Think Football: Roundtable with the DLine Coaches

The Sanford POWER Football Academy is getting ready to kick off its Think Football summer with a series of position clinics, and two 7 on 7 tournaments. As we run our clinics this summer, we are asking some of our position coaches to share their perspectives on the game, training, and learning fundamental skills to play at each position. Our first clinic is the OLine/DLine Challenge Clinic, so we invited two of our Defensive Line coaches to share their thoughts.

Cory Johnsen is a local athlete from Aberdeen, SD, who went on to play in college at St. Cloud State University. He has been a dominant force at the Nose Guard position for many years with the Sioux Falls Storm. Cory coaches with RPF, and he has coached at Augustana College, working with their defensive line.

Rachman Crable brings college and pro-experience from many different levels. Rachman played D1 football at Ball State, then bounced around with NFL teams and Arena Football teams. He has played with the Sioux Falls Storm for five years. He has tremendous football ability and intelligence, and having Rachman playing is like having another coach on the field. Rachman coaches with RPF and also assisted Augustana's staff last year with the defensive line. Both coaches are well-loved and respected by the athletes they train at RPF!

What are the most important qualities in a defensive lineman?

Cory Johnsen

Rachman: Having a good attitude. Wanting to work hard and listening. Athletes display those by showing up ready to improve and work hard each session and by knowing their coaches only want the best for them.

Cory: Work Ethic! ‘Want To’! Toughness! Athletes display those by working their butt off during drills and practice, so during the game it comes easy and natural.



What advice would you give a young athlete who someday wants to play at your position?

Rachman: Pay attention to people playing your position, either on your team or another. Always be a willing learner and a resilient worker.

Cory: The key to being a successful defensive lineman is first, work ethic, then combine that with a good base set of DLine skills, and implement some special skills to complement the fundamentals, and you will have success!

Why should athletes come to the OLine/DLine Challenge Clinic?

Rachman Crable

Rachman: I feel it gives kids a great head start on bettering their skills and mentality. They will be getting great one-on-one coaching and interaction with trainers/coaches that have ‘been there and done that’ and want to see young athletes succeed.

Cory: Athletes should come to this clinic to learn the small key features and skills of being a defensive lineman. We will help athletes learn the key components to the position that a regular coach just does not have the time to implement.

Riggs Premier Football is offering the position clinics to give athletes the chance to do focused work on the fundamentals of every position. It is difficult during the regular season to do one-on-one work with athletes during regular practices, so the clinics will allow for specialized coaching and careful attention to fundamentals and skill development. It is a great opportunity for athletes to build their abilities and confidence before the season. Be sure to stay tuned for the next round of advice from our OLine coaches!

Work Those Skills! The Advantages of the 7 on 7 for Athletic Development

One of the most important concepts that coaches preach to their players is "maximum repetition." With limited practice time, coaches need their players to get as many reps as possible in a short amount of time. A regular football practice is often limited in the number of reps that skill players can get, and teams wanting to hone their skills in the off-season have found very few available options.

Those limitations resulted in the creation of  7 on 7 passing leagues. In a 7 on 7, we take away the Offensive/Defensive Linemen and allow the skilled positions to work on refining the passing game without the physical contact and pounding up front. QB's and WR's are given the opportunity to get the many extra reps that are not possible in a short practice. DB's and LB's are able to work their pass drops and strengthen their communication as they learn to improve their coverages.  It is a tremendous format for individual athletes to hone their skill sets and for teams to work together to enhance their technique and passing game.

The 7 on 7 leagues have been a big deal in the South and other parts of the country, both from the standpoint of improving athletic skill and giving recruiters the ability to see "best of" skilled positions playing at the same time.  In our area, 7 on 7's have been attempted in the past, but without an available year-round facility to house the competition, no one has ever been able to make it work long term.  The Sanford Fieldhouse changes that, and Riggs Premier Football is inviting athletes of all ages to get involved in these fun and competitive events this summer.

There are several options available for area athletes:

1)  Elementary/Middle School Tournaments - We have tourneys coming up on May 24th and July 19-20.  These tournaments give young athletes a chance to excel at the parts of the game that are difficult to duplicate in the regular season setting.  Offensive/Defensive linemen have the edge at this age, so the 7 on 7 format allows athletes to develop their position skills and complete plays to the satisfaction of a coach.

