Loose Ball Drill #1A: “Stationary” Pick-Ups (Scooping)
- Demo (1 min): Loose Ball – "Scoop, "Trap & Scoop," "Scoop-Tuck-Turn," Scoop-To-Triple Threat Position"
- Have players stand (with nobody else within arm’s length) as a group. Each player should have a ball on the ground in front of them to start.
- *Variation #1(10 min): "Loose Ball Techniques." Practice all of the techniques listed on the Loose Ball Skills Analysis in "stationary" form (from a stand still), having players perform 5-10 reps of each. Start with the "scoop” (Variation #1A), the "trap and scoop" (Variation #1B), “scoop, tuck & turn” (Variation #1C), and lastly "scoop-to-triple threat" (Variation #1D). In some cases players may even use the sequence "scoop-to-triple threat-to-tuck & turn" (Variation #1E).
- Advance to "dynamic" loose balls using the above techniques, with players taking 3-5 running steps before they pick up the ball; eventually having them run full speed from half-floor or full-floor.
*Variation #2 (10 min): "Scooping Through Traffic." Same as the above variation except for further game specific techniques, have players partner up with another player holding their stick behind a stationary ball. The other partner then runs and scoops through the ball "in traffic," continuing forward and placing the ball on the floor doing the same as what their partner just did for them (working their way down the floor); otherwise cradling the ball back to their original starting position, with their partner repeating the same action as they just did.
*Variation #3 (10 min): "Trap & Scoop In Traffic." Same as the above variation except for further game specific techniques, have players partner up with another player, with one partner standing with a ball between there feet. The other partner then runs and trap & scoops the ball "in traffic," continuing forward and placing the ball on the floor doing the same as what their partner just did for them (working their way down the floor); otherwise cradling the ball back to their original starting position, with their partner repeating the same action as they just did.
*Variation #4 (2 min): "Poke Check." Another game-like situation is when you are trailing behind someone approaching a loose ball and you "poke" their back hand, trying to time it for exactly when they try to pick up the ball. Have players practice both variations in static and dynamic fashion.
*Most common error = not keeping the butt-end of the stick low to the ground ("mowing the lawn" instead of "shoveling snow").
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