Quick Hitter 1-on-1 “Approach” Dodging Drill
Use this easy college drill to practice small area game situations and give your players lots of individual reps on Offense and Defense!
Change up your regular 1-on-1 Drills with this simple variation. Your players will Dodge from lots of different locations and situations in games. Use this drill to attack the Defense quickly after they Slide, during the Recovery, while they are disorganized.
- Related: Here are 5 Easy Ways to "Organize!" Your Defense
- Related: Use this "Look Away!" Call during Recovery to make sure all the Attackers are covered!
Teach your Defenders how to "Approach" the ball. College coaches spend lots of time working on this important individual defensive skill. Defenders must get Up Field of the Dodger and send him down the side, or "Alley", or back below Goal Line Extended ("GLE"), behind the Goal where they can't score. "Poor Approach" is something college coaches target on Offense- better to Dodge against a Defender that is isn't ready or off-balance, versus one who is in position with Slides behind him backing him up.
You won't win every single one of your battles! But your players will really improve their individual skills with this drill. Everybody loves 1-on-1's. Let your players work their individual Match-Ups. Dodge and Re-Dodge, Roll Back, Bounce Away. This drill works on Stick Protection, Change of Speed and Direction, Footwork, Body Defense, Shooting, everything!
HERE'S THE DRILL:
Figure 1.) Set up four cones up top inside the Goal Area Box, diagonal from the corners, about 5-8 yards (steps) apart. Defense starts outside, Offense starts inside. These are two of the locations your players will Dodge from in games in common 2-3-1, 3-1-2 and 2-2-2 Formations.
Your players will need to Dodge from both sides of the field in games, using both right and left hands to get their hands free to shoot. They should also learn to defend both sides of the Field. Developing well-rounded Athletes is one of the most important things you do as a Coach!
