In shape for football

Question
QUESTION: Dear Coach Luis

 I am 14 years old and i am wanting to play football for my High-School and JV team  i have never played football in my life besides pick up games with friends.
 I am about 6ft tall and weigh 195lbs and  i am wanting to know besides the lifting down at the school what can i do to get i shape and get motivated for the season because that is my biggest worry that i will collapse on the first day of practice or not want to play and quit please help me

P.S.
 I am active in baseball and summer league basketball

ANSWER: Dear Adam,
You are doing the right thing by playing basketball. You also might want to add handball to your workout.

REMEMBER ONLY A DOCTOR CAN TELL YOU IF THE PROGRAM YOU ARE STARTING IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU. You need to get your PARENTS, your COACH, and your DOCTOR involved.

1. GET YOUR PARENTS PERMISSION AND ASK FOR THEIR ADVICE. THEY CAN BE OF GREAT HELP TO YOU.

2. TALK TO YOUR COACH HE IS THERE TO HELP YOU. HE WANTS YOU TO SUCCEED. HE CAN GET YOU STARTED ON THE RIGHT PROGRAM.

3. BEFORE YOU START ANY PROGRAM MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR PARENTS PERMISSION AND YOUR DOCTORS OKAY.

REMEMBER ONLY A DOCTOR CAN TELL YOU IF THE PROGRAM YOU ARE STARTING IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU. IT IS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN TO BE SORRY!!!!!!!!!!

Basketball it is a great sport and it will help you get into football shape. It will teach you how to run back, forth, and side to side without thinking about it. Basketball will also help your coordination, quickness, conditioning, and improve your foot work. This type of workout is especially good if you want to play linebacker, defensive end, and or defensive back.

You also might want to add handball to your workout schedule. Just like in basketball, handball forces you to run back, forth, and side to side without having to think about it. You just react to the ball much like in football. Handball can be of great help, to a football player, for all the same reasons as basketball.

Try playing these two sports, on regular bases, and you will get into fantastic football shape. You will also improve your coordination and reaction time. If you do not want to play basketball or handball try some running.

Start by running a 1/2 lap around the football field everyday. Be sure to sprint the last 100-yards of your run. This way you work on your wind sprints and long distance running at the same time. You want to be fresh in the fourth quarter when everybody else is exhausted.

After a week or so, when you feel up to it, add a half a lap to your workout. Keep adding a half a lap, every week or so, until you reach 3 or four miles per workout. Only workout once a day, you do not want to over do it. You want to build your body up not use it up. Be sure to drink lots of water, you will need it. And do not do all three work outs together. Just pick one and do it.

By the time you start football camp, you will be in the best shape of your life. TAKE IT SLOW. Do not push too hard and make sure that you get check by a Doctor first. Let me know what position you want to play and I will give you some tips on how to play it.


Your friend, Coach Louis


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: well i'm a Big Guy so probably Defensive line maybe an end any tips

Answer
Dear Adam,
I am a big guy too. So welcome to the club LOL.

Defensive Linemen
To get into a proper defensive linesman stance, stand with your feet parallel, knees flexed, and bend forward, resting forearms on knees. Reach out with both arms, hands on ground. Then raise one hand, open, palm forward.


WHEN THE HAT MOVES FORWARD
When the offensive player moves forward, the defensive lineman must step to the blocker, with a forceful blow (by the heels of the hands) strong enough to stop the blocker in his tracks. He must then separate from him and move to the ball. If the offensive lineman tries to cut him, the defensive lineman must extend his arms and force the blocker to the ground. At the same time he must kick out his feet backwards and away from the blocker.


WHEN THE HAT MOVES INSIDE OR OUTSIDE
The defensive lineman must be able to shuffle laterally keeping a half a man ahead of the blocker while reading the play. Remember the blocker is trying to keep you from the play. So if he is trying to block you from the right side, the play is going to the right side. If he is trying to block you from the left side, the play is going to the left side.


WHEN THE HAT MOVES BACKWARDS, BULL RUSH   
The defensive lineman must rush hard and close the distance between himself and the offensive lineman. The defensive lineman now becomes the offensive lineman; so to speak, by driving his opponent back (with the heels of the hands) as hard and fast as he can to get him off balance. The same drive block the offensive lineman uses against you is now used by you to get to the quarterback.

Remember the offensive lineman is dropping back as fast as he can to pass block. If you can make contact and keep driving him backward he is going to lose his balance and fall down on his rear. And you will have a clear shot at the quarterback. There are many other techniques used to rush the quarterback however, I will only go over the bull rush because I do not want to step on anyones toes. Most coach like to pick which techniques are going to be used by their defensive linemen and they do not want another coach butting in to their business. The bull rush is the only one that can be used without anybody being the wiser. From far away it looks just like any other rush technique. Here is a tip that will put a smile on your face. You are probably asking yourself, is there anyway to know when he is going to pass or run block. The answer is, look at his feet.


READ THE LINESMEN FEET
If the play is a run, the linemen will have most of their body weight on the front of their feet and their heels off the ground. If the play is a pass, the linemen will have most of their weight on the back of their feet and their heels on the ground. They also might do this if they are going to pull. Some of the linemen point their feet in the direction they are going to pull. Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you. I will be more than happy to help in any way I can.

Your friend, Coach Louis