Pass break-up
Why it works
Kids watch the ball and arrive after it. The catch point is a place, and it exists before the ball gets there, so a defender who plays the receiver's hands is early and a defender who plays the ball is late. Round two removes the ball from his view entirely and he has to read the receiver instead.
Run it
8 MINFive reps trailing, five facing, then swap. Eight minutes. Count clean break-ups and separately count the ones that would have been a flag.
Say this
“Play the hands, not the ball.”
The hands are already where the ball is going.
“Through the window, not at the body.”
A hand through the gap between the hands breaks the catch without the contact.
“Round two, watch his eyes.”
With your back to the thrower his face tells you when the ball is arriving.
Good looks like
- The defender's hand arrives with the ball, not after it.
- The break-up goes through the gap between the receiver's hands.
- No contact with the receiver's body or arms on the way through.
- In round two, the defender's hands come up before he has seen the ball at all.
The mistakes
Turning to find the ball, which puts the defender behind it and usually into the receiver's back.
Say: “Play the hands, not the ball.”
Going through the receiver, which is a penalty in a game and a hurt kid in practice.
Say: “Through the window, not at the body.”
Guessing on a count. Make the thrower hold it long on purpose once or twice.
Say: “Round two, watch his eyes.”
Throw it slower and higher so the catch point sits still for longer. Start with round one only.
Do not tell the defender which round it is until the receiver moves.