The defensive stance is the foundation. This drill teaches the position without the ball. Feet wide, knees bent, hands active. Just stance and simple movement.
What you need: Open space. No ball needed. Two kids per pair.
Setup: Partners face each other about 4 feet apart.
How to run it:
- Cue: Stance, Slide, Mirror, Hands. Get in an athletic stance. Feet wider than shoulder-width. Knees bent. Hands up and active.
- Partner A moves slowly side to side. Partner B mirrors the movement, staying in stance and facing A.
- Do 20 seconds of mirroring. Then switch. A mirrors while B moves.
- Do 2 rounds of 20 seconds each.
What to watch: Are their knees staying bent or are they standing upright? Bend those knees. Low stance = better defense.
If they’re struggling: Move even slower. Do 15 seconds instead of 20. Let them stand more upright while they learn the movement.
If they’ve got it: Increase to 30 seconds. The offensive player moves faster.