Contact Reaction Training | From Contact to Quick Reaction

Overview

• Works for a wide range, from middle school up through college and adult players
• There’s real physical contact involved, so always run this with proper safety measures in place
• Especially useful for players in positions that see a lot of contact in games

Objectives

• Sharpen players’ ability to react fast to contact from an opponent
• Build a body position that handles contact without losing balance
• Train the agility to accelerate quickly and change direction right after contact
• Develop the composure to read and handle real contact situations in a match

Setup

This is a foundational drill for 6 players in a 30m x 30m area, working on reaction speed while making shoulder-to-shoulder or back-to-back contact.

1) Pair up. One player takes the coach role, the other is the player.

2) The coach and the player make contact shoulder-to-shoulder, or back-to-back.

3) While staying in contact, the player keeps a low center of gravity and holds their balance.

4) On the coach’s whistle, the player sprints off fast and accelerates in the called direction.

5) Run several sets, then switch roles.