For beginners ages 8–12. Teach a ready catch, a secure handoff and a controlled flag pull before adding speed. These five drills cover the basics without contact.
Use age-appropriate footballs, marked lanes and correctly fitted flag belts. The flag-pulling activity below uses individually detachable flags; check that your belts work that way. Confirm your league’s mouthguard and other equipment requirements.
Keep every activity non-contact. No tackling, blocking, screening, pushing or diving. Start handoffs and flag pulls stationary; add only the walking progression described in the drill.
Rotate every player through the basics
Switch passer and receiver roles frequently. Let everyone practice catching, carrying, handing off and pulling flags. Use short throws into comfortable reach before asking players to catch on a route.
The slant-route activity starts with a walk and a stationary catch at the finish. Keep the receiver’s path separate from the passer and return outside the lane.
01
Partner passing accuracy
Control direction and force on a basic throw.
Equipment: 1 age-appropriate football per pair; Flat spots (or equivalent visible existing markings) Time: 5–8 minutes
Set up: Partners face one another about 3 m apart. Receiver shows a chest-level target; coach checks everyone can throw comfortably at that distance. For odd attendance, use one trio: the extra player observes from outside the active lane and rotates in after each attempt. Use existing visible markings for all spots and boundaries if flat markers are unavailable; choose another activity if the stated layout cannot be made clear.
Passer points their attention at the ready target and makes a gentle overarm throw.
Receiver catches, secures and resets before returning.
After four each, decide together whether to move one small step closer or farther.
Coach’s cue: Choose a throw your partner can catch. Step naturally toward the target.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Start closer and use a soft ball or underhand toss.
Harder: Receiver shows a target slightly left or right within comfortable reach.
Keep it safe: Coach checks the surface and clear run-off space before starting; stop the activity if footing or spacing becomes unsafe. No tackling, blocking, screening, pushing or diving. Stop immediately for contact, a fall or a loose ball; retrieve only after everyone stops. Coach confirms local equipment and participation rules before use; these are practice constraints, not official game rules. Avoid maximum-distance or maximum-force throwing; stop for discomfort and tell the coach. Keep spare balls and personal equipment outside all movement and collection paths.
02
Catch, tuck and move
Control the ball before choosing the next movement.
Equipment: 1 soft age-appropriate football per pair; 4 flat markers per pair (or equivalent visible existing markings) Time: 5–7 minutes
Set up: Mark a 2 m receiving box with open space beyond it. Passer stands 3 m in front and receiver starts inside the box. For odd attendance, use one trio: the extra player observes from outside the active lane and rotates in after each attempt. Use existing visible markings for all spots and boundaries if flat markers are unavailable; choose another activity if the stated layout cannot be made clear.
Receiver shows ready hands and catches a gentle pass.
Bring the ball under control, pause and say secure.
Take two walking steps inside the box, stop and return the ball; swap after four catches.
Coach’s cue: Secure before you move. Finish with room around you.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Stay still after the catch and use a closer toss.
Harder: Walk into the box, stop, then receive the pass.
Keep it safe: Coach checks the surface and clear run-off space before starting; stop the activity if footing or spacing becomes unsafe. No tackling, blocking, screening, pushing or diving. Stop immediately for contact, a fall or a loose ball; retrieve only after everyone stops. Coach confirms local equipment and participation rules before use; these are practice constraints, not official game rules. No defender or flag pull; allow a missed pass to fall rather than diving. Keep spare balls and personal equipment outside all movement and collection paths.
03
Walking handoff drill
Coordinate giver and receiver without a collision.
Equipment: 1 age-appropriate football per pair; 20 cones total for the full group (up to 5 stations, 4 per station) Time: 5–8 minutes
Set up: Giver stands beside, never inside, a wide straight receiver path. Coach demonstrates a comfortable ball presentation and receiving position without body contact. The full setup uses up to 5 simultaneous stations and 20 cones total; keep all stations in the coach’s view. For odd attendance, use one trio: the extra player observes from outside the active lane and rotates in after each attempt.
Begin stationary: receiver takes the presented ball with both hands and says secure before giver releases.
Repeat with receiver walking slowly beside the giver; giver keeps feet still and clear of the path.
Receiver stops beyond the exchange area and walks back outside the lane; swap roles.
Coach’s cue: Meet at the ball, with bodies apart. Secure before releasing.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Remain stationary for all exchanges.
Harder: Add a clear verbal start cue before the walking approach.
