Football training: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What football training is

Football training teaches position skills, conditioning and technique, such as route running, blocking or tackling form, with safety kept in focus. Players book it before a season, when they want to earn a role at a position, or when a technique gap keeps showing up in practice.

Signs you need it

  • The player's routes are sloppy, so they lose separation from defenders
  • Blocking technique is weak and the player gets pushed back on every snap
  • The player's tackling form lets the ball carrier slip away or puts the player out of control
  • Footwork or hand placement at the line leaves the player late on the snap
  • A position coach has asked for specific improvement and the player needs a plan

What the pro does

  • Watches the player run, block or tackle to find the technique that costs the most
  • Teaches route running with the footwork, break point and hand position for the player's role
  • Works on blocking stance, hand placement and leverage, using pads or a bag
  • Teaches tackling form with a focus on head position, the target and controlled contact
  • Adds conditioning that matches the position and the demands of the season

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Individual or small group training versus a team session
  • The player's position, since a quarterback, lineman and receiver train differently
  • Session length and the number of sessions in a block
  • Whether the session uses a field, a gym or a training facility
  • Whether the trainer brings pads, bags or other equipment
  • Whether conditioning is part of the program or a separate add-on

What a written quote should spell out

  • Number of sessions, session length and start date
  • Field or facility location and whether time there is included
  • Whether pads, bags, cones and balls are provided
  • How contact drills are handled and what equipment is required
  • Make-up policy for weather and field closures

Questions to ask before you hire

  • How do you check my route, block or tackle before you change anything?
  • How do you keep contact drills safe, and what equipment do you require?
  • Do you train players at my position, and what will we do each session?
  • Do you use pads or a bag for blocking, and how do you pick the right level of contact?
  • Do you hold a coaching certificate, and what safety training do you have?
  • Will you give me drills to repeat at home or at a park?
  • How do you coordinate with my team's position coach?

Red flags

  • Runs hard contact drills with no check on the player's helmet fit or form
  • Teaches tackling with the head leading or without a clear lesson on target and control
  • Promises a college scholarship or a starting role
  • Uses the same drills for every position regardless of what the player does on the field

What you can do yourself

A player can practice route running in a yard with cones, work on footwork and hand speed with a partner, and watch video of pro and college players at their position. Hire a trainer when technique keeps breaking down in practice, when the player is changing a technique like blocking or tackling form, or when a position change is coming.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to train football players. Ask whether the trainer holds a coaching certificate and what safety training they have completed. If the trainer works with children, ask for proof of a background check. Check with your state or local licensing agency only if a field or facility has rules that apply to your sessions.

Football training questions

Can training help a player move to a new position?

Yes. Position changes depend on the player's skills and the team's needs. A trainer can teach the footwork, technique and terms of the new position, while the team's coach decides on the role.

Should a young player train with contact?

Ask the trainer how contact is managed for the player's age and whether the program follows the league's contact rules. A good trainer starts with technique at low contact and adds more only when the player is ready.

Does the trainer need a background check?

If the trainer works with children, ask for proof of a background check before the first session. Many leagues and clubs require one.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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