Is aggression an innate characteristic?

[biggus3]

Or do you know of ways to develop it? I have a couple of inside linebackers that pass the look test, and they execute there job we'll enough, however they lack that certain mean streak that most would agree is important in lb play. I do some 1 on 1 tackling drills every once and a while to try to turn up the heat and make them compete, but the session always ends up flat and disappointing. The worst part is that the rest of the defense ends up adopting their personality, and we always start out flat as well. I'm not looking for Ray Lewis, but If someone has any ideas on how to bring introverted kids out of their shell a little bit, let me know.

[dubber]

I think this really comes down to a.) knowing how to get off blocks and b.) knowing how to fill/fit.

Some kids innately do that.....and we therefore describe them as "more aggressive".

Other kids need taught.

[coachbdud]

Initially most are fun shy
So kids that aren't used to smashing their body into another can develop it
It's just new at first

I was one of those kids, freshman year was my first year, I was terrible, 5th quarter only player... By my sophomore year I was fine and starting

If a kid has played since at least his Frosh year and lets say is now a junior, if he still shows no aggression and is a pu$$y he will probably never develop it

Some kids just come out the womb as soft serve ice cream

[CoachMikeJudy]

I think it's learned.

Every kid IMO starts off with a certain amount of fear of contact. You have to drill it out of them. When this process begins varies...some kids learn it in pop warner ball, others learn it the various other sports/playing/growing up as a kid.

The sooner you can get them to not be fearful the better. I'm heavily involved with our youth teams and HC of our HS team- I can see the process happening when I watch the youth practices. Kids "learn" to be fearless and aggressive. Some get it early, some don't get it until HS. Heck, some never get it...

[brophy]

you don't need MEAN kids or demonstrative kids or loud-mouths or bullies


You just need kids who COMPETE and give complete effort every down.

Its really that simple

But then again, feel free to find any of the number of iterations of threads in the General sections labelled, "Toughness", "aggressiveness", "Competitiveness", etc

[John Knight]

If they don't bite as pups, they won't bite as dogs!! or as Popeye says I Yam what I Yam! I will take a weaker less skilled kid at LB anytime if he has a little shark in him!

[chebington]

I would say that everyone has varying levels of natural aggression, but that it can be improved. Here's how I do it.

Children reflect the energy around them. I learned this as a camp counselor, and it is absolutely true. If you get excited, they get excited too. Not in a demeaning way, just show your life of hitting and contact. Congratulate guys on good hits, get excited for contact. Be positive.

The most important thing I do to encourage aggression drillwise is teaching gang tackling. First guy there holds the ballcarrier up, the second guy attacks the football to force a fumble, the third guy smacks the runner as hard as he can. Party at the ballcarrier. Force fumbles and score.

A lot of coaches use drills that teach their players to pursue a runner, then surround him and chop their feet. I feel this is detrimental because it doesn't actually teach gang tackling; it teaches your players to pursue and spectate.

The drill I like the most is splitting my guys into groups of four. Each group has a tackling mat, so the ballcarrier doesn't get obliterated. In the drill there is a ballcarrier and three defenders, numbered 1 to 3. First whistle, the ballcarrier moves forward and makes a football move of his choice. Second whistle, the first defender makes a form fit tackle on the ballcarrier. Third whistle, the second defender helps the first, forming up next to him and going for the ball, ripping or stripping or putting his helmet on it, "biting" the ball. On the fourth whistle, the third defender fits to the group and brings the pile to the ground on the mat. The players rotate every rep. The whistles are rapid. Start by walking it through, then thump, then full contact if you feel your men can handle it.

I stress the stripping of the football. Everyone loves to score, and some defenders never touch the ball all year. By their effort and aggression, they can. I tell my guys every day that we as a defense can outscore the offense in every single game, as long as we get bodies on the ball.

If you teach gang tackling, the guys learn that in fact they outnumber the ball carrier. They may not be able to verbalize it, they just come to know it. We can hit the runner with every guy on our defense on every snap if we hustle hard enough.

Then they realize that, aggression becomes fun.

[headhunta52]

Ive had kids that were powderpuffs as freshman that were very physical players by senior year. It's all about experience and confidence for most kids.

On the flipside i've had kids that could hit and be physical day 1 freshman year. for some its natural but everyone can develop it to a certain extent.

[holmesbend]

I think more of it than we care to admit is innate. Without question. How much exactly? The million dollar question.

Then again, I'm also one of these people that think the same thing about being good tacklers.

[tigercoach11]

level of aggression varies from kid to kid, however, I also believe it is a learned and practiced concept. My kids now when I first got here some were just naturally aggressive some were not, now all of them are (some more than others but everyone MUST be physical to their own ability) or they don't play.

example 1: rb/db for us, 6'1 185 lbs and he is the state open 100/200 meter champion (so hes fast!) but always trying to bounce our power play (we run the DW) outside.Would also get to his tackles bc he is faster than everyone but didn't really bring much thump. Thru extensive work (weight room, field, and just plain calling him out on being a sissy) he is one of our biggest hitters which he should be with all that speed.

ex. 2: 6'4 275 OL/DL....did his job but never with any nastiness. I told our line coach it was his project to get the kid to "finish" the job. He does now. Not the most nasty player we got but does it with much more attitude than he did before.

Im an aggressive person by nature so everything I do from O play calling to never punting etc to always trying to block punts etc... is aggressive. its a total mentality that needs to be lived by everyone on the field. I cannot ask them to be aggressive and not intimidated if I am passive and scared bc the team we are playing and/or their coach is good.