How do I ensure a starting position as a linebacker on my football team?
You already seem to have one of the most important things — the drive to succeed. The greatest ones have that, regardless of their size. Your coaches are usually your best source for information on how to get better at your position, but here’s a few tips anyway. Work on your leg strength. This is what enables you to power past blockers and drive the ball carrier to the ground. Run with weights on your legs and ankles — as much as you can put on. This works every muscle in your lower body at once. Watch the feet of the blocker assigned to you. Study them as if it were for your final exams. The eyes/hands/head/shoulders of your opponent can lie. The feet never do. Unless your assignment for a particular play calls for you to cover a receiver, always remember that your ultimate goal is to get to the ball carrier. The blocker(s) assigned to stop you are not opponents that you need to “beat”. They are simply obstacles in your way. Your job isn’t to overpower your man, it’s to get around
