DE

Question
Hey Coach Louis,
I play defensive end in the 9th grade for a junior high school football team. I do start but im afraid i may be getting a little bit small for the defensive line. I am not too small for my age i am actually 14 at 5' 10" 165 lbs. but im slimming down as the years go by. Do you think that this will affect my future at this position?

Answer
Dear Matt,
It is nice to be big and fast but you need to be happy with what the Lord gave you. What you need to do is work on your technique and use your speed to your advantage. The offensive linemen cannot block what they cannot catch. Use that speed to get into the backfield and drive your opponents nuts.

The one thing I would work on, if I were you, is quickness. On the off season play some basketball and handball.

When playing basketball, you do a lot of running back and forth on the court. This helps get you into football shape. The foot movement used to play defense and offense on the basketball courts are the same foot work used by football players during the season

Handball is also of great benefit to football player. When you play handball, you run back and forth, side to side, and you have to react quickly to the ball. These movements, used on the handball court, simulate those on the football field.
If you play these two sports during the off-season you will be in football shape and your foot work will look great.

Please let me know if I can be of any more help to you.
Your friend, Coach Louis