Coach Riggs on Quarterbacks

We are wrapping up our Think Football summer with a Non-contact Camp for K-5 athletes (July 29-31) and a Quarterback Clinic (July 26). It has been great fun for our coaches to work with athletes in all our camps and position clinics over the past few months. We have seen some tremendous talent and determination to improve! As we offered our position clinics this summer, Coach Riggs asked his coaches to share their insights with young athletes about the demands of playing and training for the various positions. We asked Coach Riggs to do the same as he prepares 

                                                          to lead his Quarterback Clinic this week.

What are the most important qualities in a QB?
Desire! Desire to be the best, desire to know the system inside and out, and desire to make your teammates better. If a young QB has the desire to strive in these areas, they are going to be successful.

What kind of workouts make an athlete a better QB?
Throwing is not the only area that a QB needs to develop. QB’s really need to remember that their feet are their greatest asset! QB’s should always start at the bottom and work their way up: feet, core, arm and then mental aspects of the game. QB’s should constantly work to improve their foot speed, strengthen their core, build up arm strength and then continue to learn all aspects of their team’s strengths and what might be a weakness for their team.

What advice would you give to a young athlete who someday wants to play QB?

Learn from your mistakes, but do not dwell on your mistakes. QB’s are constantly going to be put in the spotlight. They will experience failure in practice and games. How they are able to learn from these mistakes, correct them, and improve their performance is the key. There is intense pressure on athletes who play QB. Learning to handle performance in the face of that pressure is critical to success!

What was your favorite part about playing at QB?

Learning and Leading. The QB position has such a high expectation that athletes have to be “students of the game.” As a QB, you have the opportunity to learn offensive schemes, defensive schemes, all positions and their responsibilities, and lead your team through the highs and lows of competition. 

Why should athletes go to this QB clinic?

Playing QB is like coaching...you can never receive enough training. As a QB, you constantly want to learn new wrinkles and how they can help you improve your play and become successful. This is very true as a coach too. I will be coaching this clinic along with one of my most successful and experienced QB’s, Terrance Bryant. Coach Bryant just finished an extremely successful season with the Sioux Falls Storm, leading the team to another championship and winning MVP honors. I have enjoyed coaching Terrance during his QB career, and the two of us really enjoy working together to help develop young QB’s. This clinic will be a dynamic and fun experience for athletes who are serious about learning the QB position!

We are looking forward to working with athletes at our Quarterback Clinic and our last event of the summer, the Non-contact Camp. The Fieldhouse has been very busy this summer with athletes seeking to improve before the 2013 season. It is going to be a great experience watching them turn their dedication and hard work into success on the field this fall!