Footwork

No.1 - Knee Tips

The Set Up: 2 players working together without a ball.

The Practice: Standing opposite each other, the aim is to try and touch each others’ knees without allowing your partner to touch yours. This can be a lot of fun and practices light feet and good balance. It’s also great to get the heart rate up.

Other options: Partners to try and stand on each others’ toes, only try this if you know your group.

Teaching Points

• Weight on balls of feet
• Quick feet
• Know your group as stamping on toes may not work for all groups

No.2 - Footwork with Hoops

The Set Up: Any number of players working with cones or hoops. The cones/hoops to be spread around the working area. Enough for 1 hoop or cone per person.

The Practice: Players are to jog or run around the area and on the teachers whistle, players are to run to a hoop and land with 1 foot in the hoop followed by the 2nd foot outside the hoop. Players are to show balance by bringing the 2nd foot or braking foot back in to the hoop. Teacher then shouts ‘go’ so pupils move on. This practice gives the players a different focus ie the hoops as well as practicing their landing, ideally on both right and left feet playing the part of the landing foot.

Progression: Footwork with Hoops and Change of Direction - Once landed players change direction from 12 o’clock to half past 12 therefore facing back the way they came.

Teaching Points

• Jump high so forward momentum is decreased
• Bend the knees to stop forward momentum and therefore the chance of dragging or having to lift the back foot off the ground
• The 2nd foot to land around hip distance apart with a bent knee, this is your brake
• Always turn towards open side
• Progression: Pivot on the ball of the landing foot (the foot in the centre of the hoop)

Common Errors:-

• Players don’t bend their knees enough so drag their back foot
• Players lift up their landing/ hoop foot – more bend in the knees will stop this
• The second foot or brake foot, steps too far away from the hoop and not within hip distance, this will mean it’s harder to get balance

No.3 - Footwork with Hoops Continuous

The Set Up: 2 players working with 1 hoop and 1 ball. Player A is the feeder and player B the worker. The feeder stands to the side of and slightly in-front of the hoop holding the ball at shoulder height with her inside hand.

The Practice: Player B runs towards the hoop and collects the ball from the feeders hand before landing 1 foot in the hoop and 1 foot out of the hoop. Player B gets her balance by bringing both feet into the hoop and passing the ball back to Player A.

Progression 1: Player B pivots and changes direction before passing the ball back to the feeder.

Progression 2: As shown in the last part of the video, the practice becomes continuous. As the worker lands and pivots, the feeder runs to become the workers. She receives a pass from Player B who has completed the pivot. Player B steps out of the hoop to the feeder position and the practice starts again.

Teaching Points

• The feeder to hold ball at shoulder height to ensure Player B is managing the footwork rule before the ball gets higher
• Player B to keep her eyes on the ball
• Player B to jump before landing to help with balance
• Player B to make sure that both feet are back in the hoop before the ball is passed back
• Progression 1: Always pivot forward
• Progression 1: Pivot on the ball of the landing foot

Common Errors:-

• The feeder holding the ball too high at first
• The feeders position is to the side rather than to the side AND in-front of the hoop
• Player B passes the ball back from a non balanced position
• Progression 1: Player turns backwards which is not efficient
• Progression 2: Feeder getting to the worker position too early (time the run)

No.4 - The Hexagon

The Set Up: Working in pairs to share the work. 6 cones are laid out to make a hexagon shape with the 6th cone positioned in the centre of the shape.

The Practice: The worker is to run round the cones one by one, each time coming back to the centre cone. The aim is to use small, quick and controlled footsteps to take you round the course ensuring body , feet and head are facing the same way at all times.

Progression 1: keep head up and facing the front. Players will therefore need to adapt their body position so feet and hips are facing the way to the cones and the head and upper body is facing forward.

Progression 2: Feeder to hold a ball up to the side or down with the worker calling out where the ball is positioned, this ensures the workers head is up at all times.

Progression 3: Feeder passes the ball to the worker as she drives forward or back to the centre cone.

Teaching Points

• Feet to always work within hip distance and knees are relaxed at all times
• Weight is on the balls of the feet to aid forward movement
• Use arms to help drive to each cone
• Push off from each cone to drive back to the centre cone
• Small steps to be taken so can change direction at any time
• Progressions 1,2,3: Keep the body facing the front with the legs and hips turning to the cone it is driving to

Common Errors:-

• Feet are further than hip distance apart using large steps to get round the course – this means players will not be able to react to a change of direction if required
• Progressions 1,2,3: Running round the cone and therefore turning the body away from the front line and losing site of a ball

No.5 - Diagonal Drive

The Set Up: 2’s working with 1 ball. Player A is the feeder and player B is the worker. The feeder starts with the ball with player B standing opposite, 2-3m away.

