footwork plan

Players must sprint facing forward out around the red cone. After reaching it they should quickly change direction and sprint diagonally back to the blue cone. Players' heads must always be facing forwards (looking over their shoulder when running backwards). Repeat several times. Resting time for players is waiting for their team-mates to complete this running drill.

In pairs, 1 player - the statue - holds a ball aloft in one hand. Partner runs, leaps and snatches the ball, lands with the correct footwork, Once theabove is achieved with balance, add a turn once the player has landed so player is facing the same way she has come from and returns the ball to partner. Once the ball has been snatched, the statue could sprint to another point to receive the ball before the exercise is repeated. Progress this practice through all 3 stages until all players are balanced

A tough fitness exercise that works your players' speed stamina. Depending on your team's age/ ability you can choose to do the simple course (in blue) or the advanced one (in red). Players all line up on the baseline and must run out to each line (starting with closest first) and upon reaching it turn back to the baseline and then out the next line.

Split players into pairs with 1 ball between them and set up as diagram (half a third each if available). Black C is the feeder and has the ball. The white C is the worker and will be working for 2 minutes and will then swap roles with the black C. The worker starts in the corner - side steps the horizontal lines then changes pace and direction, while sprinting the vertical lines. The worker then heads towards the feeder to receive a pass when the feeder wishes to put the ball in. The worker then sprints back to the corner changes pace and direction back to a side step then repeats around the whole grid creating a star shape. The worker works for 2 minutes trying to complete as many circuits of the star as possible in the 2 minutes. The feeder can only pass the ball to the worker when they are driving forwards to start with.

Position cones 8-10m apart. A starts at one cone, F stands with the ball at the other cone. 2 defenders stagger themselves between the two cones as shown. A sprints towards the first defender in the attempt to convince the defender she is driving a certain way. A should be driving hard enought that D moves to close her down. As D moves to mark A, A changes direction quickly and drives towards the other D, who moves to shut her down. A should change direction again quickly and drive towards F. F passes the ball to A once she is free. A resets and repeats.

3 attacking player are the GA, WA, GS. Centre passes the ball to GA, GA to WA, and WA to GS. After every attack start again in the same positions.

Set up a big square 9m x 9m, split into four 3m x 3m squares. It can be put into the context of court by positioning it just inside the shooting third. Position 2 attackers and 2 defenders as shown in diagram. A feeder starts outside of the squares with the ball. There is another defender in between the feeder and the square. This drill looks to progress a Centre pass from the 1st phase (receipt of the 1st pass) to the 2nd phase (passing options from the 1st phase). One of the attackers has to receive 1st pass over the front line, as they would in a game situation. The attackers then look to 2nd phase option: the second pass that looks to move the ball into the attacking third.