5 Flag Football Tips for Beginner Quarterbacks

5 Flag Football Tips for Beginner Quarterbacks

Have you played quarterback in the past but are new to flag football? Or maybe you’ve been playing flag football for awhile and are just now trying out the quarterback position?  Here are some basic flag football tips for new and beginner quarterbacks to help set you on the right track.

Find a ball that’s right for you

Sounds simple right? Well most of the time it’s not. I have seen so many new quarterback with good arms look like they are shot putting a ball because the ball is too heavy or a pass being a duck because of the lack of air in the ball. In flag football, you don’t have to use the big leather bricks that you used in tackle football so pick a kind you feel comfortable with. Adjust the amount of air in the ball, leather or composite, college or high school size, even how heavy the ball is. My favorite, and a widely used ball, is the composite Wilson GST’s with a decent amount of air taken out. I find it much easier to catch and pretty easy to throw. Find the one you like and let it fly.

Develop your system and don’t be a QB you’re not

There are a ton of plays that are out there for you to learn. TRY THEM ALL! There will be some that you are comfortable with and some that won’t work for you. Everybody good QB in flag is different. You have drop back gunslingers, your tricky qbs, and everything in between. You have to figure out where you are on that scale and trial and error is how you will learn. The most common mistake I see out of new QB’s is they try and learn from the wrong guy and/or try and become someone they are not. I am a tricky system QB. I would never try to be a drop back passer. That just isn’t me.  Find the style that is best for your skills and let it fly.

This isn’t tackle football

Don’t go in thinking that it is. No one can hit you when you are stepping into a pass or disrupt a timing route because of press coverage. If they do, it will be a penalty (or atleast it should) and you get a first down. Be smart and use that to your advantage.

Know your situational football

Until now you probably have had a coach to tell you what to run and when to run it. Guess who the coach is now? You. You are literally the field general. You are now responsible for calling your own plays and executing them. Learn what you should call and in what situation. A 3^rd and 5 play call is going to be very different from a 3^rd and 15. If you only get 5 yards on first, what should your second down play call be. You need to know the time and score as well. After a while it becomes habit but you need to make the effort at first.

Play as much as possible

This one is self-explanatory. The more you play the better you become. There are leagues and tournaments almost every day of the week. Don’t go broke or get divorced for playing so much but take advantage of the days you can play. Check out our calendar to see what leagues and tournaments are in your area.