1. Be a Leader:
Leaders are players who make good decisions on and off the field. They motivate their fellow teammates to give their all.
They are passionate. When two players have nearly equal skills, coaches willl always give the opportunity to the player with
stronger leadership. Aside from statistics, college and NFL scouts look for prospects with an incredible work ethic and good
character.
2. Keep Your Throwing Elbow Up: One of the most
common habits of untrained quarterbacks is to drop the elbow of the throwing arm. This causes the ball to be thrown "side
arm". Throwing the ball side arm creates tremendous torque on the elbow joint and makes it more difficult to throw the ball
with accuracy. Work to keep the elbow above the shoulder through the release.
3. Practice Accuracy: Accuracy should be your
number one goal with every throw. Regardless of whether you're warming up or throwing the long ball, always strive for a precise
target. Practice drills, which test and improve your accuracy for all types of throws.
4. Quick Feet: Jumping rope, carioca, quick footwork and drills, which improve
foot speed, are essential for quarterbacks. Footwork is the foundation of a solid drop.
5. Strengthen the Core: The secret to a strong ball is not only a strong
arm, but also core strength. Activities which enhance the strength of the abs, abliques, hips and gluts will help put velocity
on your ball. Quarterbacks can improve the explosive strength of these muscles by combining medicine or weighted balls with
throws, rotations and ab work.
6. Good Attitude: Respect your coaches and fellow teammates. While Privately
you may not agree with your coaches approach, never openly challenge his technique. Remain positive. Use body language that
says you're a winner, alert and open to constructive criticism. Ask your coach what you can do to improve your game. A player
with a good attitude and outstanding work ethic will always have a better opportunity to start.
7. Head Steady/Eyes Focused: While you certainly don't want to broadcast
to your defender where you plan to throw, once you've located your man, zero in on your target. Keep the head steady, eyes
focused and make the pass.
8. Explode Away From The Center: On all drops,
explode away form the center with speed and confidence and purpose. Practice various drops as often as you practice your pass
- DAILY!
9. Warm-up Gradually: The shoulder and the elbow
joint are extremely susceptible to injury. Don't assume your arm is warm simply because the body is warm. Reduce your risk
for injury by warming the shoulder with slow controlled movement.
10. Improve Your Grip: Next to an interception,
the worst thing a quarterback can do is fumble the ball causing an unnecessary turn-over. Quarterbacks with "Sticky" hands
practice releasing, gripping and grabbing the ball.
