Defense · Intermediate
Defense Commitment Drill
Although technique is important this is a drill that tests more of an athlete's attitude and commitment to the ball than anything else. This objective of this drill is for athletes to maintain a never say die attitude and never give up on a ball.
How to run it
- 1
With a stack of balls the individual running the drill throws balls just of the defenders reach so that they need to dive to keep the ball off the ground. With a minimum number of balls you may need other athletes chasing down stray balls and feeding the thrower. The defenders job is to stop a certain number of balls (somewhere from 4-6 balls is normal) from hitting the ground. Out of the 6 balls there should be at least 1 that the defender cannot get. *There is quite an art in being able to throw the ball to a spot the perfect distance from the defender - one good tip is to move alongside the defender and drop the ball low in front of them. A great way to end this drill is for the defender to play out an easy ball after the required number of digs.
- 2
Coach emphasis: Discuss and practice correct technique prior to the
Why we run it
Although technique is important this is a drill that tests more of an athlete's attitude and commitment to the ball than anything else. This objective of this drill is for athletes to maintain a never say die attitude and never give up on a ball.
Keep building
More defense drills
Defensive Read & Dig
Teach defensive base position and reading the attacker's body for shot vs. swing.
View drill4 Steps to Paradise
Train the diagonal defensive shift — defender reads the attacker and moves to the gap before contact.
View drillPeel and Play Stations
Train the blocker-to-defender peel — pull off the net, find the seam, and play defense.
View drill3 Man Cross Court
High-volume cross-court digging — defender works the diagonal between two attackers continuously.
View drill6 Ball Block Defense
Train the blocker-to-defender transition through a fixed 6-ball sequence covering every common attack scenario.
View drillCoach Tip Chase to Target
Train defense through coach tip chase to target with a clear rep structure and game-like feedback.
View drillMany of our drills are adapted from the coaching resources at Better at Beach and the FIVB.
Contact us
Ready to get on the sand?
Give us a call, send an email, or just stop by one of our events and chat with a coach.