Diane Flick-Williams, Head Coach at Western Washington University, demonstrates a building block for beginning defense: a powerful first step. Especially with younger players, practicing the defensive first step is critical. The forward step must be towards the ball, whether laterally or back to forward. A simple drill progression to teach the step: Have defenders dig balls in front of them one at a time with a “one-two” step and then completing a push-up from the ground. Once comfortable with the two step dive, players can skip the push-up and run through the dig instead.
Defense for beginners: Focus on the first step
