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Blocking and tackling equals Football success. Period, end of story. This holds true at every level of football, but especially the youth level. The most successful teams are the teams that block and tackle better than their opponent. Blocking is 99% attitude at the pee wee football level. Any player who listens, and has the desire, can become an effective blocker at the youth football level. All players will need this skill since at some point during a game, they will need to perform an effective block against the opposition. It may come on a special team or an interception return, but all players will need to know how to block.

I know in my heart, that each child that wears a football helmet and straps on a pair of shoulder pads can be taught how to successfully block. Each player may not succeed at executing every different style, or type of block, but each player can execute at the minimum, the really introductory blocks. Each kid can be coached on how to properly assist during a double team block.

Only players who do not want to be on the team and put in no effort, have a problem learning how to block. Get used to it at the pee wee level as many kids are forced to play by their parents and have no desire to play football. If you are coaching a “B” level team this may be the case with many of the players on your team. It is common for me to ask certain parents why they have registered their son to play football when the child clearly has no desire to play. The players tell me straight to my face that they do not want to play and their parents are making them. I usually talk to the parents and try to put it in perspective explaining that basketball is a contact sport, while football is a collision sport.

In over 20 years of youth football coaching, I have yet to hear even one valid reason from a parent on why they make their son participate in a sport the child has no desire to play. The standard, or canned, response is they do not want their kid sitting around the house watching TV or playing video games. That is what soccer is for. Let them run crazy with no chance of collision contact.

In any case, off my soapbox, let me correct my statement to all willing players can be coached to block. The most satisfying part of coaching blocking, at the pee wee football level, is that with proper form and using their brains any player can have success. These two factors are most important for a player to learn how to block.

It does not matter how potent or mighty the block is at the pop warner level. The strength and power of the block matter more at the high school level. At the youth football level, blocking is basically running interference on the defenders. Usually you need your line to just slow down the defenders by getting in their way while the backs get running. The quicker your ball carrier is, the less time your offensive linemen will have to run interference (block).

In conclusion, your job as a teacher, is to instruct the correct blocking techniques and provide the participants the suitable schemes to have success.

These are tips that I developed from my playing days. These techniques worked well for me and I hope they can help others become the player they want to be.

1. Run every day

Running 3 miles every day is a great cardiovascular workout and will help keep you at your peak fitness. Run uphill as much as possible. At around 2 miles, find a steep hill and sprint up it for about 20-30 meters then turn round and walk back down. Repeat this 5 to ten times before finishing the run. If you do this every day you will find you can play at your best for longer because you’ll be stronger and fitter.

2. Do exercises to increase your speed

Find a drop of around 150cm or stand on a barrel or safe object of a similar height. Jump off, landing on both feet in a squatting position and stand up straight as quickly as possible. Make sure you are well warmed up and stretched before doing this exercise to avoid injury. This exercise will strengthen quick reflex muscles in the legs, improving speed.

3. Learn to play with both feet

Most footballers play far better with one foot than the other, it’s difficult to improve your touch with your stronger foot. Concentrating on your weaker foot is a quick win as bigger improvements can be made with less work. Kick a ball against a wall using only your weaker foot. Have a scratch game in training where everyone plays only with their weaker foot. It doesn’t take much effort and you will notice results within a short space of time.

4. Learn a new trick

When you see a new trick by a professional, watch it closely, over and over again before attempting it. Online video is good for this purpose. Spend 10 minutes every day learning and perfecting the trick. Don’t try it in a game until you can do it perfectly every time and don’t overuse it or your opponents will figure you out.

5. Learn from the professionals

Watch professional footballers play and copy them. Sounds obvious but you’d be amazed how few players do this. Pick a player who plays in the same position as you and watch him closely, learn his tricks and pay attention to his positions when not on the ball. The player you choose should be someone you look up to and aspire to. The player I liked to learn from was Franck Sauzee, the ex-France, Marseilles and Hibernian midfield player. An excellent all round player who was always at the peak of his game.

Finally, don’t be put off if you don’t become Maradona over night. It takes time to become a great player and improving every part of your game gradually is the important thing. Sticking to a good routine and training properly are the key things to remember.