The Practice: Player B runs forward on a 45 degree angle and receives a shoulder pass from the feeder. Player B jumps to receive the pass, lands using bent knees and braking foot to gain balance before turning to face the direction of the feeder and stepping in to a balanced and controlled chest pass.

Progression 1: Increase the distance in which Player B runs.

Progression 2: Player B indicates where she wants the ball so feeder needs to pass an accurate feed i.e in-front of the moving player.

Teaching Points

For the feeder (continuous):-

• Accurate feed to help Player B jump and land
• Pass can become harder and flatter as Player B get’s more confident

For the worker:-

• Start ready and able to sprint off in either direction
• Make sure the angle is 45 degrees and place a cone or marker at the perfect landing spot so player has something to aim at
• To gain balance, player B to keep both feet hip distance apart when landing and bend the knees
• Gain balance before stepping into the pass to ensure an accurate feed back to the feeder

Common Errors:-

• The feed is too fast at first so player B not able to perfect the jump and land
• The angle of Player B is too wide therefore moving further away from the ball (a defenders dream)
• Player B is not balanced before passing the ball back to the feeder

No.6 - Diagonal Drive and Reaction

The Set Up: 3 players working with 1 ball. Players A, B and C start in a triangle with Player A starting with the ball.

The Practice: Player A calls either B or C. The called player reacts and drives, on an angle to the centre of the triangle to receive the pass. She lands correctly and uses her braking foot to gain balance and then pivot to pass the ball to Player C.

Progression: Once Player B has caught the ball, Player C sprints, on an angle to receive the next pass. Player C receives the ball and lands with good balance. She pivots to player A and passes the ball back to start the practice again. The aim is for the ball to travel in a line down the court with correct footwork being adhered to at all times.

Teaching Points

• Head up at all times so focusing on the ball
• Practice landing with different feet
• Always lands with feet hips distance apart to aid balance
• Bend knees on landing
• Make sure the braking/pivoting foot is looking to where the next pass is to go which will ensure a more accurate pass

Common Errors:-

• The angles of both runs are too wide
• The 2nd player runs too early putting pressure on the 1st player’s pivot and pass
• The feed is too far in-front or behind the moving players

No.7 - Change of Direction Shuttle

The Set Up: Minimum of 4 players working with 1 ball. Group is split into 2 lines standing opposite each other.

The Practice: This practice is to concentrate on landing and pivoting in a balanced manner. Player A, from line 1, starts with the ball and Player B, from the 2nd line, runs forward to receive a flat chest pass. She lands 1,2, pivots to face her line and passes the ball back to her line. Player A then runs in and receives a flat pass, lands 1-2 and pivots to face her line before sending the ball back.

Progression 1: Change of Direction Shuttle with High Pass - Add a high ball which will help to practice pivoting OR turning in the air.

Progression 2: Add an angle to the run so landing and either turning inwards or outwards (as the teacher decides) before sending the ball back.

Teaching Points

• Keep head up and eye on the ball
• Land with a thin base and bend the knees
• Pivot taking the shortest route so always facing forward
• Step into the pass back to your line
• Feeds can vary to help add a jump (shoulder pass) or increase the speed of the practice (chest pass)
• Make sure players land on alternate legs to practice pivoting on both sides

Common Errors:-

• Players turn backwards putting them off balance
• Players miss out the jump and end up dragging their back foot (bend the knees)
• Feeding of the ball is too high/low not allowing the practicing of footwork

No.8 - Reaction to Ball

The Set Up: Minimum of 4 players working with 1 ball. Player A is the feeder who stands 2-3m away from the other players who are facing her in a line.

The Practice: Player A holds the ball high and away from her. One at a time, the workers run to the ball and take it from the feeders hand, land 1-2 and pivot to face the line of players and pass back to the next player. The ball is passed back to the feeder and the practice starts again.

Progression: As seen in the video clip, player to flick the ball upwards so the worker has to receive a higher pass and still land correctly and balanced.

Teaching Points

• Land with feet hip distance apart and bend the knees
• Turn forwards when pivoting
• Only pass the ball back when balanced position is obtained
• Feeder to flick the ball up into space so workers have to drive on to the ball to catch it

Common Errors:-

• Worker to be over balanced due to not bending the knees or having too wider stance on landing
• Worker not balanced before trying to pivot and therefore passing off balance
• Worker turning backwards rather than forward when pivoting
• Player A releasing the ball too later/early on the progression