CONDITIONING DRILLS are critical during off-season workouts, preseason conditioning and those long two-a-days in the late summer. You don’t have time to waste during regular-season practice, so having players in tip-top condition by opening night goes a long way to your team’s success.
From linemen to backs, receivers to special teamers, no one should be immune to hitting the field and sprinting. Of course, simple sprinting gets boring and loses its luster after a couple blows of the whistle. To keep your players motivated while they condition their bodies, try the following three drills, two offered by coach Marques Butler, the linebacker coach at Eisenhower High School in Lawton, Okla., and the other from Kevin Kopecky, the head football coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, Kan.
DIAGRAM 1: Goal Post Drill. The Goal Post Drill from coach Butler divides players by position before starting as players are required to meet a certain time to complete the drill (obviously, some groups get longer and others get a shorter time).
Before starting the drill, instruct each group about the amount of time they have to finish the drill. Use the following times: quarterback (40-45 seconds); running back, defensive back and wide receiver (35-40 seconds); tight end (45-50 seconds); offensive and defensive line (50-60 seconds); and linebacker (40-45 seconds).
Players then align at one end of the goal. The coach calls a group forward. On the whistle, players sprint down the field to the other goal post. They run around the goal post and sprint back. Position some of your coaches throughout the field so they can yell times at players as they running by them.
If you’re looking to test your players’ conditioning prior to or during two-a-days, require your players to pass three time trials in a close succession. For instance, players run a Goal Post, rest for two minutes, run the next Goal Post, rest for 90 seconds and run the final Goal Post. They must hit their provided time during each sprint. This is a true gut-buster.
DIAGRAM 2: Towel Drill (Kill ‘Em Dead). This drill, also from coach Butler, is a conditioning drill but can also be used as a disciplinary drill.
This drill takes place in a hallway of your school. The player places a towel on the floor. On the coach’s command, the player pushes the towel from one end of the hall to the other while in a bear-crawling position.
DIAGRAM 3: Dynasty Drill. The third and final drill comes from coach Kopecky. He said it’s guaranteed to get your players running hard, fast and competitively.
Start by choosing a distance to race (anything from 40 yards and beyond is acceptable). Divide players into groups of four with each group having at least one lineman-type player.
Runners No. 1 and 3 align at the starting line. Runners No. 2 and 4 align at the designated distance away from them.
On the coach’s command, Runner No. 1 takes off and sprints to Runner No. 2. Upon arrival, the first runner slaps the second runner’s hand. He must slap the hand to indicate the second runner now is allowed to run. No. 2 follows by sprinting to Runner No. 3 and slapping his hand and so forth. It’s run like a relay race in track with Runner No. 4 as the final leg.
Give the winners the next heat off to rest. Make the losing team do 10 quick push-ups.
Players love forming their relay teams and strategizing who should run which leg. It’s a drill coach Kopecky said the team uses all year long and always looks forward to.