Defensive footwork is taught before defensive concepts. This drill isolates the sliding motion so kids build the habit of staying in front of their player.
Equipment needed: None. Just space and a floor.
Setup: Line kids up facing you, about 15 feet away, in a defensive stance (feet shoulder-width, hands up).
How to run it:
- Point to the left. Kids slide left five steps (no crossing feet).
- Point to the right. Kids slide right five steps.
- Point forward. Kids backpedal five steps.
- Point back. Kids sprint forward five steps and reset.
- Do 10 cycles (40 total slide directions).
What to look for: Stance consistency. Do they stay in a basketball stance the whole time or stand up? Good defenders stay in their athletic stance throughout.
Variation: For younger kids (8-9), do slower slides and focus on form. For older kids (10), add a ball: dribble in front of them and have them stay in front, sliding with the ball.