Thirteen and fourteen year olds can learn a system. Teach concepts instead of single plays, so stick or flood works from any formation. Defenses can mix man and zone, and quarterbacks can read a coverage before the snap. Keep the tempo high; players this age get bored faster than they get tired.
Download the PDFThe 60 minutes at a glance
- 0-10 minDynamic warm-up10 min
- 10-30 minPosition groups20 min
- 30-45 minTeam period15 min
- 45-55 minScrimmage10 min
- 55-60 minCooldown5 min
Dynamic warm-up: 10 minutes
Agility and a breakdown-and-pull rep at full speed.
- 5-10-5 shuttleSprint 5 yards one way, 10 back the other way and 5 to finish. It builds the change of direction every route and every flag pull uses.
- Breakdown and pullThe defender sprints at a ball carrier. She chops her feet, gets low and pulls the flag as the carrier cuts. This is the most important defensive drill in flag football.
- Full speed, short reps.
- Near hand pulls.
Position groups: 20 minutes
Quarterbacks on the move, receivers on route depth, defenders on zone drops and contain.
- Rollout throwsThe quarterback rolls out to escape a rusher and throws on the move without stopping.
- Route tree walk-throughEvery receiver learns the four routes most flag playbooks are built from: hitch, slant, out and go.
- Zone dropsIn a zone, each defender learns which part of the field is hers. She watches the quarterback from there.
- Contain rushThe rusher keeps the quarterback inside, not running past her. If the passer runs, she runs back into the defense.
- Quarterbacks: shoulders to the target on the run.
- Defenders: deep players stay deeper than the deepest receiver.
Team period: 15 minutes
Run the week's concepts against the defense's coverages. Quarterbacks call the coverage before each snap.
7v7 plays: Levels (#8), Drive (#3), Four verticals (#7), Three-deep zone (#13), Man with a free safety (#14).
- Ask the quarterback what she saw after every rep.
- Defense disguises: show one coverage, play another.
Scrimmage: 10 minutes
Two-minute drill from midfield, then red zone.
7v7 plays: Flood (#6), Smash (#5), Jet sweep (#9), Flea flicker (#12).
- Use your real timeouts and clock rules.
- Check your ruleset's no-run zones before calling the sweep.
Cooldown: 5 minutes
Stretch and a short stats review.
- Let players read their own numbers.
- Recognize the defender with the most flag pulls this week.
What to stat at this age
- Every play, in Basic Play-by-Play or Olympic Level. Then yards and field position are in the record.
- How often each passer completes a throw, and her picks. At Olympic Level, also throws to each receiver.
- Flag pulls, sacks, interceptions and pass breakups on defense.
Stat the scrimmage in the BreakAway app the same way you stat a game. The how to stat guide covers every button, and the rules page covers rush distance and no-run zones.
Tips for 13 and 14 year olds
- Give players a one-page playbook to keep.
- Let a captain call one series of plays.
- Keep a season record; middle schoolers looking at high school teams will want it.
