Freshman HS Football

Question
My son is currently in 7th grade, is 5'8" tall and 150 lbs. He is strong for his age, not terribly fast. His goal is to make the Freshman football team next year. He has never played tackle football, but is committed to trying out & working hard now to be prepared for next season. I played hockey all my life and never played football. Looking for advice on what position(s) he should try out for, what steps he should be taking to prepare himself, etc. He said he would like to try out for QB, but that seems like a tough first choice, but what do I know. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. -Tom

Answer
Hello Tom,

I will say that with hard work and dedication, quarterback is possible. Now, I will say that he needs to make sure he goes in there with a open mind. Understanding that the kids who played this year on the junior high level, will more than likely get first shot at QB just because of experience. Most of the players that were QB's that didn't get the opportunity, were converted into wide receivers. I'm not sure about your area, but, normally there are a few camps that come through in the summer. It would be great for him to go and get some of that initial training. It will definitely break him in.

As far as training, conditioning is the most important. Good conditioning will put him a few steps above the rest. If possible, he will need a parachute/ladder/cone set. These can be purchased online or local sports store. They normally come with a training video, that will show drills. For the young guys like your son, I always recommend 50 push ups in the morning and at night. 50 sit ups morning and night. Also, he shouldn't work hard everyday. When you tear muscles down, you have to allow them time to build up. Work it in two sections, upper body one day, lower body the next day. Cardio should be hard one day and light the next day. If you can find a hill in your area, it would be good for him to run sprints up that hill.

If he is intent on playing quarterback, he will need a football. Then he can start working on throwing drills.

I hope I have been some help to you.

Thank you,

Coach Art