The Best Practice

Stretching, ply’s, jumping, throwing, and running are the things I do before the fun part starts. Hitting circuits start and I was in the bigger group, everybody was a good twenty five pounds more than me but I was ready. In all three stations I was against Taylor so I had my work cut out for me. He would plant and cut so fast if you were running full speed you still never had time to get in front of him. But I managed to pull it off and in doing so I got a "Good job" from coach Hannagin. In our practices if he tells you good job you earned it because he almost never speaks and when he does it is completely serious. So already my practice had started off good and it just got better as the day went on. Kickoff was the next thing we were working on and I actually get to play on that so I was pretty excited! I am the outside guy and I have a pretty large expectation, my job is to Never let anybody outside of me and to push the ball carrier into the middle of the field where everyone else is. In some cases when the runner goes inside I am the last resort in making the tackle. I sprint down the field and slow up as the runner approaches just so I won’t let him get past me. Now to the easiest part of practice, individual defensive skills. I am a corner/safety and it is always pretty easy when this part of practice comes. We go off to one side of the field and do zone or man coverage drills. In other words we do back peddling and planting to sprint drills. Even though it is pretty easy I think it is one of the best drills we do. Since all of the older kids are already good at it if I try really hard I kind of stick out. And to stick out for the coaches is a really good thing, especially if one other player is sick or out I have a chance to take their spot or prove to the coach that I am ready to step in whenever he needs me too.
Finally the best and most fun part of the day was here. I ran over to the hydrant and grabbed a quick swig of water, my mouth was as dry as a desert and to feel that cool water rush down my throat was a great feeling. I jogged back over to the coaches and took a knee. Coach Clark was explaining what we were going to be working on when we all stood up and broke the huddle. I was on defense With Kopen my best bud on defense and we were both ready to smash some varsity heads. The defense was called, 34 straight up cover three, and I was the backer with Kopen. I looked at Coach Graham and he showed the loop blitz. But when I turned around the offence was already at the line so the only thing I could was call it out. I looked up and yelled Loopde- loop to everyone so they would know what the play was. Kopen said he would go first which meant I would go second. As soon as the ball was hike me and kopen crossed and exploded through the line like there was no tomorrow.