Coaching football can be an immensely rewarding job as you help kids learn and grow. It teaches them the importance of self-belief and determination. In Pennsylvania, football, from youth to high school, is like a religion, and for parents, it’s an excellent way to connect with your child.
Linemen are a special breed of football players, and you’ll need certain essential football equipment to coach them up properly. Below, we’ll break down the critical gear every football line coach needs to get the best out of their players.
Essential Practice Gear Every Lineman Coach Should Have
Football has been around for well over a century, and the equipment for teaching linemen how to fire off the line and attack their opponents with quality technique is very similar to the way it was in the days of leather helmets. The basic gear every coach needs to teach their players the fundamentals include blocking dummies, sleds, and chutes. Blocking dummies allow players to practice game-specific blocking scenarios safely, focusing on posture and striking motions.
Sleds are for strength and power training, helping linemen perfect their driving stance and maintain leverage. Agility chutes reinforce a low body position, enabling explosive forward movement while keeping the center of gravity low. Together, these tools help condition players physically and mentally, preparing them to excel under pressure.
How To Use Basic Practice Gear for Coaching
Now that you’ve got the essential football equipment you need to coach linemen, you need to know how to use it best to drill into your players the fundamentals and proper technique of the position. Use blocking dummies to teach hand placement and body control by setting up drill stations to help linemen practice maintaining proper angles while delivering strikes.
Sleds and chutes both help linemen build strength and refine their technique. When hitting the sleds, emphasize the use of lower body strength and endurance in players by teaching them to keep their hips low, explode off the ball, and drive through the sled until the whistle. Meanwhile, use the chutes to help players stay low and avoid bad habits like high pad levels.
Advanced Practice Gear for Linemen
For coaches aiming to elevate their training sessions, consider practice gear like resistance bands, agility ladders, and that old standby, automotive tires, to help teach footwork, endurance, and power development. Offseason, many youth, high school, and college programs concentrate on strength training with equipment that helps players master essential movements, like firing out of their stance, delivering blows, and finishing blocks to help develop strength and hone their technique. Advanced practice gear for linemen develops power and strength just in time to dominate the line of scrimmage come next season.
Coaching Linemen for Safety and Success
Every coach needs the right gear to best teach their players how to dominate on the field. From basic equipment like blocking sleds and dummies to more advanced gear, there are plenty of ways coaches can get the best out of their players. Whether you’re a new coach or a seasoned pro, investing in the right equipment sets your team up for success and domination on the field.
