Movement 1: Throwing a Spiral

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                    Novice:


 1. Stance Phase

• Before you throw the football, your weight is balanced and your body is pointed towards your target. Your knees are slightly bent giving a good center of gravity and at this point you are holding the football with two hands. Your throwing hand is already engaged in the holding phase and your non dominant hand is holding the football in place. Both arms should be Flexed 90 Degrees and Horizontally Adducted in the Transverse Plane.



Expert



Novice

Throwing a Spiral

2. Holding Phase

• It is extremely important that the football is held correctly. This means that your hand is towards the back end of the football with your all of your fingers Extended and your middle ring and pinky fingers on the laces. Your index finger should be off of the laces on the seam of the football. Also, your thumb is underneath the football and there should actually be an L shape in between your thumb and index finger. Lastly, make sure that you grip and throw the football with your fingertips and not with the palm of your hand. This hand position helps in creating the General Motion of a spiral.

Expert

Novice

Throwing a Spiral

3. Movement Phase

• Before you throw the football, you need to align the shoulder on the same side as your non dominant hand with your target. This means that your shoulder is actually pointing right at where you are aiming to throw the football. You also need to hold the football close to your ear with your arm forming a 90 Degree Angle so that you can have a quick release. In this stance your legs should be Parallel. Lastly, it is important to maintain eye contact with your target and release the football at a high point. 

Expert

Novice

Throwing a Spiral

4. Action Phase

• This is the phase where you are actually throwing the football. It is first important to step with your pivot foot, which is on the same side as your non dominant hand. When you throw the football your pivot foot is actually pointed directly at your target. To make sure that you throw a spiral you need to Extend your arm and roll your fingertips off the football as it is being released. The faster that the arm is extended on the throw, the greater the Force of the thrown football. Snapping your fingertips from the football, Flexion and Extension of the arm, and the Torque from the Rotation of the body during the throw result in an effective pass. Your index finger should be the last finger to leave the football. Lastly, as the football is being thrown there is Plantar Flexion of the non dominant ankle in the Mediolateral Axis of the Sagital Plane.

Expert

Novice

Throwing a Spiral

5. Recovery Phase

•  Your hand should continue its movement after releasing the football. When the throwing skill is complete, your throwing hand should be Extended downward in the "palms out" position and Bilaterally Pronated 180 Degrees around the Transverse Plane along the Longitudinal Axis. Also, your weight should be shifted forwards towards the leg that you initially stepped with to make the throw. This leg that you will be shifting your weight towards is the leg on the same side as your non dominant hand. 



Novice

Expert

 Drill

Throwing Drill

This drill helps to develop a stronger arm and wrist snap.

Since you are kneeling, you are only focusing on the upper

body mechanics of the throw. This is beneficial for

someone being introduced to throwing a football.

Also, remember to complete your follow through.

Your throwing hand should finish in the grass or

surface that you are kneeling on.









Movement 2: Carrying a Football

Expert:

 

                                                          Novice:
                                
                                           
 1. Ball Positioning Phase

• When carrying a football, the ball should be held by either your right or left arm. Your hand covers the nose of the ball and the bottom of the football presses into your elbow. The ball should be held high into your chest and it should be tight with a lot of Pressure against your body. The arm that is carrying the football is Flexed about 180 Degrees in the Sagital Plane around the Mediolateral Axis. After the football is secured in this position you should try to keep movements of the football to a minimum. 

Expert

Novice

Carrying a Football

2. Preparation Phase

• You must be prepared to deal with opponents trying to take the football from your possession. Having the football tucked high and tight should prevent losing possession of the football. Also, make sure that your arm is directly located across the entirety of the football and the bottom of the ball is pinned into your elbow. Your fingers must be Extended over the head of the football. Your other hand may be used in the preparation phase to increase ball security. This arm must be Adducted towards the chest so that the opposite hand can also secure the football.

Expert

Novice

Carrying a Football

3. Action Phase

• When you possess the football it is vital that you begin the carrying skill immediately. A failure to do so may result in a loss of possession of the ball. Once the ball is secured to your body, you have to begin moving down the football field. It is also important to know that when you run you should try to limit the movement of the football. If the carrying skill is performed correctly, there will be limited unintentional movement of the football even while running.

Expert

Novice

Carrying a Football

4. Movement Phase

• The positioning of the football may need to change to successfully deal with certain situations while carrying the ball. When running through or near defenders it may be best to secure the football with two arms instead of one. This means moving the football from the right or left side of the body to the middle of the abdomen. In this position, you have both hands on the two opposite noses of the football with both arms resting firmly on either side. Also, since this position secures both hands, it is a good way to transfer the football to either the right or left side of the body. When moving, run in the Frontal Plane along the Antereoposterier Axis. You should also be looking up and not down at the football.