2)  High School Tournaments - We are hosting the 1st Annual Rise Above the Region Tournament on June 1-2, and a tournament for local athletes on July 19-20.  For the June tournament, there are over 400 invited coaches from the five-state area.  It will be a great opportunity to see how athletes and teams match up against each other in the region and for athletes to experience many different offensive/defensive looks.  The July tournament will allow athletes to fine tune their timing and continue to refine their skills before the regular season begins in August.

3)  Premier Passing - We are inviting area teams to bring players to the Fieldhouse on Sunday evenings now through July for a controlled 7 on 7 experience.  This is not a competitive tournament setup, but rather a chance for players to work their individual skills in the fast-paced 7 on 7 style under the direction of RPF coaches.  Athletes will develop their speed, agility and timing through the one-on-one play this format allows.  The focus of Premier Passing is on fine tuning the athletes' passing, catching, and defensive skills, and it presents a great opportunity for players and teams to improve their football aptitude in the off-season.

All of the 7 on 7 options are non-contact.  If individual athletes are interested, let us know and we can put together teams.  If a tournament team doesn't have a coach, let us know and we will provide one.  Athletes in the area have never before had the opportunity to focus on this level of skill development and competition in the off-season. We are looking forward to working with athletes and teams to build a consistent and successful 7 on 7 tradition in South Dakota! 

Heads Up: Coaching for Change

American Football Monthly recently ran an article entitled Safety First--Culture Shift: Changing the culture of football to reduce violent injuries. You can read it here. It is an excellent and timely reminder about the improved safety efforts being made at the highest levels of the sport. We are seeing a shift in football culture to be more about preventing injuries than just treating them.  Whether we are parents, coaches, fans, or athletes, we all bear responsibility to do what we can to reduce the risk of serious injuries to our players.

Changing the culture of football requires change at every level. As a result, the NFL has partnered with USA Football to place extra emphasis on the importance of teaching fundamentals to young athletes and concussion awareness to coaches through their Heads Up Football Program. USA Football is training coaches nationwide how to teach kids proper tackling technique and fundamentals, and they are working with the NFL to ensure that kids see and recognize those proper techniques and fundamentals when they watch their favorite NFL athletes. It is a comprehensive plan to emphasize proper form and safer play at every level of the sport, starting with our youngest athletes. They released this tackling video last fall to demonstrate the Heads Up Tackling technique:

The coaches at Riggs Premier Football stand solidly behind the efforts of Heads Up Football. The tackling techniques are intuitive and well explained, and kids learn fundamentals that will make them better overall players and reduce their risk of serious head injuries. Our coaching staff discussed what we could do to help promote changing the culture of football in our region, and we came up with several responses:

1) Coach Siegfried and I went through the certification process with USA Football to ensure that Riggs Premier Football’s instruction is in line with USA Football’s recommendations;

2) We are partnering with SD Junior Football to offer their summer camps, and for the first time in program history, the camps will be full pads. That will give our coaches the opportunity to do focused training for young athletes in proper tackling technique and fundamentals;

3) We are assisting SD Junior Football with their culture change of requiring all coaches to be USA Football certified. I, and several of my staff, will serve as Player Safety Coaches for the region and assist in training and certifying Junior Football coaches;

4) We launched our Think Football program with a full series of camps, clinics, and tournaments for athletes of all ages during Summer, 2013. Through this range of offerings, athletes can learn and develop proper fundamentals at every position, participate in a focused tackling clinic, or participate in camp or tournament style settings which promote safe play along with the competitive atmosphere. With Think Football, we are focused on athletic development, mental aspects of the game, and gaining understanding of how to improve individual and team performance. No matter which events athletes choose from this program, they are guaranteed careful emphasis on fundamentals and technique. We believe that is an essential component of teaching the sport to promote the changing culture.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been speaking around the country about the efforts to develop a safer game for players. In a speech to the University of North Carolina last month Goodell said, “There is a national conversation taking place about football. We welcome it. That’s how we approach our jobs every day: Looking at changes to the game not as something to be feared, but as something we need to do as if the future of the game relies on it. Because it does. The risk of injury in football is well known, but throughout history, football has evolved and become safer and better.” 

I agree with Commissioner Goodell that there is no way to completely eliminate the risks of injury in such a physical sport, but improving player knowledge and increasing concussion awareness will help reduce the risks without being detrimental to the sport. Riggs Premier Football is proud to be part of that changing culture in South Dakota.

