18 Tips to Make Practices Better

Today's post will give you 18 Tips to Make Practices Better.

This article was written by Coach Chris Parker in August 2022. Coach Parker writes about coaching football and is the creator of Parker Resources. After a stellar coaching career in Georgia he is now a school administrator who stays active in the game by writing about his journey as a high school football coach.

The best product Coach Parker has to offer is his detailed and affordable Head Coach Academy.

If you desire to be a head football coach in the future, you might as well start preparing now. This book is a great resource for any coach at any level. Here are the topics you will find inside this book:

• Being a good assistant

• Resume development

• Philosophy and Planning

• Mental and Emotional Development of Players

• Physical Development of Players

• Team Policies and Procedures

• Coaching Staff Organization and Development

• Booster Club and Parents

• Community

• Practices

• Game Day

• Scheme

• Keys to Success

So if you are ready to start preparing for your future head coaching gig the book you need is Head Coach Academy.

18 Ways to Make Practice Better

#18 – Find as many ways as possible to play the game

Kids may play basketball, baseball, soccer on their own…but they will never play 11 on 11 tackle football on their own. They need the practice time to get better at football. Limit drills that don’t involve playing the game.

#17 – Give each period a focus

Every period (indy, group, team) needs a focus. Write it on the practice script and make sure you got better. Example: Working counter – make sure you work bouncing a squeezing DE. If nothing else, get better at that before the period is over. These small wins will compound, and you will get much better at more than 1 thing.

#16 – Warmup playing the sport

The start of practice can be a great time to steal some football time. Warmup in position groups doing football movements, pat & go, etc…whatever works for you. If you want to get as many football movements as possible, utilize warmup.

#15 – Use 2 huddles when possible

If you have the capability, use 2 huddles as much as you can. Right after 1 huddle runs the play, the other runs a play while 1st huddle is regrouping. This gets young guys reps without taking away from the 1st team.

#14 – Limit standing around by stealing time

If the OL doesn’t play on kickoff, send them to indy during that time and do not assign the OL coach a job on kickoff. Seems simple, but you can steal time like this over and over in practice if you pay attention.

#13 – Base plans on what you plan to run/see

So much time is wasted on practice running plays you likely won’t even call in the game. Use data for down/distance, hash, and plays to determine what you will practice. Practice what you know you will see (defense) or call (offense) as much as possible.

#12 – Utilize post-practice

If you want to steal some time, have the players do the post-practice stretch while the Head Coach gives the “post-practice” talk (players are not usually listening much anyway) and then end practice in your individual groups doing some extra work.

#11 – Use headsets

Utilize your headsets in practice. This allows the coaches to communicate, coach on the run, and practice will be more efficient. Dust those headsets off on days that aren’t Friday and see if it helps.

#10 – Use your terminology

Kids do not understand football like you do. Quit trying to get them to understand it. When talking to the OL in a drill, tell them the play you are running when working that movement rather than the technical terms. You need them to learn your scheme.

#9 – Take pride in transitions

What is emphasized improves. If you take pride in your transitions, you will be able to accomplish more in practice in a shorter period. Make the transitions fun and the coaches must set the tone for the transitions. Be prepared for the next period.

#8 – Create a clear, concise practice manual

The Head Coach should lay out all responsibilities pre- and post-practice as well as how each period should run. There should be no guessing as to what each coach should be doing during all parts of practice. Have a plan, write it down.

#7 – Have a system for injury management

Unfortunately, players will inevitably get injured. There needs to be protocols in place as to what they will do and how they will work to return. Injured players not having a clear plan can hurt the productivity of the others practicing.

#6 – Limit the monologues

Coach on the run. If you must stop practice over and over, you probably need to video and show the video later to the people making you slow down. Kids learn by doing much more than you stopping practice and preaching.

#5 – Organize scout teams

Take some time and have organized scout teams. This is some of the best work you can do before practice to make practice go smooth. Have “starters” and “backups” at each position on the scouts and post them for the players to know where to go..

#4 – Rotate between offense and defense

I wish I had done this more. Instead of doing an hour or offense and an hour of defense after, go back and forth more like a game. It will be confusing and chaotic at first, but you will settle in and be more “game ready”

#3 – Finish with enthusiasm

Practice can be monotonous at times. Make sure to find a way to finish with enthusiasm. The players need to leave excited about the time they invested in practice and looking forward to what the future holds with the team.

#2 – There are no extra points for the longest practice

While this list is long, your practice should not be. Be aware of people’s time. Use the things on this list and more to make your practices efficient so you can get the kids home to their families, homework, jobs, etc.

#1 – Utilize the components of good instruction

Practice is the same as the classroom. Use your knowledge as a teacher to use the components of good instruction: Motivation, Organization, Efficiency, Variety, and Adaptability. Use all that teaching PL you have done over the years to help your team be better. All those things that may work in “theory”, really work in sports because your students asked to be in this class!

We can all learn from someone else. In this case, Coach Chris Parker of Parker Resources is sharing his 18 ways to make practices better as well as an in depth look at what you can use to prepare for your head coaching job by reading Head Coach Academy.

That's all for today.

Take these 18 Tips to Make Practices Better and see what you can use. Remember, this can be used for any sport, any gender, and at any age.

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