Figure Eights

Warm-up

Improve hand quickness and ball control without a dribble.

5 min any Half court
Ball-handlingU8U10U12U14U16

Technique guide

Any group size · 1 ball each

Get everyone ready

Group setupFeet wider than shoulders, knees bent, ball in one hand. 12345

● Player / attackGold: ball

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

Feet wider than shoulders, knees bent, ball in one hand.

Look for: Stay low in a wide stance.

Playback options
Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×
Coach’s notes & group organisation

Feet wider than shoulders, knees bent, ball in one hand.

  1. Weave the ball in a figure-8 through and around both legs.
  2. Go one direction for 30 seconds, then reverse.
  3. Add a bounce between the legs each pass for older kids.
  4. Keep the eyes up the whole time.

Suggested reset

Everyone works at the same time in their own space with their own ball or balls. Retrieve a loose ball before resuming; pause neighbours if it enters their space. Coach calls the change of hand or movement after the prescribed set. No queue or role swap is needed.

Coaching cues

  • Stay low in a wide stance.
  • Soft, quick hands.
  • Don't look down.

Adapt the challenge

Easier: Big slow loops, no bounce.

Harder: Add a bounce through the legs on every pass so the ball never stops moving.

Eyes Up Challenge: Call out the number of fingers the coach holds up while you weave.

Watch a demo
What this drill teaches

Soft, quick hands and ball control without the safety net of a dribble. Because the ball never stops moving through the legs, hands learn to steer it by feel — which is exactly what heads-up play needs.

In games: Players who can control the ball by feel don't need to stare at it in games, so they see open teammates and oncoming defenders instead of dribbling into trouble.

What good looks like
  • Eyes up or forward while the ball keeps moving
  • A low, wide stance held for the full interval
  • Beating last week's 30-second count

U8–U10: slow loops with drops and giggles — completely fine. U14–U16: demand speed, the bounce version, and eyes up answering the coach's finger count.

Equipment

1 ball each

Setup

Feet wider than shoulders, knees bent, ball in one hand.

Steps

  1. 1Weave the ball in a figure-8 through and around both legs.
  2. 2Go one direction for 30 seconds, then reverse.
  3. 3Add a bounce between the legs each pass for older kids.
  4. 4Keep the eyes up the whole time.

Coaching points

  • Stay low in a wide stance.
  • Soft, quick hands.
  • Don't look down.

Why kids love it

Kids love beating their own speed record — count how many they get in 30 seconds.

Variations

Easier

Big slow loops, no bounce.

Harder

Add a bounce through the legs on every pass so the ball never stops moving.

Eyes Up Challenge

Call out the number of fingers the coach holds up while you weave.

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