Skip & Slide

Warm-up

Warm up hips and lateral movement.

5 min any Full court
FootworkU8U10U12U14U16

Step-by-step walkthrough

Any group size · none

Get everyone ready

Line up across the baselineSpread out, ready to move down the floor. 1234

● Player / attack

Illustrated steps · 5 seconds per step at 1×

Set up

Players on the baseline facing up court.

Look for: Stay low on the slides.

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

Players on the baseline facing up court.

  1. Skip to the free-throw line, arms driving.
  2. Defensive slide to half court, staying low.
  3. Backpedal to the next line.
  4. Sprint the rest and jog back.

Suggested reset

Finish the movement before leaving the working lane. Walk back outside that lane and join the back of your line. The next player starts with enough separation to finish safely. Coach watches the front of each line; use parallel lanes for a larger group.

Coaching cues

  • Stay low on the slides.
  • Don't cross your feet.
  • Smooth transitions between movements.

Adapt the challenge

Harder: Add a carioca and a sprint-to-slide reaction.

Easier: Halve the distance — do the whole sequence from baseline to half court.

What this drill teaches

All four game movements — skip, slide, backpedal, sprint — chained in one lap, so the body learns to switch between them smoothly. Games never let you run one way for long.

In games: Transition defence is built on changing movement mid-stride — the player who flips from sprint to slide without stumbling doesn't get beaten back down the floor.

What good looks like
  • Low slides with feet never crossing
  • Smooth switches between movements, no stopping to reset
  • Arms driving on the skips and sprints

U8–U10: halve the distance and expect crossed feet on slides. U14–U16: expect low, quick slides and add the carioca and sprint-to-slide reaction.

Setup

Players on the baseline facing up court.

Steps

  1. 1Skip to the free-throw line, arms driving.
  2. 2Defensive slide to half court, staying low.
  3. 3Backpedal to the next line.
  4. 4Sprint the rest and jog back.

Coaching points

  • Stay low on the slides.
  • Don't cross your feet.
  • Smooth transitions between movements.

Why kids love it

Covers all the movement patterns kids need in a game, in one quick lap.

Variations

Harder

Add a carioca and a sprint-to-slide reaction.

Easier

Halve the distance — do the whole sequence from baseline to half court.

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