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Defense / 6 MINUTES

Mirror a partner

Develop low defensive sliding mechanics and active recovery steps without crossing feet.

ON THE FLOOR

Partner / station setup
Mirror a partner — drill diagramThe leader slides between two cones; the defender mirrors from a separate facing lane. No ball or contact is needed.LeaderMirror · no ball1X1X
One example at a teaching pace.
The leader slides between two cones; the defender mirrors from a separate facing lane. No ball or contact is needed.
1PlayerXDefenderBallMovePass / shotDribble

Motion is off with your reduced-motion preference. The setup and action paths show the rep.

Players

Pairs

Equipment

2 cones per pair

Space

Half court or sideline lanes

Set it up

Set two cones 12 feet apart. Player A acts as the offensive leader and stands between the cones. Player B acts as the defender facing them.

Run the activity

  1. Player A stays low and moves laterally between the cones using short, unpredictable changes of direction.
  2. Player B maintains a wide base, knees bent, chest up, and mirrors Player A's lateral movements.
  3. Player B pushes off the foot opposite the direction of movement, keeps their feet apart, and stays balanced without crossing feet.
  4. Work in 20-second active bursts, take a 10-second rest, then switch roles between offense and defense.
ONE CUE TO SAY OUT LOUD

“Stay low, push off the trail foot, keep wide base.”

Watch for this

Crossing feet or standing up tall when changing lateral direction, leading to loss of balance.

Make it easier

The offensive player moves at half speed in a steady side-to-side pattern so the defender can focus on foot placement.

Add a challenge

Offensive player adds quick forward and backward steps, requiring the defender to execute drop steps and closeouts.