Hands Team Drill
Setup
Place your “hands team,” or your onside kick return team, in formation on the football field. Distribute three coaches with footballs to run the drill where a hypothetical kicker would line up to kick an onside kick.
Purpose
Work on your team’s ability to successfully recover an onside kick by repeatedly simulating onside kicks. Teach your team the techniques required to successfully procure possession of the football when the game is on the line.
Drill Description
Simulate an onside kick by having coaches throw footballs hard and low into the ground. By placing three separate coaches to run this drill, you can both increase the number of repetitions during the span of the drill while also forcing your players to constantly be ready and alert for a football flying their way.
Your “hands team” is the unit of players on your team that has the best catching and coordination ability to secure the football at the final stages of a game when a team is attempting an onside kick.
Proper protocols for an onside kick recovery is for the nearest player to dive onto the football after it has traversed ten yards. The second closest player should protect his teammate by covering him up to prevent the other team from sneaking in and stealing the football. All other players should quickly run in front of the recovery and block any opponent who is still trying to run in and dive on the pile.
