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Hawk Tackling Handout

The document discusses teaching a rugby-style tackle called "Hawk Tackling" advocated by Pete Carroll. It emphasizes using the shoulder to tackle and keeping the head outside of the tackle by focusing on the ball carrier's near hip. It provides coaching points and drills for performing basic Hawk tackles as well as variations like rolling the ball carrier, lifting their opposite leg, and targeting their near jersey number. It stresses converging tackles where multiple defenders attack the nearest hip or number and working to strip the ball. Throughout it emphasizes keeping the head up and outside to make clean tackles in the "strike zone" between the shoulders and knees.

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1K views8 pages

Hawk Tackling Handout

The document discusses teaching a rugby-style tackle called "Hawk Tackling" advocated by Pete Carroll. It emphasizes using the shoulder to tackle and keeping the head outside of the tackle by focusing on the ball carrier's near hip. It provides coaching points and drills for performing basic Hawk tackles as well as variations like rolling the ball carrier, lifting their opposite leg, and targeting their near jersey number. It stresses converging tackles where multiple defenders attack the nearest hip or number and working to strip the ball. Throughout it emphasizes keeping the head up and outside to make clean tackles in the "strike zone" between the shoulders and knees.

Uploaded by

flash30
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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As a compliment to our “Heads Up Tackling” approach, we will once again be teaching a

Rugby style tackle advocated by Seattle Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll which he
calls “Hawk Tackling.” The Rugby tackle has NEVER included the head, and they play
without helmets and facemasks…the key is to 1) use the shoulder, and 2) keep the head
outside the tackle

What is it?
SHOULDER tackling based on the Rugby tackle, with emphasis to take the head out of
the tackle. We are a LEVERAGE BASED, SHOULDER TACKLING team.

See it online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HihjPApzCg


Or, Google “pete carroll hawk tackling”
TRACKING
TRACKING
• Closing the distance with the ballcarrier, while
maintaining leverage

• Tackler’s Key: Eyes on the near hip of the


ballcarrier; players maintain good tackling posture
with shoulders square to the ballcarrier, with eyes
locked on the ballcarrier’s near hip

• Drill: “Run & Gather”


BASIC HAWK TACKLE
SHOULDER tackle with contact point on the THIGHS,
with the head OUTSIDE or BEHIND (NOT ACROSS) the
body.

Coaching Points:
• EYES THRU THE THIGHS
• NEAR FOOT to ballcarrier NEW in 2015
• WRAP & SQUEEZE (squeeze the thighs through
your chest)
• DRIVE FOR 5 (think “take 5 power steps after I
wrap him up”)

Recap: 1) TRACK the NEAR HIP; 2) close with NEAR


FOOT to ball carrier; 3) WRAP & SQUEEZE the THIGHS
4) DRIVE FOR 5

DRILLS:
• From KNEES or 2 POINT
stance

• “Diamond” Drill (left)


HAWK ROLL TACKLE
Basic HAWK SHOULDER tackle on the THIGHS, with the head OUTSIDE (NOT ACROSS) the body, which
FINISHES with the ballcarrier being WRAPPED UP and ROLLED TO THE GROUND

Coaching Points:
• EYES THRU THE THIGHS
• WRAP & SQUEEZE (squeeze the thighs through your chest)
• ROLL!

Recap: 1) TRACK the NEAR HIP; 2) TACKLE the THIGHS; 3) ROLL!

DRILLS:
• From KNEES or 2 POINT stance (top
left)
• “Diamond” Drill (bottom left)
• Live Track & Tackle vs moving bag
(above)
HAWK LIFT TACKLE
Basic HAWK SHOULDER tackle on the THIGHS, with the head OUTSIDE (NOT ACROSS) the body, which FINISHES with the ballcarrier’s
OPPOSITE LEG BEING ‘HOOKED” AND LIFTED UP (for example, if you are using your LEFT SHOULDER to tackle, LIFT with you RIGHT ARM. Lift
him right off the ground.)

Coaching Points:
• EYES THRU THE THIGHS
• WRAP & SQUEEZE (squeeze the thighs through your chest)
• HOOK the “opposite leg with your Off hand
• LIFT THAT “OPPOSITE” LEG
• DRIVE FOR 5

Recap: 1) TRACK the NEAR HIP; 2) TACKLE the THIGHS; 3) HOOK!; 4) LIFT!

DRILL:
• Standing Dummy
• ½ rounds behind “ballcarrier”
to fall on
“PROFILE” TACKLE
Basic HAWK SHOULDER tackle which makes SHOULDER contact with the NEAR JERSEY
NUMBER of the ballcarrier, with the head OUTSIDE (NOT ACROSS) the body

Coaching Points:
• ATTACK THE NEAR JERSEY NUMBER OF THE BALLCARRIER
• WRAP & SQUEEZE
• DRIVE FOR 5 (STEPS)

Recap: 1) TRACK the NEAR HIP; 2) HIT THE NEAR NUMBER WITH YOUR SHOULDER; 3)
WRAP; 4) DRIVE FOR 5!

DRILLS:
• Our “Fire In The Hole” drill
• “Diamond” Drill with Shield
(or live) (bottom)
“COMPRESSION” TACKLING
2 or more tacklers converging on the ballcarrier, with each focusing on the NEAR HIP (Hawk
Tackle) or NEAR JERSEY NUMBER (Profile Tackle)

Coaching Points:
• EACH PLAYER ATTACKS THE JERSEY NUMBER OR HIP NEAREST TO THEM
• WRAP & SQUEEZE
• DRIVE FOR 5 (STEPS)

NOTE: ANY TACKLER AFTER THE 1ST ONE CAN ATTACK THE FOOTBALL LIKE A SHARK EATING BAIT AND RIP IT OUT,
STRIP IT, PUNCH IT, JAM IT…GET THE BALL!

DRILLS:
• SQUARE DRILL – many
variations
KNOW THE “STRIKE ZONE”

When tackling a defenseless player, always aim to hit him


with YOUR SHOULDER between HIS SHOULDERS and
ABOVE HIS KNEES; be sure to keep your HEAD OUTSIDE
and NOT ACROSS!
THE “PROFILE TACKLE” will ALWAYS be a CLEAN HIT, WITHIN THE
“STRIKE ZONE”

Coaching Points:
• Just like a baseball “strike zone” – knees to armpits

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