The game of football is one which doesn’t allow weak players to succeed. You must not just be strong in your body, but also in your mind. If you have what it takes to be molded into an amazing football player, read on to find out just how to make yourself great.

In football always remember that you’re part of a bigger team. Support your teammates and be sure they support other teammates. Don’t be a ball hog trying to pretend you’re some great “football star.” Support your team by being a team player instead of a ball hog.

If you aren’t tough, football is not the game for you. Honestly, if you can’t handle being tackled, you should play tennis or golf or some other non-contact sport. Don’t play the game because your Father wants you to if you really don’t want to get thrown to the ground.

A great football tip is to always prepare for any possibility especially in regards to special teams. Don’t always assume that they are going to kick off the ball normally. Sometimes they’ll surprise you and kick the ball offsides, and you need to be ready for it, or else you’re just playing into them.

Running backs are members of the offense. For a running play, the quarterback may pass the ball to a running back who will run the ball as far as he can. When the ball is going in the air, the running back may help protect the quarterback from tacklers or he may try to get open to catch a pass.

If your goal is to become a quarterback, make sure you practice with a lot of distractions. Although Tom Brady makes maneuvering in the pocket look easy, it’s actually pretty intense, and that’s the time most players make mistakes. Practice when you’re under lots of pressure and learn to make smart decisions with lightning speed.

If you want to be great on the field during a game, you need to be great at time management off the field. This holds true in season and in the off season. Training for any football position takes long and consistent hours of physical activity. You also have to make sure that you get enough rest. All that requires a lot of freetime, but also the mental discipline to structure it.

Get used to playing off of your weaker foot. If you’re like many athletes, you’ll favor one foot over another. It’ll tend to be the foot that you pivot on and use for running fakes. If you want to confuse the opponent covering you, surprise them with some moves using your weaker side. It’ll give you some real advantage.

If you want to improve hip flexibility, place five cones about five yards apart all in a line. Start down by one side of your cones and make a zigzag pattern, running between each set at maximum speed. Lean in the direction you are going, and keep your head up while your eyes are focused down field.

Proper padding for the lower body is a must. Pants can be purchased with pads built in or with pockets in them to slide the pads into them. No matter what type of pants you decide on, make sure that you have pads to protect the tailbone, knees, thighs and hips.

Greatness comes to those who work hard to achieve their goals. With football, that means getting in practice as often as possible, staying positive and continuing to learn all you can about the game. If you can keep yourself on top of expert advice, you’re sure to find wins in the future.