Keep it safe: Coach checks the surface and clear run-off space before starting; stop the activity if footing or spacing becomes unsafe. No tackling, blocking, screening, pushing or diving. Stop immediately for contact, a fall or a loose ball; retrieve only after everyone stops. Coach confirms local equipment and participation rules before use; these are practice constraints, not official game rules. Stop if bodies touch, paths converge or the ball drops; never force the ball into a player. Coach confirms local handoff, run-zone and ball-carrier rules before using in a play. Keep spare balls and personal equipment outside all movement and collection paths.
04
Flag-pulling fundamentals
Distinguish a clean flag pull from contact.
Equipment: 1 properly fitted belt with individually detachable flags per player; Flat spots (or equivalent visible existing markings) Time: 5–7 minutes
Set up: Coach checks belt fit and flags are exposed. Partner stands still with hands away from the flags; puller stands to the side where the flag is clearly visible. Use existing visible markings for all spots and boundaries if flat markers are unavailable; choose another activity if the stated layout cannot be made clear.
Coach demonstrates taking only the hanging flag and detaching it without touching the body, belt or clothing.
Puller practices one gentle removal while both players stay still.
Both stop, return the flag respectfully and reset the belt; swap sides and roles.
Coach’s cue: Find the flag, not the belt. A clean pull needs no body contact.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Practice removing a flag from a belt held by the coach away from anyone’s body.
Harder: After the coach sees clean stationary pulls, partners may walk slowly side by side on straight parallel paths; make one flag attempt and both stop. No chasing or dodging.
Keep it safe: Coach checks the surface and clear run-off space before starting; stop the activity if footing or spacing becomes unsafe. No tackling, blocking, screening, pushing or diving. Stop immediately for contact, a fall or a loose ball; retrieve only after everyone stops. Coach confirms local equipment and participation rules before use; these are practice constraints, not official game rules. Stop for any tug on clothing, belt or body, or if a flag will not release normally. Never use improvised tied-on flags or allow a player to cover flags with their hands. For the walking progression, preserve side-by-side spacing and stop after one attempt; no lunging, reaching across the body or changes of direction. Keep spare balls and personal equipment outside all movement and collection paths. Use pocket-free shorts and keep clothing clear of the flags. Coach checks each individual flag releases as designed; never use improvised tied-on flags. Confirm the league’s mouthguard and other protective-equipment requirements before practice. This version uses individual flag release, not a whole-belt release system. Demonstrate a compatible activity separately if the team uses a different belt mechanism.
05
Slant route drill
Recognize a short inward diagonal route and coordinate a safe passing window.
Equipment: 1 appropriate practice ball per pair; 8 cones Time: 5–10 minutes
Set up: Set up two separate short route lanes, with four cones per lane marking the start, break, finish and outside return point. Coach places the passer to the side of each start so every throw and route stays inside its own lane. Use one active passer/receiver pair per lane and at most two waiting players per lane, outside the ball path. With odd attendance use a rotating observer. After one route and a clear return, swap passer/receiver and bring the waiting pair in. Choose a short straight stem of 2–3 metres followed by an inward diagonal, about 45 degrees, with generous clear space before the passer.
Walk the straight stem, then turn onto the inward diagonal without crossing into the passer’s area.
Look toward the passer, stop in the finish area and show ready hands for a gentle pass.
Secure the ball, walk back by the outside route and rotate. Repeat from the opposite side only after resetting both lanes.
Coach’s cue: Straight first, then angle in. Find the passer after the break.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Walk without a ball and point out the diagonal finish.
Harder: An experienced pair may use an easy jog and a short pass into a receiver’s controlled path; shorten the route if timing breaks down.
Keep it safe: No defender, live rush, blocking or contact. Begin at walking speed, with controlled footwork rather than a planted twisting knee. Pass only to a receiver who is looking and showing ready hands. No diving, jumping catches or reaching across another lane. Stop the drill before gathering missed balls. Confirm the actual league route, field and eligibility rules before match use. Match the challenge to demonstrated skill and comfort, not age alone. Rest or choose the easier option whenever control deteriorates.
See Coach in action.
From a coaching question to a practice you can share.
Recorded with a sample team and demonstration responses. Review activities and plans for your players before using them.
Questions coaches ask
What should a new flag football team practice first?
Start with passing to a ready receiver, securing the catch, exchanging a handoff and removing a flag without contact. Introduce a simple route once players can follow the lane and stop under control.
Can we practice flag pulling without flag belts?
Use the passing, catching and route activities while you obtain suitable belts. Do not improvise tied-on flags or practice by grabbing clothing. Check the equipment list before adding the flag-pulling drill.
Are these official game rules?
No. The walking pace, stationary catches and other restrictions are teaching conditions for these drills. Use your league’s current rules for games and explain the difference to players.