Expert

Novice

Carrying a Football

5. Recovery Phase

• It is important to maintain the football in its secure position while moving. The ball should still be resting on your forearm and tucked tightly to your body. However, when running you may need to switch between the right and left sides of your body to carry the football. It is important that you carry the football on the side furthest from the defender or closer to the sideline. 




Expert






Drills
Carrying Drill

 

This drill focuses on ball security and being able to transfer

the football from one arm to the other. When switching the

football, make sure that the arm not carrying the ball comes

over the top of the football. Move your arms and legs as if

you are running to simulate a playing situation. Do not move

the arm carrying the football too much.



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Movement 3: Catching a Football

Expert:

Novice:

                            


1. Stance Phase

• If you are facing the thrower, your legs should be Parallel, shoulder width apart with your knees bent slightly and your Weight shifted towards your toes. Your hands should create a "window" for the football to fit in. This is created by having your fingers spread apart and your thumbs and index fingers nearly touching each other. When your hands are in the correct position, the window that you create is a diamond shape in between your hands. When you catch the ball, the nose of the football is going to fill that diamond and your fingers and hands are going to wrap around either side of the ball. 

Expert

Novice

Catching a Football

2. Preparation Phase

• In the preparation phase you need to have your hands situated so that you catch the football away from your body. If you try to catch the football too close into your body then it is likely that the Momentum of the football will cause the ball to bounce out of your hands. Having your hands away from your body enables yourself to absorb the Force of the thrown football. 

Expert

Novice

Catching a Football

3. Movement Phase

• Rarely when a football is thrown will it be in the exact location that you are prepared to catch it. As soon as a football is thrown you must ascertain the bodily adjustments you need to make to effectively catch the football when it reaches you. Be prepared to move your body with Lateral Flexion when adjusting to the Trajectory of the ball. To complete the movement phase successfully, you need to make sure that your knees are bent and your weight is shifted towards your toes. This ensures that you are Balanced and able to move your body in any direction to adjust to the flight of the ball. Also, you must adjust to the location of the football with your hands. As you do this, you must maintain the window that you created in phase one. 

Expert

Novice

Catching a Football

4. Action Phase

• When the football is thrown towards you, you need to adjust your body to the path of the ball. The window that you created with your hands meets the football on its approach. You catch the football away from your body with the nose of the football entering the window that you created. Immediately, your hands and fingers wrap around the football. On this phase you do not attack the football, you absorb the Force of the thrown ball. You do this by gently bringing the ball into your body as the catch is being made. 

Expert

Novice

Catching a Football

5. Recovery Phase

• As soon as your hands are wrapped around the football, it is very important to secure the football into your body. First, with both of your hands wrapped around the ball you just gently put the football into your chest. Next, you need to smoothly transfer the football from your chest to one side of your body. Once the ball is fully transferred it should be cradled between your right or left arm and your chest with your hand over the nose of the football. This crucial step fully completes the catch as you make a tight seal between the football and your body. This phase also begins the skill of carrying the football.



Expert






Drills
Catching Drill

This drill helps improve the ability to catch the ball by making 

adjustments and improving reaction time. Make sure that you

have your hands set with the "window" position that was 

described earlier. This "window" position should be made 

as you are turning so that when you are fully turned you are 

immediatly ready to catch the football. 

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Terms:



Center of Gravity:  Point around which a body’s weight is equally balanced in all directions

Flexion: Bending movement that occurs in the sagital plane

Adduction: A movement where an arm or leg is moving further from the body

Transverse Plane: Plane in which horizontal body and body segment movements occur when the
 body is in an erect standing position

Extension: Movement of a joint that increases the angle between two areas

General Motion: Motion involving rotation and translation simultaneously

Parallel: Directly located and/or aligned with

Force: Push or pull; the product of mass and acceleration

Torque: Rotary effect of a force

Mass: Quantity of matter contained in an object

Rotation: Movement of an object around an axis

Plantar Flexion: movement of the foot that flexes the foot or toes downward

Mediolateral Axis: Imaginary line around which sagital plane rotations occur

Sagital Plane: Plane in which forward and backward movements of the body and body segments occur

Pronation: rotation of the hand or forearm so that the surface of the palm is facing downward or toward the back

Longitudinal Axis: Imaginary line around which transverse plane rotations occur

Pressure: Force per unit of area over which a force acts

Pivot: An area of an object of which something rests and turns, or upon and about which something rotates or oscillates.

Frontal Plane: Plane in which lateral movements of the body and body segments occur

Antereoposterior Axis: Imaginary line around which frontal plane rotations occur

Weight: The amount or quantity of heaviness or mass

Momentum: Force or speed of movement

Lateral Flexion: Flexion away from the midline of the body

Trajectory: The path described by an object moving in air or space under the influence of such forces as thrust, wind resistance, and gravity, esp the curved path of a projectile

Balance: Equal distribution of weight