1-on-1 Ground Ball, Dodging & Defense Drill
This simple 3-man drill lets your players practice their "moves" while also working on ground balls, defensive positioning and footwork, all at the same time! Plus combining these skills in small groups guarantees that all your players get tons of reps and tons of running!
This drill really is only slightly different than these great College Ground Ball Drills and Variations we got from watching some of the best teams in the NCAA practice last year.
This drill is especially great for teaching every player on your team good 1-on-1 Individual Defense. They will get plenty of practice moving their feet to stay in front of the man with the ball. Don't let any of your players get away with bad "Stop and Chop" Defense.
Make sure all your players know that good defense starts with the feet! Drop step and pursue the man with the ball. Open the hips, turn and go with the man with the ball.
Here's THE DRILL:
Figure 1.) Put your players in groups of 3 spaced out in a line 30-40 yards apart. The guy in the middle of the line will start with the ball. You can space your players closer together if you want to get faster reps and more touches, or space them farther apart if you really want to work the conditioning aspects.
Blue 1 throws a bouncing ground ball to Blue 2. He can throw the ground ball out to either side, or straight at Blue 2. Blue 2 will come out from his cone to scoop the ground ball on the run. Don't wait for it!
PRACTICE TIPS:
- Practice picking up the ball, catching, throwing and Dodging with both hands, both sides.
- Time your drills for your players age: Switch to something else once your players have gotten plenty of reps picking up loose balls and dodging.
- Keep score to make it competitive! Have each group count how many GB's or passes they get in 2 minutes to see who is the fastest and who is the winner!
RELATED PRACTICE DRILLS:
- 3-Man Hamster Drills: Use these passing and catching drills to give your players tons of reps and conditioning instead of standing in line waiting their turn.
- Figure 8 Passing and Catching: We got this from Paul Rabil's high school coach a few years ago. Lots of extra touches on the ball and great conditioning for the man in the middle!
- College Ground Ball Drills and Variations: The best NCAA coaches know to keep it simple for their players. Lots of practice picking up ground balls and plenty of running!
- 1-on-1 Ground Ball with Pressure Drill: Give your players an easy game situation once they've had plenty of practice picking up the ball.
Let us know if this drill helps with Dodging and Defense for your team!