Think Football: Roundtable with the Coaches

We are very excited to be bringing the Dale Moss Wide Receiver Camp to athletes in the Sioux Falls area. When I started Riggs Premier Football, I knew that the combination of exceptional area talent, a state-of-the-art Fieldhouse, and athletes with a strong desire to work their skills year-round would combine to create an entirely new way of thinking about football training in the region. Dale was one of the first athletes who trained with us, he continues to train and coach with us, and he exemplifies the combination of athletic talent and an unparalleled work ethic in a way that we think athletes should learn from. He has committed to putting on this camp for area athletes on an annual basis, and we are looking forward to continuing our work with him when he has time off from his NFL career.

We are fortunate to have extremely talented WR coaches, Will Powell and Korey Williams, working with our athletes as well. Each of these athletes brings veteran knowledge of the WR position, remarkable athletic talent, and a strong desire to work with young athletes. Dale and Will are from the area and know the opportunities kids have in our region and the struggles they will face. All three of our WR coaches are men who will always go the extra mile to make themselves and our Academy athletes better. These three coaches are very much shaping the way area athletes think about the position and the game of football. We are very lucky to have them on board, and I asked them to share some of their thoughts and advice on playing WR as we prepare for this clinic.

What are the most important qualities in a WR, and how do you display those?

Will: The best receivers are smart, physical, and efficient in their route running. Playing fast, but under control is crucial to being successful at WR. Obviously, a great receiver needs to have exceptional hands as well.

Dale Moss

Dale: I feel the top qualities in a WR are consistency, confidence, and attention to detail. You are heavily relied on to make plays for your team and to protect your quarterback, which is why it's so important to be confident that anything thrown is your ball. The timing between you and your quarterback is crucial, and you have to pay attention to all the small details (route depth, steps) so you and your QB are on the same page. Finally, consistency is what allows you to be deceptive in your route running and getting separation. If you make everything look the same, the defender never knows what route you are about to run.

What kind of workouts do you do, and how does it make you a better WR?

Korey:  I never stick to one thing because the game is always changing, but the fundamentals don't! I do cone drills to keep my breaking points crisp, ladder drills to keep my feet fast, route running on air to get my steps down for timing, and most importantly, watch video to see what I can add to my game to give me the edge on the defender.

Dale:  I do a lot of footwork drills as well as change of direction-type training. The better your footwork, the easier it is to get in and out of cuts. I also focus on the change of direction so I can control my body when breaking down and changing directions, which allows me to keep my routes consistent and all looking the same.

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

Will Powell

Will: Practice, practice, practice! Have fun! Wide receivers have more fun than anyone on else on the field! The more that receivers can perfect their routes and ball skills, the easier it will be to score touchdowns during the season. Nothing is more beneficial than running routes and catching balls from a QB!

Korey:  Get your parents to buy you a ladder! Practice on your own outside of school practice, that is what separates receivers. Keep your grades up so that you can get into any school that you want, and remember, football is just the beginning. There is a lot more to life than football, and you will need knowledge to crack into it.

Korey Williams

Why should athletes go to this special WR Clinic?

Will:  Athletes should go to this clinic because they will learn what it takes to be a successful WR at any level. I wish I had the opportunity to attend a clinic like this when I was younger, because I really I didn't understand what it took to run great routes until I was in college. We are going to teach athletes how to improve their footwork and ball skills, as well as helping them become efficient route runners.

Dale:  It's a great opportunity to learn things that I've been taught from some of the best coaches/players in the game. There haven't been many opportunities for kids in this area to receive a lot of individual attention on the basic skills of being a WR, and these are things that can really take your game to another level! We have a great staff that cares and wants to see kids from SD continue to develop and succeed!

We hope to see you at the Fieldhouse for this tremendous opportunity to work with our premier coaching staff and focus on the skills you need to play wide receiver! --Coach Riggs

Listen Up, Sports Parents!

I recently had a colleague tell me about the article that is circulating in social media from the The PostGame entitled, "What Makes A Nightmare Sports Parent -- And What Makes A Great One."  As I read this article, I could not help but reflect how many times parents would be deemed the “bad parent." Sometimes it takes an outside source and some self-reflection to realize that as much as we are trying to help our kids, sometimes we actually can make things worse.

