drill. Try an offensive or defensive drill or trick plays. Try your own drill.