Linemen win with their feet first. A solid 3-point stance is where it starts. This drill teaches kids the four parts: stagger the feet, bend the knees, get a hand down, and keep the eyes up.
What you need: Open grass or field. No equipment needed.
Setup: Have the kids line up in a row. Space them 5 feet apart so they can move without bumping into each other.
How to run it:
- Cue: Stagger, Bend, Hand, Up.
- Teach Stagger: One foot back, one foot forward, about heel-to-toe distance apart. The back foot is your power foot.
- Teach Bend: Knees bent at 45 degrees. Hips stay level. Their butt doesn’t stick up.
- Teach Hand: Place the down hand on the ground. Same side as the back foot. Fingertips only, not the palm. Opposite hand stays in front at chest height.
- Teach Up: Eyes are looking forward, not down at the ground. Chin up. They should be able to see what’s in front of them.
- Have them hold the stance for 5 seconds. Then reset. Do 8 reps.
What to watch: Are their knees bent or are they standing up straight? Straight legs mean no power. Bent knees mean they’re ready to move.
If they’re struggling: Have them practice without the down hand first. Just stagger and bend. Add the hand down after 3 reps.
If they’ve got it: Have them hold the stance while you tap their shoulder. Their job is to stay balanced and not fall over.