The Development of a Defensive Back-Part I

On more than one occasion I have been asked about how to develop a defensive back from beginning to end.  I understand why I am being asked this questions (two sons playing DB in the NFL) but I am also here to tell you that I am no wizard.  I will also mention that prayer works and that there is a decent amount of good fortune involved to achieve that level.

With that said,  I will mention that having played defensive back at a high level,  coached defensive backs from the youth level on up,  there are some things that I know,  that I can share with you in an effort to assist you in raising a potential college bound + defensive back.

I am going to make this a four part series that will go from age 6 onto age 18 because those are the years you are going to be responsible for as a parent.  Sorry dad,  once they leave the house,  it’s on them and they will be sick of hearing your voice.

Ages 6-9

Here is where you are putting in the building blocks.  The advice that I am going to give here will likely run counter to what many may have thought but you are just going to have to trust me on these.

Emphasize Academics

Sure,  you may be rolling your eyes because you think I am just trying to score some points.  That’s not it.  I am telling you this from a pure football standpoint.  What I have learned over the years is that one of the major components of success in any sport (and I have coached more than just one) is the ability for an athlete to process things mentally.

Football is a game of skill.  You can be athletic and worthless in this game.  If you raise a child that has a slow mental process,  they will fail.  You can bet money on it.  Emphasize reading as this will make them curious.  Being curious is the key to learning.  Learning is the key to skill development.

Sign Him Up for Sports

Notice I didn’t say sign him up for football.  Introduce your kid to multiple sports.  Don’t make him a football head early on.  Playing multiple sports develops multiple skills.  It also introduces him to several different types of kids and having a social IQ is an often overlooked factor in success.  Athletes that can’t get along with their teammates flame out fast.  Those who can connect with players of all different types of backgrounds tend to perform better on the field.

Teach Him Responsibility

Great teammates are ones that can handle their responsibility.  Football is the ultimate team sport and one in which the entire team has success when each man can do his part.  Having household chores,  being responsible for some task for the family teaches your son the importance of being relied upon.  A decade from now,  he’ll be lined up in front of a receiver in the red zone with the game on the line.  If he’s been in the position of being relied upon for all his life,  he will do what he is supposed to do to be ready for that moment.

Introduce Him to Extra Work

This absolutely does not mean take your child to a trainer.  In fact,  you should keep him away from that.  However,  you should teach your son,  if he’s playing a sport to stay after for 5-10 minutes and work on one skill that he could get better at.  As much as you can,  make this fun for him.  If you make it a bad situation,  chances are he will resent it and when he’s big enough to make his own decisions, he may elect to stay away from staying after.  When that extra work manifests itself in a game in anyway,  be sure to congratulate him,  make a big deal out of it and show him how it correlated to the extra time spent.  Getting them on their push-up game in this age group is also a winning move too.  This will payoff like a share of Amazon stock purchased in 1997 down the road.

Set Up Good Nutritional Habit

This does not mean that your son never eats McDonalds or at other fast food joints.  However,  don’t make that a habit.  Learn something about nutrition and then through example,  teach it to your son.  More high school athletes have missed out on college scholarship opportunities by being malnourished than a ton of other reasons.  Show me a well developed athlete and I will show you a person who understands the relationship between food and performance.  Teach this lesson early so they won’t have to break ingrained habits down the road.

As you can see,  there’s nothing defensive back focused here.  There is no talk of drills, etc.  You are laying the building blocks and to be honest your son may not even be playing defensive back or football for that matter at this age.  I played college football at the University of Miami and my organized football career did not begin until I was 12.  Before that,  I was just that guy balling in the street with my friends.

There is a big tendency for fathers and coaches to over do it with kids in this stage and basically end for a kid before it even starts.  Trust me when I tell you I have seen it too many times to count.  You are in the age of discovery from 6-9.  Your son is not a future hall of famer,  he is not a high school star or a for sure blue chip college prospect.  He is just 6 – 9 year old trying to be a 6 – 9 year old.  Slow down with him.

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alleyesdbcamp

Owner at All Eyes DB Camp

Chad Wilson is the founder of All Eyes DB Camp and a former standout defensive back for the Miami Hurricanes. After an elite collegiate career, Wilson spent a season with the Seattle Seahawks before transitioning into coaching. A 3-time Florida state champion defensive coordinator, he has spent over 20 years developing the "All Eyes" blueprint that has produced NFL All-Pros and stars like Xavien Howard, Patrick Surtain II, Tyson Campbell, Minkah Fitzpatrick and more. His coaching system is proven at the highest levels—his own sons, Quincy and Marco Wilson, both excelled as starters in the SEC before being drafted into the NFL.

Chad is the author of "101 DB Tips"—The Ultimate DB Reference Guide. You can find more information on the manual and how to order your copy in the sidebar and footer of this page.

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