In the article, Reporter Steve Henson shares the beliefs of Bruce E. Brown and Rob Miller of Proactive Coaching, LLC, who are devoted to helping athletes, coaches and parents. As much as we all hope that we fit the “Five Signs of an Ideal Sports Parent,” there are going to be times that we fall into the “Nightmare” category. We are fiercely loyal and protective of our kids, and we have strong opinions about what is best for them and how they will achieve their potential. Nobody understands them better than we do, right? And parents never intend to make things worse for their children. In fact, the intentions are completely opposite. We always want what is best for our children, but sometimes the way we go about achieving that goal overshadows the overall purpose of athletics.

 Kids who compete know when they have done something great and when they have done something that took away from their performance. Athletes are usually the toughest critics on themselves, and the last thing they want is someone pointing out the mistakes that they are already dwelling on. This totally goes against what parents want, which is the opportunity to teach and correct. Athletes, especially children, are not going to take their parents' dissection of their mistakes as a learning opportunity. As the article states, the worst memory of athletics was, “The ride home from games with my parents.” And I will admit right now that I have been that parent. Countless times, I have tried to point things out from an athletic event that could be easily corrected. Countless times, it has led to a disagreement. I thought to myself, “I am a coach, I can give advice on these things," when in fact, I should have been taking the role of a dad that is fully supportive of my child. There is a time and a place for the learning to occur, but in those times after a tough game, the most important thing we can teach them is that we are their biggest fans, no matter what.

After reading the article, parents have to wonder if they can ever be defined as the “Ideal Sports Parent”? I think any time children have the chance to compete at anything, then parents have a chance to redeem themselves. Just as our kids are learning their sport, we can stand beside them and learn to provide better support. Brown and Miller recommend these ideas for becoming the “Ideal Sports Parent”:

1. Cheer for everybody on the team, not just your child.
2. Model appropriate behavior.
3. Know what is suitable to discuss with the coach.
4. Know your role.
5. Be a good listener and a great encourager.

These are simple tips that we could all bear in mind as we cheer for our favorite athletes. I hope that parents, coaches and athletes will take the time to read the article and think about ways to improve. The reward for our efforts is a solid and supportive relationship with our kids, win or lose, and that is a goal worth shooting for!

The 2013 NFL Combine

Every football player has a dream of someday playing in the NFL. They all want the opportunity to play at the highest level and reap the rewards from playing professionally. This weekend is the next step for all the college athletes that have performed on the field and drawn the attention of NFL scouts and NFL organizations. Combine weekend can thrust people into the spotlight or drop them from all NFL talks.

Would you be nervous if you knew you were walking into a potential $10 million dollar interview? Wait a minute...not just an interview but also having to perform on all of these things:

· Body Measurements
· Neuropsych baseline testing
· Complete orthopedic & internal medical examinations
· Special medical tests – as needed
· Wonderlic Test – to assess learning and problem solving skills.
· Isokinetic lower extremity testing
· Personal interview
· Bench press
· 40 yard dash
· Vertical jump
· Broad jump
· 3 Cone drill
· 60 yard shuttle run
· Position-specific drills                                                                          Source for list: Mike Ryan Fitness

Tyler Bray

The goal, of course, is to be drafted early. First round picks will be able to command four year deals worth over $20 million, while third round picks may only get $500,000/year. Any negative report, slip in performance, incorrect answer or poor test score, can result in dropping to later rounds or dropping out of the draft completely.  Athletes are scrutinized over every detail of their career and life. Everything is fair game, including their personal life, use of social media, juvenile crimes, personal relationships, etc. Players become “investments” for team franchises, and the organization needs to look over every detail of their potential million-dollar investment.

Denard Robinson

In addition to the behind the scenes scrutiny for players, they have to be able to perform under a new level of intense pressure on the field. College prepares athletes to perform on the field, but nothing really prepares a player for the pressure that comes with throwing a touchdown in front of 50,000 screaming fans, making a game winning field-goal in the NFL playoffs, or scoring the game winning touchdown run in a huge NFL rivalry game. Athletes have prepared themselves to perform on the field, but are they ready for extreme pressure that comes with the NFL experience? Players are going to be exposed in all ways, and their performance and response under pressure in the spotlight is what will determine their fate. Performance on the field will seem easy to when it’s compared to the entire NFL experience.

  

Manti Te'o

Manti Te'o (LB, Notre Dame) will be watched carefully to see how he handles the questions raised by his social media nightmare.

