Ball Drop Drill
Setup
The Ball Drop Drill requires a tennis ball.
The coach stands roughly ten yards away from the player, depending on player speed.
Purpose
Reaction times are one of the most underrated attributes of a football player. However, quickly reacting to changes throughout the course of a play can make a major impact on the outcome.
The Ball Drop Drill develops a players ability to not only quickly react to an event, but also to blast to full speed from a stationary start.
Drill Description
Holding the tennis ball out to the side of his body at shoulder height, the coach starts the drill by dropping the tennis ball straight down.
As soon as the tennis ball is released, the player bursts forward to catch the ball before it bounces for the second time. If the player is able to catch the ball before the second bounce, then you can gradually separate the distance between the player and coach to make it more and more difficult.
A quick explosion off of the line and an even quicker reaction time is necessary for players to have success with this drill.
