Here are two games to improve your players grip on the ball:
1. Simple grip battle (0.00-0.14)
Two players have one ball between them.
This is a grip battle where the players are trying to take the ball from each other.
Tell your players to focus on how they are gripping the ball and using grip strength rather than by moving their feet or hips.
2. Competitive grip game (0.14-1.04)
Set up an area with cones and give half of the players a ball.
The players without the ball are trying to knock the ball out of their hands.
The players with the balls are trying to stop that happening.
Either play that when all the balls go down the defence wins.
Or play when a ball goes down those two players swap roles.
(1.04) Have players work on the hand off and ball transfer in pairs and then play again and see the difference.
How to grip the ball:
Hold the ball with 10 points of contact on the ball.
Your players should have their fingers across the seams.
Your players should hold the ball with their hands like a W.
How your players hold the ball underpins skills like passing and ball carrying. Also, holding the ball like this gives them more control of the ball and allows an offload.
Coach your players to use footwork to get the ball away from the opposition.
Coach your players to use the handoff to distance the opponent so that the ball can't be dislodged or stolen.
in more ways than one
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in more ways than one
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