Tyler Bray (QB, Tennessee) has the size at 6'6 and the arm strength of an NFL QB, but many scouts question his accuracy. The combine will give him the opportunity to throw with different WR's in front of all teams and scouts. How he handles that will determine his fate.

Denard Robinson has been a QB for Michigan all his career, but now has to make the transition to WR for the NFL. Denard will have to show the scouts that he can play the position, make the cuts, be strong enough to block, understand route concepts, and prove that he has the hands to play in the NFL. This is a huge weekend for Denard!

Getting Back to the Basics: All Fundamentals Team

USA Football is an organization that is very focused on improving player safety in the sport. I have posted many of their links and articles because I think the emphasis on learning proper fundamentals is extremely important to overall safety in the sport. One of their safety-focused campaigns is to select an All Fundamentals Team comprised of 26 NFL players who exemplify proper football techniques for youth to emulate. 

The All Fundamentals Team for 2012 can be found here.  I wanted to share the list with you and add some thoughts on which players I thought represented the "best of the best" when it comes to fundamentals.

1. Charles Tillman (Corner, Chicago Bears)
Tillman had an amazing year, and that is mainly because he is so fundamentally sound at his position. Tillman has an amazing ability to break down on the ball carrier, commit to tackling and then punch the ball out as he is tackling. Seeing a player punch at the ball as he is tackling is a great reminder for all defenders! Watching Tillman should remind all coaches to teach kids to eliminate space, break down, never stop their feet, commit to tackling the opponent, show NO HESITATION, drive through the ball carrier, and then punch or rip the ball out. Tillman has perfected these skills, and he is a great example of excellent fundamental tackling!

2. Haloti Ngata (Nose Tackle, Baltimore Ravens)
Haloti Ngata is one of the most unselfish players in the NFL. Ngata is able to control two gaps on the defensive line, while still engaging offensive linemen to protect his LB. The NT position is asked to take on two offensive linemen and not allow them to get off the line to block the LB. The LB is then the one that is able to make all the tackles. Ngata is able to do this better than anyone and is still able to get pressure on a QB. He is able to bring a combination of size, strength, speed and great technique to dominate his opponents. It is also good to watch how Ngata gets his hands on the offensive linemen, staying below the offensive lineman's shoulders to have leverage, and then continues to drive the offensive lineman to disrupt the offensive play. Ngata is another great player demonstrating the value of football fundamentals. 

3. Matt Ryan (QB, Atlanta Falcons)
Matt Ryan has very good fundamental skills. I enjoy watching Matt Ryan take 3, 5, and 7 step drops.  As you watch him, he keeps the weight on the correct parts of his feet, then when ready to throw, transfers weight towards his front foot, so he is able to make a great throw. Ryan's eyes are always reading the defense, while he keeps two hands on the ball with the ball tight to his body. When setting to throw, Ryan has no wasted motion. The ball is elevated and gone, with no "hitches" or elongated movements in his throwing.  Ryan is really the ideal QB for young QB’s to watch and learn from because of his solid fundamentals and his poise! Not only does he have excellent football technique, Ryan does a very good job of keeping his composure, not getting rattled and leading his teammates.

4. London Fletcher (LB, Washington Redskins)
London Fletcher has been playing in the NFL for 15 seasons and has a streak of 240 consecutive games. Fletcher is the catalyst for the Redskins defense, and is considered to be the heart and soul of the team as a leader. Fletcher's longevity is attributed to great health, luck and solid fundamentals. Fletcher is very instinctive and rarely misses a tackle. The Redskins are able to keep their middle linebacker on the field, no matter the situation. If it is an obvious passing down, he is able to make the drops that are needed for a LB to cover specific areas or key on the running back out of the backfield. Week in and week out, Fletcher is on the leaderboard for tackles.

5. Chad Greenway (LB, Minnesota Vikings)
Greenway has always had solid fundamentals dating back to his days at the University of Iowa. He has been able to excel in the NFL as a defender that is able to eliminate space between himself and the ball carrier, and then finish the play by making the tackle. If you watch Greenway, he is very good with keeping his head up, driving his hips through and continuing through the ball carrier, so there is no chance to miss the tackle. Greenway is an excellent player for young kids to watch with the proper technique of playing the LB position!

As you can see from the All Fundamentals Team list, these players are successful from a performance standpoint as well as safety.  You can work a lot of drills and skills in football, but the essence of excellent performance will always break down to solid fundamentals!