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Tips on How to
Throw a Football

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How to Teach Kids to Throw and Catch a Football

Five Fun Backyard Games

The backyard is the most underutilized playground for kids today. This is due more to the fact that there is nothing exciting to attract them to go out there to play. With all the interactive alternatives kids have today from video/computer games, the web, to smart phones, they get easily bored with anything not contemporary or fast paced. Rather than creating their own playing environment, they’re enrolled in organized sports programs at young ages, where they never have the opportunity to participate in free play, and they’re always told what to do.

As a result, kids have lost basic athletic fundamental skills. Two of those skills are catching and throwing. When we were kids we spent hours playing pick-up football and baseball with our friends. Unfortunately this does not happen as often as it should, therefore many kids are deficient in catching and throwing.

The techniques require to throw and catch correctly can be found attached as a sidebar to this article.

This article provides 5 fun, fast paced backyard games that incorporate these catching and throwing skills and are easy to set-up.

1) Duck Hunt:
Equipment - Six footballs, approximately 25 short cones, one stopwatch

Set-up – The game requires a flat area approximately 15 to 20 yards long by 15 yards wide. Place five cones equally across the playing field designating a 5- yard separation between four downfield grids.

How-to-Play – The game can be played with 7 players, if you have more have them rotate in after each game. Start the game by placing two quarterbacks (QB) beyond the first 5-yard grid, place two receivers (R) in the second 5-yard grid along with two defenders (D), place a third defender (D) in the third 5-yard grid.

The objective is to complete and catch three balls as quickly as possible while avoiding defenders in three separate downfield zones.

Start the game with each QB having three footballs 5-yards from the first grid, where two receivers attempt to get open from two defenders. Once a receiver catches a ball from either QB, they advance downfield to the next grid, where the next defender is waiting. The first defender can follow into the next grid only when both receivers have caught their balls in that grid. Once a receiver has caught a second ball in the second grid they can advance to the third and final grid without any defenders following until both receivers have caught balls in the second grid. At that point all defenders can advance downfield to defend both receivers in the third and final grid. The game ends when one receiver is the first to catch a third and final ball in the third grid. A maximum amount of time can be designated for each game. Note: players should toss all balls back downfield to the QB’s after each play.

2) Ultimate Football:
Equipment – One football, cones to mark perimeter of the field, two different colored vests to distinguish teams.

Set-up - The game requires a plying field, either 30 yards by 15 yards or about 50 yards by 25 yards, depending upon the number of players.

How-to- Play - The game can be played with either small (3 on 3) or larger groups (5 on 5). A 3-on-3 game should be played on a 30 by 15-yard field, and a 5-on-5 game should be played on a 50 by 25-yard field. The objective is to score by catching a football in a designated end zone. All athletes are involved and divided onto offense and defense teams; there are no designated positions. The football can move in any direction around the field, and play is continuous. Change of possession occurs when the football is thrown out of bounds, is dropped by the offense, is deflected by a defender to the ground, or after a score. When a change of possession occurs, the defense immediately goes on offense and begins play at the spot where the football was dropped, thrown out of bounds, or scored in the end zone. Players may take two steps after receiving the football and can transfer it only by throwing it to a teammate. Games can be any length, but we recommend two seven-minute halves. The objective is to keep everyone moving, so divide your group into an even amount of teams and allow them all to play at the same time on different playing areas.

3) Freestyle Football:
Equipment – One football (a nerf ball for younger kids), a stopwatch, and 12 cones.

Set-up – In an area about 25 by 15 yards, use four cones to mark one end zone. Only one end zone is needed in this game. Use the remaining eight cones to mark each sideline, placing cones approximately 5 yards apart.

How-to-Play - This game is a contemporary kid-friendly way to allow athletes to use creative on-field play while developing important athletic skills such as agility, coordination, balance, and stamina, in addition to throwing and catching. Style points are awarded for skills such as one-handed receptions and behind the back catches.

Teams of three play with the objective of scoring or preventing as many trick plays as possible in the field of play or end zone.

There are three players per team; three play offense (quarterback and two wide receivers) and two-play defense (two defensive backs). The sixth player sits out when his or her team is on defense. Teams score points by either scoring touchdowns or by executing trick plays on the field. Players can choose from an array of tricks to earn points, and tricks are worth more points in the end zone than on the field. Style points can be combined on one play. For example, a diving catch in the end zone from a behind–the-back throw for a touchdown scores additional points. Style points are awarded based on the following scoring system:

	On field	In end zone
Diving one-handed reception	30,000	50,000
Behind-the-back catch	20,000	30,000
Between-the-legs throw with reception	20,000	30,000
Behind-the-back throw with reception	10,000	20,000
One-handed reception	10,000	20,000
Running figure-8s between legs	5,000
Diving catch	1,000	2,000
Successful tip to teammate	1,000	2,000
One-handed trap	1,000	2,000
Touchdown	1,000

Stamina and conditioning play a primary role in this game because each team plays five consecutive four-minute games of nonstop competition. Games consist of two consecutive minutes on offense, followed by two consecutive minutes on defense. The ball is never turned over to the defense during these two minutes. Touchdowns, interceptions, and fumbles are automatic dead balls, and play immediately begins again back at the 20-yard line.

4) Throwing on the Run:

During a football game a quarterback must throw while avoiding oncoming defenders, here is a game that places them in that situation but is also fun and challenging. Please find all techniques and fundamentals for proper footwork (dropping back & throwing off the correct foot) on this articles sidebar.

Equipment – One rebounder/target (found in sporting goods stores), some type of bull’s eye (i.e. paper plate) attached to the rebounder, several appropriate sized footballs, six small cones or rubber flat dots.

Set-Up - Place the rebounder/target 10-yards downfield from the first dot/cone (see diagram), set-up remaining dots/cones as seen in the diagram approximately 5 yards apart. To advance drill move all dots/cone set-up 5 yards further away from the rebounder/target.

How-to-Play – The objective is to drop back to pass and successfully execute (hit rebounder/target with the football) a throw on the run from all five designated spots on the field. The quarterback must drop back to the cone located 5 yards behind him each time the drill/competition begins prior to running and throwing from another designated dot/cone on the field. Two points are awarded for each successful thrown ball that hits the rebounder/target. Six points are awarded for each ball that hits the bull’s eye on the rebounder/target.

Advance play by adding a defender (D) that rushes the quarterback. The defender begins by standing 7 yards from any of the dots/cones, when the quarterback reaches the first dot/cone after his initial drop back the defender can leave his position and immediately run to touch the quarterback. If the quarterback is touched with two hands prior to throwing the ball from one of the five dots/cones on the field, he is considered down and the throw does not count.

5) Going Deep:

Every kid loves to replay the great deep pass downfield. This is also a great throwing and catching game that will enhance both skills.

Equipment - One football and 10 cones or yard markers

Set-Up – Place the first cone or appropriate yard marker 10 yards downfield, a second 15 yards, the third 20 yards and continue to place the remaining cones every 5 yards until you reach 50 yards, less if you don’t have the space.

How-To-Play – One quarterback, one receiver, and one defensive back play at one time. The objective is to successfully complete and catch a pass as far downfield as you can without the ball being intercepted, tipped away, or dropped.

Each group of three get five chances to complete and catch the longest pass. Play begins with receiver getting an advantage of starting three yards further downfield from his defender. This allows for more opportunities and compensates for the fact that the defender knows exactly what the quarterback and receiver are attempting to execute. Mark the distance for each catch made over five attempts and ad the total yardage for a final score. Both receivers and quarterbacks receive points during this competition.