/ Why this drill
What it teaches.
Most kids — and most adult coaches — chase a ball carrier by running directly at where the carrier is. By the time they get there, the carrier is gone. Chase Angle teaches kids to chase the spot where the carrier will be, not where they are. It's the difference between a clean flag pull at 8 yards and a missed flag at 25 yards turning into a touchdown.
/ How to run it
Step by step.
- Place three cones: cone A (start), cone B (15 yards downfield from A), cone C (defender's start, 5 yards behind A).
- The runner sprints from A toward B at full speed, holding a football.
- The defender starts at C, behind and slightly off to one side.
- On the go, the defender takes a 45-degree angle — NOT toward the runner, but toward the spot ahead of the runner.
- Defender pulls the flag before the runner reaches cone B.
- Switch roles. Run from both sides so kids practice both left and right angles.
/ Coaching points
What to watch for.
- Forty-five degrees. Show them the angle by literally walking it. They'll get it visually faster than verbally.
- Eyes on the runner's hip, not their feet or face. The hip tells you where they're going.
- Don't slow down for the pull. The pull happens at full speed — it's a swipe, not a stop.
- If the runner cuts back, take a new angle. Don't try to reverse course.
/ Variations
Progress the drill.
From behind
Defender starts directly behind the runner instead of off to the side. Same angle principle.
Two angles
Add a second defender from the other side. Builds the team-pursuit concept.
With cuts
Runner is allowed one cut between A and B. Forces the defender to adjust angles mid-chase.
/ Common mistakes
Where it goes wrong.
- Chasing at the runner instead of ahead of the runner — the foundational error.
- Slowing down at the moment of the pull. The pull is a full-speed action.
- Locking eyes on the football. The football doesn't tell you where the runner is going.
- Lunging from too far away. Get to the angle, then close the last 2 yards.