| One of the most fulfilling aspects of being a Strength and Conditioning Coach or Trainer is witnessing firsthand how the work you put in with athletes or clients translates into real-world improvements—whether in performance, ability, or reduced pain. |
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| I had one of these rewarding moments recently while working with my daughter’s soccer team. I train the team once a week at the start of their practices, focusing on injury prevention and refining athletic movement patterns. |
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| During a recent session, we followed our usual hip and knee stability drills and brief agility ladder work, then introduced a new drill designed to help the girls establish a strong defensive-ready position. The goal? To improve their ability to change direction quickly and explode into a sprint when needed—a skill crucial for their upcoming exhibition game against the boys’ team. |
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| What made this drill so special was not just how synchronized and intimidating the girls looked during warm-ups, but how seamlessly the skills carried over into live play. After the game (which the girls won, by the way), my daughter Jamie ran up to me, beaming. |
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| “Mom, you should have seen it! I remembered what you showed us in warm-up, and I got into ‘that position’ defending a boy. Then, when I saw my chance, I turned quickly and stole the ball from him!” |
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| That moment reinforced why I love coaching—helping athletes build confidence and seeing their hard work pay off in real-time. |
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| Defensive Position & Change of Direction Drill |
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| This change of direction drill is beneficial for any field sport, as well as basketball and other sports that require strong defensive positioning and quick movement. |
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| Drill Breakdown: |
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| Start in Ready Position – Athletes establish a wide, low stance with hands out, balanced on the balls of their feet. |
| Pivot & Cross Over – Staying low, they pivot their hips 90 degrees and cross over the outside leg, then return to the original defensive stance. |
| Repeat – Perform the pivot and reset sequence 3-4 times. |
| Sprint on Command – After the final pivot, the athletes explode into a sprint (5-10 steps) in the same direction as the pivot. |
| Repeat on Opposite Side – Complete the sequence in the opposite direction to ensure balanced movement skills. |
| Coaching Tips: |
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| Running this drill in tandem makes it more fun and visually impressive. Have the athletes line up facing the coach, spaced apart to avoid contact. |
| Call out the movements with a rhythmic cue: “Turn and Base! Turn and Base! Turn and Base! Turn and Sprint!” |
| Ensure all athletes pivot in the same direction for synchronization and efficiency. |
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| If you want your son or daughter to experience a strength and conditioning program designed to improve speed, power, injury resilience, and athletic movement, ask us about our Athletic Development Program (ADP) for individual athletes or our Team Training sessions. |
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| Also, be sure to check out our March Break promotion for youth athletes new to Performance Institute! |
