Improve different types of ball placement with the added bonus of work-rate to get back into the game. You can see how much Dylan enjoys the challenge. Dad Mark is on the camera and stick.
HOW TO PLAY
Put four items to make up a 3m square.
Put kid with a ball in the middle, on their back holding a ball.
Shout out an item. Kid has to place the ball as close as they can to that item.
As soon as it is placed correctly, kid has to recover and catch a broom (or long stick) that you were holding and is now falling.
They then return to square and repeat. Five times seems to work best here.
COACHING TIPS
Mark said that once he had watched this first attempt back, the definite work-on was more secure ball placement. That means the ball isn’t rolling away.
Ideally the stick should fall away from kid.
Either stipulate beforehand what types of ball placement you want to use or kid can chose the one that makes most sense.
For more on ball placement techniques, look at the following:
Working in pairs, put the ball carrier under pressure to present the ball effectively to reduce the opportunities for a steal/jackle. This low impact exercise is an ideal warm-up activity. MORE
There are three main options for how the ball carrier takes the ball into contact. A better understanding of the different methods will help your players decide. Though we want the ball carrier to avoid contact, there will be times when they will be tackled and still able to adjust to take the impact on their own terms. MORE
Develop your pick-and-go game against an organised ruck defence. James Forrester introduces this three-player move to create some go-forward momentum. MORE
More and more teams are doubling up on the ball carrier, with another attacker latching (binding) on to drive him through contact. Here’s a simple exercise to develop the skill. Two players taking the ball into contact bound together means more power and weight, plus the non-ball carrier can protect and support quickly. It’s a good play against an organised defence. MORE
Use “box rucks” to create different challenges for players to react to. In each case, the players can readjust to the situation to make a difference to secure the ball. MORE