Tackling Drills

Safe tackling technique, solo practice methods, and how to bring down a bigger player — even if you're the small guy.

Heads-Up Tackling: The Foundation

Every tackle starts with the same fundamentals. Before anything else, your kid needs to understand heads-up tackling — this is how modern football is taught at every level, and it's the safest way to bring someone down.

Eyes Through the Target Head up, eyes on the ball carrier's hips. Never duck the head or lead with the crown of the helmet.

Buzz Your Feet Short, choppy steps as you approach. This keeps you balanced and ready to change direction.

Shoot the Hips Explode upward through the ball carrier. Drive your hips forward while wrapping both arms.

Wrap and Drive Arms wrap tight around the ball carrier. Drive your legs through the tackle — don't just hit and hope.

10-Minute Tackling Form Drill (With a Partner)

1) Fit Position (2 Minutes)

Face your partner at arm's length
Get into tackling position: knees bent, back straight, arms out, head up
On "go," step forward and wrap arms around partner's waist — no impact, just fit
Hold the position for 2 seconds. Check: is the head up? Are arms wrapped tight?
5 reps each side

2) Walk-Through Tackle (3 Minutes)

Partner walks slowly forward
Tackler approaches at walking speed, fits, wraps, and drives through
Focus on technique, not force — this should feel controlled
6 reps, alternate sides

3) Angle Tackle (3 Minutes)

Partner walks at a 45-degree angle across the field
Tackler approaches from the side, aims for the hip, wraps and drives
"Take away the near leg" — position yourself to cut off their path
4 reps each side

4) Rapid Fire (2 Minutes)

Partner shuffles left and right, unpredictable
Tackler mirrors, buzzes feet, then fits on command
5 reps — speed up gradually

Solo Tackling Practice (No Partner Needed)

Your kid doesn't always have a training partner. Here are effective ways to practice tackling mechanics alone.

Tackle a Heavy Bag A heavy punching bag hung from a tree branch or frame works great. Practice fit position, wrap, and drive. The bag gives feedback — if the head drops, you'll feel it.

Tackle a Large Pillow or Couch Cushion Have someone hold a large couch cushion or body pillow. The tackler fits and drives through. Low cost, surprisingly effective for younger kids.

Shadow Tackling No equipment at all. Practice the approach: buzz feet, drop hips, shoot arms, wrap air. Looks silly, builds muscle memory. Do 10 reps from different angles.

Tackle the Sled (DIY) Fill a large duffel bag with old towels or clothes. Set it on the ground. Practice the explosion from low to high — drive through and push it across the grass.

Pool noodles work too. Tape two pool noodles together vertically and stick them in the ground. Have your kid practice wrapping around them from different angles. It forces them to get low and use proper arm technique.

How to Tackle a Much Bigger Player

This is the question every smaller kid asks — and the answer is surprisingly simple. Size doesn't win tackles. Leverage and technique win tackles.

The Ankle-Grab Technique

When you're significantly smaller than the ball carrier, a textbook wrap-and-drive tackle may not work — the size difference is too great. Here's what does work:

Stay low. Lower than you think. Your center of gravity is your biggest advantage.
Aim for the ankles. Don't try to tackle high on a big player — you'll bounce off. Get down and grab both ankles.
Grab and yank them together. Once you have both ankles, pull them toward each other. This takes away their base completely.
Big guys go down. When the feet come together, nobody stays upright — it doesn't matter how big they are. No base means no balance.
Roll away. Once they're going down, get out from under them. Don't get pinned.

Why this works: A 200-pound runner has all their weight stacked on two feet. Eliminate the base and the weight works against them. Grabbing both ankles and yanking them together is the most effective technique a small player can use against a much larger opponent. It always works on big guys — they simply cannot stay standing when their feet come together.

Other Tips for Smaller Players

Use angles. Don't take on a big runner head-on. Approach from the side and aim low.
Be the second tackler. If you can slow them down, a teammate finishes. That still counts.
Cut the legs. Even if you can't fully bring them down, chopping at the knees (from the side, safely) disrupts their momentum.
Speed is your weapon. A smaller player who closes distance fast gives the runner no time to build momentum.

Coaching Cues for All Tackling

"See what you hit" — eyes up, head up, always
"Buzz, shoot, wrap" — the three-word sequence for every tackle
"Drive your feet" — the tackle isn't over at contact, it's over when they're on the ground
"Head to the side, never in front" — the head goes to one side of the ball carrier, never straight into them

Safety first. Never practice full-speed live tackling without proper equipment and supervision. These drills are designed to build technique at controlled speeds. Increase intensity only when form is consistent.