AFM RSS Feed Follow Us on Twitter       
AMERICAN FOOTBALL MONTHLY THE #1 RESOURCE FOR FOOTBALL COACHES
ABOUT |  CONTACT |  ADVERTISE |  HELP  



   User Name    Password 
      Password Help





Article Categories


AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


Speed Report: Football Coach or Football Speed Coach –You Can Be Both

by: Dale Baskett
Football Speed Specialist
© More from this issue

Click for Printer Friendly Version          

You don’t have to be apprehensive when you think about football speed development. You don’t have to feel incompetent when it comes to developing team speed. That is, if you have a certain knowledge of the subject of football speed. If you don’t, you might feel uneasy about teaching it. My quest in this article is to provide you with perspective about football speed and how you can feel more comfortable with what it takes to do it right – right according to the scientific knowledge that’s available. 

    As I go from high school to high school, college to college, and even the pros, I’m always amazed at the fact that everyone I work with is using the same methods. It’s not their fault. They have to deal with what’s available for them in the marketplace of programs for football speed. Unfortunately they don’t usually know what’s right from wrong. Football coaches are football coaches first and football speed coaches second. They have the job of trying to fill the gap by teaching their team some type of football speed that helps playing speed. 

    I’ve spent 31 years teaching speed development to athletes and approximately 25 years teaching coaches how to teach football speed. The knowledge that is being used by coaches today is borrowed – knowledge provided from the science world with big words and minimal, if any, sound application packages. The sad truth of this fact is that most everyone is borrowing a set of thoughts and drills a philosophy that’s inaccurate. 

What’s Directing Coaches for
Methods They Use? 

   It amazes me that coaches follow the unknown leader of the same methods from school to school nationwide. I know the answer to the puzzle because I was the first football speed coach around. In my opinion, track has been and still is the culprit. Track coaches teach principles that don’t fit football. What football should always strive for is being on point for what football speed requires. The common tenets for track speed training are so far removed from football speed specifics that track workouts don’t work. They will derive maximal results according to football speed and movement requirements. Part of your job is to know the difference between the two.
    Learn to discern that football speed is far removed from track techniques and training procedures. What the track world has come up with, drill-wise, is useless for short ballistic movement and change of pace which football requires. Change of pace movement, burst techniques and deceleration to burst again are not part of track speed work. You must train your athletes specifically for just this requirement to be prepared for the necessary demands. Each sport is different and certain characteristics are needed to develop sport specific speed. One process doesn’t fit all. Calibrate your training to fit the sport and watch the difference in results.

Categorize What’s Right vs.
Wrong and Move to Football Speed

    When you look at training systems for football speed and movement, you must clearly look at the technical applications and be sure that the parts match the whole in theory and presentation. Your concerns should be focused on the processing effect over time with the correct applications. You need to know which mechanical functions are right and which are wrong. To successfully accomplish this you must look at what is useful and what is non – productive. The following represents insights for becoming a better football speed coach.  
 
• All Training methods must be biomechanically relative to human movement.

• Wasting time on drills and procedures that doesn’t produce football speed is counterproductive. Your time is limited and valuable.
• List the methods and applications currently used and see if they’re placed in an order that processes foundational movement, intermediate movement and very fast movement in an organized manner. They have to be.

• Place high priority on quality, not quantity, for all speed work.

• Provide drills that address change of pace, change of direction, burst, decel then burst again, creating variation velocities. Be creative.

• Use more football speed training applications and less sprint speed work.

• Don’t just follow what you see - get specific scientific proof.

• Mechanical foundations come first before speed applications. The speed part will progress and integrate as you proceed forward with your training.

• Be critical about execution of techniques. They must be executed correctly.

    The previous list will help you put some tenets in place for growing closer to being a football speed coach in your program. 


Knowing all the ins and outs of football speed training and becoming a technician for football speed is now available for you or a staff member. I am pleased to announce the formation of the Football Speed and Movement Association (FSMA) – dedicated to providing coaches nationwide with groundbreaking new football speed development programs (see below). Through the FSMA, I will be sharing my trademarked training systems and never-before-seen programs that will change your team speed profile now and in the future. If you’re serious about team speed, be sure to check out this new opportunity.  






NEW BOOK!

AFM Videos Streaming Memberships Now Available Digital Download - 304 Pages of Football Forms for the Winning Coach



















HOME
MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE COLUMNISTS COACHING VIDEOS


Copyright 2024, AmericanFootballMonthly.com
All Rights Reserved