I want to play football, and will do anything to play it.

Question
QUESTION: Coach Louis, I'm entering my junior year in highschool, and I really want to play Football. The only problem is that I'm 5'2... I still haven't hit my growth spurt yet, and my mom doesn't want me doing weights. I was in spring training but my mom took me out for that exact reason. Another problem is that in my school weights are a NEED in our program, being as were not the fastest bunch. I would love to play Corner Back, Running Back, or Line Backer, but right now the chances seem really slim. I could really use some advice on the situation, maybe an alternative to not doing weights. At least not squatting. I do know though that if I were to get really fast, then maybe I wouldn't need weights. Do you think I can have youre outlook on the situation? That would be greatly appreciated, and once again, I'll do anything to play Football.

ANSWER: Dear Kristian,
If your mother does not want you to work with weights work on your speed.

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!!!!!!!!!!


Try playing some 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 teaches 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 for getting off the line of scrimmage.

Your friend, Coach Louis



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QUESTION: Thanks a lot Coach Louis. And as for posistion, what should I go out for?
ANSWER: Dear Kristian,
I need to ask you two questions. How fast can you run the 40-yard dash? And are you willing to work hard to become a better player?

Your friend, Coach Louis

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QUESTION: Meh my 40 yard dash isn't the greatest. I ran a 5.5. I know, not good at all, it was weird also though, there were people that I was always faster then and they got better times then me. And am I willing to work hard? I'm more then willing to work hard. I just want to play, and I'll do anything to acheive that goal. And thanks for you helping, its greatly appreciated.
ANSWER: Dear Kristian,
First, I want you to play those two sports like I told you. I did not just pull them out of a hat, they have helped a lot of player improve their game.

Next, I would work on my pattern reading.
Here is a simple system you can use to add pattern reading to your defense.

1. Spend some time looking at the game film of your next opponent and learn his play book.

2. Make a list of your opponents pass plays, and place the pass plays into three sets, short passes, medium passes, long passes, inside patterns, and outside patterns.

3. Now make these groups even smaller by dividing them into sub-groups that include passes by formation, downs, tendencies, inside patterns, outside patterns, and distance. This will give you an idea what to look for in every situation.

Here is a simple tip if you don't want to work that hard to read the defense. The biggest tip I can give you comes from the receiver himself. Watch the receiver carefully on the game films. A lot of the receivers make the same mistakes. When a receiver is running an inside pattern he will release inside shoulder of the corner back. When a receiver is running an outside pattern he will release outside shoulder of the corner back.

Here is where knowing your opponents play book comes in handy. Lets say that it is third and 10. And lets say that the receiver takes an outside release. You know that your opponent has three pass patterns they like to run to the outside. They like to run a 3-yard hitch, a 5-yard out, and 12-yard flag pattern. Can you guess which pattern they are going to run? The hitch and the short out pattern will not give them a first down but the 12-yard flag pattern will.

Now that you know all this you can play the percentage game. The odds are now in your favor to make the big play. Here is where the pattern reading comes in.

Pattern reading is nothing more than a combination of landmark dropping and reading the receivers routes. In fact, defensive backs must know their landmark drops before they can move up to the pattern reading level.

A pattern reading is a simple read of the second receiver from the sidelines. For example, many teams, on the high school level, usually have their tight end run a short pattern while the slot-back will run a deeper route. By reading the tight end's pattern, you will have a good idea of what the slot-back is going to do. The same goes for the two receiver set. One receiver will usually run a short pattern while the other will go deep. If you know what combination patterns the two receivers run, by doing your homework, you will be waiting for the ball when it is thrown.

The information I gave you is gold and I hope you guard it well. I presume this answers your question. If not please let me know and I will do my best to help you.

Your friend, Coach Louis


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QUESTION: Ok, so DB is the posistion I should go for, thanks a lot Coach Louis. And I'm definitely going to play those two sports, as long as they help me become a better player then I'm good. And as for speed training, what kind should I do? Will the Hand Ball get me faster? And are good ups a requirement to play DB?
ANSWER: Dear Kristian,
Thank you for your rating score. I am sorry that I took long to get back to you but I am the only coach answering questions at this time. The other football coach is on vacation and I have been flooded with all the football question. Let us get back to your question.

If you are going to get any interceptions, you will need to be able to react quickly to the ball while it is still in the air. Playing handball will reduce your reaction time to the ball.

If you want to improve your speed, you should run some bleachers it will increase the power in your legs.

Your friend, Coach Louis

PS I am sorry but I did not understand your last question. Can you please restate.
PSS And do not forget to give me a great rating this time LOL. Just kidding.

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QUESTION: Sorry Coach Louis, its just a slang we all lose. It means do I have to be able to jump really high to make up for the height? Thats what everyone tells me. And wow, I never knew that running stairs/bleachers got your speed up. Thanks a lot Coach Louis, and don't be in a rush, I can wait lol. And I think I have one last question heh. Defensive Back is basically a name for Safety, Free Safety, and Corner Backs right? Like basically a classification for all those posistions. So when you siad that I can play Defensive Back, does that also mean I can play Safety?

Answer
Dear Kristian,
Yes, defensive Back is basically a classification for all those guys in the back field. And yes, I was thinking you should play safety. If you put to use all the information I sent you, you will surprise your coach and your team mates.

It is easy to beat a short corner back with short passes. All the receiver has to do is use his height and body to beat the defender. The quarterback will just throw the ball over the corner back's head and it is all over.

It is not so easy to do that to a safety. A safety has more time to look at the ball and react to what the offense is trying to do. The ball also has to travel a greater distance to get to the receiver. Receivers are taught to only look for the ball after they make their break. If you do your homework you can be looking for the ball way before the receiver makes his break.

Also, quarterbacks are not perfect. They throw the football to the wrong side of the receiver, they throw the ball too short, and they over throw the receiver (on deep patterns) all the time. All you have to do is be ready and take advantage of the situation.

Let me know what you think.

Your friend, Coach Louis